The Narnia 3 Book Review Blog

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Chad Owen Brand and R. Stanton Norman Ed’s). Perspectives on Church Government: Five Views of Church Polity. (Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman, 2004. Paper, xiii + 353pp. $19.99

The issue of church polity is perhaps one of the most divisive issues in local churches in America. Churches have split over the issue of “elder rule” versus some form of congregationalism (since the late 1970’s this has been a major flashpoint issue in the ministry of TMS president Dr. John MacArthur and different Baptist associations because of his advocacy of an elder system). Churches in Episcopal systems have seen their congregations locked out of their church facilities by a “headquarters” who did not like the way a particularly local congregation was going. And in Presbyterian systems local congregations have seen church discipline decisions with clear Biblical warrant reversed by Synod and General Assembly courts.

Congregations and their leaders wonder what is the “biblical” form of church government, how should they be organized and how should decisions be made. Certainly, it seems, that this is a foundational issue for the local church that seeks to conduct it’s affairs in a manner that pleases God.

Historically, several forms of church polity have developed, and many variations and nuances exist within those established positions. A local church struggling with its own organization or a new assembly wondering how to “get off on the right foot” is often left with a “blithering array of competing models, all of which lay claim to biblical authenticity” (p. 22) which are often by presented by respected evangelical leaders, pastors, and theologians. One work that escapes from the “blithering” category is this “five view” work. Here five options of polity are presented clearly, forthrightly and in a generally irenic manner. Brought together by the editors, five respected evangelical leaders present their case for local church polity. They and the positions they affirm are as follows:

• Daniel Akin, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, defends “The Single Elder-Led Church: The Bible’s Witness to a Congregational/Single-Elder-Led Polity,” (25-86).

• Robert L Reymond, Professor of Theology at Knox Theological Seminary, defends the “Presbytery-Led Church: Presbyterian Church Government,” 87-156).

• James Leo Garrett, Jr., Professor of Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, defends the “Congregation-Led Church: Congregational Polity,” 157-208).

• Paul F. M. Zahl, Dean and President of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, defends the “The Bishop-Led Church: The Episcopal or Anglican Polity Affirmed, Weighed, and Defended” (209-54).

• James R. White, Director of Alpha and Omega Ministries, defends the “Plural Elder-Led Church: Sufficient as Established –The Plurality of Elders as Christ’s Ordained Means of Church Governance,” (255-96).
  

As normal in this genre there are responses by the other contributors at the end of each major presentation. There are useful indexes (name, subject, and Scripture) and a clear introductory chapter by the editors dealing with the key issues and a brief history of the history of church polity.

The contributors uniformly present clear definitions, Biblical defenses, and generally offer detailed research in their efforts. The publisher opted to use endnotes instead of footnotes which often breaks up important points that the contributors were making in their articles. Each author supports his position from Scripture and with a wide array of material. For instance in his chapter, Garrett utilizes 318 notations which encompasses 19 pages of material.

In evaluating the presentations certainly that by Akin should be judged as superior. He is both current in his scholarship and, while making an affirmative case for his position, still acknowledging room for flexibility (p.73). Reymond makes a detailed presentation of the Presbyterianism and defends it, in large part, as a means to maintain church and ministry “balance.” He states, that, “it provides the most trustworthy, just, and peaceful way for the church to determine its principles, its practices, and its priorities and to resolve its differences” (p. 135). Reymond’s point that within a congregational model there are, “too many ministers and too many churches that are accountable to no one” (ibid) is well stated; however, he weakens his position considerably by attributing the tragedy of Jonestown and the scandals of Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart and Jesse Jackson directly to a congregational model (p. 136). In doing this he likewise fails to note that Presbyterianism, as a system was not able to deal with the liberalism that eventually led to the reorganization of Princeton Seminary in 1929 and the wholesale departure from orthodoxy of several Presbyterian denominations.

While thoroughly noted and detailed, the article by Garrett is more of a laundry list of quotations and people who have supported some form of congregationalism. His criticism of “mega-churches,” the ministry of John MacArthur, and Dallas Theological Seminary, as part of the “crisis” or “major erosion or overt rejection of congregational polity” (p. 190) is a tired old canard. However, his point that individual members need to be more active in the affairs and ministries of their churches is a worthwhile contribution (p. 192).

