Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God's Agenda
by Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby
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Book Summary Information
Author: Henry Blackaby, Richard BlackabyEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-05-15
ISBN: 0805418458
Number of pages: 305
Publisher: B&H Books
Book Reviews of Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God's Agenda
Book Review: A Counter-Cultural Call to Biblical Leadership
Summary: 5 Stars
Drawing from examples of leaders in the Bible, leadership theories, testimonies of ministry and secular leaders, and their own experiences, Henry and Richard Blackaby present a refreshingly helpful and insightful resource on leadership in their book, Spiritual Leadership. Recognizing that Christian leadership today sounds more and more secular than Christian, the Blackabys call on Christians in leadership roles, both inside and outside of the church, to "seek to lead God's way" (17). They define this type of spiritual leadership as "moving people on to God's agenda" (20).
Three main aspects of Spiritual Leadership set it apart from other leadership books and make it highly commendable...
First, it is intended for a broad audience. It is written in a way to be just as helpful for Christian CEOs and other business people as it is for pastors and ministry leaders. In fact, the authors state that they intend this work to be for all Christians who want to make a difference (14).
Second, and most significant, Spiritual Leadership is theocentric in its approach, not anthropocentric. This book is not a do-it-yourself guide to leadership nor is it a self-help book. Instead, it is a refreshing focus on God in the vast sea of "Christian" leadership books today. From the outset, issues such as goals and influence are all presented in terms of God's will. For example, influence is defined as moving people from where they are to where God wants them to be (20). Even popular leadership concepts are reframed in order to present the issue from God's perspective, such as noting how time management really is personal management in order to stay on God's agenda (200). All throughout the pages of this book the Blackabys paint the picture of leadership in terms of God's plans. It is not about advancing one's personal goals. Rather, it is about obeying God and moving people to be in line with His will. The authors conclude that since "God is on mission," the task of leaders is to join Him in that mission and bring people along to join that mission (70). In light of this reality, leaders are urged to make decisions with the reminder that they will give an account before God. The authors remind the readers that the goal is bringing God glory while the reward is finding joy in knowing that they pleased God. In being God focused, this book also recognizes that leaders can accomplish nothing without God. Instead of providing a checklist to be used to achieve goals, the Blackabys encourage leaders to depend on the Lord. In fact, from the outset they state that God calls leaders to do things that only He can do; thus, spiritual leaders must depend on the Holy Spirit (21). Such dependence on the Lord requires a leader to have a vibrant prayer life as well as seek guidance in the Word, from other believers, and even from looking at how God is moving in the circumstances of life. While the repeated stress on dependence and prayer may cause the reader to think "I've heard all of these things ten times already!," such an emphasis prevents the reader from missing the most important theme of the book as well as challenges him or her to remember Jesus' words that are so counter-cultural in the leadership world today: "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
Third, Spiritual Leadership focuses more on being than on doing. Instead of offering a program to implement, a check-list to do, or an attitude to embrace, this book challenges leaders to be faithful to God. As in the other themes, the Blackabys are straightforward in this assertion, as seen when they say within the first several chapters that "leadership is more about `being' than about `doing'" (31). The Blackabys believe that being holy and faithful and modeling obedience to God's will are necessary since leaders cannot take their followers deeper than where they themselves are. As such, spiritual leaders must spend much time in the "conscious presence of God" (170). By abiding in Him, spiritual leaders can then encourage their followers to grow in their relationship with God. In addition, such abiding is shown to be necessary since spiritual leadership comes through revelation, not from vision. As leaders and followers seek God, they will be able to join together in accomplishing the work to which He calls them.
All of these themes are repeated throughout the book. By stating them directly in the introductory chapters and repeating them throughout, it is hard to imagine how any reader could miss this counter-cultural, yet solidly biblical, approach toward leadership. By the time readers turn the last page, they can easily articulate the thesis that spiritual leadership is moving people on to God's agenda. They can articulate the reality that leadership is about pleasing God. They understand that such leadership requires abiding with God more than doing certain tasks. Most of all, they recognize that such spiritual leadership, while hard work, is a high calling and a "God-given privilege" (236). Whether you find yourself in a leadership role in the church, in business, in education, or even in your home, the timeless, Biblical principles articulated by Richard and Henry Blackaby will motive you to discern God's will, be faithful to follow the path He has set before you, and do everything you can to bring others along on the exciting adventure of knowing and following God.
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