Leaders Who Last is written for church leaders—pastors, teachers, small group leaders, volunteers, and ministry staff—by a church leader who posits that this book is about leaders finishing well. Kraft encourages now and future leaders in the church to lead in a “new way” that will help them “stay viable … survive [the] journey, and accomplish [their] objective” (p. 22). Relying on experience culled from forty plus years of ministry, Kraft argues that “the leader’s greatest calling and most significant long-term contribution is to recruit and train other leaders” (p. 144). He views Christian leadership as having four main responsibilities: shepherding, developing, equipping, and empowering. These responsibilities focus on building up followers and future leaders.

The book contains three sections plus an introduction and epilogue. The first section is called Foundations and has five chapters on power, purpose, passion, priorities, and pacing, which Kraft says are all foundational to lasting leadership. Leaders must be attentive to these areas to stay fruitful in ministry. In order to stay connected to their power source, leaders must practice spiritual disciplines, including reading Scripture, prayer, worship, and time for reflection. The remaining foundational aspects to leading flow from the power leaders receive from Jesus Christ.  Kraft says, “Purpose is the foundation for everything” (p. 64). A purpose should give you energy, motivation, and direction. A biblically-based purpose will help leaders steer clear of distractions. Kraft provides helpful steps to identifying one’s purpose. Indeed, he offers steps for developing in all areas of leading, including passion, which he explains comes from God when we know who we are in him. In order to keep purpose and passion focused, Kraft urges leaders to determine clear priorities, and offers an intentional process for keeping one’s priorities in order. Finally, pacing is about being mindful of one’s capacity so that the leader does not burn out. Kraft recommends taking a day off once a week and limiting the number of evenings the leader is not at home.

The second section deals with Formation and covers the topics of calling, gifts, character, and growth. Whereas a leader’s purpose is based on her experiences and interests, a personal journey that starts from within, a calling comes from God. Kraft suggests that there are four types of spiritual call: to salvation, to discipleship, to service, and to leadership. His focus in this book is on the call to leadership. In order to last, leaders must have a clear and compelling call. He urges leaders to find people who will help them evaluate their calling. In turn, he encourages more experienced leaders to be on the lookout for younger, future leaders whom God is calling and to mentor them. In the chapter on the leader’s gifts, Kraft argues that the gifts of a leader tend more toward speaking than serving. Although he does not deny the importance of service, Kraft emphasizes that leaders who last have word gifts, that is the ability to use words to encourage, develop, equip, and inspire people to move from point A to point B. In addition, a leader’s character is vital to the longevity of her leadership. Kraft notes that the primary passages on leadership qualification in the Bible (1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1) refer mainly to character in the context of relationships. Kraft provides a list of essential character traits and a process for developing one’s character. He suggests that leaders discern which areas of their lives need growth and work with an accountability partner to develop those traits.

Study Bible Series

There has been a growing number of Study Bibles released in the last few years and Dony Donev is reviewing them along with some classic Study Bibles. Dr. Donev will be evaluating each of the Bibles by focusing on subjects such as the gifts and ministry of the Holy Spirit, free will and the security of the believer, as well as prophecy and eschatology.

John C. Maxwell, ed., Maxwell Leadership Bible, Revised and Updated edition (Thomas Nelson, 2007).

The Maxwell Leadership Bible has drawn lots of attention especially with the publication of John Maxwell’s new bestseller Sometimes You Win—Sometimes You Learn: Life’s Greatest Lessons Are Gained from Our Losses, which deconstructs the winning model of church leadership on a totally different level. We’ve used his study Bible through the years especially in cases of young ministers’ training and mentorship.

Instead of a page by page annotation, the Maxwell Bible setup contains inline articles and discussions on various leadership issues within the text. Over 100 biographical profiles of Biblical leaders and short articles are combined with the philosophy behind two other bestsellers on leadership by the author: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow.

John C. Maxwell

The Maxwell Bible is not oriented to be organized by doctrines. Therefore, there’s not much on eschatology and particularly little regarding either the Rapture or Tribulation. Nevertheless, the lessons from the Seven Churches of Revelation are abundantly annotated and worthy to be read privately or taught in a classroom setting, intended to be taken literary and applied to today’s ecclesial reality.

Study Bible Series

There has been a growing number of Study Bibles released in the last few years and Dony Donev is reviewing them along with some classic Study Bibles. Dr. Donev will be evaluating each of the Bibles by focusing on subjects such as the gifts and ministry of the Holy Spirit, free will and the security of the believer, as well as prophecy and eschatology.

Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation, eds., The Mission of God Study Bible (Holman Bible Publishers, 2012).

The Mission of God Study Bible is edited by Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation and contains essays and commentaries by over 50 contributors including Billy Graham and Jack Hayford. Significant place is given to quotes from Francis Dubose’s 1983 book, God Who Sends. The primary purpose is to introduce a missional manifesto to the church of the 21^st century. Beside book introductions, essays and cross-reference annotations, it promotes ideas from the Bible as QR Codes, text messages and notes from God using the Holman Christian Standard Bible text as a foundation.

The initial commentary introduces God’s mission in creating the world and the divine plan to reconnect with His creation into a promise of an eternal land. The passages of our usual consideration (Numbers 6 and Jeremiah 18) are not particularly commented; however, the introduction to Numbers begins with a beautiful analogy of how serious God takes His mission leading the Israelites for 40 years in the wilderness. The notes on Jeremiah also contain Glenn Barth’s Dwelling and Working for God in the City.

Although not written primarily by Pentecostal authors, the commentary on Acts includes a very charismatic key to revival through making disciples using: (1) empowerment, (2) education and (3) evolving. This process is described as inclusive and hospitable to all in two articles on the gentile conversion in Acts 10. The mission of the Christian ministry is enriched by the gifts of the Spirit, as annotated by Ed Stetzer in 1 Corinthians 14, through the source, search and sovereignty of spirituality. But the mission is also inseparable from the marketplace as described in connection with the Corinthian church Acts 18.

Ed Stetzer

The pneumatological and ministry related commentaries connect well with the urgency of missiological eschatology starting with the phrase “In the Spirit” (Revelation 4:2). The notes conclude with another article with an urban theme on the Heavenly City. The eschatological mission in Revelation is explained as “Refocusing and Renewing the Church.” An article about Hudson Taylor, missionary to China, is placed next to the story of the two witnesses, expressing the eschatological urgency to reach the whole world with the Gospel. This coincides with two commentaries on the Great Commission in Matthew 28, “The Mission of God and the Mission in the Church” and “Go Therefore.”

Overall a great missional tool with over 150 commentary notes and articles begins with the missional manifesto and concluding with the “Letters to the Church” from elder statesmen like Billy Graham, Jack Hayford, R. T. Kendall, Erwin Lutzer, Calvin Miller, and R.C. Sproul.

Reviewed by Dony K. Donev

Publisher’s page: http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/products/the-mission-of-god-study-bible-hardcover/

Ronald J. Sider, Just Politics: A Guide for Christian Engagement (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2012), xvii + 249 pages, ISBN 9781587433269.

Ronald J. Sider, Fixing the Moral Deficit: A Balanced Way to Balance the Budget (Downers Grove: IVP Books, 2012), 171 pages, ISBN 9780830837953.

Ronald J. Sider, ed., The Early Church and Killing: A Comprehensive Sourcebook on War, Abortion, and Capital Punishment (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012), 216 pages, ISBN 9780801036309.

Paul Alexander and Al Tizon, eds., Following Jesus: Journeys in Radical Discipleship – Essays in Honor of Ronald J. Sider (Oxford: Regnum Books International, 2013), xiv + 235 pages, ISBN 9781908355270.

Some readers of this journal will think of Ron Sider, founder of Evangelicals for Social Action, as being on the left side of the Christian theological and political spectrum. Many others will recognize this longtime Distinguished Professor of Theology, Holistic Ministry and Public Policy at Palmer Theological Seminary – now related to Eastern University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – as being centrally evangelical in his commitments to biblical and Christ-centered engagements with the important social issues of the present age like poverty, war, and public policy. Over his career, he has published over thirty books and hundreds of scholarly and lay-accessible articles devoted to mobilizing evangelical believers, especially, to not only think but also live faithfully as Christ-followers in the public square.

Ron Sider speaking at “Christ at the Checkpoint” conference in Bethlehem in March 2012.
Image: Danielbannoura / Wikimedia Commons

This review focuses on three of Sider’s most recent books (all from 2012), and a festschrift published in his honor. The three volumes are of different types but each one engages perennial Siderian themes. Just Politics is actually a second edition of The Scandal of Evangelical Politics published by Baker Books in 2008. It includes a new preface that comments critically on literature published too late to be considered in the first edition plus what has appeared between 2008-2011 at the intersection of evangelical studies and the political. The hallmarks of Sider’s approach are evident: extended reflections on the Bible in order to discern a faithful Christian understanding of the polis and, from this scriptural framework, proposals for evangelical engagements with the political. Part three presents an overarching evangelical political theology and philosophy addressing nine themes, topics, and issues (in nine chapters): the state, justice, human rights (including democracy and capitalism), the sanctity of human life, marriage and family, religious freedom in connection to the church-state relationship, peacemaking in relationship to just war and nonviolence, creation care, and nation-states and international affairs. Each chapter undertakes historical, political, and social analysis and includes recommendations for faithful evangelical political praxis with an eye towards shaping public policy in these domains.

