Summary Of Biblical Philosophy Of Leadership By Daniel L. Anderson
Daniel L. Anderson presents his case for truly serving Christ in the manner chosen for the reader who is willing to humble and serve other. According to the author, to become a biblical leader one must understand the hierarchy of being a steward, servant and slave.
I appreciate on the author’s main intention and emphasizes on Biblical philosophy of leadership. I think it is an excellent book. As the author mentions in the preface about the intention of his writing, it is to address the foundational and forma¬tional issue of a Biblical philosophy of leadership, I think he really does an excellent job. He talks about what does the Bible demand of leaders? Even more specifically, what does Jesus teach about leadership? With that primary burden, the author sought to develop a Biblical philosophy of leadership especially focused on the teaching of Jesus. As Charles C. Ryrie makes a statement in the …show more content…
book, “The author has practiced what he preaches in his own slave leadership as president of Appalachian Bible College for thirty years,” I think this in itself makes the book an important resource for those who serve in any position of leadership in the Lord’s work.
He said, “At a time when our world desperately needs effective leaders, the Church has the opportunity to display Biblical leadership,” Anderson says.
“From the individual leadership of one’s personal life, to the domestic leadership of family life, to the public leadership of ministry settings—at all levels and in all arenas—Christian leaders must be Biblical slave leaders.”
However though, the book is not just all about slave and leaders, it is more about stewardship from Above to Lead from Below written to pastors, church leaders, and anyone within a leadership position. Anderson contrasts the Biblical model of leadership with wrong ideas in the New Testament world, the same ideas that are taught in so many leadership courses today.
Agreement with the author’s view: I am very much in agreement with the author’s view on what is and is not true leader in chapter 1 and thoughtful illustrations on Biblical slave leadership in chapter 4. I appreciate very much on his insight in this two particular chapters. I am 100% agreement with the author on these particular two
chapters.
In chapter 1, the author talks about some misconceptions (from the biblical point of view at least) about leadership in the society and in the world. According to the author, one’s official title name, position or status of a person does not make him a leader, neither power make one as leader. Often, people are inclined to see a particular individual as a leader because of his position, power, fame or prestige. There are other misconceptions about leadership and promoted currently in the world or society. Such popular misconception are 1). Seeing leadership as having some type of particular personality type 2). Thinking leadership as having some particular way of performance 3). The third one is one of the most popular and accepted one. It is thinking that leadership is determined to be influence. Anderson said that most of these popular perceptions about leadership have ele¬ments of truth, but each one has glaring deficiencies when it is compared to the Biblical teaching of Jesus. I am completely agree with the author statement on this. It is true that when leaders exercise the exclusive Biblical model of leadership, varying capacities are displayed. Likewise, circum¬stances will often provide a variety of ways to execute leadership, thus giving a perception of different types of leaders. The key deficiency in all of these popular but inadequate perceptions is the absence of a genuine realization that leadership is a stewardship from and to God.
In Chapter 4, the illustrations from the life of the apostle Paul, Nehemiah who portrays as a slave with obligation and Moses who portrays as a slave with objective were very good illustration and there is nothing I would be disagree with the author’s thoughts and insight on what true biblical slave leadership means.
Critique: At the first glance of the book cover, the title of the book startle me and make me think it probably might just be all about the slaves and leadership or master’s relationship in the first century. The reader might even think the author could have used the word servant instead of slave before reading the book inside. That would be the only negative thing about the book I can critique. But there is unique thought in the mind of the author and he explained why he use the word “slave” instead of “servant” in the introduction part of the book itself. And after going through the book I came to the conclusion that the author’s handling on the Biblical material certainly justifies his title. Overall I would say the book is an insightful, thoughtful and scriptural look into the requirements of being a Christian leader.
I appreciate on the author’s main intention and emphasizes on Biblical philosophy of leadership. I think it is an excellent book. As the author mentions in the preface about the intention of his writing, it is to address the foundational and forma¬tional issue of a Biblical philosophy of leadership, I think he really does an excellent job. He talks about what does the Bible demand of leaders? Even more specifically, what does Jesus teach about leadership? With that primary burden, the author sought to develop a Biblical philosophy of leadership especially focused on the teaching of Jesus. As Charles C. Ryrie makes a statement in the …show more content…
book, “The author has practiced what he preaches in his own slave leadership as president of Appalachian Bible College for thirty years,” I think this in itself makes the book an important resource for those who serve in any position of leadership in the Lord’s work.
He said, “At a time when our world desperately needs effective leaders, the Church has the opportunity to display Biblical leadership,” Anderson says.
“From the individual leadership of one’s personal life, to the domestic leadership of family life, to the public leadership of ministry settings—at all levels and in all arenas—Christian leaders must be Biblical slave leaders.”
However though, the book is not just all about slave and leaders, it is more about stewardship from Above to Lead from Below written to pastors, church leaders, and anyone within a leadership position. Anderson contrasts the Biblical model of leadership with wrong ideas in the New Testament world, the same ideas that are taught in so many leadership courses today.
Agreement with the author’s view: I am very much in agreement with the author’s view on what is and is not true leader in chapter 1 and thoughtful illustrations on Biblical slave leadership in chapter 4. I appreciate very much on his insight in this two particular chapters. I am 100% agreement with the author on these particular two
chapters.
In chapter 1, the author talks about some misconceptions (from the biblical point of view at least) about leadership in the society and in the world. According to the author, one’s official title name, position or status of a person does not make him a leader, neither power make one as leader. Often, people are inclined to see a particular individual as a leader because of his position, power, fame or prestige. There are other misconceptions about leadership and promoted currently in the world or society. Such popular misconception are 1). Seeing leadership as having some type of particular personality type 2). Thinking leadership as having some particular way of performance 3). The third one is one of the most popular and accepted one. It is thinking that leadership is determined to be influence. Anderson said that most of these popular perceptions about leadership have ele¬ments of truth, but each one has glaring deficiencies when it is compared to the Biblical teaching of Jesus. I am completely agree with the author statement on this. It is true that when leaders exercise the exclusive Biblical model of leadership, varying capacities are displayed. Likewise, circum¬stances will often provide a variety of ways to execute leadership, thus giving a perception of different types of leaders. The key deficiency in all of these popular but inadequate perceptions is the absence of a genuine realization that leadership is a stewardship from and to God.
In Chapter 4, the illustrations from the life of the apostle Paul, Nehemiah who portrays as a slave with obligation and Moses who portrays as a slave with objective were very good illustration and there is nothing I would be disagree with the author’s thoughts and insight on what true biblical slave leadership means.
Critique: At the first glance of the book cover, the title of the book startle me and make me think it probably might just be all about the slaves and leadership or master’s relationship in the first century. The reader might even think the author could have used the word servant instead of slave before reading the book inside. That would be the only negative thing about the book I can critique. But there is unique thought in the mind of the author and he explained why he use the word “slave” instead of “servant” in the introduction part of the book itself. And after going through the book I came to the conclusion that the author’s handling on the Biblical material certainly justifies his title. Overall I would say the book is an insightful, thoughtful and scriptural look into the requirements of being a Christian leader.