You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone

Build a Collaborative and Sustainable Ministry Structure

The work of the church is more than any one person can handle, and God never intended for one pastor to do all a church's ministry alone.

Discover a communal and biblical model of missional leadership in You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone. In this book, E. K. Strawser seeks to recover the shared leadership model of the early church, offering a practical and inclusive alternative to hierarchical and patriarchal church leadership structures. This book invites pastors, church planters, and ministry leaders to rethink how leadership can empower the entire body of Christ. By identifying the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers, this book provides a vision for leadership that fosters collaboration, inclusivity, and spiritual flourishing.

In this book, Strawser



- Explores how shared leadership can be integrated into the structure of a church;

- Expands on the fivefold diversity of leadership: apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers;

- Highlights how different gifts and leadership styles suit various aspects of ministry;

- Expands ministry beyond paid staff, promoting inclusivity regardless of gender, race, or culture;

- Addresses real-life power dynamics and temptations leaders face; and

- Offers practical, sustainable structures to multiply leaders for the benefit of the entire community.This book argues that for the church to truly reflect the fullness of Christ, it must embrace the sharing of power. If you're ready to reimagine ministry and build mature leadership in your church, start with You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone.



E. K. Strawser (DO, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine) is the co-vocational lead pastor of Ma Ke Alo o (which means "presence" in Hawaiian)—non-denominational missional communities multiplying in Honolulu—and a community physician at Ke Ola Pono. She is the founder of `Iwa Collaborative, a consulting and content-developing firm to empower kingdom-grounded leaders to navigate change, grow adaptive capacity, and foster local flourishing. Prior to transitioning to Hawaii, she served as adjunct professor of medicine at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and of African Studies at her alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania (where she and her husband served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship), after finishing her Fulbright scholarship at the University of Dar es Salaam. She is the author of Centering Discipleship, and she and Steve have three seriously amazing children.

Foreword


Prologue
Part 1: The Shift from Hierarchical Leadership to Sharing Leadership


1. The Nature of Leadership


2. Sharing Leadership Requires Maturity


3. Mature Leaders Are Disciples First


4. The 4 H's: Marks of Mature Leaders
Part 2: Sharing Leadership in Ephesians 4


5. Revising the Delineation of Leadership from Ephesians 4


6. Reframing Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd, and Teacher Leaders


7. Relying on APEST for Sharing Leadership


8. Recalling APEST for All Types of Sharing Leaders
Part 3: Sharing Leadership in Real Life


9. The Power of Sharing Leadership


10. How to Start Sharing Leadership


11. How to Structure Sharing Leadership


12. How to Sustain Sharing Leadership


Epilogue


Afterword


Acknowledgements

"W. Edwards Deming said, 'Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets.' The Western church's hierarchical leadership has achieved the results it was designed to—declining attendance, closing seminaries, and a stream of moral failures. Thank God that E. K. Strawser wrote this book to disciple pastors and ministry leaders to reassess the system. You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone offers an inspiring and practical blueprint for sustainable, disciple-making churches where all of God's people flourish. This is not a path forward—it's a return to how the church was always meant to operate."



"In an age and culture where poor leadership in the church has left liminal space in its wake, E. K. Strawser, seeking the best path forward, provides a clear and viable understanding of shared leadership culture and how to implement it. This is a must-read for church and organizational leaders."



"You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone is a timely call to reclaim the power of shared leadership. E. K. Strawser challenges the Western church's default to hierarchical, male-dominated, pastor-centric models, offering a vision rooted in Ephesians 4's Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, and Teachers (APEST) framework—leadership that is dynamic, interdependent, and missionally engaged. This book is both prophetic and practical, equipping leaders to move beyond isolation and exhaustion into a dynamic, communal way of living and leading."



"When I read You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone, I wanted to stand up and cheer! E. K. Strawser is fearless, unflinching, and amazingly articulate in her case for a collective model of leadership that is both more faithful to the gospel and more effective for the twenty-first century context. . . . This is a necessary book for this kairos moment. May it midwife the change that the church needs for the sake of the world."



"You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone offers us the imagination we need for this crucial moment. E. K. Strawser gives us places to start this journey. . . . She and her church are an example we can learn from in getting through what we must get through to go where we need to go. I pray we receive this book as a gift for our times. And may the Lord bless all who pick up the cross of this kind of leadership for the challenging times we face leading Christ's church into mission."



"E. K. Strawser's book is very timely for Christian leaders of today as well as future leaders. I personally grew up and was trained under the paradigm of pastoral leadership in singularity rather than a shared reality. Strawser's insights bring to the forefront the need and benefits of shared leadership within the body of Christ. The idea of leaders operating within their multiplicity of spiritual giftedness certainly finds its origins within the biblical text. Ephesians 4 certainly confirms and affirms this reframing presented by Strawser in such a way that will prove to be very beneficial for all leaders."



