Book excerpt: When it is assumed there is little more to say about leadership, Brian Stiller surprises us with new, fresh and creative insights. Unwrapping the ancient Old Testament story of Nehemiah, he identifies 7 principles on building and renewing ministries and organizations. Surrounding these principles are workable concepts connected to inspiring stories of faith. Drawing on a lifetime of leadership, he writes about what it takes to lead. He examines the challenges leaders face, surveying them first from 33,000 feet, then at ground level describing what it takes to move from an idea to effective completion. The freshness of his stories and the clarity of his counsel come from a real life experience—this is what he has done. Framed by the ancient story of Nehemiah, the Hebrew who returned to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, Stiller examines the text and draws from his own life experiences, then skillfully applies the principles of Nehemiah to 21st Century leaders. Stiller doesn’t back down from facing the challenges of leading: he makes it clear it is not for the faint hearted. He faces what leaders inevitably must deal with—politics isn’t everything but everything is political.