Mike Bonem has a new book out on the Executive Pastor Role (Thriving In The Second Chair) and I couldn’t be more excited. I distinctly remember reading his first book (Leading From The Second Chair) over 10 years ago and realizing that I would better serve the church in a Second Chair Role. In my excitement about Mike’s book, I posted a review on Amazon and I think I was one of the first to do so. Here’s what I wrote in April 2006.
“I’m someone who recently transitioned from first chair to second chair by choice due to a recognition of my strengths and weaknesses. This book helped in that transition as I felt my way around this new role. It also helped confirm for me that I had made the right choice. I found especially helpful the section on the “deep/wide paradox” in seeing the need for balance between minutia and grand vision. Also helpful (and humbling for a former first chair) was the section on the “subordinate leader paradox”. This book will be extremely helpful to the second chair leader who feels trapped in a bad situation with a bad first chair (not me) but is still full of great wisdom for the person in a great situation with a great first chair leader (like my church). I recommended this book to a church planter in Hawaii and he read it along with his potential second chair guy, which I thought was a great use of this book. Every second chair leader should read this, especially young guys like myself.”
More than ten years later, I’m still an Executive Pastor and Mike Bonem has become a good friend. This time around, my review took the form of an endorsement printed inside his book. I could not be more honored to highly recommend this new book to you now. Here is the endorsement that appeared inside Thriving In The Second Chair.
“Mike’s first book for second chair leaders had a foundational impact on me as a leader. This new work is an entirely different perspective on that pivotal role. Taking a more personal approach, Mike gives us real tools for thriving in the midst of the ups and downs of ministry life. All second chair leaders need to move this to the very top of their reading list.” Phil Taylor, Executive Pastor of Leadership and Development, Mosaic Church in Winter Garden and Walt Disney World, FL. Author of Defining The Executive Pastor Role