R. T. Kendall, Holy Fire: A Balanced, Biblical Look at the Holy Spirit’s Work in Our Lives (Lake Mary: Charisma House, 2014), 256 pages, ISBN 9781621366041.

In his prologue, R.T. Kendall sums up the purpose for Holy Fire: to end the “silent divorce…between the Word and the Spirit.” He laments that in any divorce, children are tempted to side with either parent. In this case, there are those who presume that being biblically grounded means relegating the gifts of the Holy Spirit to the apostolic age. And there are those whose use of the gifts is, at times, so biblically ungrounded that their opponents’ stance can seem almost plausible. The vitriol spewed by internet attack dogs is too often matched by the foolishness of some of the Charismatics they attack. I have prayed that someone would write a balanced answer to both sides. R. T.’s humble remonstrations are an answer to that prayer.

So many have built a case to demolish not only the opposing viewpoint, but more pointedly, the persons who hold it! But R. T. offers insights that are not only Biblically sound and scholastically adept; he comes across with a quality equally rare on either side of the debate — love that dignifies even his opponents. As if intervening between squabbling siblings, he sits us both down like a father and makes a solid case for contemporary use of the gifts of the Spirit, while honoring brothers who disagree. More blessedly, he bids both sides to fess up to their own faults in the matter, while inciting no shame. It’s a balancing act that only true father can pull off.

This loving balance is, in the end, what will sway readers of either stripe more than anything. R. T. points out that one of the very originators of cessationism (the idea that the gifts of the Spirit ceased after the time of the apostles), John Calvin, said in his Institutes of the Christian Religion that we know the Bible is the word of God “by the inner testimony of the Holy Spirit” (p 35). R. T.’s ability to locate such common ground is an expression of an understanding heart that has won him respect and a listening ear in both camps.

For those who believe the gifts are indeed for our time, R.T. offers up a soundly biblical renunciation of the kind of ham-fisted arguments that mark, for instance, John MacArthur’s Strange Fire. But he steers Charismatic readers away from an unhealthy focus on who is right and who is wrong in the gifts vs. no-gifts controversy. In its stead, he leads them through a course of self-examination, to ferret out whatever in their own hearts might have led some of them to offer holy fire in such a strange and unsanctified way — including the sins of pride and licentiousness that have motivated the stage antics of faith healers, excessive teachings on prosperity, and a focus on gifts instead of character. R. T. minces no words about the excesses of the Charismatic movement. But unlike its shrill detractors, he offers fatherly corrections aimed at encouraging the Holy Spirit’s work in today’s church, not quenching it.

PneumaReview.com speaks with Becky Halstead—the first woman general to lead in combat at the strategic level*—about faith, leadership, and how churches can support the men and women who serve in the military.

PneumaReview.com: Please tell us about where you come from and why you aspired to become an officer, and ultimately a Brigadier General, in the US Army.

Retired Brig. General Becky Halstead, the first female commanding general in the U.S. Military history to lead at the strategic in combat operations.

Retired Brig. General Rebecca Halstead: I was born and raised mostly in upstate New York. Our little town of Willseyville (where I lived) and Candor (where I went to school) had no traffic lights. We were considered mostly a dairy area, and the majority of our time was spent in school, church and community activities. My father worked for IBM, and my mother was a dental hygienist. I loved playing sports and wanted to be a physical education teacher. However, in 1976 my mother read in the newspaper about the military academies opening up to women. My mom thought I was the perfect fit for what they looking for and she encouraged me to apply. My mom and dad were loving, strong and disciplined Christian parents. I reluctantly agreed to put my nomination packet together. After visiting several of the Academies, I decided if I was going to attend, I wanted West Point for its rich history and discipline.

In the late spring of my senior year of high school, 1977, I received my acceptance letter from West Point. I began my military journey just a few days after high school graduation in July 1977. Before leaving for West Point I had key people in my life sign my Bible: youth group leader, Sunday school teachers, Pastor and his wife, parents, and some best friends. During my four years at West Point I read their words of encouragement hundreds of times. My goals were simple: don’t quit, don’t let my family and friends down, and pray to graduate.

