David Stark’s book Christ-Based Leadership: Applying the Bible and Today’s Best Leadership Models to Become an Effective Leader (2005, Bethany House, Minneapolis) contains important questions that church leaders would do well to ask themselves. Each chapter is a question: “What is the truth of your ambition?” “Who is Lord of your leadership?” “What is your definition of success?” “Do you play to strengths so people can do their best?”
Stark combines biblical insights with current teaching on leadership and encourages us to be Christ-centered leaders. If you wish you had more time to read all the current books on leadership philosophy, then you will enjoy this book. Stark does a good job of drawing from a wide variety of leadership sources, and he has even included many graphs and charts from other books. The book’s brevity (under 200 pages) keeps the reader moving and hits the highlights of current leadership philosophy.
Stark uses Scripture in every chapter; sometimes he quotes entire narratives. Unfortunately, the discerning reader will see that much of the Scriptural content is plugged in to bolster the argument from current leadership strategies. It’s not that the material is unbiblical; it’s that the leadership focus is not biblically derived. Stark’s greatest insights come from the other books on leadership, and then he finds Scripture that back them up. Contrast this book to Henry Blackaby’s Spiritual Leadership.
I do not want to give the impression that there is nothing of substance in this book. Surely there is! This book is well worth the price I paid for it, and I will probably read it again. Stark does not uncritically accept all leadership teaching either. My only disappointment was the sometimes-superficial way in which Scripture was unintentionally treated.
written by Trevin Wax © 2007 Kingdom People blog
