ALLEN T. OLATUNDE
27TH OCTOBER 2010
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ENTRY
TITLE OF THE BOOK: Leadership in Action: A Sourcebook in Church Administration for Students and Ministers
NAME OF THE AUTHOR: Oluwaponmile Gideon Adetunji (Ph.D)
PUBLISHER: Baptist Press (Nigeria) Limited
YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2010
PLACE OF PUBLICATION: Ibadan, Nigeria
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Oluwaponmile Gideon Adetunji (Ph.D) is a seasoned educator, recognized scholars in his field of administration. He has many publications to his credits in both national and international journal. He is a member of a five-man Review Panel of the Accrediting Council for Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA). He is a life imparting lecturer in the course of Church Administration in the Nigeria Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso. He has energetic power of words to imprint ideals in the heart of his learners which stirs mediation that leads to active action. He is a mentor that student dreams to become in boldness, power of words and ability to teach (impart) comprehensively.
INTRODUCTION
Who is a leader? What is leadership? What is Christian leadership? Who is control or in charge in an organization? Who should plan and decide for the church? How should the church plan for future? Why conflict in the church and how to resolve it? A contemporary leader battles with these questions and the book “Leadership in Action” actually provides answers to all of them. However, this book is critiqued only on few chapters (1, 3-6). The chapters deal with a leader, Christian leadership, administration and management; theology of leadership; estimating the future: vision for church leadership; decision making and team work; and conflict resolution. The critique is based on the broad insight discovered in the chapters, the strength of the author that makes the book outstanding and the weakness that needs further explanation and development in latter editions.
CHAPTER ONE:
A LEADER, CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP, ADMINISTRATION
AND MANAGEMENT
INSIGHT
Managers are leaders, while leaders may not be manager. The ingredients that make a manager have element of leading the managed resources that may be men, money, materials and method. Manager is to lead and manage the resources available by leading them to where he thinks best for the use. Leaders most time are by transparent skill that is not inbuilt to manage the people. Leaders lead people, but managers manage materials and people in which he must lead. I am able to discover that not all leaders can manage available resources but need the service of a good manager of resources.
Training, call, commitment and focus do not make a pastor a competent leader. I agree with the world view that coined the statement. The minister’s ability to lead is beyond acquired skill or the call of God, which is like coal that needs fanning. The competence of a leader is tested over a number of years. The fruit of your labour and the applications of the managerial skills review the competence on the basis of good success.
STRENGTH
Good ironic fact in contrast. Qualities that make one a good leader may make on a poor manager. The applications of what makes up a quality may differ. A leader’s characteristic does not guarantee success. The ability to be ‘self’ in application makes the leadership differs. There is a place of intuition and innovation in leadership. A quality possessed by a person can be polished to bring forth better result than to follow traditional way of doing it. Leaders are not the same but styles are the same. The application of leadership must be different because we are different in nature as man. However, ingredients that make good soup can also make the soup bad, when there is excess in application or the elements are poorly applied. So also, leaders that have the same qualities but different results in leadership are realities.
Leadership is more than common sense. Yes! Leadership is more than what is naturally obtained by men on neutral ground. It involves intuition and innovation. It is the ability to consult sixth sense to complement the effort of common sense. The uncommonness of a leader makes him a leader. One must look beyond common sense to scientific analysis of human behaviour to find out what motivates people and how a leader can channel his ideas towards good supervision. Understudy of the followers on good analysis of what they are, what they need and how to meet the need goes beyond commons sense reasoning. There is need for a priori reasoning in leadership.
He was able to interwoven leadership, administration and management together. Both administration and management are required for effective leadership. Managerial skill combines all to get results articulated for. When a leader is able to administer and manage the subordinates to achieve the set goals then such leadership is effective. The author cooked the analysis of the three factors in which no one can be without another.
The author used terminologies that are both known and unknown in the book and made them known in simple terms. The use of MBO in the book made the meaning known even to a layman. MBO is teamwork in an organization sharing objective formulation and development which is on writing to enforce everyone to commitment. The author’s explanation made the term clearer for better use in the church.
The author unveiled practicable techniques that will make a pastor effective leader in a local church. The need for recognition as an individual in the team which is having good relationship with everyone is needed. The leader will show and develop pride on work for the team member. Creating good value for them on work, sense of responsibility for what they do is needed. As sense of belonging to show that they are part of the group. Give people purpose or objective of the organization that is MBO in action. Fair treatment is a must if a leader will be effective in an organization. A real chance to be heard when a leader is attentive to the complaints of the members of the team.
