Spiritual Leadership

"Spiritual Leadership" by J. Oswald Sanders is a really good book on Leadership.   It is not only Scriptural but also practical.  It was encouraging to learn that things that I have been facing as a leader are not unique to me; but are just part of being in leadership.

Some quotes from the book that really stood out for me are:

• "True greatness, true leadership, is found in giving yourself in service to others, not in coaxing or inducing others to serve you." 
• "Leadership is influence, the ability of one person to influence others to follow his or her lead." 
• "Leadership is the capacity and will to rally men and women to a common purpose, and the character which inspires confidence" (Bernard Montgomery)
• "There are only three kinds of people - those who are immovable, those who are movable, and those who move them!" (Li Hung Chang)
• "Yet spiritual leadership transcends the power of personality and all other natural gifts."
• "We can lead others only as far along the road as we ourselves have traveled." 
• "Through books we hold communion with the greatest spiritual leaders of the ages."

The following are some of the things that I have learned from the book:

•  Leaders need to be authoritative, spiritual, and sacificial
• Spiritual leaders aren't elected or appointed - God makes them
• 1 Corinth 2:1,4 show that we don't need persuasive words if we have demonstration of the Spirit's power
• We can learn a lot about leadership through our own mistakes, just as Peter did
• How we choose to use our "leisure" time aside from set time of work, eating, sleeping, etc affects our life as leaders.  We need to use time strategically
• Reading refills our "well of inspiration" and our character is reflected in the books that we read
• We are to lead with zeal and always seek to improve
• The costs of leadership include loneliness, sacrifice & scars, criticism, and rejection
• The responsibilities of leadership include service, discipline, guidance, and initiative
• We should expect tests; but, they are meant to let us succeed and show progress; so we can face the impossible with confidence in the LORD and grow from our failures
• Delegating, mentoring, and having good examples are important

Reading this book has really been beneficial to me, and has affirmed that God has called me to spiritual leadership.  I even had a chance to share this with the pastor who gave the book to us at one of the Leadership meetings.

As I've been thinking about leadership lately, it occurred to me that the character I most associate with in the Bible  might be Moses.  He was humble and often felt insecure and inadequate to lead.  Yet, he was able to lead the Israelites for 40 years through the wilderness, was entrusted with God's Law, and is included in the Hebrews 11 "Hall of Faith".