Convening people to meet and take counsel together is the crucial first initiative a leader must undertake. Luke tells us that after Pentecost, the earliest Christians "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2.42). Time pressure, old wounds and natural reticence often make people reluctant simply to be together, spending time to discuss issues and explore options. Yet we become a community through sharing ourselves with one another, talking openly, expressing hopes and fears, and developing a vision together in God's presence. Catalyzing such shared life is an essential responsibility of the Christian leader.

- from "Leader as Catalyst: Twelve Principles of Christian Leadership" by Titus Presler