In presenting the Episcopal model, Zahl centers on the Anglican Church, which is not a particularly major force in American evangelicalism. His presentation is clear and perhaps one of the best affirmative presentations of that system this reviewer has encountered. However, it would have been helpful had he expanded his horizons to include the Methodist, Lutheran and perhaps even the Roman Catholic schemas.

The final presentation by James White on the plurality of elders is perhaps the most disappointing in terms of presentation. His argument is often pedantic and has an air of “my way or the highway” to it. He utilizes Sola Scriptura in such a manner that he makes it clear that a rejection of his position on polity is a de facto moving away from or rejection of the Sola as well. His notations are weak (he uses only 11 footnotes) and he offers little in the way of affirmative support. In fact his is the only article that fails to cite or quote any supporting source outside of Scripture.

There are certainly other points of disagreement and issues that could be mentioned, but, for the most part, the individual authors dispatch these in their responses to one another. There are a couple of issues that we would mention however. In assessing Congregational model position, Akin appears to correct Garrett’s assertion that John MacArthur is Presbyterian (p. 196) but points to a reference that he identifies as “Note 99” which has no bearing on that point, and in fact in the section discussing MacArthur (whose ministry Garrett views as a major reason Baptist churches have moved towards “elder rule”, p. 191), does not make a claim that MacArthur is a Presbyterian.

This book, while covering a large swath of evangelical church polity, it is not complete. There is no discussion of a minimalist polity such in Plymouth Brethren assemblies, and as already mentioned there is no discussion of the non-Anglican systems that practice the Episcopal model. An additional issue is that there is no discussion of the inherent weaknesses in each system and how, on a practical level, those are overcome. There is also no discussion of how one might practically implement one system or the other if you were starting from scratch, how one might move a congregation from one model to another, or under what circumstances such a change might be a good or bad idea.

This is an important work and a valuable contribution to the literature of polity and we recommend it highly. That being said, this reviewer agrees with the great Anglican expositor and theologian, Bishop J. C. Ryle, who stated, “There is not a text in the Bible which expressly commands churches to have one special form of government, and expressly forbids any other” (Ryle, Knots Untied [reprint, Moscow, ID: Charles Nolan, 2000], 234). The diversity of polity within local churches that God has chosen to bless in history make it clear that outside of the Biblical commands that everything should be done “properly and in an orderly fashion” (I Cor 14:40); that godly men be given the task of local church leadership (1 Tim 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-9); and that those leaders must dispatch their duties with humility before God (1 Pet 5:2-3); the exact structures of church polity enjoys freedom of expression to meet the needs of a local assembly.

Carolyn Wese and J. Russell Crabtree. The Elephant in the Boardroom: Speaking the Unspoken About Pastoral Transitions. San Francisco, CA: Josey Bass, A Wiley Imprint, 2004. Cloth, xviii + 220pp ($19.95).

In an era where the average tenure for a protestant pastor is somewhere between two to three years, there is an obvious a need for congregations and their leaders to have resources for making good pastoral transitions, mainly in the hope that there would be fewer of them. The subtitle for this particular book is “How to Think About and Create a Strategic Succession Plan for Your Church.” The authors apparently bring a significant amount of experience and expertise to the task of this book. Both are executive directors of their respective ministry consulting firms: Weese heads Multi-Staff Ministries and Crabtree, Holy Cow! Consulting. Additionally, Weese lists an administrative position in a large Presbyterian church in her background and Crabtree indicates that he served as a pastor in “small, medium and large churches” (p. 209) but no specific information is included.

This work is part of the Leadership Network Publication series from The Leadership Network of Dallas, Texas. This particular series has centered on works from Emerging Church authors such as Brian McLaren, James H. Furr, Reggie McNeal, Milfred Minatrea and others and has really become a key series for works from that movement. In a statement that is quite revealing the book states,

The Leadership Network’s focus has been on the practice and application of faith at the local congregational level. Churches and church leaders served by Leadership Network represent a wide variety of primarily Protestant faith traditions that range from mainline to evangelical to independent. All are characterized by innovation, entrepreneurial leadership, and a desire to be on the leading edge of ministry (p. 211).

