The Making of a Christian Leader

Maybe when this book was written (in the late 1970s) people didn't distinguish management from leadership. I read this book as part of a class on Christian leadership, and though this is recognized as a classic, it was not as good as several other books in that regard. If you're looking at leadership from a Christian perspective you might consider: Transforming Leadership: Jesus' Way of Creating Vision, Shaping Values & Empowering Change, and Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness 25th Anniversary Edition. However, if you are really interested in developing management skills for use in a Christian organizational context, this might yet be a good book for you. Just remember, this book is a bit dated in some of it's workplace references....

I digested this book. It was required readig for my Church Administration class in Seminary. It was a good read then and now I use it as the textbook in my Church Administration Basic class. Ted W. Engstrom does a great job of giving the basics on Christian Leadership. He leaves no stone unturned. I find the student has everything he/she needs to understand christian leadership for such a time as now. There is a careful balance between the secular world of management and bible based principles of leadership. The end product is fantastic!

Engstrom has written an excellent book on a topic not many have able to accomplish: how to integrate the Bible with secular theory. Among the important points Engstrom makes include:1. What biblical leadership is and is not.2. A true leader must not be driven for the thirst for power.3. A mark of maturity is the ability to handle conflict.4. Suggestions on how to improve your attitude and those who follow you.5. For a leader to excel, he must find other interests outside his job (family, friends, hobbies, etc.).6. A leader will be effective when he adopts goal-setting and planning as a personal style of life.7. Using creative problem-solving.8. A Christian leader must point others to Christ instead of himself.Read and be encouraged and challenged to become a better leader!

This is a priceless overview of leadership styles, strategies and personality traits. Its real-life examples make it an effective teaching tool for leadership development. Engstrom clearly presents Biblical strategies for improving management and human relations. Every Christian leader should have this book on the shelf.