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IntegrityLeading with God watchingIdentikit of a leaderINTEGRITY Do you desire to grow as a man or woman of integrity? If you love the Lord Jesus Christ and have responsibility for leading others, whether within the local church, your family, in the workplace, or at your local sports club or toddler group, then this is a book for you. You need to read it. The credibility of the author is especially relevant in a book entitled Integrity. Jonathan Lamb has a wide breadth of experience in local, national and international Christian leadership. In the past he has served as a leader in the local church, and with UCCF and IFES. He is currently working as international director of Langham Preaching, working with national leaders throughout the world to train up a new generation of preachers committed to Bible exposition. The author is only too aware of the destruction which can occur when Christian leaders allow private sin to take root in their lives, leading to dishonour to the name of Christ and confusion sown among those they lead. ‘Writing a book of this nature has been a challenging experience’. he writes, ‘for I have at times felt the heat of battle’ (p.9). ‘When leaders’ lives fail to match up with their words, we give up listening. We cannot take them seriously’ (p.19). ‘I know that…I must live with my wife, friends and colleagues in a way that is consistent with the claims I make from pulpits and conference platforms’ (p.37). The book is written in an easy-to-read style, with many appropriate contemporary illustrations. Teaching 2 Corinthians afresh as the expository anchor, the vital importance of integrity is explored under five sectional headings. Leadership and Integrity examines why integrity matters, and what it looks like. Leadership and Calling develops the nature of true accountability, what it means to truly serve others, and how Paul’s ministry priorities as a preacher provide us with ‘a portrait of a credible leader’. Leadership and Community includes an important chapter on confronting failure in ourselves and others, written with pastoral sensitivity. It is good to see the temptation to pride and the calling to humility ably handled in Leadership and its Challenges. The book concludes with a call to integrity as a way of life, learning to live contentedly, consistently and authentically. I commend this book wholeheartedly. May it be widely read to keep us serving as men and women of integrity. Mark Lawrence, © Evangelicals Now - June 2007 |