In terms of layout there is an excellent subject index; however, there is no bibliography of any sort and no indication that the authors cite any significant sources. There are no footnotes, endnotes or anything other than a few passing references to two authors (Ken Blanchard, p. 17 and Peter Drucker, p. 106) and two others (Linda Karlovec, p, 13, 150; and Ron Rand, p. 23); whom, while they quote, no reference source is given for the quotation. The authors also apparently assume their readers will immediately recognize the later two, giving only the profession of Karlovec and no information at all as to who Rand might be.

The writers take an egalitarian approach to pastoral roles, acknowledging that, “We are ever mindful of the fact that women and men fill the pastoral and lay leadership roles in the church today; therefore we have tried to be inclusive throughout the text” (p. 9). This “inclusiveness” tends to manifest itself in the book by an annoying shift from masculine to feminine pronouns, sometimes within the same context.

The writers begin with an assumption, without offering any particular support, that most churches do not have a plan for pastoral transitions and that for the most part they are unwilling to even discuss the issue until it is too late (p. 2). The book begins with the “story” of Meadowbrook Church and their pastor, Pete, who decides after a ten year ministry to look for a new church and depart. He does, and leaves nothing but chaos in his wake (p. 2-5). The authors present their scenario as “typical” of churches and something that needs to be addressed. They then present their perspective on how pastoral transitions should take place. They state,

Succession planning is the second most important need in every church in the country (well trained and committed pastoral and lay leadership that is culturally relevant being the first), and few if any do it well (p. 5).

The most glaring problem with this work is the complete lack of any Biblical references, discussion of ecclesiology or a theological perspective of any kind. Except for a couple of passing references in Chapter One (“Principles of Transition: Jesus Style”) there is only a single Biblical reference in the actual text in the remainder of the book, a brief quotation from a verse in Proverbs (p. 117). The only other place where Scripture appears in these pages is in brief quotations that appear at the top of each chapter heading. Despite the assertion on the dust jacket that the authors are “firmly rooted in Biblical principles” there is no evidence of any particularly defined Biblical principle. If the authors have developed some Biblical principles on pastoral transitions they fail to share them with the reader.

Perhaps the most disturbing problem in this book is the total omission of the Biblical requirements and qualifications for pastors. The key passages in Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3 are not referenced at any level. The authors present a model church in the following terms:

When the church configured its staff it chose a staff heavy in lay professionals and light in ordained clergy. It then offered a significant body of training to both staff and ministry leaders. Staff members were trained in total quality management, with skills in teamwork, collaborative decision making, problem solving, customer service, coaching, strategic planning, listening, confrontation, assertiveness, rational emotive self-management, gift assessment, and personality inventory. Ministry leaders were given similar training, with more emphasis on strategic thinking, goal and objective development, prayer and accountability. A churchwide organization of ministry leaders was put in place that met quarterly to set goals, evaluate progress, celebrate victories, learn from mistakes, and receive ongoing training (p. 170-71).

While the authors present some helpful tidbits about pastoral transition, one practical area that is very questionable is their underlying assumption that most churches don’t have a coherent plan. In this reviewer’s experience most churches do have a plan, an actual formal plan or guidelines, which are codified in the constitution or by-laws. Many denominations, such as Presbyterians, actually have specific denominational rules and laws in place that either governs how the local church handles the transition, or limits the actions that they can take. Despite this, there is not a single discussion in this book about church constitutions, by-laws or even actually how a church “codifies” whatever plan they adopt. Of course, churches that have codified plans may not have good ones, but since the authors simply assume that no plans exist, they don’t present any help in evaluating existing succession plans.

Another problem with this work is the “illness based model” versus the “health based model” that the authors present. In their view when transitions are viewed as “bad” then “the subject of leadership transition is avoided” (p. 44) and then the entire process spirals downwards. When this happens to enough churches, “the illness-model takes hold in the church at large and the collective consciousness of the religious community” (ibid). To counter this, the authors present a “health-based” model as follows:

A health-based model of leadership transition assumes a better possibility. Because it expects that healthy church leaders can actually talk about a pastoral transition without a rash of dependency issues swamping the discussion, it also expects that it is possible to plan for that inevitable day. Since planning for a pastoral transition requires a coordinated effort among several key players, a health-based model assumes that each player is sufficiently healthy and committed to execute a successful transition. A health-based model of pastoral transition also assumes that these players are willing to be equipped with the best practices available for managing one of the most critical seasons in a church’s life (p. 44-45).

