In the Name of Jesus - Henri Nouwen - Book Review

5 stars

I underlined so much in this book. It's short but full of SO much to ponder. Nowen intertwines his pondering with biographical details of his own journey from respected academic to ministry in a home for the mentally handicapped. Here he found people who could not be controlled or manipulated into ways of thinking that Nouwen thought were right or important. He found people who lived simply and with their heart; and VERY honestly. It seems that this ministry revealed more the truth of where Nouwen was with God than any amount of training ever could. Here he found the truth of leadership - it can only be done vulnerably in community, not from a position of 'authority' but one of soft openness to what others can teach you and by moving forward together (sometimes it might feel like you're going backwards - but then you end up where God wanted you to be in the first place).

Nouwen points out that those in ministry and leadership are not meant to keep a safe distance from the people of the church. It was never meant to be a kind of worldly client relationship (like the serving professions of medicine, psychiatry, social work, etc.).

Nouwen asks, "[H]ow can anyone lay down his life for those with whom he is not even allowed to enter into a deep personal relationship? Laying down your life means making your own faith and doubt, hope and despair, joy and sadness, courage and fear available to others as ways of getting in touch with the Lord of life.

"We are not the healers, we are not the reconcilers, we are not givers of life. We are sinful, broken, vulnerable people who need as much care as anyone we care for. The mystery of ministry is that we have been chosen to make our own limited and very conditional love the gateway for the unlimited and unconditional love of God. Therefore true ministry must be mutual. When the members of a community of faith cannot truly know and love their shepherd, shepherding quickly becomes a subtle way of exercising power over others..." YES!

I think a lot of the issue of distance between leader and led in the church today is one of fear and lack of trust. Either they feel that they must appear strong and in control of their Christian lives - because they fear that people may mistake any vulnerability for an inability to lead/minister. Or, they have been hurt by people in the church and so put up walls to protect themselves - make themselves resilient to criticism and hurt. Instead of strengthening a leader, this simply makes them hard and more prone to forcing through their own agendas and steamroller others into their way of thinking/doing as they shut their ears and emotions from what others are saying.

Nouwen also touches on something that is very dear to my heart - theological reflection - not that of academic head knowledge (though I do love a good academic tome), but reflecting on the nature of God and, by His help, becoming attuned to and transformed by the mind of Christ. Such reflection will, Nouwen observes, "...allow us to discern critically where we are being led...Without solid theological reflection, future leaders will become little more than pseudo-psychologists, pseudo-sociologists, pseudo-social workers. They will think of themselves as enablers, facilitators, role models, father or mother figures, big brothers or big sisters, and so on, and thus join the countless men and women who make a living by trying to help their fellow human beings cope with the stresses and strains of everyday living."

I've quoted a lot, but just for my own benefit mostly, here's a good one to finish on: "Theological reflection is reflecting on the painful and joyful realities of every day with the mind of Jesus and thereby raising human consciousness to the knowledge of God's gentle guidance. This is a hard discipline...The loud boisterous voices of the world make us deaf to the soft, gentle, and loving voice of God. A Christian leader is called to help people to hear that voice and so be comforted and consoled."

Thoroughly recommend.