Macchia, Stephen A. Broken and Whole: A Leader’s Path to Spiritual Transformation. Downers Grove: IVP, 2015.
Broken and Whole is a book that lives in the tension leaders experience between being a saint and a sinner…between a superhero and a mere mortal. My subjective observation is that there seems to be an increasing number of books in the field of leadership focused on vulnerability, emotion and brokenness. Whereas, I applaud the need for balance, I struggle to clearly understand how deep the brokenness and vulnerability is permitted to go before the leader loses credibility and is no longer worth following. Macchia’s book provides clarity in this struggle and moves the reader from the humility of brokenness to healing and spiritual transformation. By his own confession, the author categories his work firmly in the field of spiritual formation.
Broken and Whole creates a framework for leadership transformation by using 1 Corinthians 13. The assumption is that a better understanding of what love is and what it is not will move leaders to a posture of service and humility. Early in the book, Macchia asks the reader to confess brokenness (suffering, heartache, sinfulness and imperfections). Each of the 13 chapters ends with a “Spiritual Leadership Audit” that calls for continued confession. Only from that confession can the true work of transformation begin. I especially enjoyed how Macchia wove Saint Benedict’s “Ladder of Humility” into his chapter (four) on love is not proud.
Broken and Whole may scare off some who feel spiritual formation a bit to squishy and affective. However, the book is filled with tangible ways to engage the transformative process. If your desire is to be and develop loving leaders, I am hard pressed to identify a more practical, biblically supported book.