The authors present a picture of what they view as four levels of church ministry. The increased levels are presented as increasingly desirable. They are: (1) Level Zero or Not Performing; (2) Level One: Person-Driven; (3) Level Two: Team-Driven; and (4) Level Three: Innovation-Driven (p. 162-65). One might ask at what level a “Biblically-Driven” ministry might be or where that fit into the author’s thinking. This is also a key problem in the Emerging Church Movement, the mindset of which this work represents: innovation is the highest good. It is really Argumentum ad Novitatem adopted as a philosophy of ministry.

This book could have been a useful tool for local churches and their leaders to manage and even plan for pastoral transitions. Unfortunately, the lack of a set of core theological and Biblical principles related to pastoral ministry and pastoral qualifications, really renders this book useless. This book should not be ignored, there is occasionally a needle of useful insight buried in the mound of straw, but they are few and difficult to find.

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In more conservative and Calvinistic circles the “Church Growth Movement” and constructs of Church Growth have been roundly, and in many instances, rightly criticized. The emphasis on methodology and pragmatism has often been at the expense of theology and a Biblical view of the sovereignty of God. The perceived excesses of the Willow Creek and Saddleback models of ministry; the theological aberrations of Robert Schuller and the Crystal Cathedral model and some of the unguarded statements of C. Peter Wagner (along with his own problematic theology) has caused the movement to be viewed with a jaundiced eye by many.

The author of this work has been a leader in the conservative wing of the Church Growth Movement for many years. He is the author of several significant books in the area of church growth, is the Dean of the Billy Graham School of Evangelism and Church Growth at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also the president of The Rainer Group, a church consulting firm (www.rainergroup.com).

This work is modeled after the template of Jim Collins’ bestselling business book, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t (Harper Collins, 2001). Rainer acknowledges his debt to Collins’ model (p. 13-14). Initially the reader might think that this is just another so-called Christian book borrowing from the pragmatism and secularism of American business, but this would be a thoroughly erroneous observation.

There is a clear sense in which church growth and effective evangelism is entirely in the hands of a sovereign God; however, it is nonetheless demonstrable that God does not simply over-ride poor planning, bad methodology and outright ineptitude (or sinfulness) on the part of church leaders, granting the blessing of successful evangelism and growth. John MacArthur, who is well known in decrying the influence of pure pragmatism in church ministry (e.g. Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes like the World [Crossway, 1993]), has also noted that there is a practical aspect of ministry that cannot be ignored if a local church desires to be successful (e.g. “Marks of an Effective Church,” in The Master’s Plan for the Church [Moody Press, 1991], p. 103-16).

Rainer’s work examines 13 churches that made the transition of a “Breakout Church” as designed by the criteria established by Rainer’s study. The criteria was strict, the 13 churches that were studied were selected from an initial examination of over 50,000 churches. There were five criteria established that the sample churches has to meet (p. 213-15). Key among these criteria was that the church needed to experience the breakout under the same pastor. As Rainer notes, “the decline, breakout and growth all had to take place under the same pastor” (p. 214). This fact is key in that following Collins’ work; Rainer also emphasizes leadership, what he calls “Acts 6/7 Leadership” (p. 5-67), as foundational to “Breakout Churches.”

Rainer notes that, “it is a sin to be good if God has called us to be great” (p. 34) and the biblical principles that under gird greatness are detailed throughout this work. He details a six-stage process that the “Breakout Churches” he studies all went through. Initially these were all churches in decline, from there was a renewed commitment on the part of the pastor to “Acts 6/7 Leadership,” which emphasizes the “called leader,” the “contributing leader,” the “passionate leader,” the “bold leader,” and the “legacy leader.” The first five concepts are built on the leadership qualities seen in the apostles in Acts 1-5 and the final state in demonstrated in a large measure by the leadership qualities of Stephen in Acts 6-7. From there the church moves to what Rainer calls the “ABC Moment,” that is the realization that something is not right in the church (Awareness), that the leader acknowledges this and confronts it (Belief), and the willingness to face the opposition from those satisfied with the status quo (Crisis). The next step is the “Who/What Simultrack” where, to paraphrase Collins’ work, the wrong people gotten off the bus, the right people are put on the bus, the even the right people who were there are put into the right seats. Next he details the “VIP Factor” where the “leaders discovered vision through the intersection o three factors: the passion of the leader, the needs of the community; and the gifts, abilities, talents and passions of the congregation” (p. 30). The next step is a development of ‘Culture of Excellence” where the good is eschewed in favor of the best. Finally there is the feature of “Innovation Accelerators.” Rainer notes that methodologies and innovation are the end-result, not the solution to declining churches. “How many church leaders have divided and demoralized congregations by introducing innovative methodologies and approaches before the church was ready to accept the?” (p. 31).

