Customer Reviews

The Book on Leadership

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Too often I have found that leadership books given to pastors and church leaders are focused on business ethics, business techniques, and other worldly methods. While these methods may not be right or wrong, these books fail to take an honest look at leadership from the Bible. We are not take the Bible plus the world's leadership values and reinforce them upon the Church but we are to be biblical and that is it (Titus 2:1).

That is why I enjoyed Dr. John MacArthur's THE BOOK ON LEADERSHIP. As a teacher of the Word who loves the Word, Dr. MacArthur faithfully seeks to teach what the Scriptures teach about leadership. His concern is not the latest how-to books or the latest Church Growth gimmicks but his heart is to follow the Bible completely in all areas of church leadership.

Each chapter covers a portion of what the Bible teaches about leadership. Whether you are a leader in the church or you have biblical questions about leadership, I urge you to turn to this book. While I didn't agree with MacArthur all the time, he does seek to build a biblical case.

The only drawback to this book is that it didn't focus on leaders being people of prayer. I agree with MacArthur 100% that we need strong theology, strong preaching and teaching, and Christ-like leaders but one of the traits of being like Jesus is prayer (Luke 11:1; 18:1). We need men of God who's knees are worn out and their eyes are red from the tears they have wept over the condition of the modern Church. We need preachers who will stand in the pulpit and deliver and word from God that they received while on their face in worship before a holy God. We need men of prayer (1 Timothy 2:1-6, 8).

First, the outside cover of this book is extremely impressive. It LOOKS like leather. I had to touch it to make sure that it was not. The edging at the top and bottom of each page is normal, smooth and even. However, the outside edge of each page has an old journal look, uneven or torn. The combined effect draws the eye to the book.

Second, the contents include:
Earning Trust
Taking the Initiative
Taking Courage
Taking Charge
A Leader's Devotion to His People
Paul Defends His Sincerity
"Who Is Sufficient for These Things?"
A Leader Made of Clay
The Leader's Warfare
How Not to Be Disqualified
Who Is Fit to Lead?
The Measure of a Leader's Success
About the Author
Appendix - Twenty-six Characteristics of a True Leader
Notes

***** Third, I found the information very helpful. The author uses the apostle Paul to show how leaders today work, as well as, how they should work. Sections of the Bible are quoted throughout the entire book which makes it a pretty decent study guide as well. Very interesting reading! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

John MacArthur's latest book, unimaginatively titled The Book on Leadership, has one of the finest-looking covers I have ever seen. With its leather-looking cover, rough-cut pages, gold lettering and marbled inside pages, it looks like a wonderful, valuable, antique book. Truth be told, I probably would not have purchased it were it not for that cover. I am not so shallow that I would purchase it based soley on the cover, but a great cover and an author I respect are too much for me to pass up.

In this book, MacArthur provides his spin on a topic that is gaining prominence in the church. I suspect the books published on the subject of leadership in the church in the past five years would by far outnumber thoese published in the prior 2000 years of Christianity. Leadership has become a buzz-word, and leadership skills are more highly-valued by many than the ability to write good sermons, to relate to people or to express clear doctrine. For many people today a pastor's role should primarily concern leadership with the preaching of the Word taking on a secondary role. In this context I looked forward to gleaning from the wisdom of John MacArthur.

This book is based around the apostle Paul (rather than Nehemiah, who seems to be the subject of many leadership manuals), drawing lessons about leadership through two of the situations he faced: his time in prison and his time pastoring the church at Corinth. I was surprised to find that the leadership principles outlined by the author are not expositorily drawn out of the Scripture, for expository teaching is what we have come to expect from MacArthur. Instead, he uses Paul's life to point to principles of leadership. For example, the sixth principle of leadership is that a leader is optimistic and enthusiastic. MacArthur shows this in Paul's life by referencing Acts 27:25 where the apostle tells the men aboard his doomed ship to "take heart ... for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told." There are twenty six of these principles introduced in similar fashion throughout the text.

While the book does a respectable job of introducing principles of leadership, I found its primary value in serving as a commentary on portions of the books of Acts and Corinthians. MacArthur is a skilled expositor and does deep research in the Scriptures. Thus he brings to light many situations and tidbits of information that helped me better understand these passages of the Bible and to understand Paul. Reading the book purely as a commentary will be rewarding in itself, with the principles of leadership serving as icing on the cake.

