This is the story of lessons learnt - with some blood, sweat and tears - during 40 years of pastoral ministry. With sincere honesty, Don Barry lays open his challenges, failures and successes, taking us on a journey that saw a lot of water under the bridge - and loads of other stuff too.

In a time when the importance of visionary leadership has been trumpeted loud and long, there is a desperate need for another note to be added to the symphony. For vision to be safe and productive, it needs to be bounded by deeply-held values that can sustain a ministry in all seasons.

Woven with stories of church life at the coalface, this book is a vital call for leaders to allow the contours of their life and leadership to be values-shaped.