Canoeing the Mountains – Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory

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From Lewis and Clark we will learn that if we can adapt and adventure, we can thrive. That while leadership in uncharted territory requires both learning and loss, once we realize that the losses won’t kill us, they can teach us. And mostly, we will learn that to thrive off the map in an exciting and rapidly changing world means learning to let go, learn as we go and keep going no matter what.

Over the last ten years, I have had one church leader after another whisper to me the same frustrated confession: “Seminary didn’t train me for this. I don’t know if I can do it. I just don’t know . . .” Whether your interest in kayaking stems from the desire to get outside and exercise, spend time with your friends and family, or explore the endless waterways that surround you, this easy-to-read guide makes paddling fun and safe for both new and experienced paddlers looking to broaden their horizons. With minimal gear, an inflatable kayak and a can-do attitude like no other, Sutherland coolly embarked on epic thousand kilometer journeys along the remote north shore of Molokai and the coast of Alaska. Sutherland’s writing inspires, shatters perceived barriers and may make you question our dependence on GPS, Go-Pros and Gore-Tex gear.

This concise guide, written by Registered Maine Guide and inveterate paddler Michael Daugherty, features 50 of the best sea kayaking adventures along the New England coast, from Maine’s Bold Coast south to the mouth of the Connecticut River. These are trips that can be done in a day or turned into an overnight, perfect for beginner to intermediate kayakers looking to explore the storied coastlines of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. The book includes day trips near large northeastern cities like New York City and Boston. Each of the trips features a full description and map of the route, plus bullets on distance and time, where to launch, tide and currents, “plan B” routes, and nearby attractions. An at-a-glance trip planner and a selection of nature and history essays round out the offerings in this essential sea kayaker’s guidebook. Finally, if you are heading out for a full day or multi-day plan your food stops. There are many pubs along the way that provide food and drink, but most paddlers choose to bring a picnic and have a lazy meal on the riverbanks. See Ronald Heifetz, Leadership Without Easy Answers (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1994); Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky, Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading (Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 2002); and Ronald Heifetz, The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2009).

This is a guidebook for learning to lead in a world we weren’t prepared for. Our guides will be none other than the first American adventurers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.Summary: Using the story of Lewis and Clark, Bolsinger explores the kind of leadership needed in the uncharted territory of our rapidly changing cultural landscape. A superb book on the need for adaptive leadership in the twenty-first-century church. Bolsinger challenges leaders in the Christian community to recognize the unsettling reality of being 'off the map.' Illustrated with vivid metaphors and real-world examples, resulting in a seminal book on how to navigate this new world. A must-read for everyone interested in church leadership." I found this book quite helpful in breaking down the challenges of leading outside the box or according to this metaphor, as you canoe the mountains. Worth reading.