I have to admit I found this book a little disappointing, primarily because it was not entirely expository in nature. The twenty six principles of leadership are sound and will no doubt serve to strengthen many future and current leaders. In the final analysis, though, while they are proven from the life of Paul, they were not drawn explicitly from Scripture. Despite that, a man who exhibited those qualities would no doubt be an godly man and one well-suited and eminently qualfied for leadership in the church. I do recommend this book both as a commentary on parts of the life of Paul and as a guide to important qualities necessary for godly leadership.

MacArthur takes the reader through significant events in the life of Paul, beginning in Acts 27 and continuing into II Corinthians, providing insight into Paul's leadership ability and personal character as it is demonstrated in his dealings with pagan sailors, false teachers, and immature Christians.

He also takes a short detour towards the beginning of the book to look into the life of Nehemiah in order to glean some wisdom from Nehemiah's effort to rebuild the wall. The end result is an extremely practical, Biblically saturated guide into true leadership. From the life of Paul and Nehemiah, MacArthur derives 26 characteristics of a true leader. Especially helpful is an appendix on page 209 which provides the list of the 26 characteristics in the order in which they appear in the book.

Another very helpful portion of this book is where MacArthur elaborates on the principle that a "Leader is disciplined" (147). On pages 152 through 157, MacArthur gives eight specific, practical ways in which a person can discipline himself or herself: Get organized; use time wisely; findways to be edified rather than merely entertained; pay attention to small things; accept extra resposibility; once you start something, finish it; keep your commitments and tell yourself no from time to time.

Overall, the book is exrememly helpful and practical and will be very encouraging for those who desire to be true leaders. I highly recommend it!

I decided in the last two weeks of 2010 to overindulge on some leadership books. MacArthur is a noted and respected pastor and leader. His book, The Book on Leadership, is based on observations of the Apostle Paul...primarily from the books of First and Second Corinthians.

While MacArthur noted a number of characteristics about the Apostle Paul, his work here was more practical than exegetical. Don't get me wrong...He certainly made good observations of leadership characteristics from the texts; however, since the subject is topical in nature...his dependence on practical leadership wisdom was obvious.

MacArthur notes 26 characteristics of a leader. These characteristics are illustrated in the life of the Apostle Paul.

My biggest takeaway from this book is simple and profound: "Leadership is Stewardship." Every leader derives his authority to lead from somewhere. It is given to Him (in the case of a pastor) by the Lord of the church so that the pastor can serve as the Overseer/Shepherd/ Elder of the church. If you believe Jesus...then you have to believe that God placed the pastor into leadership so that the pastor would manage/steward the responsibility of leadership effectively. (This is no different from any other spiritual gift entrusted to a believer).

I found the book to be a good read. It boasted of some good takeaways and points of encouragement, as well as served to be deeply challenging.

I would certainly recommend the book to anyone who sought to better understand the calling of leadership and to become more effective stewards of that calling.

John McArthur writes another good book, but this one moved a little slow and seemed to take too many pages to develop. However, a patient reader will get nuggets of pure gold from the illustrations used by the author.

This book gives you a history lesson on Paul and how he applied leadership in his life. While I enjoyed learning more about Paul and his leadership style, some parts of the book especially near the end became slow to read as if the author just wanted to complete the book.

I really loved how John MacArthur takes you through the whole life of the Apostle Paul and along the way highlights key leadership characteristics. While learning about how to be a leader I also learned a lot about the Apostle Paul.

What was so useful about this book is that it taught that each of us are leaders: husbands, fathers, supervisors, teachers, role models, etc. We all need to develop these characteristics in our life. Someone is always looking up or at us for inspiration. We want people to be strengthened in our presence, bolder in the face of opposition, and refocused on the hope we have. It's a great read.

This is an impressive view on leadership that does not take any of its cue from secular wisdom, trends, and pop psychology. Rather, MacArthur takes the approach like he always does: through the word of God. This is a trademark that has always defined John MacArthur, whether he is teaching about salvation, evangelism, heaven, or marriage. This time he does it with the issue of leadership.

MacArthur outlines great principles that will not only make you more of a godly man and leader, but an excellent resource in anything in life. I recommend this book.

Love the book but I have already tore the cover a little from caring in my back pack.