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Su mmary
Great Leader Great Teacher Book Review
Bibliography Entry
Bredfeldt, Gary. Great Leader Great Teacher : Recovering the Biblical Vision of Leadership.
Moody Publishers (Chicago, IL. 2006)
In his book Gary Bredfeldt has touched on something that has been missing from the
church for quite some time, and that is strong leadership. Gary Bredfeldt’s book provides a good
example of what is required to be a leader, not just within the church, but in the local
communities all around the world. Many go about attempting to lead without realizing that they
must also be able to teach, and they do not have the full understanding of this. Bredfeldt states
that “Teaching is risky business. The risk is that the lives we live will not be congruent with the
words we weave.1” [1] This means that as leader/teachers, we must be mindful of the lifestyle
that we live, as it must match up with the words that come out of our mouths. In his book, Gary
wants the reader to understand that their are some subtle difference between leadership in the
church and the worldly view of leadership, and then there are some not so subtle difference.
Some of the not so differences that we see between church leadership and worldly
leadership, is that some leaders within the church live a more worldly and secular lifestyle than a
spiritual God centered lifestyle; when this happens we see the church being ran more like a
1 Bredfeldt, Gary. Great Leader Great Teacher : Recovering the Biblical Vision of Leadership. Moody Publishers
2006 p.47
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corporate entity rather than a house of the Lord; we see the Pastors, Deacons get caught up in
wanting the cars, cash, clothes, commodities, and all of the creature comforts rather then being
content with the word of God and this is partially what Gary Bredfeldt addresses within his book.
Gary Bredfeldt reminds us that growth of a leader/teacher of a church isn’t based upon all of the
material things, but rather the spiritual gain that is seen by it’s flock.
I found Gary Bredfeldt’s book to be right on point, with the way the world is today in the
attitude and approach that we take towards the role or mantle of leadership. Often times a
leadership position is bought and or paid for by a person without any real knowledge of what it
takes to be a leader, the current President is a prime example of this as his moral compass is
desperately lacking. Bredfeldt is adamant in the fact that the bible should be the rule and guide
not to just a Christians life, but to a leader/teacher within the church. There are many leaders
who feel they are the best at what they are doing, many feel they have the leadership role figured
out and do not have room for improvement, and usually those are the ones who often fall short.
Gary is quick to point out and provides a good example of what a great leader is, “The greatest
of leaders among us are not powerful senior executives, commanding military strategists,
celebrated athletic coaches, or respected political figures. No, the greatest leaders among us are
the great teachers among us. In a hundred ways and in a hundred different arenas, great teachers,
Critique
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everyday, influence through their passion, their character, and their words.2” [2] This I agree
with, during the time I spent in the Army; I have had and seen my share of both great and bad
leaders. All of the great leaders I experienced exhibited patience as well as they had the ability
to teach and train soldiers who were not used to structure or being orderly; some of the bad
leadership that I experienced were from those who has little to no patience, and could truly
careless if their subordinate soldiers were trained or otherwise.
Thinking back I can recall a difference and that is majority of the leader/teachers that
were good, had a personal relationship with God and visited church regularly. The author wants
his readers to understand that “ Teachers shape, challenge, and change people, and in doing so,
they lead. Great teachers are leaders, and conversely, great leaders must be teachers.3” [3] This is
definitely true in the Military, as your leader will help mold and shape you in the soldier that you
are to become. Gary Bredfeldt does a great job on touching on what a leader/leader actually does
when he addresses topics such as “Teachers Have Great Influence”, “Teachers Can Bring About
Great Change”, “Teachers Can Invoke the Highest Levels of Flower Development”, and he
centers all of these topics around the bible and its scriptures. The bible is to be the rule and guide
to one’s life, but many lose sight of this, but Gary Bredfeldt makes sure to keep the word of God
at the center of his book, and without coming right and saying so; but the bible provides us with
2 Bredfeldt, Gary. Great Leader Great Teacher : Recovering the Biblical Vision of Leadership. Moody Publishers
2006 p.13
3 Bredfeldt, Gary. Great Leader Great Teacher : Recovering the Biblical Vision of Leadership. Moody Publishers
2006 p.13
4
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Brief Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
Gary Bredfeldt’s book provides some very valuable lessons when it comes to the topic of
what it means to be a leader/teacher. His book should be used as a guideline for those who seek
to work directly as clergy within the church, it can have tremendous positive effect on their
leadership styles and would serve as a reminder that they are not only be leaders but they must be
teachers as well. One of the greatest lessons that Jesus not only showed but also taught His
disciples, and that is the lesson in humility. It is in John 13:12-16 “12 When he had washed their
feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand
what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I
then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly,
truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one
who sent him.4” [4] It is in this bible passage that we truly see what Gary means about being a
leader/teacher, Bredfeldt has written a good book for leaders to follow as he has modeled his
book after the greatest leader/teacher of all times, we would all do well to learn to be a
leader/teacher just as Jesus. Anyone currently in the clergy, or seeking to be clergy would do a
good service to themselves and the church by reading his book, as it is a sound bibles based book
that teaches what good leadership should look like.
Evaluation
John 13:12-16 ESV
2.
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Bibliography
1. Bredfeldt, Gary. Great Leader Great Teacher : Recovering the Biblical Vision of
Leadership. (Moody Publishers Chicago, Il. 2006)
John 13:12-16 ESV Holy Bible
