8We have too often missed the point that it is the community of faith, the church, that is called to be a sign, instrument, and in particular a foretaste of the reign of God. So what would an appetizer of God's coming reign look like anyway? The focus of this book is not only on what a church does but how it goes about doing what it does. The common life and shared ministry of the church are a powerful witness to God's loving and reconciling activity. A world wracked with fear, incivility, win-lose competition, and anger calls for churches that manifest the fruit of the Holy Spirit. This book dives into the key leadership behaviors that cultivate transformed and transforming faith communities--skills that every church leader and leadership team need to know, learn, and practice.