Spiritual Leadership

Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God's

Agenda. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001. 305 pp. $20.99.

Henry Blackaby is one of the most influent spiritual leaders and writers. He has written many books such as Experiencing God and also consulted to organizations and CEOs. He is currently a senior pastor and a president of Henry Blackaby Ministries. And Richard Blackaby, who is the oldest son of Henry Blackaby, is a one of the good writers and speakers. He is currently the president of Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary in Cochrane, Canada. Both of them are strongly related with the Southern Baptist Denomination. His father has him to write some books with him.

Henry and Richard write this book to help Christian leaders and they want to equip leaders to lead effectively. They also compare secular and spiritual leadership and distinguish between spiritual and general principles of good leadership. Theme of the book is spiritual leadership is becoming the leader who God wants him to be and moving his people from where they are to where God wants them to be (20).

Summary

Blackaby develops his thesis by presupposition that addresses spiritual leadership is higher and more effective then secular principles (14). Because of that, the author mentions challenge in politic, business, and church. And he compares secular leadership and spiritual leadership to show which leadership is appropriate. He concludes spiritual leadership is more effective than any other leadership without God, even though it is great (14).

The author presents his definition of spiritual leadership, which is "moving people on to God's agenda" (20). This is the huge difference between secular leadership and spiritual leadership. In terms of secular leadership, CEO is the leader. But in Christian leadership, God is the leader (29). None of them can take his place because he is the maker and the king. He shows Jesus Christ example of being a servant.

In next chapters, Blackaby explains how God makes his leaders, talking about bible characters. And he talks about leader's vision and leader's character. After that, he explains the leader's goal. There are three goals: leading to spiritual maturity, leading others to lead, and bringing glory to God. And he talks about the leader's influence, decision-making, and the leader's schedule.

The author points out pitfalls: pride, sexual sin, cynicism, creed, mental laziness, oversensitivity, spiritual lethargy, domestic neglect, administrative carelessness, prolonged position holding. And he indicates pride is the biggest enemy of them. In last chapter, he mentions the leader's rewards.

Critical Evaluation

Blackaby makes the clear point through his writing that the spiritual leadership is moving people from where they are to where God wants them to be. He encourages leaders and people who will be leaders such as seminary student. As he says, spiritual leadership is not about making bigger, gaining more and going faster. But it is all about God to lead people to spiritual maturity, lead others to lead, and bring Glory to God.

The author does not look down secular leadership and its principle but he indicates spiritual leadership is different from it and spiritual leadership is more effective than general leadership (14). But as he says, secular