Spiritual Leadership, by J. Oswald Sanders.

Reviewed by Thomas Scarborough.

An updated version of the classic book Spiritual Leadership, by J. Oswald Sanders, has been printed by Moody Press - modernising the text, and enlarging the format. Over half a million copies have been sold over the past thirty-seven years, and many ministers and Church leaders have made it their touchstone for ministry. However, while the book has much to recommend it, it represents an outlook which is unlikely to find universal accord among Church leaders.

In his book, Sanders introduces the subject of spiritual leadership with a quote from 1 Timothy 3:1 (NEB). "To aspire to leadership is an honourable ambition." It is a telling choice of translation, and sets the tone for all that is to come. By way of comparison, a Greek transliteration in The RSV Interlinear Greek-English New Testament, broadly agreeing with major translations, puts it as follows: "If anyone aspires to oversight, he desires a good work."

Since "ambition" is a word which describes personal motivation, Sanders, in his choice of translation, throws the focus back onto the leader. The transliteration, on the other hand, refers to "a work" (Gk. ergos), which is task-orientated. Far from being a question of semantics, this defines the content of the entire book.

Does the book provide an adequate definition of spiritual leadership?

Sanders defines leadership in the opening words of the fourth chapter: "Leadership is influence." That is, leadership is inherently relational - it has to do with other people. This is followed by a sub-definition: "Leadership is [...] the ability of one person to influence others to follow his or her lead." However, what is patently missing in the key definitions is any notion that leadership might point to God rather than the leader's interpersonal ability.

A comparison with spiritual leadership in the Old Testament should illustrate the point. "Anoint Aaron and his sons so that they may serve Me" (Exodus 30:30 NIV), or "The Lord separated the tribe of Levi [...] to stand before the Lord to minister unto Him" (Deuteronomy 10:8 AV). This is the primary emphasis of the Pentateuch. Its secondary emphasis is on the task, while its direct references to influence would appear to be few.

Therefore Sanders displays an inordinate focus on self. The consequences of this are a heavy obligation on self - "God, harden me against myself" - and the book is characterised by demanding "the utmost" of oneself. Thus there is also a continual inducement to guilt. He begins a chapter with the quotation, "If I wished to humble anyone, I should question him about his prayers". Little room is afforded for weakness or failure, which the Bible portrays as a vital conduit for God's grace and strength. The emphasis continually falls on self, which is not psychologically or spiritually sound.

I would surmise, although I can only surmise, that many leaders might have been broken by trying to live up to the notion of "spiritual leadership" that Sanders puts forward.

If "leadership is influence", how then is influence secured?

According to Sanders, influence is secured through qualification - "those whose hearts are qualified". Yet what does it mean to be "qualified"? This is answered in the title of the tenth chapter: "Above All Else". Above all else, writes Sanders, "spiritual leadership requires Spirit-filled people." This further begs the question who "Spirit-filled people" are. It would appear to mean two things.

1. In passing references, it is clear that Sanders means a person who has experienced "the moment of conversion". However, this is not Sanders' primary emphasis. Rather, this is taken as a given in the book.

2. "Spirit-filled people" appears to refer in the first instance to people who have Biblical qualities of character. Sanders defines those who "lack spiritual fitness" as people who act according to "their own standards". It thus comes down to standards. While there is some suggestion in the book that to be filled with the Spirit refers to more than this, the primary emphasis is on character traits. This again tends to refer back to the leader, rather than to the task, or to God.

In keeping with this, Sanders sees the Holy Spirit as One who merely "lifts" one's own strengths "to their highest power", and further suggests that our own ability should "become available for the Spirit". He does not have any obvious appreciation for the truth that "the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you" (Romans 8:11 NIV), which suggests no residual human ability to be lifted.

What qualities of leadership does the author consider essential?

Important aspects of leadership are conspicuous by their absence. As a leader of O.M.F. in the 1960's, Sanders must have come face to face with a serious problem of attrition. How serious, I was not able to find out, as O.M.F. could not find the information in their records (they did, however, very courteously reply). The book almost completely fails to admit this problem, or to suggest which qualities of leadership might be adequate to it. Sanders tragically sets forth as an example, apparently without much insight, a missionary who hangs on, even though "doctors do not give me long to live unless the strain is eased a bit". Reading between the lines, Sanders would appear to be writing against a backdrop of personal frustration at missionary attrition.

Sanders deals with the qualities of leadership at length in the eighth and ninth chapters, "Essential - and More Essential - Qualities of Leadership", basing these on 1 Timothy 3:2-10. Bearing in mind what has already been said, it is not surprising that he chooses qualities of character as being essential, rather than what one might call core spiritual qualities, such as trust in God, or the Holy Spirit's working through His servant. Even his definitions of those qualities which would seem to imply deeper spiritual qualities (Humility, Inspirational Power) are largely bereft of them.

Similarly, when Sanders deals in chapter six with "Insights on Leadership from Paul", his headings begin with the descriptives "Social", "Moral", "Mental", and fail at any time to rise above this level. This lack of a larger place for God in the qualities which Sanders lists is symptomatic of his people-orientated approach.

Synthesis.

Regrettably, I read this book in a vacuum. I was not able to place Sanders in context in any detail, which might be more important than the book itself. Sanders uses words such as "pathetic", "confusion", and "malaise" to describe the Church, and words such as "bondage", and "fatal" to describe leadership. These are strong words. That is, the book is written against a backdrop of an unsatisfactory situation, yet the backdrop is not clear, and it is hard to tell how this affected Sanders personally.

In spite of all that has been said, however, the book by and large forms a rounded summary of the qualities of a spiritual leader - with a few omissions, which have been noted. However, it is the spiritual backdrop that gives content to everything that is said, and this is wanting. The book would seem to be an opportunity narrowly missed. There are glimpses of deep spiritual truth particularly in the quotations that Sanders uses, but these are often not seized upon. For instance: "[The axe] could do nothing but for the woodman", and, "He chose the lowly things of this world". If only such truths had been expanded and deepened, the book might be more worthwhile.

Thus a new edition of Spiritual Leadership has been unleashed on a new generation of leaders. Just when you thought it was safe to go into the ministry.

CITATION OF REFERENCES

Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership. Chicago: Moody Press, 1994.

Marshall, Alfred. The Nestle-Marshall Interlinear Greek-English New Testament. London: Samuel Bagster & Sons Ltd., 1975.

Thomas Scarborough is the minister of an Evangelical Congregational Church near the centre of Cape Town. During 2004, he was the world's most widely published electronics writer. He is currently studying for an M.A. in Global Leadership through Fuller Theological Seminary. He may be contacted at