Water Under the Bridge (Loads of Other Stuff Too): A Journey into Values-Shaped Leadership

This is the story of lessons learnt – with some blood, sweat and tears – during 40 years of pastoral ministry. With sincere honesty, Don Barry lays open his challenges, failures and successes, taking us on a journey that saw a lot of water under the bridge – and loads of other stuff too.

In a time when the importance of visionary leadership has been trumpeted loud and long, there is a desperate need for another note to be added to the symphony. For vision to be safe and productive, it needs to be bounded by deeply-held values that can sustain a ministry in all seasons.

Woven with stories of church life at the coalface, this book is a vital call for leaders to allow the contours of their life and leadership to be values-shaped.

"This book by Pastor Don Barry offers an honest, candid account of a man's call to fulltime ministry and a rich insightful discussion of the nature of leadership within the contemporary church ... Water Under the Bridge retains a healthy level of objectivity by intertwining the ideas of various thinkers and theorists with a chain of personal experiences in order to provoke new ways of thinking about leadership ... this book bears an exceptional story" - The Reverend Canon Dr Andrew White (aka The Vicar of Baghdad), President of Jerusalem MERIT

"I have had the opportunity to read widely on Christian Leadership. Don Barry’s book Water Under the Bridge is one of the better books I have read in this area ... This gives the book a very real and authentic style as the reader gets to know Don and his struggles and challenges over the years. I highly commend Water Under the Bridge to any ministry leader seeking to understand what Christian leadership looks like and how to grow in their ability to lead their organisations." - Karl Faase, CEO Olive Tree Media, Australia

"Don Barry holds up a daring mirror to spiritual leaders. Not everyone will want to look. But those who seek spiritual leadership that is true to the patterns of Scripture and consistent with God’s unique design for them, will be encouraged by the hard look Don helps them take at themselves and their values. You’ll want to read this book twice ... once just to enjoy a story of humility and authenticity rewarded, and a second time to adjust the values shaping your leadership." - Daniel A Brown, PhD, Author of The Other Side of Pastoral Leadership