The Rev. David Woolverton, a longtime Eastern PA elder, pastoral counselor, consultant and trainer, has just published a new book to resource ministry leaders for the emotional and spiritual task of providing personal and pastoral care to others.  Prophet and Loss: Embracing Grief, Nurturing Resilience, and Harnessing Authentic Leadership“offers five strategies to equip pastors and leaders in negotiating with their losses to attain organizational resilience, sustainability, and vibrancy.”

“Being a mission-driven leader who knows how to navigate the emotions of loss and grief connected to leadership” is hard, writes Woolverton, pastor of St Paul’s UMC in Elizabethtown. “It takes a vulnerable leader to lead well—one who has faced into their own losses and can let those losses equip their character for God’s greater plans.”

Using Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s five stages of grief, along with the wisdom of five biblical prophets, he describes vulnerability among leaders as “essential for the overall health of the organizations they lead and for the well-being—and discipleship—of those under their direction.” 

Woolverton led a conferencewide book study and discussion on his popular, 2021 book Mission Rift: Leading through Church Conflict. His books are available from many booksellers.