A Non-Anxious Presence: How a Changing and Complex World will Create a Remnant of Renewed Christian Leaders
- Downloads：9214
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-06-28 04:41:40
- Update Date：2025-09-24
- Status：finish
- Author：Mark Sayers
- ISBN：0802428576
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
For much of recent history individuals and institutions could plan， execute， and flourish with their visions of a better world。 Volatile， complex forces could be addressed and confronted with planning and management。 But crisis is a great revealer。 It knocks us off our thrones。 It uncovers the weaknesses in our strategies and brings to light our myths and idols。 Our past strategies run aground， smashed by unpredictable and chaotic waves。 Yet in the midst of the chaos of a crisis comes opportunity。 The history of the church tells us that crisis always precedes renewal， and the framework of renewal offers us new ways forward。 A Non-Anxious Presence shows how that renewal happens and offers churches and leaders strategic ways to awaken the Church and see our culture changed for Christ。
Reviews
David G
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I think this book has a marketing problem。 It wasn't at all what I expected。 I thought it was going to be a book on leadership， instead it's a fascinating study of society and the changing of the times with very little in terms of leadership lessons。 I think this book has a marketing problem。 It wasn't at all what I expected。 I thought it was going to be a book on leadership， instead it's a fascinating study of society and the changing of the times with very little in terms of leadership lessons。 。。。more
Mads Jorgensen
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Once again， Mark does an incredible job at putting words onto what we're living through right now。 Even more importantly he also gives honest and courageous thoughts to how we as Christian leaders should go about our lives in this gray zone moment。 There are things in our leadership we need to learn as much as things we need to unlearn。All the way through the book I was captivated and motivated！ Once again， Mark does an incredible job at putting words onto what we're living through right now。 Even more importantly he also gives honest and courageous thoughts to how we as Christian leaders should go about our lives in this gray zone moment。 There are things in our leadership we need to learn as much as things we need to unlearn。All the way through the book I was captivated and motivated！ 。。。more
Joe Johnson
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Great and quick read。 Systems theory on the lowest shelf。
Timothy Goldsmith
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Mark Sayers has written a fascinating book about the time of transition that our culture is experiencing。 As we move out of the "American Century"， where Western Capitalism has reigned supreme， and now embrace an internet age where nation-states no longer reign supreme。 How do we respond to this "grey zone" that we now live in？ as people find themselves carrying an increased sense of anxiety over how they make sense of the world， will the church reflect that anxiety， or can we be a "non-anxious Mark Sayers has written a fascinating book about the time of transition that our culture is experiencing。 As we move out of the "American Century"， where Western Capitalism has reigned supreme， and now embrace an internet age where nation-states no longer reign supreme。 How do we respond to this "grey zone" that we now live in？ as people find themselves carrying an increased sense of anxiety over how they make sense of the world， will the church reflect that anxiety， or can we be a "non-anxious presence"？I'd say I enjoyed the front half of the book more than the back， but it was still a thought provoking read。 。。。more
Grant Carter
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Beginning and the end of the book are fantastic。 I wish he gave more concrete steps on how to become a non-anxious presence。 All in all， still a helpful read and I highly recommend for anyone in a position of leadership。
Joshua D。
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Loved it。 Great application of systems thinking to our current situation。 Special application to the church。 A few images from the book will really stick with me。
Kenny
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Very accessible and helpful in thinking about the times in which we live and how we help others navigate them。
Myles Elton
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As always a beautiful balance of cultural exegesis with hopeful next steps。 Thankful for being helped to see the cultural moment more clearly and to be led to entrust myself to Gods presence despite the wilderness
Eric Blessing
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In his follow-up work to Reappearing Church， Mark Sayers dives into his concept of a "non-anxious presence。" He explains that the West and the whole world are shifting into a new era， leaving the last era of the American Century scrambled and confused in what he calls a "gray zone。" This "gray zone" has left many leaders and nominal Christians at a loss， as the American model of leadership is failing。 In the midst of these complex times， Sayers points out that a presence fully reliant on God is In his follow-up work to Reappearing Church， Mark Sayers dives into his concept of a "non-anxious presence。" He explains that the West and the whole world are shifting into a new era， leaving the last era of the American Century scrambled and confused in what he calls a "gray zone。" This "gray zone" has left many leaders and nominal Christians at a loss， as the American model of leadership is failing。 In the midst of these complex times， Sayers points out that a presence fully reliant on God is what will shape leaders and churches moving forward。In a lot of ways， this book called out a lot of the mental maps I inherited of what it means to lead and live in America。 It also left me convicted that all the chaos in the world is evidence of a shifting time and that events like COVID， war， and supply chain issues are no mere hiccup in modern living。 I do believe that Sayers sees something that not a lot of other voices are noticing。However， I must explain the lower amount of stars。 Sayers' conclusion is less than elaborate。 While he offers Christian leaders a glimpse into a paradigm shift of being forged by the Spirit， he also offers no practical ways to live into this paradigm。 If it wasn't for other books I've read about spiritual practices lately， this book may have left me empty-handed。I also would critique Sayers' biblical analysis。 He proposed that King David is a prime scriptural example of a leader who is tried by the wilderness and leads from a non-anxious presence—that David is the opposite of a leader operating out of a comfort zone。 While this may be true about David in 1 Samuel， the latter half of David's life is nothing but a leader living from a comfort zone。 In all honesty， the real example of a wilderness "Spirit-empowered" leader in the scriptures is Moses。 The man literally was made radiant by spending so much time with YHWH in the Sinai wilderness。 All things considered， this is a golden book for those who want to see the Church move to endurance in a complex world。 。。。more
