Great choice in Carey Nieuwhof as a leader to follow. He would definitely fit in the opinion leader category and you’ve outlined some of the impact of that style of leadership.
I’ve heard Carey say that if he simply talked about what the Bible says about leadership or 10 verses on being a pastor (rather than the opinion- and experience-driven writing he tends to do) that every article would be the same, every blog post would essentially say the same thing.
Carey’s ability to clearly identify trends, success factors and struggles which are common to pastors, churches and even business leaders is impressive!
Monica, I really appreciate your reminder that the value you find in Carey’s writing is how it is helping you overcome obstacles and executing strategy. Leaders inspiring other leaders to lead better is an incredible thing to see!
Thanks Chris, for your post and agree he is an opinion leader, did not think to classify him as that. It is likely true that some people are not seeing him as an opinion leader, so they criticize him based on the framework that they think he should fit in as a pastor. I also agree he does have an ability to see trends and pick things out that are obstacles to church growth. Definitely something that needs more awareness in the Christian community!