The overarching objective of this workbook is to help prepare each of us as disciple leaders to better fulfill the mission of BYU-Idaho: “…to develop disciples of Jesus Christ who are leaders in their homes, the Church, and their communities.” As disciple leaders, we have the daunting, yet the noble mission of trying to become more like Him and to lead as He did. 

Learn to apply the example and principles taught by Jesus Christ consistently and other true principles to lead effectively and solve problems in key organizations like at work, in your home, in the Church, and in the community. While we will learn true principles from many sources, the fundamental questions we will ponder and apply as we solve problems together throughout the course follow:

Disciple-Leadership Model

In the world, there are many leadership and management styles.  In this book, we want to explore how you can become a disciple-leader in the real world.  Demonstrating disciple-leadership can impact all areas of your life, including your home, work, church, and community. 

In choosing to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and to try to lead as he does, we also choose to follow a process of refining and change that will last until long after we have passed on to the next life. Similarly, it is an impossible task to design a course that teaches all that goes into leading, like the Savior. In this journey of disciple-leadership, we will focus our learning on four key principles:

• Choose to Be a Disciple-Leader: Throughout our lives, we receive many invitations to live our lives more like the Savior. At the heart of disciple-leadership is an invitation to make a choice: the choice to act and lead like the Savior.  At the heart of disciple-leadership is an invitation to make a choice: the choice to act and lead like the Savior. In choosing to be a disciple-leader, we make an active, personal choice to seek to pattern our lives, our decisions, and our leadership after Jesus: The Perfect Leader.
• Strive to Become and to Build Others: Our Father’s work and glory is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” As our great Exemplar, the Savior showed us how to live, and as our Redeemer, he made it possible to exercise our faith to repent and progress along the path that leads to eternal life. The way of the disciple requires a commitment both to striving to become better ourselves and to lifting and building others.
  
• Create Spiritually and Physically and Be Accountable:  In the scriptures, we find a pattern by which Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ co-created the universe and our planet. We also seek to follow this pattern as we work with others to co-create good things and to accomplish righteous purposes.
• Generate Light and Drive Out Darkness: As disciples, we seek to build teams and organizations based on true principles (light) and to drive out that which is false, harmful, or destructive (darkness).¹

Disciple-Leader Pondering Questions

While we will learn true principles from many sources, the fundamental questions we will ponder and apply as we solve problems together  follow:

• What would Jesus do if He were in this situation and context?
• How do the two great commandments apply in this situation and context?
  • Love of God: What is the right path (His will according to His laws and communication from the Holy Ghost)?
  • Love of Others: What is right and best for each person involved?
• What doctrine or principles, if understood, would help me (and those I lead) solve this situation as effectively as possible?
  

About the Workbook

This workbook is organized based on the Disciple-Leadership Model.  Besides reading content in the workbook, you will read articles and watch videos linked to different sources that relate to the content.  You will be guided to read two books, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The Anatomy of Peace.

Let’s embark on this journey to becoming a disciple-leader.  The first step requires you to make a decision and “Choose to be a Disciple-Leader.

1. "Generate Light and Drive Out Darkness" is a phrase used by Kim B. Clark in his devotional talk, "Becoming a Disciple-Leader."