The Emotional Intelligence of Jesus
Relational Smarts for Religious Leaders
By (author) Roy M. Oswald, Arland Jacobson Foreword by Loren B. Mead
Publication date:
22 January 2015Length of book:
206 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersISBN-13: 9781566997799
Faith leaders are surrounded by people, constantly navigating mazes of different personalities, emotional levels, and individual characteristics. Working with committees, individuals, and other leaders is critical to successfully moving an organization forward and representing a congregation with credibility and effectiveness. Not every leader, however, is born with the inherent ability to effectively communicate and relate with others. That ability is called Emotional Intelligence—perceiving, controlling, and evaluating emotions.
Emotional Intelligence is widely studied in the business world to help improve leader effectiveness. The Emotional Intelligence of Jesus introduces readers to the ways emotional intelligence can enhance their work in faith settings. Authors Roy M. Oswald and Arland Jacobson highlight the emotional intelligence of Jesus, illuminating the remarkable ways he related to a diverse array of people, then show how these lessons can enrich the ministry of faith leaders today.
The book walks readers through five key principles of emotional intelligence—self-awareness, empathy, assertiveness, optimism, and stress management—illustrating these principles in the life of Jesus and offering practical applications for leaders today. The authors address emotional intelligence with both individuals and groups of all sizes. The Emotional Intelligence of Jesus is an essential resource for anyone looking to enhance their relationship and leadership effectiveness in a faith setting.
Emotional Intelligence is widely studied in the business world to help improve leader effectiveness. The Emotional Intelligence of Jesus introduces readers to the ways emotional intelligence can enhance their work in faith settings. Authors Roy M. Oswald and Arland Jacobson highlight the emotional intelligence of Jesus, illuminating the remarkable ways he related to a diverse array of people, then show how these lessons can enrich the ministry of faith leaders today.
The book walks readers through five key principles of emotional intelligence—self-awareness, empathy, assertiveness, optimism, and stress management—illustrating these principles in the life of Jesus and offering practical applications for leaders today. The authors address emotional intelligence with both individuals and groups of all sizes. The Emotional Intelligence of Jesus is an essential resource for anyone looking to enhance their relationship and leadership effectiveness in a faith setting.
Building on research of brain scientists and psychologists, particularly Daniel Goleman, that suggests that 'feeling and thinking… are inseparable parts of our cognitive system,' Oswald and Jacobson examine Jesus, congregations, and church leaders through this lens, with the aim of enriching congregational life. They contend that Jesus, as portrayed in the synoptic gospels, exemplifies an emotionally intelligent person through such traits as his ability to elicit 'healing trust in ill persons,' 'abundance mentality,' self-awareness, empathy, optimism, and stress resilience. When used in congregational settings, these qualities help people thrive, equipping them to address toxic interchanges head-on, promote teamwork, and offer effective pastoral care. An emotionally intelligent pastor is one who develops trust, builds relationships, is honest about difficult truths, and embodies Christian grace. The authors offer guidance for developing emotional intelligence, advice for a variety of pastoral situations and ministry settings, and tools, such as the Clergy Life Changes Rating Scale. Compelling, insightful and practical, this book is a valuable resource for promoting healthy congregations.