Jul
05
2007
Book Review: Spiritual Leadership
One of the best-known and most-loved books on leadership in Christian circles in J. Oswald Sanders’ Spiritual Leadership, first published in 1967. John MacArthur, Chuck Colson and John Maxwell all highly recommend it. The book has sold more than half-a-million copies since it first appeared. So, when I came to this book, I was expecting to read one of the best offerings ever on the subject of spiritual leadership.
The book didn’t live up to the hype, at least for me. Maybe I need to read it again just to make sure I didn’t miss something. This is a very good book – don’t get me wrong. But a classic? I don’t know.
Here’s what I loved about the book. Sanders makes fantastic use of illustrations and quotations from other people. Sanders quotes so widely one wonders if he all he did was read! Terrific stuff from great sources. Another aspect of the book that was compelling to me was the emphasis on prayer and the upside-down nature of God’s kingdom. Sanders has startling, delightful words that cut against the world’s definition of success. All throughout the book, the reader gets the sense that spiritual leadership is costly and dangerous while at the same time rewarding and fulfilling.
Spiritual Leadership is a book of passion. The author’s walk with God is evident throughout. I gleaned some good insights from Sanders’ work and I enjoyed the book – enough to give it a solid recommendation. Is it a classic? I guess that’s not for me to judge. But Spiritual Leadership is definitely a good book that deserves a wide audience.
written by Trevin Wax © 2007 Kingdom People blog