Charles Kraft has taught at Fuller Seminary and has served as a missionary in Nigeria. In addition to these ministries he has also written a number of books including: Christianity With Power: Your Worldview and Your Experience of the Supernatural, The Evangelical’s Guide To Spiritual Warfare: Scriptural Insights and Practical Instruction On Facing the Enemy, Defeating Dark Angels: Breaking Demonic Oppression in the Believer’s Life, and I Give You Authority: Practicing the Authority Jesus Gave Us. This brief sampling of titles indicates that the topics of spiritual power and spiritual conflict are subjects of great interest to him; he has written about them a number of times. This, his newest book, also deals with the subject of spiritual conflict or spiritual warfare, specifically the power encounter.

The author says that the term “Power Encounter” came from the late Alan Trippett who was a missiologist at Fuller Seminary (page 1). Kraft describes a power encounter as “an encounter or confrontation between false gods and the true God” (page 3). Trippett reported that this type of encounter brought large numbers of people to Christ in the South Pacific when they saw that the Christian God was superior to their ancestral gods (page 1). Conversions took place when a priest or chief challenged the ancestral gods and broke their allegiances to them and the ancestral gods could not respond (page 2). Kraft points out that power encounters are now widely accepted by missiologists as valuable in the work of evangelism (page 2). Also in chapter one, he draws from a couple of Trippett’s reports about power encounters in the South Pacific in order to illustrate what they are. Kraft says that some power encounters are unsought but others, such as those in the Bible between Moses and Pharaoh, and Elijah and the prophets of Baal and those in the South Pacific, were sought in that they were open challenges (page 10). The author does not point out the events from Scripture and the South Pacific for merely historical purposes. He believes that the church today, like Jesus and the early church, ought to exhibit spiritual power such as we see in the Bible which includes healings and deliverances (page 15).

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In chapter 2, Kraft surveys a number of power encounters in Scripture, drawing examples from both the Old and New Testaments. These are clearly conflicts between good and evil, some of the ones he mentions include: Moses and Pharaoh, Elijah and the prophets of Baal, Jesus and Satan in the wilderness, and Paul and the demon-possessed girl in Acts 16. In chapters 3, 4, and 5, Kraft sets forth principles related to spiritual warfare. One very important point he makes in chapter 3 is that many in the West tend to view most spiritual beings and spiritual power as the things that fairy tales are made of (page 32). This can be true with reference to both the supernatural power of God and of the enemy (pages 32-33). This is what is sometimes called the anti-supernatural Western mindset. At least in part, this book seeks to serve as a corrective to that error. In chapter 5, Kraft is clear that though there is a kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of God, the rulers of these kingdoms are not equal; God is much more powerful than Satan (page 48).

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.