WEAKNESS
The author emphasized more of secular style of leadership in the church. Is it possible to combine the two skills? – A leader and a manager as the example given, when Muritala would determine what to do and Obasanjo would determine how and what to be done as team. The author did not apply the two man team work in the church.
No personal view about, “leaders are born, made.” The author’s view was not relayed on the expression so far it is generally accepted statement. He did not give his opinion over the issue. The topic interested me but the author was silent.
The author is diplomatic in expression over church polity. I quote, “Because of this author’s bias, and because of the anticipated major audience groups for this book, there is a definite slant toward congregational polity.” I expected the author to “attack” i.e. address the issue with ideal facts about our polity in Baptist. The author paraphrased issues without full and deep expression. The issue of Baptist polity has blessing and curses. Yes! They are vivid among us, but this book should have opened up the demerits so that the affected churches will know why and what to do.
EVALUATION
This chapter strongly dealt with misconception of spiritual but not skillful in management and leadership. The book established the managerial phenomenon that makes a pastor competent enough to manage men, money, materials and method that is available in limited quantity. Competence of a pastor has to do with the knowledge level, spirituality and correct application of the skills.
However, the book explained the big difference of poor and good leader. Leadership is more than common sense. Christian leadership involves cooperative planning in a local church to achieve the goal. I strongly recommend that pastors in Baptist should embrace team work in their administration and to add skill through learning process to update their competency.
Application of management function varies by the type of churches, people, tribes, employees, committees to be applied. Note that without people there is no leadership and the leaders are taken among the people which mean a leader must endeavour to produce more leaders from the people (church). If a leader notices his weakness, there is need to consult the specialist for advice or service. Crash in administration should be prevented not to be cured. The analysis of the author makes it clear that both administration and management are required for effective leadership. Managerial skill combines all to get results articulated for.
Our denomination needs effective administration that will embrace integrity and loyalty to treasury. Though self governing of our churches gives every member right to autonomy but the leadership of the church should be able to manage the system. MBO is Ministry by Objectives will help our churches in planning together, sharing objective formulation and development which are on writing to enforce everyone to commitment.
CHAPTER THREE
THEOLOGY OF LEADERSHIP
INSIGHT
The author placed emphasis on relevance and realistic on Biblical leadership as measure for contemporary church. The leaders in the Bible represent every kind of leadership we may think of in the world. Bible is perfect inspired word of God. Therefore, church was born from the Bible should find her way back to the Bible. The reality of good leadership began from the Bible. Biblical examples of leadership are important because God Himself is the Creator, Sustainer, and Controller of the universe. The foundation for all good leadership is grounded on the path of Biblical leaders.
Every minister is trained and prepared for a mission, not for all missions e.g. Moses for 80 years to work for 40 years. No man of God is men for all tasks. God prepared an individual for a specific work that he or she could carry out easily. Master of all can never be a successful leader in the church. There is need to delegate work to relieve the burden. Moses-Jethro idea of leadership should be alive in our churches today. The author gave an eye opener that no matter the skills and knowledge a minister has, it is for a specific mission, not two. All seminaries’s training, SME and self development must be tailored to a mission so that success can be realistic at the end of the ministry.
Moses was spiritual yet without much skill but he learnt it. The author emphasized on skill acquisition for ideal leadership which is paramount to good leadership. Moses though inspired, spiritual but lack ability to administer yet he admitted that he was lacking the skill. My success in ministry depends wholly on ability to learn from others what I lack.
Christian leaders need spiritual qualities necessary for outstanding, competent administrative leadership. Daniel as a case study has outstanding skill yet he did not lack spiritual inspiration. As Christian leader, what makes difference is our approach as a spiritual leader in the society. Spiritual qualities must be added to leadership ingredient in church administration.
Learning does not end in administration. The author as an educationist viewed a relevant and successful administrator as the one that keeps learning without boundary. Every normal individual must appreciate learning.
STRENGTH
The author was able to write good theological interpretation to Moses name with oriental understanding. The breakdown of the name proves the profiency of the author in Biblical studies. He traced the name source from Egypt with good analysis.
Beautiful construction of Moses livelihood against luxury by the author preaches love for Christ. The expressing power of words of the author completely stirred up love for God rather than pleasure as Moses did.
