4-MAT Book Review Assignment: The Three-Dimensional Leader: A Biblical, Spiritual, &
Practical Guide to Christian Leadership
Paolino Curto
LEAD510: Biblical Foundations of Leadership
February 2024
Contents
Abstract..........................................................................................................................................1
Concrete Response.........................................................................................................................2
Reflection........................................................................................................................................3
Action..............................................................................................................................................4
Bibliography...................................................................................................................................7
ii
1
Abstract
The Three-Dimensional Leader: A Biblical, Spiritual, & Practical Guide to Christian
Leadership provides a biblical foundation and framework for accurate, practical, and challenging
leadership. Simply put, a Christian leader centers on following Christ and leading others to do
the same. This book provides a threefold approach to that simple idea. Dempsey, Earley, and
McClendon stress that “Christian leadership should be biblically based, spiritually powerful, and
practically effective.”1
Adam McClendon begins by addressing the biblical character of the Christian leader.
This section of the book provides essential insights into examining the heart of a Christian
leader. Many who lead are drawn to the power and prestige of the position without understanding
that their identity is to be solidly rooted in Jesus as our Savior.2 As Jesus was the ultimate selfless
leader, a Christian should reflect His nature in his/her leadership. To accomplish selfless
leadership, one must rely on the Holy Spirit, live with integrity, grow in understanding of God’s
word, and exhibit Jesus's characteristics.
The power of the Holy Spirit in the leadership of a Christian is essential. David Earley
explains that many secular and Christian circles often overlook the spiritual dimension of
leadership.3 The most impactful leaders, both in the biblical narrative and throughout history,
have understood that the work of God is primarily carried out by the Holy Spirit.4 To lead
without this power would be to neglect the spiritual aspect of leadership. A significant reason
1 Rod Dempsey, Dave Earley, and Adam McClendon, The Three-Dimensional Leader: A Biblical, Spiritual
& Practical Guide to Christian Leadership (Kirkdale Press, 2023), 2.
2 Ibid., 8-9.
3 Ibid., 63.
4 Ibid., 70.
2
why reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit in leadership is necessary is due to the reality of
spiritual warfare. A Christian leader will face opposition as they “seek first the kingdom of God
and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33, English Standard Version); without accessing the power
of the Holy Spirit, the Christian leader will experience very little growth themselves, let alone be
able to assist others in growing mature in Christ.
In the final section of The Three-Dimensional Leader, Rod Dempsey provides a
straightforward, practical methodology for becoming an effective Christian leader. Methodology
is only practical when a clear and understandable vision is first cast. Dempsey correctly
mentions, "In Christian leadership, ultimately, you are not a leader. You are a follower of the
Leader.”5 Therefore, the vision of a Christian leader should be the vision that Jesus has cast.
Jesus loved God and loved others, and Christian leadership should exemplify this. Jesus’ model
of discipleship by multiplication has been paramount in reaching people all over the world. Jesus
began with a team of 12, and that group began multiplying, creating more teams, and leading
others to come to salvation and share the gospel with others. A Christian leader’s mission is to
bring others to know Jesus, grow in spiritual maturity, and equip others to do the same.
Concrete Response
My journey as a Christian began through one-on-one discipleship with a man named
Eddie. As I navigated spiritual disciplines and came to Eddie with questions every week, I grew
significantly after spending time in God’s word. I quickly desired to share what I was learning
and help others grow in Christ, even though I had only been a Christian for a short time. I
5 Rod Dempsey, Dave Earley, and Adam McClendon, The Three-Dimensional Leader: A Biblical, Spiritual
& Practical Guide to Christian Leadership, 142.
3
eventually found myself leading in many capacities and involved in many ministries. While this
was exciting and felt purposeful, I hit a wall.
I realized that while I had been so involved in caring for others and performing ministry-
related work, I had neglected my own soul. As I read, Earley explains, “As a Christian leader,
you must first lead yourself. One of the best ways to begin leading yourself is to take time daily
to care for your soul through Bible reading and prayer”6 This immediately reminded me of a
pertinent piece of advice my mentor Eddie had given me. My personal spiritual growth should
always be my first priority.
Earley's excerpt from George Müller explaining the secret to his effectiveness as a
Christian leader directly correlates to my biggest downfall in leading others. “I have in my own
experience found it of the utmost importance to make the care about my own soul the chief
business of my life.”7 I have come to realize that it is impossible to lead others without first
leading myself to follow Jesus well and care for the health of my soul.
