Eric Newman's children's ministry is suddenly falling apart. What is happening? He thought he was doing everything right. Is this a sign that he needs to throw in the towel and move on?
Alternating chapters of heartfelt storytelling and real world advice, The Eric Trap is a sneaky little weapon to have in your leadership arsenal. Despite it's slim spine and down-to-earth style, this book is deep in thought and fearless at tackling the heart of the problem. This is a great book for leaders of many ages and season's. Expect it to teach, enlighten, and maybe even heal. Regardless of how many conferences you've been to or how many leadership books you've read, you will fall into one of the five traps that Eric Newman did, and you will need the heartfelt advice in this honest, handy little book.
The Eric Trap was written by ministry peers who have drawn from their own experience and Biblical knowledge to highlight five things that are sure to trip up every ministry leader. Their advice on overcoming these pitfalls is honest and practical. They encourage us and challenge us to reevaluate the health of our leadership. The importance of overcoming these ministry traps is illustrated by the story of Eric Newman interspersed throughout the book.
Don't be fooled by the cover - the story of Eric Newman is neither cute nor funny and does not include any furry animals as the whimsical cartoon and use of the word "fable" might suggest. The struggles of the overwhelmed Eric, his floundering ministry, and dissatisfied family are incredibly real, and may, in fact, be too real for many of us. But it is Eric's true-to-life reality that reminds us of the urgency of our calling and the severity of our potential failure.
Despite parts of Eric's story being a bit depressing, I did enjoy reading and learning from The Eric Trap. Chapter 2: Leadership Under Authority was especially insightful for me, and Mr. Wideman's conclusion was a perfect ending. I deeply appreciated all of the authors' efforts to write about leadership within the context of one's relationship with Christ and the local church (as opposed to a business or management context - you'd be surprised how many ministry-help books leave Christ more or less out of the equation). I highly recommend it to ministry rookies and veterans alike.
A NOTE TO SMALL MINISTRY LEADERS: I understand where you are coming from. Although Eric's ministry is in upheaval, parts of it might still sound like a dream ministry to you - small group leaders, an electronic check-in system, a separate preschool department, an office of his own. Don't be tempted to compare or say that the advice in this book can't help you right now. Eric could not handle his growing ministry because he did not understand the principles outlined in this book. If you try to put these principles into practice now, you will be able to handle your ministry far more effectively than Eric did whenever and however the growth comes. You can still learn from this book.
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