Author spelled out effect of God’s providence in Moses life. It is a backup proof to the theological issue. The providence of God arranged the livelihood of Moses from cradle to grave in order to fulfill the intending mission of saving Israel from slavery. God usually prepares His great ones in the countryside or about some quiet places of earth, farthest away from the busy haunts of men and nearest to the “secret place of the Most High.” God authors our lives for His purposes.
There is contrary perception to secular leadership that leaders are born, but Bible leaders were called. This is a strong base for call into leadership, not by birth. Biblical leadership takes place when divinely appointed men and women respond in obedience to God’s call. Leaders in the church are called by God, not by human qualifications. Once you are called, the elements of leadership are embedded in the life but the ability to learn and stir it up for ministry determines the success.
Policies and procedure are not new innovation. Moses, Jethro, Aaron and others in the Bible coined and used them. The author proudly attached himself to the Biblical innovation in which contemporary scholars thought of being the originator that policies, procedures, ideas of good leadership stated from the Bible time. And to be part of it, we must return into the Bible. The author noted that spirituality and skills are used side by side for effective administration.
Language of the author is frank and sharp on the negligence and lapses of pastor who fail administratively. I quote, “Leaders are to be God-fearing, truthful, and haters of unjust gain.” These are contrary to what our leaders are today in Nigerian and our Convention. The author disagreed with the leadership style of looting treasury, accumulating unjust gain, and love to amass wealth even in Christian organizations.
The author used words to relatively compared virtue and skill. Good assessment of convictions into practice in our society. The author emphasized so much on action – conviction, faith with through intuition or virtue that is burning within.
WEAKNESS
Author does not use other failed leaders in the Bible as example to learn from. The interest of the author is character study good administrators. There is need re-assess the errors of bad leaders even in the Bible - why and what made them wrong. The author found no reason to unravel their errors but success.
EVALUATION
The theology of leadership is established from the scripture and Moses, the great leader, prophet and law-giver was the case study with others that made impart on theology of leadership. The lifestyle of Moses rooted the intent of God over leadership in the scripture, as measure for contemporary church.
Theology of leadership involves humility which is produced by the presence of God in the leader; obedience, integrity and the love for the people. Jethro-Moses model of leadership is needed for our contemporary churches where pastor is master of all; no one is competent to do it again except the pastor. To help the church from such malady, the leader should pray for the members, teach them the guidelines, show the way, the work and organize the people that qualified to lead with delegate authority on routine matters but the leader deals with great matters.
Enthusiasm, accountability, mentoring and integrity should be the lifestyle of a Christian leader. Every minister is trained and prepared for a mission, not for all missions. Moses was spiritual yet without much skill but he learnt it. Learning does not end in administration. Every normal individual must appreciate learning. Success in ministry depends wholly on ability to learn from others what I lack. Christian leaders need spiritual qualities necessary for outstanding, competent administrative leadership. The study of this book really appreciates the legacy of Biblical leadership to secularism. We have good background for good leadership. Once you are called, the opportunity to be great leader is in the scripture. However, the need to learn from others makes a balanced diet of leadership system. Spirituality and skills are used side by side for effective administration.
CHAPTER FOUR
ESTIMATING THE FUTURE: VISION FOR CHURCH LEADERSHIP
INSIGHT
Both administration and management are required in effective leadership. One can administer and manage without vision and values, but it is impossible to lead without vision and values. I agreed absolutely with this fact that leadership is impossible without leading fact – vision that drives the vehicle of an organization. Administrator works on the directives of a leader in which the values of leadership strongly stated. Both administration and management is needed yet without leadership to combine their efforts with falter the combination. Management without leadership is like car without steering and ship without a compass. Car is needed but steering lead the direction. Therefore, leadership guides the effectiveness of administration and management.
Vision is a picture of what is possible. Yes! Vision is what we picture in our sub-consciousness. What we can think as possible will first display in our mind. A leader thinks about what the future may bring for an organization. It is a reality. Vision gives us focus, energy, the willingness to risk. It is our vision that draws us forward. Vision represents the story through which one sees reality.
God’s vision is the same, but denominations have widened it into many variations and differences. Unity in diversity is killing the church especially in Africa when the Great Commission is seen with different eyes of denomination. God’s vision is the same and one. This vision of God for the world is only applicable to church operational function to the world yet we colourized the vision by individual traditions and doctrines in which the mission is done as we see it in the picture of denominations.
