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After the repeated mention Spiritual Leadership got on Steve McCoy’s blog, I decided I’d better give Oswald Sanders‘ book a shot. I’m happy I did. Stuffed with references to heroic missionaries and Christian leaders of the 20^th century, the book is a shotgun approach to the topic of leadership that does a good job showing as well as telling. Originally a series of talks, Spiritual Leadership is not a systematic book, but Sanders is thorough enough in his approach that you don’t feel there are gaps in what he says.

Highlights of Spiritual Leadership include chapters on the leadership paradigms of Paul and Peter, as well as Christ, and two catch-all chapters (”Essential Qualities of Leadership”) that are surprisingly hard-hitting for a list approach. In addition, I like the way Sanders repeatedly hits the nature of Christian leadership as a counter-intuitive servant profession shaped by self-sacrifice.

At the same time, Sanders definitely avoided any tendency to come across as overly grim and dogmatic, including “Humor” in his list of essential qualities. Leaders should “control and cultivate” humor, “a great asset and invaluable lubricant” in missional living (65, 66). He scored big points with me there, as at this fairly amateur stage of my life, I’ve already met way too many Christians who at some point forgot how to laugh at themselves.

If there’s any criticism I could level at this book, it would come in the form of what’s essentially a small side note. Occasionally, Sanders will make a pronouncement that would have benefited from more nuance, like when he says, “Some workers prefer to administer; others want to love people. Only the latter are leaders” (113). In reality, the typical servant-leader needs to both love people and administer-am I right? But in a book that was transcribed from live talks, stuff like this is minor.

Originally published in 1967, Spiritual Leadership is a refreshing and challenging book that has the added benefit of being written from a mid-20^th-century perspective that doesn’t align perfectly with ours. You won’t hear many of the current buzzwords, and some of Sanders’ exhortations come across as counter-cultural, which, in my opinion, is a nice change-up.

*** Three of three stars, highly recommended.

Some of you might want to read my review of Mark Driscoll’s On the Old Testament.

Time for a quick review of N.T. Wright’s Acts for Everyone (Part One):

Awesome.

Now, let me elaborate. What impressed me deeply about Wright’s commentary on Acts is his magisterial command of biblical narrative threads. He views the events of Pentecost and the apostolic journeys without ever losing sight of the Old Testament backdrop of prophecy and accumulated Jewish history. As a result, the reader gets a much deeper appreciation for the timing and gigantic significance of God’s actions.

In addition, N.T. Wright’s style is scholarly and warm at the same time. He shares brief anecdotes with each passage that transition into his focused commentary. It’s amazing that Wright can generate scores of these spot-on illustrations, most of them from his own life, but all the more so when his anecdotal approach is paired with the kind of sweeping analysis and wise commentary he supplies.

If you’re looking for a commentary on Acts that’s extremely informed, “provocative” in the scriptural kingdom sense, and devotional as well, this is it. N.T. Wright is accessible (in a C.S. Lewisian way), but without softening the impact of his remarkable theology jones. I’m very appreciative, as reading Acts for Everyone, Part 1 proved to be both inspiring and theology-shaping experience, sending me back to the book of Acts with new eyes. (I expect no drop-off in Part 2.)

*** N.T. Wright’s Acts for Everyone gets three of three stars–don’t miss it.

A guest post by Matt Maestas

Tim Challies’ freshman effort, The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment, is a helpful addition to the rather ambiguous void that exists in this area in Christian writing. With all of the self help, devotional and otherwise Christian literature available, it comes as a bit of a shock that more hasn’t been written on this vital topic.

Challies, of Challies.com fame is a much heralded blogger, Christian commentator and correspondent. It comes as a bit of a surprise that this is Challies’ first book, for it reads like a sage work. Filled with well rounded illustration and gripping analogy, Spiritual Discernment goes quickly, but prompts many instances of pause and reflection. Nestled at the back of the book is a study guide to help facilitate this venture.

In the introduction, Challies states he writes to the general reader who wishes to understand what the Bible teaches about discernment, showing that discernment is a discipline that Christians should seek to practice deliberately. In this stated goal, Challies succeeds by doing a fine job of highlighting examples of discernment in process and action in Scripture as well as providing a framework for this same discernment to take place in the life of the reader. Of especially good value in this regard are chapters 4 and 6 which focus on practical application concerning principles of discernment.

Another helpful chapter is 8, “Concerning the Dangers of Discernment.” This chapter serves as a helpful corrective against those who would label themselves the discernment or spiritual gifts police. In addition, Challies rightly warns of the dangers of both guilt and honor by association as well as going on unfounded witch hunts in the name of discernment.

With all that is notable about Spiritual Discernment, the book is not without its difficulties. First, an overly negative view of culture is taken, as God is seen to be at war with culture and not working within it in order to redeem. Secondly, at times it felt as if the communal aspects of discernment were overlooked in favor of the individual. Third, Challies seems to set up discernment as the ultimate spiritual gift, somehow exercising authority or preeminence over the others. Fourth, for an enterprise as complex as discernment, many of the solutions seemed overly simplistic, as when Challies writes, “Obeying God’s will is a relatively simple process of uncovering the truths of God so we might do the will of God.” Sounds real good on the exterior, yet in the Christian life, there are many difficult situations over which we must labor to make decisions. Finally, most troubling in Challies work is an overt infatuation with all things John MacArthur. While I have nothing against MacArthur and his ministry and teaching, overdependence on any one author is bound to color any perspective and this is evidently true in Challies work.

All in all, The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment is a good read in an otherwise lacking area of Christian writing. While I cannot award it a full 3 stars, it is however worthy of a solid 2 on the Vanderhorst scale, “well worth your time.” This work would be especially valuable for a college or new believer’s class, yet is worth the time of a seasoned Christian as well.

[Matt is married to Jessica, and currently lives in De Soto, Kansas, where he is planting De Soto Community Church. A Will Ferrell devotee, he has been known to insert entire monologues from Talladega Nights or Elf into sermons. Just kidding.]

Guest post by Robbie Phillips

There is one thing I need to mention before I actually get to the review. This has to do with my ties to the author. I’ve only met Mr. Keel once but we share some of the same friends and run in similar circles. In other words, I already knew some of the story and had preconceived notions about him and his ministry. That point is especially important because it has been my experience that when one knows an author one tends to be much more generous and less objective.

In any case, Intuitive Leadership is a glimpse into the personal experience of a man who finds himself called to ministry in a time of cultural transition. In this book, Mr. Keel takes the reader through his personal journey in ministry. Starting from his conversion up through the planting of the church he currently pastors (Jacob’s Well in Kansas City), he gives the reader insight into the challenges (and successes) that he has faced on his journey.

Overall, this book is a fine read. Probably the best aspect of the book is Mr. Keel’s use of local thinking. He constantly reminds the reader that much of what he’s done does not always translate into a global methodology. For Keel, and many other church planters, context is important. Yet for all that the book has going for it, it is not for everyone. If you are a person that has kept up with the emerging conversation or church planting then what you find in these pages will probably not blow you away. If you have already decided what you think about those who are involved in the emerging church this book won’t change your mind.

The ideal reader for Intuitive Leadership is someone who has an interest in gaining more knowledge about leadership, church planting, and theological issues in today’s postmodern context. Overall, I give this book a B (or 4 out of 5 stars or whatever the equivalent rating is in AJ’s system).