The results of Rainer’s research and study of his 13 churches was eye-opening, perhaps particularly to those who have an inclination against “Church Growth” type of studies and materials. One was the centrality of Biblical preaching as a foundational factor in the “Breakout Churches.” Rainer notes that all of the pastors involved in “breakout” renewed emphasis on the study and preaching of the Word. As he notes:

The evidence of our research is convincing. These churches never abandoned the basics in their transition to greatness. There were obviously may methodological issues there were of great importance in their breakout. But any methodological factors were secondary to biblical fidelity, preaching and prayer. The Big Mo cannot be sustained by methods. The breakout churches are truly Acts 6:4 churches: “[We] will give ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word” (p. 174).

As the author repeats throughout the work, this is not a book of methodology. He rejects the notion that A+B+C must always equal D. “I have attempted throughout this book to be very careful not to imply that the churches that moved to greatness did so with some magical, methodological, quick-fix formula. To the contrary, the opposite was true” (p. 172). He debunks the myth that churches can grow simply on the basis of methods and innovations or the securing of a “great pastor.”

This is a book that pastors and church leaders who are serious about fulfilling the Great Commission and leading effective, God honoring and biblically sound churches need to read and digest thoroughly and we highly recommend it to all such leaders.

There have been any number of warnings and critiques against the so-called “Church Growth Movement” and the encroachment of secular models of business and marketing principles driving ministry. While the title of this work would seem to fall into that genre, that would be incorrect. Instead of focusing on the “usual suspects” of Rick Warren and Saddleback, Willow Creek and Bill Hybels, Robert Schuller and the Crystal Cathedral and others (in fact none of these people or ministries are even mentioned in the book), this work instead focuses on the role of “individual” Christians and how the “worldly influence of modern culture” is improperly driving the worldview and spiritual decision-making process of individual believers.

The author is the president of the Francis A. Schaeffer Foundation and a longtime associate of the L’Abri Ministry. The book is extremely well researched and there is a useful subject index.

This work is an examination and critique of American Christianity and the author’s examination of the difference between of “what is Christian and what is merely personal religion” (p. 28). The author presents a more historical and philosophical examination of the issue rather than an exegetical or even theological one. The author also fails to present a clear introduction so it is often difficult to both follow, or even identify his thesis. The book is often difficult to follow as the chapters are often disjointed and there is a decided lack of flow.

The concern of the author is clearly what he views as the detriments of a “personal” Christianity, which he defines as “private and individualistic” (p. 148). He says that, “Personal experience alone is a poor criterion for understanding who God is, what he has said, and what plan he might have for my life. What worked in my case is but itself not necessarily true, just, or good” (p. 149). He also makes a strange remark that a harmful shift in Christian thinking, “lies in the assumption that events, history, and life itself is a manifestation of the will of God” (p. 163). He attempts to argue that, “we now live in an abnormal world. Sin has destroyed what God had in mind and what he had, successfully of course, had made” (p. 163). This seems to indicate that God is not sovereign over the daily affairs of life and that somehow the fall entirely thwarted God’s purposes, although in other places that does not seem to be the author’s contention, such as his discussion of Calvin’s theology on 168-69. But even here he bemoans the fact that Reformed Theology was corrupted at the Synod of Dordt where the “teaching of the Bible was transformed into something quite similar to the Koran in the view of God’s sovereignty and his relation to history and creation” (p. 169).