STRENGTH
The author sounds managerial in skill of writing. All the managerial active terminologies are judiciously used in this book by the author such as forecasting, demography, short and long term range, administration etc.
Good analogue for vision in a relevant term – vision is a picture of what is possible. The strength of this book is the descriptive power of his intent over issues. The picture as an element of sight that works with brains either to view present for future or past in the present. A good administrative leader must picture future like a realistic, achievable, measurable, and tangible vision. Vision catches us up, captivates and compels us to act.
WEAKNESS
Anxiety about tomorrow and forecasting are not theologically explained. The author says, “Forecasting is an attempt to anticipate what tomorrow is likely to be in order to plans.” Yes! Planning involves forecasting but anxiety as an issue, also has link with tomorrow anticipation. Anxiety with anticipation can be expectant waiting: the feeling of looking forward, usually excitedly or eagerly, to something that is going to happen. The author should have intensely explained the issue why some leaders only anticipate in worry instead of forecasting. Forecasting leads to planning but worries on anticipation may be toothless vision. I stand to be corrected. I think pastors need to differentiate between anticipation with great anxiety and managerial forecasting that are skillfully calculated for less risky implementation. Most forecasting that has short range eventually leads to anxiety to have result; and may fail because the preparation is mostly based o n anticipated result without thorough forecast with figures.
Is vision prophecy for future? Author did use futuristic statement of Martin Luther King for freedom of Blacks in America as a prophetic saying for the Black American though like vision of tomorrow. Can we say prophecy has link with what we seen in picture or what? The future aspect of vision is confusing with prediction, prophecy or forecasting as manager or assumption of better future by an activist. The author would have done better to clear the shortcut of some pastors on prophecy for future and the vision for church future. Are they the same? If yes, how can pastor embrace prophetic statement like positive confession and the reasonable vision out of the past, present and estimated future of the church? Imagination power highly helps in envisioning. However, vision and prophecy and dream need to be explained separately to help pastor that is mingling spirituality with skillfulness in administration.
Instrument for survey is not stated. Community survey is necessary for estimating of future of a church but as a statistician, the instrument for the survey is not comprehensively provided in detail. I mean the format of questionnaires, or interview of people. The author is able to provide detailed layout to help pastors to carry out the survey. How to know which instrument is applicable to an area is not specified. The criteria to choose instrument that will almost give accurate result is not drawn out of the survey.
Good concerned questions were raised but they are rhetorical and noted questions in Africa. The author stated his point generally without noting his universe as the continent of black men with many questions and few answers or no response. We can reason but not action. The author was checking the world at large without dealing first with our world inconstancy and irresponsibility to the Great Commission. “What can the church do to help the world overcome its problem of poverty, hunger, wars and diseases?” as author asked but our churches are poor, hungry, have in house warfare. How can the sick heal the sick? What we need is the revitalization of the church before the world at large.
EVALUATION
The work of future estimation is not by experience of the past but progressive vision with calculated forecasting. Administrator in the church must understand the importance of vision. The vision of a church will drive the church forward. A good leader sees faraway the end and endeavour to carry the church along to also see the end and get there. There area critical questions that a pastor should be able to answer in his plan to forecast well for the future of the church. Church vision can also affect the community; therefore a leader in that situation should see beyond the wall of the church to bless the world around. The sample f goals settings given by the author ca help pastors in having good achievable, measurable, timely, tangible and specific vision for the church. The goals over worship service, family worship and interrelationship among the members should be paramount in the vision. Again God’s vision is the same, but denominations have widened it into many variations and differences.
Some contentions were raised on the weakness of the book such as: anxiety about tomorrow and forecasting are not theologically explained; is vision prophecy for future; and others. The author tried to explain issues with administrative skill and address few theology but vision and prophecy should be addressed so that pastors will not misconceive errors that consume time and resources. Vision and prophecy are God’s revelation of the future. Yet an administrator with good skills and spirituality can have a vision that is inspired and have credence of competent tools to achieve it. Prophecy is monitored by God for fulfillment but vision (goal) needs human follow-up with managerial skill in order to articulate necessary provision for the estimated result.
