Being Leaders by Aubrey Malphurs

Being Leaders by Aubrey Malphurs

Aubrey Malphurs defines Christian leadership in the first chapter. He reveals in the subsequent chapters the meaning of that definition. Malphurs takes the definition of Christian leadership and explains that leadership definition in a series of chapters. In these chapters, he explains not just who a Christian leader is, but also what a Christian leader does. He ends the book with a series of audits and tools to help the reader evaluate themselves as leaders.

I had been struggling with the idea of trust in leadership, and this chapter helped me understand some principles of leadership that had evaded me. His discussion of the leadership challenges for a pastor with the Builders, Boomers, Busters, and Bridgers – each a separate generation, was extremely useful (page 54-55). The entire chapter on credibility was very helpful.

I also found the idea of “person-organization fit” to be extremely insightful (pages 145-147). I started to see how this would help in the growth of a church, especially a church revitalization, in a rural setting. Leaders need to be prepared for that organization before they arrive. So the fact that a leader should have a “tool-kit” ready – their values, theology of ministry, and philosophy of ministry – and written down was useful. This would help in evaluating the “pastor-church” fit before the pastor comes on the job.

The hermeneutical foundation of the book was developed in chapter one. Malphurs clearly defines the biblical qualification of a Christian leader. He shares eight characteristics of a Christian leader. His notion that the gift of leadership is not necessary (page 21) for leadership, but only makes some leaders better is an interesting explanation. Because he disregards the need for a spiritual gift of leadership, it broadens his interpretation of who can be a Christian leader.

I found the discussion about God’s truth (page 18) to be confusing. He seemed to contradict himself in the discussion. One sentence states that all truth is God’s truth. But then he warns against the evaluation of that truth in the next sentence. I would wonder: “If it is all God’s truth, how can we tell if the truth is or is not God’s truth?” However, for the most part, I agreed with the many leadership principles Malphurs shared in this book. 

I have read another book by Aubrey Malphurs (Planting Growing Church for the 21^st Century).  As Malphurs did in the church planting book, he gives in the appendix many surveys, or audits, one can take to evaluate one’s leadership effectiveness. This leadership book by Malphurs compliments the church planting book. Considering the idea of church planting, I found his assessment (page 144) that a leader must be in alignment with the church that he leads very helpful. My effectiveness as a leader is dependant upon my compatibility with the church and the community I serve. His book on church planting would go “hand in glove” with this book in helping church planters be more effective in their ministry contexts.