Upon graduation in 1981, I was commissioned an officer in the United States Army. I was a Second Lieutenant. There was never any intent on my part to serve more than my mandatory five years after graduation. However, as the years unfolded, God blessed me with opportunities after opportunities, and numerous promotions. Again, I never aspired to become a General Officer, but after 16 different duty assignments and 23 years of serving and leading America’s sons and daughters, I was promoted in 2004 to Brigadier General.

With my promotion to Brigadier General came orders for combat. In 2005, my command in Germany was selected to deploy to Balad, Iraq for one year. In Iraq I had 20,000 soldiers in my command and we provided distribution of all the logistics for the 250,000 coalition men and women stationed there. It was the hardest, most challenging year of my life, but it was also the most rewarding. I grew as a leader, both personally and professionally. My faith walk was tested and strengthened as I dealt with tragedy and disappointments, complex missions, and the very worse, yet the very best at times, of mankind.

Becky Halstead’s first book, 24/7: The First Person You Must Lead Is YOU.

I returned to the United States in 2006 and took my last command in the army at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. I was responsible for all the military training associated with men and women in the Ordnance Corps—the second largest branch in the Army. Unfortunately, I was dealing with a personal illness, chronic fibromyalgia, and after thoughtful prayer and consideration, submitted my retirement in 2008. I was only 49 years old, and I hated to leave the military that I come to love, especially because of the men and women I served with and led. I have always believed and practiced that God places nothing in front of us that He is not willing to help us through. So, I considered this a new mission and by retiring I could wrap my arms around the disease and figure out what was next.

Rob Wilkerson resonates with a recent article.

Robin Williams as Mr. Keating in Dead Poets Society

Jeffrey Overstreet, “How I Got Dead Poets Society Wrong: And how a great professor changed my mind” ChristianityTodayOnline (September 16, 2014).

Overstreet’s article brought back memories. A lot of them, to be honest. To some degree, the feelings the movie evoked returned to me like I saw it yesterday.

First, there were the memories of how I felt as a high school graduate, the same year the movie was released. I remember identifying intensely with Keating, a mentor every kid wished was his dad. I remembered thinking how much of Neil was in me, both the joyous freedom to be me, mixed with the insanity of conformity to cultural norms and standards.

Second, there were memories of how I felt about rules and standards. Growing up on the legalistic side of Christianity, I could understand the concerns of Neil’s father and Keating’s administration. Rebellion is built into every fiber and DNA strand of every human being. This was probably true of me when I watched it. The movie was like a pinball inside my soul, thrashing around, ringing bells, sounding noises, while smacked by the paddles of my legalistic upbringing and the taste of free grace.

Third, there are memories of my parenting. I’m a father to four awesome kids. Too often I’ve parented like Neil’s father. At least, that’s what I fear. More often I’ve wanted to parent like Keating, loosening the ropes, the guides of culture (including Christian culture) from the fragile sapling of grace I saw growing inside my children. Overstreet said it best. “Looking back at authority figures who have inspired my respect, and at those who have been driven by ego and a desire to control, I’ve come to suspect that anyone who seeks to instill character in another person by force will produce an equal and opposite reaction.”

There is a root found in both men in this movie. It is fear. Plain and simple. Neil’s father was fearful that his son wouldn’t fit into his tiny little world, that his son would find a type of happiness that he had talked himself out of years earlier. He was fearful of freedom, so he couldn’t let his son enjoy it. Then there’s Keating. Overstreet believes that “Mr. Keating models a healthy balance of freedom and responsibility. He descends into that world of order, accepting the form of a servant, and makes all things new. He shows them what the imagination, taking the shape of love, makes possible.” Perhaps. Probably. But undoubtedly obvious in Keating, as well as in his real life character, was this tinge of immaturity.

Fred Sanders, “John Wesley on Experiencing the Trinity” Seedbed (February 10, 2014).

J. Lee Grady, “Don’t Let Super-Spiritual People Hurt Your Church” CharismaNews (July 24, 2014).

Kenneth J. Archer says, “I think this is fairly accurate and worth reading.”

Matthew Schmitz, “How I Evolved on Gay Marriage: On Life’s Tightly Woven Meanings” First Things (August 2014).

William De Arteaga writes: “I commend this article as a very thought provoking Christian piece.”

Carl Westerlund, “‘The Perfect’ Argument for Continuationism” Calvary Chapel Church Planting Network (July 7, 2014).

