Daniel Im

Pastor + Author

spiritual leadership

Book Review: Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders

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Spiritual Leadership, with an emphasis on the word spiritual, is definitely an accurate description for J. Oswald Sanders’ book. He covers popular leadership principles, such as, time management and the importance of developing our talents, but the majority of his points and illustrations are all in reference to spiritual leadership.

Sanders introduces each chapter with a scriptural reference, by which he uses to ground his ideas within the chapter, but much of his explanation is rooted in his wealth of experience and/or the experience of other notable figures, such as Charles Spurgeon, A.B. Simpson, A.W. Tozer, and J. Hudson Taylor. Sanders believes that all Christians are leaders and that we should all develop our leadership potential.

Central to this book is the belief that God is the one who calls forth leaders in the church and then subsequently anoints them.

Spiritual leadership is a matter of being chosen, rather than choosing. Spiritual leadership is all about being last, rather than first. A spiritual leader is one that imitates Christ Jesus–the greatest spiritual leader of all. As important as it is for a leader to listen, lead, articulate, and inspire well, what takes precedence over any method or skill is one’s connection to the vine–Jesus Christ.

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Book Review: Spiritual Leadership – Blackaby’s

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The following is an analytical book review of Henry and Richard Blackaby’s Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda.

Henry Blackaby is the epitome of a lifelong learner and leader. He has extensive experience in pastoral ministry and is a consultant to CEOs and various Christian organizations, such as the Southern Baptist Convention. He has written various books, is a sought out speaker, and currently leads Henry Blackaby Ministries. Richard Blackaby, the son of Henry Blackaby, is also a writer and a sought out speaker. In addition, he has pastoral experience and is currently serving as the president of the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary in Cochrane, Canada. Consequently, what stands out clearly is that both have strong ties to the Southern Baptist denomination.

The thesis of this book is that spiritual leadership is all about moving people from where they are to where God wants them to be.

There are differences between general and spiritual leadership principles, but the authors state that those who will lead according to spiritual principles will be far more effective in their leadership (14). Tied to that statement is the belief that God is the one who calls and equips individuals to be spiritual leaders (46).

Throughout this book, the authors present nuggets of wisdom that have been gleaned from their own leadership experience and that of others. As a result, this book almost seems like a compilation of essays exploring a variety of leadership issues. Generally though, the book begins by exploring why leadership is needed, the difference between general and spiritual leadership, and how leaders are developed. After covering those introductory issues, the authors continue to explore a variety of issues that leaders need to be aware of, such as: vision, character,  goals, influence, decision making, scheduling, pitfalls, and rewards. What holds this book together is the common thread that true leadership originates from God, points people towards God, and reflects the heart and action of God.

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The Ambitious Spiritual Leader – A Paradox?

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I’ve been reflecting on the idea of ambition and if its okay for a spiritual leader to be ambitious. After all, in the secular world, ambition and leadership seem to be synonymous with success. However, if God is the one who truly chooses leaders, is ambition really that important for spiritual leadership? Is ambition even okay for the spiritual leader?

1 Timothy 3:1 – Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.

Jeremiah 45:5 – Should you then seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the LORD, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.

When contrasting 1 Timothy 3:1 with Jeremiah 45:5, one is presented with an interesting conundrum: It is an honorable ambition to aspire to leadership, but one should not seek great things for oneself. This seems to be a contradiction, but in light of the fact that God sees our hearts and our motives, it is not (Psalm 139:1-4). In spiritual leadership, one’s ambition needs to be for the glory of God, rather than the glory of oneself; for the Kingdom of God, rather than the Kingdom of Self. As a result, ambition can be redefined as humility within the context of spiritual leadership, since all of one’s success is credited to God, rather than to one’s self. For a spiritual leader, ambition is about striving to become the best servant, rather than striving to get the highest number of servants (Mark 10:42-45). Consequently, here is a great question to help discern one’s motives in desiring leadership: Is there any sense of prestige or privilege by having a leadership position in the church? If so, proceed with caution; if not, continue onward.

These reflections are based on my reading of Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders.