Spiritual Leadership, with Study Guide: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer (Paperback)

The book consists of 22 chapters, each containing about 5-15 pages on a certain aspect of Christian leadership. Among the more interesting chapters were:

1. Leaders have to pay a great price to lead.
2. Reading is necessary for the leader (never stop
learning!).
3. Leaders must reproduce others.
4. Prayer is imperative for the Christian leader.
5. Honest evaluation is required for potential leaders.
6. There is a difference between natural and spiritual
leadership.
7. God searches for those who are willing to be spent for
Him.
8. God is always in control!

All in all, an excellent and highly recommended read!

As a low-level lay leader in my church who is reasonably certain (if such a thing is possible) that God has bigger plans in store for me, I was deeply convicted as this book laid out in very simple terms what it takes to make it as a leader in God's kingdom. Obviously first and foremost is the need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, without which we cannot possibly hope to achieve anything of eternal significance.

That's only the beginning, though. Attributes like tact, diligence, vision and decisiveness are just a few of the many leadership traits that are explored one by one. With each new segment, the reader is forced to ask himself three questions: 1. Do I possess this quality? 2. Is my exercise of this quality empowered by the Spirit of God? 3. Am I exercising this quality for God's glory or my own? Step by step, the layers of the reader's character are peeled away and examined, and the motives of his heart are laid bare. Throughout this process, though, the author's intent is not to discourage, but to help the reader understand the sheer weight and seriousness of the task, and to exhort him to change and develop those areas that are deficient. I, for one, came to realize just how cavalier my attitudes were -- very convicting indeed! Probably the most penetrating statement, however, was the reminder that a spiritual leader must pay a heavy personal cost to lead, and that cost only grows as the level of leadership increases. Ouch!

The book is laid out in a series of twenty two concise but weighty chapters, most of which are conducive to a separate meditation if the reader is so inclined. The author makes liberal use of illustrations and quotations from both the religious and secular spheres to show that these qualities carry over into all areas of life. I particularly like the quote (I forget to whom it was attributed) which said "It seems to meet the best test of effective leadership is to see if anyone is following." Statements like that will either deepen your resolve to rise to God's leadership challenge, or else will make you reconsider whether you're suited to the task at all. Excellent book!!!