Overview

A transformative, theologically rich vision for administrative work What if spreadsheets, meetings, and daily management tasks weren't tiresome obligations, but sacred opportunities for spiritual formation? In Taking Good Care: Administration as Christian Formation, experienced administrator Jana Holiday reveals how this often-overlooked work can become a profound expression of faith and a catalyst for personal growth. Holiday understands the unique challenges facing Christian administrators and leaders across diverse contexts--from schools and nonprofits to churches and businesses. But this isn't another dry management manual. Instead, Holiday weaves together practical wisdom with theological depth, showing how decision-making, change implementation, conflict resolution, and resource allocation can become formative spiritual practices. Through her holistic framework of ""taking good care,"" she contrasts domineering models of leadership with more fruitful stewardship models, and shows readers how to cultivate organizational ecosystems that promote flourishing. Each chapter combines biblical insight with real-world application, featuring practical toolkits covering everything from hiring and firing to prayer practices specifically designed for administrators. Holiday addresses the full spectrum of challenges: creating hospitable environments, maintaining proper presence in overwhelming circumstances, developing sustainable assessment cultures, and planning for succession with kingdom-minded vision. Holiday's fresh approach to administration helps readers see their work not as mundane task management, but as an essential ministry of cultivation--nurturing people, stewarding resources, and creating conditions where others can thrive. Administrative professionals--whether managing a small church office or overseeing complex institutional operations--will discover how their work can become an instrument of Christian formation, both for themselves and those they serve.

Full Product Details

9780802885340

Table of Contents

Reviews

""So many of us have stumbled into the ministry of administration without a mentor. How generous of Jana Holiday to provide practical wisdom for the journey! Interweaving scriptural reflection with stories from her own professional experience, Holiday identifies themes worthy of consideration by Christian administrators in a wide variety of settings."" --Ann M. Garrido, Aquinas Institute of Theology ""The gift of administration (Greek kybernēseis, related to the word for a ship's pilot) is what enables leaders to navigate an organization to its goal. When this gift is absent, even the best intentions are rudderless. I am profoundly grateful for Jana Holiday, whose work champions this essential contribution. Her insights don't just validate the administrator's skill set; they invest in its proper enrichment, offering a vital framework for visionaries to turn their ideas into reality."" --Andrew Williams, Anglican Diocese in New England ""In this much-needed volume, Jana Holiday has 'taken good care' to provide excellent guidance on the stewardship of administration in organizational ecosystems. Holiday creatively addresses the topic through scriptural direction, case studies, current research, and a series of very thoughtful reflection questions in each chapter. I am confident this book will be helpful to administrative leaders who are just beginning their journey as well as veterans who are looking for encouraging wisdom from a seasoned guide."" --Donald C. Guthrie, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School ""Jana Holiday turns the idea that administration is a necessary evil on its head, demonstrating how administration can be deeply formative, transformational, and indispensable for flourishing organizations. Combining rich biblical insights, theological reflections, and practical wisdom, this book is a gift to aspiring or current administrators who want to grow in their ability to take good care of organizations that they are entrusted to lead. You will come back to this book over and over again!"" --Felix Theonugraha, Western Theological Seminary

Author Information

Jana Holiday is dean of students at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She holds a PhD in educational studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and has decades of experience in church and higher education administration.

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