Tony Richie, “Pentecostalism’s Wesleyan Roots & Fruit” Seedbed Blog (March 14, 2014).

John King, “Success” Personal Thoughts: A Weekly Introspection (April 11, 2014).

John Lathrop says, “Read an article by my friend John King (he wrote one of the reviews of Authentic Fire), I think it is quite good.”

“7 Warnings for Church Leaders on Social Media” ChurchInfluence.com (August 11, 2014).

A brief, practical article on social media etiquette.

Calvin L. Smith, “Christians and Modern Israel: Theologically complicated? Maybe. Ethically? Not so much” (August 14, 2014).

Calvin Smith writes that this a piece he’s written that takes a slightly different slant regarding how Christians should perceive Israel, from a theological to a more basic ethical argument. At a time when narrative rather than theology seems to take precedence in some Christian circles, this may help some look at the issue in a different way.

“Ten Books on Racial Reconciliation and the Church”, compiled by Christianity Today’s Amy Julia Becker (August 14, 2014).

Julie Anderson, “Death, the great equaliser: Christianity on the Middle Nile” The British Museum (August 8, 2014).

Scott McKnight tweeted: “Good story about ancient Christian kingdoms – no longer kingdoms, no longer even Christian.”

The exclusively digital edition of The Pneuma Review, Summer 2014 (17:3).

Some of what you will find in this issue:

Are Pentecostals offering Strange Fire? In this issue, Pneuma Review continues its response to John MacArthur’s new book, Strange Fire: The Danger of Offending the Holy Spirit with Counterfeit Worship (Thomas Nelson, 2013).

America shall be Saved: An interview with Reinhard Bonnke

Amos Yong reviews four books by Ron Sider: Just Politics, Moral Deficit, Killing and Following Jesus: Amos Yong reviews four Ron Sider books.

Find all of these articles individually in an easy-to-read format on the archive page: http://pneumareview.com/summer-2014/

Full issue coming soon.

Missionary Jim Harries presents a cogent argument for using indigenous language.

Words originating in English are often written and even pronounced in a different way than in English when in a different language. This always brings a challenge when using a foreign language.

Let me give some examples to illustrate this. The biblical name Joseph is in Kiswahili written and pronounced as Yosefu. When using Kiswahili therefore presumably I need to say Yosefu and not Joseph. At the same time in the back of my mind is the thought that “he is Joseph and not Yosefu.”

This is unlike the term ‘dog’ because this is translated and not transliterated. As a result in Kiswahili it becomes mbwa, and in Dholuo (a Kenyan language) it becomes guok. The above problem does not arise when talking about a dog in either of these languages – one merely has to translate. Dog becomes guok or mbwa.

Nouns that are not names in English can be even more difficult. Long trousers are in the use of Kiswahili often known as longi. A shirt in Dholuo becomes sat, a torch becomes toch, brother becomes brafa, maid becomes med, computer is komputa, radio is redio, and so on. I find it difficult to say or write the Dholuo / Kiswahili versions of such words even when I am using the above languages. It seems wrong to do so. It seems it ought to be right to say such words properly torch and not toch, brother and not brafa, etc.

Then I ask myself – if it is so difficult to speak the Dholuo / Kiswahili phonetics of originally English words, how difficult is it to remember changes in the impact of words when used in Dholuo (or Kiswahili) as against English? For example, the category of brafa may include distant cousins, a med is often unpaid, a komputa is a relatively rare product full of mystery, a redio may be someone’s only contact with the wider world – and so on.

The above results in two constant tensions when a native English speaker is using English words that have been adopted by African languages: Firstly, it can seem that African people are mispronouncing or mis-spelling the word concerned. Secondly, it brings a tension in one’s mind between a ‘duality’ of meanings or impacts of these words; are the words being used in an English way or in an African way?

Further thought has forced me to realise – that this tension does not only apply when English words are appropriated into African languages. It also applies to efforts made at the use of English itself in Africa! African people who use English do not use it in the way that people do in England. They use it rather in line with their own ways of life, as translations from indigenous terms, etc. So then, when I turn up as an Englishman, what am I to do? Should I continue to use English as I am accustomed to in England – and keep clashing with folks in Africa? Or should I try to adopt African English, with all the dualities that implies, and say things that would be considered to be ‘wrong’ by my own people?

I believe the solution to the above dilemma is a simple one in the end: use African languages in Africa, as one uses European languages in Europe. Should a European country ever attempt to use an African language as it is used in Africa to run their country, chaos could ensue. The reverse also applies.

PR