There’s good books and there’s books you simply must have. While every Christian can glean so much spiritual help from this fine book, it would almost be a crime for a pastor to not own and carefully read this book by J. Oswald Sanders. Originally written in the late 1960s, this million-seller finds a new life in this stunning paperback edition by Moody. I’m not sure how to describe the material the cover was made from, but it’s the best paperback cover I’ve ever seen.

I don’t think this classic became so popular through a savvy marketing campaign, but simply by the fact that it is so captivating. It covers leadership as the title suggests, and though there is some overlap with the modern subject of leadership that floods the book market, you also see that spiritual leadership is worlds apart from modern leadership. The book is true to the Bible, and you will find yourself saying over and over again “that’s so true”, even if what you just read nailed your hide to the wall.

The book begins by explaining how ambition fits into the picture and goes on to opine the lack of leaders today. As you would imagine, by chapter 3 you read of Jesus Christ’s master principle – the principle that leadership is servanthood. Later chapters will discuss how to become a leader even if you are not naturally one, insights that you can gain from Paul and Peter’s leadership, as well as essential qualities of leadership.

Later in the book we are told that spiritual leadership requires spirit-filled people. We are admonished how we can never be a leader in God’s work without being a leader in prayer. There’s suggestions on how to make use of time and how to incorporate the highly valuable act of reading.

Later chapters become even more soul-searching. There’s discussion of improving leadership, the cost of leadership, the responsibilities of leadership, the test of leadership, and the art of delegation. We are told of the necessity of replacing and reproducing leaders as well. Finally, in the most probing pages of the book, he reviews the perils of leadership. We should read that section repeatedly! He ends with a short chapter on Nehemiah, followed up by a short conclusion chapter.

Make this book one of the first five or six you buy if you are going into the ministry and read it carefully. It’s one of the great ones and its manifold impact on many Christian leaders over the last 50 years is its greatest recommendation.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.