"E. K. Strawser presents an honest assessment of broken hierarchical approaches to leadership and offers transformative principles to move today's ministry leader to a place of health and productivity. Strawser carefully guides the reader through a well-defined model of shared leadership that allows an honest look at how one leads and provides profound insight from professional and personal experiences that encourages accurate application of the Biblical texts on leadership. This book serves both as a necessary introduction to church leadership and a lifelong guide for leading well."



"In my work over the last few years, we have recognized that the church is moving from clergy led/lay supported to lay led/clergy supported. Eun Strawser helps us utilize the Ephesians 4 framework to delineate and embrace shared leadership based on maturity and not popularity or charisma, until we have unity in the faith and knowledge of Jesus and all come to maturity (Eph. 4:13). Thanks, Eun, for the reminder and the challenge!"



"As a local church pastor, I want to finish well. I don't want to end up being a curmudgeonly old man who holds a grudge against the church and everyone who 'wronged' me. Neither do I want my wife and children to feel that way toward me or the church. So pick up this book and allow E. K. Strawser to be your guide away from that future. She will expose your assumptions and pastorally point you toward a beautiful kingdom vision of what sharing leadership in the church can look like."



"You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone delivers a timely truth for this cultural moment, and simultaneously, an ancient biblical truth that is rooted in Jesus and the early church. The wisdom, insight, and challenges shared on leadership in this book are grounded in real-life, hard-fought, fire-refined years of embodied leadership and renew my hope for the church, for the people of God, and for the body of Christ to be good news to a hurting world."



"Believing in and practicing shared leadership in a power-hungry world (and, too often, a power-hungry church) is a prophetic act that proclaims a different kingdom and holds out hope in a final joy that is far better. E. K. Strawser not only teaches wonderfully and skillfully coaches us in this area of discipleship, so sorely needed in the church today, but she lives it and embodies it. Every church leadership that longs to be conformed to the way of Christ will find this book to be a healing balm and insightful guide."



"In You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone, E. K. Strawser encourages us to not only see the beauty in shared leadership but the necessity for mature leaders who are equally mature followers. Her push for leaders that value all the gifts in our congregations and community is a refreshing reminder that powerful, transformative leadership may come from the least likely people. She reminds us that true empowerment comes when we recognize the power in diverse leadership styles and perspectives."



"With striking lucidity, E. K. Strawser diagnoses what ails much of the Western church today. This is no ordinary book on leadership. She gives voice to what I've struggled to articulate for years and offers insights I've simply not encountered elsewhere. If you're seeking an alternative to the dominant narratives of church leadership and growth, Strawser will lead you toward deeper formation, greater maturity, and a profoundly Christlike way of leading with others. This decolonized breath of fresh air is a must-read for every church leader!"



"Most leadership books leave individuals full of aspiration and devoid of meaningful vision for how to lead in community. In You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone, E. K. Strawser prunes our overgrown imaginations with practiced tools so that we can grow leadership fruit that tastes like the power of 'with.' This book will be an essential guide to help disciple generations of leaders to untether themselves from abusive systems that wreak havoc on their very souls."



"You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone is an important and inspiring book for our time, but it is not always easy to read. E. K. Strawser unflinchingly gets to the heart of some of our deepest dysfunctions within the Western church and calls them out. The joy of this book is that with stories, anecdotes, and a sense of playfulness and vision, she also sets out a biblical path to a healthy model for Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, and Teachers (APEST) teamwork and communal leadership. Eun offers much-needed hope and practical advice to isolated leaders, pastors, and church communities looking for greater levels of health and maturity."



"You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone is a breath of fresh air for anyone in leadership. E. K. Strawser's authenticity shines as she blends her real-life journey with deep theological and practical insights. For too long, leadership models have exhausted and isolated us. Strawser offers a refreshing, communal approach, one modeled by generations, often by women, and now being shown as essential for the church. This timely book is for pastors, leaders recovering from burnout, and anyone striving to create transformative impact in their community by leading together."



"Leadership today requires a fresh approach that moves beyond traditional, top-down models. The complexities of our world demand leaders who are collaborative, inclusive, and adaptable. E. K. Strawser's You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone embodies this shift, advocating for shared leadership that values diverse gifts and perspectives. With practical insights and theological depth, Strawser empowers leaders to create stronger, more resilient teams, building ministries that reflect God's intention for the flourishing of the church and community."



"This book is both a prophetic challenge and a pastoral companion for those in leadership. E. K. Strawser dismantles the myth of solo leadership and reimagines what it means to lead in authentic community. With a compelling blend of theology, personal story, and practical wisdom, she offers a road map for leaders who long to serve from a place of wholeness, shared responsibility, and Spirit-led collaboration. Looking for a healthier, more Christ-centered way forward? Let E. K. Strawser and this book be your guides!"



"E. K. Strawser brilliantly reclaims shared leadership for the church, offering a vision where diverse gifts flourish and communities thrive together. With wisdom and practical insight, she equips leaders to dismantle hierarchy, embrace collaboration, and cultivate a church that truly reflects the body of Christ." weniger anzeigen expand_less