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LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Book Critique of
Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer
Submitted to Dr. Kimberly Martin
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
WRSP 530 – B01 LUO
Principles of Leadership for the Worship Leader
by
Yolanda King
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Table of Contents
Summary……………………………………………………………………………...2
Strengths and Weaknesses ……………………………………………………….…..2
Intended Audience …………………………………………………………………...4
Comparison…………...………………………………………………………………5
Recommendation……………………………………………………………………..5
Bibliography………………………………………………………………………….7
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Summary
Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer is a literature
wonder an excellent read for everyone. If you want to learn and gain knowledge on the biblical
principles of what leadership that is Godly looks like or utilize the book as a tool for your current
position in leadership, this book makes for a solid foundation. Spiritual Leadership gives an
accurate break down along with clear definitions of some key words that may have been taken
out of context or even misunderstood from erroneous teachings of the past. The author, J. Oswald
Sanders begins each chapter with a biblical base in scripture. This point will give the reader some
reassurance of the truth that is contained within the chapters of the book. Spiritual Leadership:
Principles of Excellence for Every Believer encourages the reader while teaching on such
subjects ranging from honorable ambition to praying in the Spirit and everything in between. It
does not matter if you are a leader within your church community, your workplace or just want to
know more about leadership; this book will set some standards for leadership and raise your
expectations of yourself and others as a leader.
Strengths and Weaknesses
This book is a great resource that can be utilized as a teaching tool. The insight that is
provided by the author is presented in such a way that even those that lack a formal education
will benefit from its contents. The author gives clear and concise biblical reference for every
associated chapter in the book. In doing this Mr. Sanders is building upon the foundation of truth
while inspiring the reader to see not just anyone in the position of leadership but to ultimately see
themselves in the position. The book points out early on that being leadership is not for the faint
of heart. As a leader one will experience hardships, rejection, and suffering. “True leaders must
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be willing to suffer for the sake of objectives great enough to demand their wholehearted
obedience” (Sanders 2007, 19). The Apostle Paul is one of the apostles that is often taught on in
the church today or used for example. In the text, the author also uses the apostle as a reference
point. The insights that are listed from the Apostle Paul are ones that he himself utilized during
his time of teaching and preaching the gospel which are yet still relevant today. In the letters to
Timothy, the Apostle writes with about the qualifications of what a spiritual leader should not
only look like but also represent. 1 Timothy 3:2-7 is the guide for these characteristics and traits.
Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-
controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but
gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that
his children obey him with proper respect…. He must not be a recent convert, or he may become
conceited….He must also have a good reputation with outsider (Sanders 2007, 43). When we are
so good that we leave no room for the critics that says something about the way in which we live
our lives for Christ.
If I would have to give this book a weakness it would be that it could have included some
teaching on how Jesus led the disciples. There are no biblical references that point the reader
back to the leadership of Jesus Christ. The examples that were used were those of the disciples
and some people the author knows. If Jesus is our example of how we are to be as Christians,
followers of Christ then are we not to do as He did? Jesus made the comment in John 5:19 (KJV)
when He was speaking to the disciples - “The answered Jesus and said unto them. Verily, verily, I
say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what
things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” It is this reader’s belief that Jesus
thought so much of leadership that He let it be known that He was following the Father. The
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Father was teaching Jesus how to lead as He was leading and teaching the disciples. Jesus only
doing what He saw the Father do is our clue into leadership. As a leader we cannot go off and do
our own thing just because we are the leader. Yes, it may seem that we can but we are to be
governed just as Jesus was. He said He does what He sees the Father do. In this scripture of verse
alone we see that Jesus was leading while being led by the Spirit of God.
Intended Audience
It is this reader’s personal belief that the intended audience for this particular piece of
literature is everyone. However, this book is a series of lectures that were delivered to the leaders
of the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (Sanders 2007, 7). Over a period of time the book came
into a revision of every line. This revision was to ensure that everyone, even the Contemporary
Christian would be able to understand the contents without becoming confused by outdated
expressions and a lack of up to date acknowledgements of church culture. Today, Spiritual
Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer has been revamped so that those living
in the twenty-first century would have a better grasp on what Sanders was teaching about
leadership in the original book. The purpose of the revamp or revision was not to supersede
Sanders’ original work but to make specific changes geared toward its current readers. The use of
female leadership was almost unheard of although it is very common and has a strong backing
within evangelical missions. The original literature used the common pronoun for everyone
which is the masculine pronoun referenced as man, him, or his. As I sought out to be more
accurate in the assumption that there was little usage of the accounts of women in this book, I
notated that there was only reference made to three women throughout the book. This was a bit
disappointing as one of the reasons for the revision was to bring awareness to the fact that
women do participate in leading the world to Christ. Giving women some form of recognition for
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the role they play in leadership. There was also the need to bring back to the remembrance of
many revivalists, preachers, scholar, and missionaries, often from the British church (Sanders
2007, 8). Utilization of the text of the New International Version of the bible makes the wording
of the unadulterated truth a little more understandable. It is this reader’s belief that the goal of the
author was achieved however, there could have been more emphasis placed upon the women
who have done mighty exploits for the Kingdom of God.
Comparison
In comparison to McIntosh’s Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership, this piece of
literature is right along the same lines. Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership covered the
possible failures one would face as a leader. These two books should always be read in tandem as
they complement one another. As the comparison relates to the video lecture in week three given
by Dr. Doug Randlett the usage of biblical principles is paramount to leadership. The book states
what the same thing the video states in reference to being biblical based. I appreciate the author
utilizing the scriptures in such a way that every chapter used biblical scripture as the bases for
the chapter. This literary piece is a diamond in the rough and every leader even those that are
aspiring to be leaders should read the material for some form of insight into leadership.
Recommendation
It is my recommendation that this book be made mandatory for all those who are in
leadership. The basis for a person’s leadership does not have to be spiritual leadership for one to
learn lessons from this material. The spiritual leadership study guide at the end of the book
provides some thought provoking questions that everyone in leadership should answer. Could
there be answers to the questions that would make one think that they are not cut out for
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leadership, absolutely. The question is not weather that individual is cut out for leadership. The
question is can they be transformed into a leader? Being a spiritual leader means that there will
be some transformation that will take place in your life. One must pray in the Spirit so that the
Holy Spirit has free reign and complete control in the Christians life. Praying in the Spirit also
will eliminate the perils that leaders can often fall prey to such as pride, egotism, jealousy, and
the feeling of being indispensable. Weather currently leading or aspiring to lead, this book is a
must read for all.
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Bibliography
Maxwell, John C. The 360˚ Leader: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the
Organization. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2011.
McIntosh, Gary L. and Samuel D. Rima. Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership. Grand
Rapids: Baker Books, 2007.
Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer. Chicago:
Moody Pulishers, 2007.
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