Jesus on Leadership

Rating:
Summary: Solid, Biblical Advice
Review: I've read several books on leadership, and this one is now near the top of my most-favored list. It is very readable, yet profound. The author condenses a wealth of timeless principles into approximately 200 pages.

Most readers nowadays are familiar with the notion of servant leadership, so Wilkes' principles are not new. What is refreshing is the fresh way he communicates those principles. My favorite aspect of this work is the servant-sayings scattered throughout the pages. For example, the author remarks, "You will never become a servant leader until you first become a servant to the Leader." Another excerpt says, "You are not the leader until the group you are leading says so." A third quote reads, "Servant leaders humble themselves and wait for God to exalt them."

This book was highly recommended to me, and I in turn recommend it to all Christian leaders.

Rating:
Summary: Solid, Biblical Advice
Review: I've read several books on leadership, and this one is now near the top of my most-favored list. It is very readable, yet profound. The author condenses a wealth of timeless principles into approximately 200 pages.

Most readers nowadays are familiar with the notion of servant leadership, so Wilkes' principles are not new. What is refreshing is the fresh way he communicates those principles. My favorite aspect of this work is the servant-sayings scattered throughout the pages. For example, the author remarks, "You will never become a servant leader until you first become a servant to the Leader." Another excerpt says, "You are not the leader until the group you are leading says so." A third quote reads, "Servant leaders humble themselves and wait for God to exalt them."

This book was highly recommended to me, and I in turn recommend it to all Christian leaders.

Rating:
Summary: Leadership Primer
Review: Much like Jesus sending the seventy out with only the essentials they would need, Gene Wilkes packs the basics you need for leadership in one volume.

He starts with the most primary issue: the heart. Leaders must first be followers of Jesus. He then deals with what seems like an oxymoron: servant leadership. How is one both a servant and a leader at the same time? His answer is that a servant leader is someone who serves the mission and leads by serving those on mission with him.

Following Jesus' lead, Wilkes then discusses how leaders form teams who together can accomplish much more than an individual can. Throughout the book are leads to other resources that can equip leaders further. Discussion questions and action steps also are helpful. Leadership insights from Jesus that can be seen in the secular world are peppered within the pages of this book.

I had the privelege of spending a day with Wilkes in which I discovered he is truly a humble servant of God who has been given a passion for developing servant leaders. This book will help you do the same.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best book on the Leadershp Principles of Jesus
Review: There are a number of good books in print which present lessons on leadership derived from the life and teachings of Jesus. Unfortunately, this is NOT one of them. The author spends so much time writing about himself and HIS understanding of the truth that Jesus gets pushed to the background.

The book contains some good concepts (it would be hard to avoid them given the topic!) but overall, in my opinion, the book is too author-centered.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best book on the Leadershp Principles of Jesus
Review: This book is definitely read at your own risk because it may change your view of church leadership. It is a corrective book for the 21st century paradigm. The author builds seven principles of leadership:

#1: Humble Your Heart #2: First Be A Follower #3: Find Greatness In Service #4: Take Risks #5: Take Up The Towel #6: Share Responsibility & Authority #7: Build A Team

HUMBLE YOUR HEART

Humility is the most counterculture quality in the Bible. The author states," Two distinguishing character qualities of a servant leader are humility and the ability to wait." Humility can only begin when you have a true picture of yourself before God. He does a nice job with a pragmatic definition wof waiting: reflection, prayer and expectation.

FIRST BE A FOLLOWER

"A person can be assigned, selected or designated for a position, but a person cannot be appointed to leadership", is a major quote for this section. Two conclusion developed here: 1: AS LONG AS POSITION IS HONORED ABOVE DISCIPLESHIP, CHURCH LEADERS WILL HONOR THE AMBITIOUS OVER THE OBEDIENT.

2: AMBITION IS NOT THE SAME THING AS WILLINGNESS TO FOLLOW JESUS TO THE CROSS.

FIND GREATNESS IN SERVICE

The author takes two examples on leadership spoken by the Lord: 1) "Lord it over them" and 2) "Exercise authority". TO LORD IT OVER SOMEONE MEANS TO SUBJECT HIM TO YOUR POWER. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH HIS QUESTIONS.

TAKE RISKS

Quoting Joel Barker, "It is still a great risk in our society to offer new rules for the game", the author develops two points. 1: FILLING ORGANIZATIONAL CHARTS WITH WARM BODIES WILL CERTAINLY KILL A CHURCH. FREEING GOD'S PEOPLE TO SERVE AS GOD HAS GIFTED THEM MAKES A CHURCH GROW.

2: ENTHUSIASM DRAINS WHEN A CHURCH GETS OFF ITS MISSION AND FOCUSES ON SHORT TERM GOALS RATHER THAN ON ETERNAL PURPOSES.

TAKE UP THE TOWEL

The author draws contrast to leading by words versus giving people a picture. He emphasizes the need for "story-telling" and "picture-painting" leadership to replace the model of human schemes. Service is demonstrated by "taking up the towel".

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY & AUTHORITY

Good equippers do it like Jesus did: recruit twelve, graduate eleven and focus on three, according to Lynn Anderson. The issue of this section is how responsibility without authority disempowers people. The author makes a radical statement in affirming that: GRUMBLING BY MEMBERS ON A MISSION SIMPLY MEANS THAT LEADERS HAVE NEGLECTED TO ADDRESS A NEED ADEQUATELY.

BUILD A TEAM

Basic changes take place very slowly, if at all, because those with the power generally have no knowledge, and those with the knowledge have no power. A leader cannot be truly effective until he includes those who he leads in all he does. The major point here is: LEADERS WEAR OUT THEIR FOLLOWERS & THEMSELVES WHEN THEY TRY TO LEAD ALONE.