All in all the good points in this book must be culled out of a rather convoluted and disorganized whole. Some of the warnings are helpful and made forcefully, but little is presented in terms of concrete corrections. All in all this is a book that lacks a clear direction, fails to identify a particular audience, and whose goal is left to the personal imagination of the reader.

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Miller, Steve. C. H. Spurgeon on Spiritual Leadership. Chicago: Moody Press, 2003. Paper. 201 pp. $9.95.

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Michael, Larry, J. Spurgeon on Leadership: Key Insights for Christian Leaders from the Prince of Preachers. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2003. Paper, 236pp. $12.95.

Even more than 100 years after his death, Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92) remains one of the most formidable, influential and quotable Christian preachers and theologians in print. Other than Biblical figures, the passage, “though he is dead, he still speaks” (Heb 11:4) perhaps applies to no one better than Spurgeon. He was the pastor and leader of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, really the first “mega-church” of the modern era. Under his ministry Spurgeon was pastor of the largest church in the English-speaking world, was president of the Pastor’s College, administered the Stockwell Orphanage. The church itself was the home to numerous missionary, evangelistic, philanthropic, and Bible teaching ministries. Spurgeon’s own wife Susanna, although in fragile health most of her life, operated a colportage or Bible and book-selling ministry.

In evaluating a ministry such as Spurgeon’s there is the obvious and correct observation that God raised up a godly man for a time and a place such as the ministry of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, but there is clearly more to the influence of Spurgeon. There were decidedly significant Biblical principles of leadership that Spurgeon learned and emulated in his life and ministry.

The influence of Jim Collins’ best selling work, Good to Great (Harper Collins, 2001) and particularly his emphasis on what he called ”Level 5 Leadership” (p. 17-40), has perhaps renewed a discussion of what makes for good leaders and good leadership (see Michael’s work, p. 211-15). Although written by a non-Christian for the secular business world, Collins identifies, although unwittingly in terms of Biblical content, the construct of “servant” leadership. Other works, from a distinctly Biblical perspective (e.g. John MacArthur’s, The Book on Leadership [Thomas Nelson, 2004]) have been important contributions and these two works on Spurgeon are notable additions to this recent emphasis.

The two books under review deal with Biblical principles of leadership as exemplified in the life and ministry of Spurgeon. One (Miller’s) is more of a compilation of quotations that illustrate the leadership priorities and principles of Spurgeon, while the other (Michael’s) is a thorough examination and discussion of the principles and their outworking in ministry.

In Miller’s work, he notes that his goal is perhaps more devotional and exhortative in nature. “this is a carefully selected assortment of quotations designed to encourage your and give you ideas you can put into practice as you fulfill your leadership responsibilities” (p. 11). He emphasizes Spurgeon’s credo “No I but Christ” several times through the volume. The author focuses on the spiritual side of Spurgeon’s leadership emphasizing his prayer life, his passion for soul winning, his willingness to suffer affliction, and his overriding passions for the effective proclamation of God’s word. Each chapter ends with a section of “Spurgeon with His Pen” or “Spurgeon on His Knees” where the chapter is brought to effective culmination with a significant quotation from his writings or his collection of pastoral prayers.

This work, while well done towards its stated purpose, is not without it’s faults. There are no indexes and no real bibliography. For some reason the publisher decided on a smallish paperback format that is reminescent of the 1950’s and 60’s. Beyond this, while it is well researched with helpful endnotes, the author often cites electronic sources or CD-ROM collections of Spurgeon’s sermons and writings, instead of the original published material. This makes it difficult for the reader to follow up with a deeper examination of Spurgeon’s materials. He also occasionally cites later editions of Spurgeon’s works, which in some cases have been edited from the original, instead of original sources.

Those minor criticisms aside this is excellent work and a great starting place for the pastor or student who would like to either refresh their ministry or gain insights as to how to begin their ministry on a solid foundation of true Biblical leadership.

Michael’s work is a much more thorough examination of the outworking of Spurgeon’s practical leadership philosophy and practice. There have been extensive historical and theological parallels made between Spurgeon’s Victorian era and the current state of evangelicalism in America and this book both builds and expounds on those parallels from a leadership perspective. The author states, “This books lets Spurgeon speak to Christian issues that are identifiable in the current socio-political-religious setting. It makes practical applications, using some contemporary leaders and the author’s personal experience in ministry” (p. 18).