Reflection
Many modern Christian leaders have fallen from sinful addictions and hang-ups that have
persisted behind closed doors. A Christian leader carries a tremendous responsibility and is
called to live by the highest standards, even more so than a secular leader. While this is true, it
does not void one of dealing with many of life’s struggles, temptations, and traumas.
6 Rod Dempsey, Dave Earley, and Adam McClendon, The Three-Dimensional Leader: A Biblical, Spiritual
& Practical Guide to Christian Leadership, 82.
7 George Müller,JGeorge Müller on Personal DevotionsJ(n.p.), 10; available
throughJGeorgeMuller.org,Jhttps://www.georgemuller.org/uploads/4/8/6/5/48652749/
george_muller_on_personal_devotions.pdf.
4
In referencing those bound in addiction and bad habits, McClendon points out that “the
desire to change is not sufficient. You’ve got to put action behind it. You can’t keep doing the
same things and expect a different result.”8 While listing some practical steps in putting action
behind a desire to change, there seems to be a failure to acknowledge that some individuals may
need the help of a professional counselor or therapist. While the Holy Spirit is our ultimate
counselor, He lives in the hearts of those who have a special designation in counseling that can
help people work through addictions that are sourced from wounds and traumas of the past.
McClendon rightly points out that, “As you discover the root(s) driving addiction, you
need to reorient your heart.”9 The problem for many, though, is that they struggle to identify
those roots. Professional counselors, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, are suited to help
individuals assess the root causes of addiction and work through them in a way that genuinely
reorients their hearts. While the omission of professional counseling is evident in this section, it
does not take away from the essentiality of the information McClendon provides. Including
professional counseling would, however, better equip future leaders who may need a personal
counselor or therapist.
Action
After readingJThe Three-Dimensional Leader,#I have identified two changes to make to
lead in a manner that would reflect Jesus well. I recognize that I have influence over a few
immature and hard-to-lead people at this stage in my life. I have struggled to figure out how to
lead them well and see that I would benefit if I “lead from a place of gratitude.”10 I also realize
8 Rod Dempsey, Dave Earley, and Adam McClendon, The Three-Dimensional Leader: A Biblical, Spiritual
& Practical Guide to Christian Leadership, 43.
9 Ibid.
10 Rod Dempsey, Dave Earley, and Adam McClendon, The Three-Dimensional Leader: A Biblical,
Spiritual & Practical Guide to Christian Leadership, 132.
5
that I often fail to recognize the role spiritual warfare has played in my life. In failing to
recognize spiritual warfare, I have determined that I would grow in biblical leadership by
utilizing the spiritual weapon of united prayer.
Complaining about the complexities and challenges of leading an immature and difficult
person is easy. While it is easy to complain, a true biblical leader does not give in to this
temptation. Instead, an effective Christian leader praises and thanks God for those they have
been called to lead and accepts them as they are. I will begin each morning by praying and
thanking God for the difficult people in my life. I will remind myself that God uniquely created
and loved each person and that they serve a purpose in the world. I will also reach out to them
once a month to check in and remind them that I am thankful for the opportunity to be in their
lives and know them personally.
“The wise spiritual leader understands that when they begin to take steps to actively
advance God’s kingdom, opposition will come. The opposition can usually be traced back to
Satan.”11 Too often, as I experience growth and focus my life on the mission to advance God’s
kingdom, I have been set of course. Whether it is through distraction, temptation, or mental or
emotional turmoil, opposition from the Kingdom of Darkness has discretely moved me off
mission. Often, prayer has been a major factor in staying on mission for me. While personal
prayer is essential, I also recognize that united prayer is a specific weapon to be used to advance
the Kingdom of God.12 I will spend time in prayer with my co-worker every other week, praying
for victory over temptation and focus to stay on mission.
11 Ibid., 124.
12 Rod Dempsey, Dave Earley, and Adam McClendon, The Three-Dimensional Leader: A Biblical,
Spiritual & Practical Guide to Christian Leadership, 117.
6
Bibliography
Dempsey, Rod, Dave Earley, and Adam McClendon.JThe Three-Dimensional Leader: A Biblical,
Spiritual & Practical Guide to Christian Leadership. Kirkdale Press, 2023.
Müller, George. “George Müller on Personal Devotions.” Accessed February 2, 2024.
https://www.georgemuller.org/uploads/4/8/6/5/48652749/george_muller_on_personal_de
votions.pdf.