Andy Garcia
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Just wow！ The pandemic revealed much about the health of the global church。 Mark shows us how not to run from the hard， but see and seed this moment for both individual and corporate renewal。 Deeply helpful in navigating this leadership moment。
Adrian
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Best book for Christian leaders facing anxiety--viewing the pandemic as the occasion to reexamine our world and worldview and find new ways forward as we continue living between and old and new age in the global west。
Jordan Clark
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This book was an excellent examination of the transitional cultural moment we find ourselves in。 Even before COVID it felt like every few months at least， there was some new “status quo” to adjust to in church leadership。 This constant fluctuation left little time for adjustment。 What this book lacks in practical methods to apply， it more than makes up for in its interpretation of the times。 The truth is that methodology may need to make way for adaptability - which is why this book is so much b This book was an excellent examination of the transitional cultural moment we find ourselves in。 Even before COVID it felt like every few months at least， there was some new “status quo” to adjust to in church leadership。 This constant fluctuation left little time for adjustment。 What this book lacks in practical methods to apply， it more than makes up for in its interpretation of the times。 The truth is that methodology may need to make way for adaptability - which is why this book is so much better than yet another “how to” about Christian leadership that will be obsolete in another month。 。。。more
Cover Lover Book Review
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After living through all the changes that developed （and are still developing） from the Covid-19 Pandemic， so many people are dealing with anxiety。 I’m not an overly anxious person， but I must admit， I experienced it more in the last two years than I have in prior decades！ A Non-Anxious Presence shows us that there are wonderful opportunities for shifting and renewal when we are going through difficult or concerning times。 By following Biblical examples and teachings， we can find strength and pe After living through all the changes that developed （and are still developing） from the Covid-19 Pandemic， so many people are dealing with anxiety。 I’m not an overly anxious person， but I must admit， I experienced it more in the last two years than I have in prior decades！ A Non-Anxious Presence shows us that there are wonderful opportunities for shifting and renewal when we are going through difficult or concerning times。 By following Biblical examples and teachings， we can find strength and peace in Jesus's presence。I’m a visual person， so I really appreciate the diagrams， white space， and bold printed key ideas this book offers。 I also enjoy the chapters’ key takeaway elements。 Loved how the “gray zone” was described and delivered。 This is a book that can easily be read in one sitting， but it is better to let it sink in slowly。Disclosure: #CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book。 。。。more
Daunavan Buyer
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Read this book in one sitting and I have to say it was amazing。 All leaders should read this book。 Mark makes sense of a lot of the issues that church leaders are facing coming out of the Covid Pandemic。 He applies a sociological issue with a theological solution in such brilliant terms。 A non-anxious presence leans into The power and promise of God and His Kingdom as the world descends deeper into fear， lack of connection， silos， etc。
Tim Casteel
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The days are dark and chaotic。 Things feel overwhelmingly complex。 But these are the types of times God moves in great ways。 And the way He will bring renewal is through leaders; leaders who experience the presence of God and strike out boldly into the chaos as a non-anxious presence。We are living in what Sayers calls a Gray Zone- a time of rapid， chaotic， complex and confusing change。"The gray zone will be the context in which you will live and lead。 We must understand it and learn to flourish The days are dark and chaotic。 Things feel overwhelmingly complex。 But these are the types of times God moves in great ways。 And the way He will bring renewal is through leaders; leaders who experience the presence of God and strike out boldly into the chaos as a non-anxious presence。We are living in what Sayers calls a Gray Zone- a time of rapid， chaotic， complex and confusing change。"The gray zone will be the context in which you will live and lead。 We must understand it and learn to flourish within it。"The first half of the book is about understanding the Gray Zone， the second half is about flourishing and leading in it。This （from chapter 1） about sums up the book:"For those who have found themselves overrun by the sheer pace of change over the last five years， who anxiously try to find their bearings in this time—you are not alone。However， we follow an unchanging God， who is advancing His kingdom in this gray zone moment。"Sayers is a voracious reader and one of his great gifts to the church is distilling vast amounts of learning into concise， easy-to-digest summaries。 A pastor in Australia， Sayers lives outside the American bubble and is thus more aware of global politics and economics， and better able to critique America。Sayers has become my favorite author for two reasons:- He helps me understand the times - He gives me hope （a shaft of light， a reminder that God hovers over the chaos）Sayers is unique among writers in that he nails both the diagnosis AND the cure。 Incredibly rare。 Many books excel at diagnosis。 Very few books offer a practical cure。 One in a million excels at both diagnosis and cure。 [I’m guessing it’s because writers who are smart enough to understand the times are so cloistered in academia and so buried in books that they aren’t connected to real people; they aren’t practitioners， only researchers/writers。 Sayers somehow does both。 He pastors a church and knows his flock。]Even more remarkable: Sayers does it with simple， clear writing。 This wisdom is not buried under dense academic writing。I had originally given this book 4 stars。 It's a little choppy and underdeveloped- I get the sense that it was rushed to print to not miss this moment of chaos （it was written during the pandemic but is broadly applicable; as it does not appear the chaos is diminishing！）。 Hard to put in words - it just felt a little less polished than his other books。 But I went back and bumped it up to 5。 Because it is such a rare accomplishment: to nail both diagnosis and cure; AND to deliver that content in short， easy to digest chapters is quite the feat。 。。。more
Ivan
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