It is often considered controversial to draw any links between the worlds of leadership, management and organizational behaviour and that of churches. "Leading by Story" argues that there is plenty of common ground to be found between the two apparently disparate areas, in particular with the role of story and stories.

Taking the work of organizational thinkers such as Yiannis Gabriel and David Boje and the practical research of Stephen Denning and Geoff Mead and bringing it into conversation with scholars such as N T Wright, theologians such as Sarah Coakley, and church historians such as Diarmaid MacCulloch the authors establish a conversation across these disciplines and explore how story and narrative work through and within churches.