MODEM is a national ecumenical charity formed in 1993 to help the Churches a role of explore managerial and organisational issues. It looks for ways of leading and enabling authentic dialogue between exponents of leadership, management and organisation on the one hand, and spirituality, theology and ministry on the other.
During 2011 our Synod Moderator Rowena Francis served on a panel that MODEM brought together to select the best books of the first decade of the century to deal with these issues, whether arising from a ‘church’ or a ‘secular’ context.
Rowena says ‘It was stimulating to read and discuss books, with others engaged in the field, that were nominated as the best in the last decade. We started with over a hundred books on the list. These expressed both the range and the development of thought in this dialogue between management and organisation and theology and ministry. I was privileged to present some of the books that made it to the final list at a launch at Sarum College, Salisbury in October 2011.’
A booklet has been produced, downloadable from the MODEM website, that describes each book in 140 words. The hope is that folk wanting to have a balanced look at the leadership debate of the last decade in church and in organisations will find it a broad taster.
And as Rowena, says, "Though at the conference it became clear that more recent books that were known by fewer people were not yet on the list – perhaps when it comes to the next decade they will make it!"
Meanwhile read, enjoy and be stimulated.