The author’s own experience is considerable; his doctorate is from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, he has taught in seminaries, and has pastored several churches, including his current ministry at First Baptist Sweetwater, in Longwood, Florida.

The work begins with five qualities that serve as a foundation for understanding Spurgeon as a leader: Competence (his own personal preparation and continued self-education); Confidence, “It is essential that we should exhibit faith in the form of confidence in God” (p. 35); Context, Spurgeon’s own life and times, which is an excellent and concise discussion of the socio-political and religious context of Spurgeon’s life; Calling, detailing Spurgeon’s conversion and spiritual growth; and finally Character, which was centered in his unwavering commitment to personal integrity before God.

There are several excellent chapters in this work that this review cannot examine in detail. One of the more noteworthy chapters is the section on “Casting Vision” (p. 91-103). It is not often remembered that as the author notes that “Spurgeon’s ‘vertical vision’ was to lead a declining church in the heart of London to renewed growth and service in its community, reaching thousands of people with the Gospel of Christ” (p. 91). This chapter notes that Spurgeon both possessed a clear Biblical vision of God’s purposes for not only his local church, but also the church at large, but that he was also able to communicate that vision and inspire those around him to rally to the fulfillment of that vision.

Another fascinating chapter is on “Creativity: Preaching, Methods and Ministry Innovation” (p. 137-51). While Spurgeon is often remembered as a conservative Calvinistic pastor; it is forgotten that within a thoroughly Biblical framework, he was one of the most original and innovative thinkers in terms of ministry in modern church history. His methods and innovations were often criticized by the “established” religious community of his day. As the author notes:

One further note of warning regarding creativity and innovation is that serious problems occur within the church when one departs from biblical patterns, principles, and practices by introducing or allowing methods of the world that compromise the revelation of God. Creativity and innovation can be a very positive force for good, but, in the effort to attract more people, the Christian leader must always be alert as to things that divert from the gospel of Christ (p. 149).

Water, Mark (compiler). The New Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2001. Cloth xxviii+1200pp. $29.99

Anthologies or collections of quotations and sermon illustrations have been a staple of Christian publishing for the last 100 years. Almost every pastor has on his shelf such a work. While books of illustrations quickly become dated and at best are often stilted and disconnected from a listening congregation; a good quotation can be highly effective in punctuating a sermonic point. Quotations are possessed of a more timeless quality and do not become shelf worn as illustrations often do.

In this volume the editor has compiled over 20,000 quotations all dealing with themes related to Christian theology and practice. The editor’s states as his purpose to “encapsulate the rich heritage of Christian wisdom of the first 2,000 years of the Christian era” (p. vii), and in the pursuit of that purpose he has produced an eminently useful and thought-provoking volume. This volume is remarkably well indexed and cross-referenced. The entries are thematically arranged and there is a compete listing of the topic headings in the beginning of the book. An author index, listing the 2,500 plus sources and the topics on which they are quoted is found at the end of the volume. The layout is excellent and the publisher was possessed of enough foresight to render this 1200 page work in a hardback binding instead of the paperback mode that is becoming more common, even in larger volumes such as this.

One excellent feature in this work that makes it stand out from others in this genre is the inclusion of nearly 100 essay length entries dealing with what the editor calls the “basic teaching about the Christian faith” (p. viii). Those articles are included within the topical arrangement of all the quotations are range from Luther’s “Ninety-Five Thesis” to the funeral sermon by John Wesley for George Whitefield. There are essays on key theological issues, such as repentance (by John Bunyan), Calvinism (by C. H. Spurgeon), faith (by Martin Luther) and predestination (by B. B. Warfield). While the overall quotations reflect the full range of church history, even to the current time, these essays are somewhat exclusively of the Reformation and Puritan eras, which, to this reviewer is somewhat too narrow in scope.

While this work is of tremendous value and benefit to the busy pastor, one word of caution needs to be sounded. This is a compilation where the quotations have been lifted from other sources. Sources, that the editor does not list or give clear reference to. This is not to fault the editor, as such was not his purpose. However, the source of the quotations and their context cannot be found in this work, nor can the accuracy of the English translation from their original language be vouched for. With that warning in mind, this work is of value and benefit for its intended purpose and is to be both commended and recommended.