This is a most welcome book. Each chapter begins with a case study to demonstrate the pitfalls and misunderstandings within cross-cultural and multicultural teams. Out of each study important concepts are drawn which relate to building strong covenant relationships for effective Christian leadership.

Lingenfelter outlines his goals for the book as follows:
1. Help leaders to understand their personal culture of leadership (ie. how we are influenced by our cultural background -default culture).
2. Equip the reader to become an effective learner in another culture, with a particular focus on learning to build communities of trust.
3. Reflect on “the human propensity” to use power and control in leading.
4. Define “the pathway for biblically based, Christ-centered, power-giving leadership in single and multicultural contests.”

These are ambitious goals! There is good material here to help leaders begin and continue to work on each goal. However, to fully achieve the last goal is highly unlikely but if it pushes us forward toward Kingdom oriented leadership it is well worth trying. I always hesitate when anyone says “the gateway.” Let me be quick to say that I agree with the direction set forth.

Lingenfelter's basic thesis is you must build teams based on covenant relationships of trust growing out of basic biblical truths demonstrated and laid out by Christ. These include denying one's self, taking up the cross, following Christ in a servant leader mode. It means we must all bring our “default cultures” to the cross and surrender our leadership ideas which may be culturally conditioned. We must all submit to Christ's Lordship and build trust based on our mutual relationship to Christ and His Kingdom.

Lingenfelter defines leading cross-culturally as “inspiring people who come from two or more cultural traditions to participate with you (the leader or the leadership team) in building a community of trust and then to follow you and be empowered to achieve a compelling vision of faith.” p. 21.

This would be a great book to use for a leadership retreat or a working seminar on Cross-cultural teaming. It is a very helpful book and should be in the tool-box of every team leader. I commend it highly.

Warmly,Frank