In the early pages of Building Below the Waterline, Gordon MacDonald tells a story about the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, which took thirteen years to complete. The Chief Engineer wrote that for the first three years, the public might well have thought that no work was being done because nothing was visible. But in fact, the most patient, the most patient, daring, and important work was in process: building the bridge's foundations hundreds of feet beneath the water's surface. For MacDonald "it is one more illustration of an ageless principle in leader-ship: the work done below the waterline-in a leader's soul-determines whether he or she will stand the test of time and challenge. This work is called worship, devotion, spiritual discipline. It's done in quiet, where no one but Got sees." Building Below the Waterline delivers hard-won lessons on building a strong foundation for Christian leaders in all areas of ministry. Anchored in biblical truth, spiritual guidance, and life experience, this collection of MacDonald's writings covers a wide range of matters.

Divided into two sections "The Inner life of a Leader" and "The Outer Life of a Leader", the book explores such issues as cultivating the soul, handing "midlife leadership crises", and the private times of a public leader. This important volume will help leaders at all levels build a strong foundation of worship, devotion, and spiritual discipline in order to grow the body the Christ in a manner that will stand the test of time. Book jacket.