CHAPTER FIVE
DECISION MAKING AND TEAM WORK
INSIGHT
Decision making is like preparing soup with all necessary ingredients. These are contents that make up good decision making. Making of decision has collectivity force of some other resources to make end meet. The author opened my eyes to team work as the only tool that engineers good decision with full implementation back up. When a decision is made without or improper execution, it is as worst as indecision. Involvement of others in decision keys in belongingness, intuition collection, implementation and objectivity to the task. Though the author devoted few pages for the topic yet the message is clearly passed across, that team work effectively enhances active decision making with timely result.
Chairmanship of team is to stop domination of some people over others when discussion. I was able to discover that team work can be dominated yet cautioned by the team leader. The author is skillful in personnel resources management. The excess in team work can be checked by the team leader such chairman of the committee. The chairman’s role becomes very crucial here so the one or few of the members of the group do not dominate the discussions. The team is carefully controlled, driven back to focus, deliberately acknowledged the leadership of God as the leader takes his position. Decision making needs a leader that has ability to lead without fear or favour.
STRENGTH
The author clearly differentiated and explained local church to be team work decision making rather than individualistic. The author’s approach towards collectivism as tool for development even in the church cannot be overemphasized due to the early church administration. Team work works better when everyone finds reason to get involved than when one man leadership operates. Most of our churches are led, made decision by the pastor. A good team produces better problem solving ands more thorough decision making. Moses as one man leader failed but listened to advise of his in-law, Jethro. He involved others in the team and the administration became effective. The author noted that, “we must combine sound acumen with biblical insights.” Local church has team work foundation and the ability to embrace democracy that involves others makes a successful church.
WEAKNESS
Definition should not be excellently accepted without a scrutiny or comparison with others. No definition is perfectly good. In scholarship, there is continuity in any statement made in the world of academic. The definition may be good in its context to the author but there is need to consider another definition with deep though. The word “What are excellent definition!” which the author used should be “What are better definition” because no thought of any scholar is the best on the field, and ideas change with generations.
EVALUATION
The decision making as the major issue that worries church of God, especially when there is leadership problem is addressed with paradigm chart in this book. MBO concepts are much applicable in the system when the team work organization is put in place with the aim of involving the people and committing them to the result. Great church leadership always get God involved in the decision making, that is, divine presence of God is needed in form of inspiration on the leader.
I quote Gangel, “Leadership endures so long as it assumes a posture of humility and a spirit of followership.” Every leadership has intent of followership if divinely inspired. The ability to lead the followers and also follow them is leadership by followership.
Conventional problem-solving paradigm of decision-making is well presented and the pastors should apply the system when there is need to decide on any issues. Before a decision is made, comparison of suggestions with critical views should be encouraged to arrive at the less or minimal risky alternative. The decision making does not end until the result is well monitored with feedbacks. The local church is to be team work decision making rather than individualistic. Team work operates better when everyone finds reason to get involved than when one man leadership operates.
CHAPTER SIX
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
INSIGHTS
A conflict-free world or conflict free local church does not exist. Conflict is abound to happen once we relate and interact together. Conflict in the church should not be strange to the congregation and the leadership of the church must appreciate the presents of conflict to make something right. Church is in the world and the people in the world are the members of a local church whereby any occurrence that humankind manages outside the church can also be managed well in the church. Even in the early church, conflict arose but settled. In the contemporary church, conflict is more rampart than the early church. This call for acceptance that conflict exists in the church then solution will be actualized.
Conflict seems to happen wherever people care deeply affected about something but failed to approach matters with the mind of Christ in Christian circles. The failing focus of group of people will agitate for revenge over other parties. The act of conflict emerges also in the church when a pastor promises blessing in which the heart of members deeply care to see the manifestation but eventually failed to come to past. Such people will be angry and emotional expressed their feeling either by intra-conflict or inter-conflict. The matters may not be conflicting if mind if Christ is applicable but the opposite is the case today in the church. The statement is really in the midst of believers that have vain articulation than the secular people.
Finger pointing and fault finding are not solutions to conflict. Yes! The blaming of the alleged in the face of conflict bellows the fire of trouble. Though, everyone has the ability to exempt his or her personality from crime or troubles, but the conflict emancipated will not be resolved. Truly, this book opens my understanding as a pastor to ignore finger pointing and fault finding which can keep destroying relationship even after a particular conflict is settled. Only through responsible cooperation, understanding and love can church conflict be controlled.
A clash in goal setting is conflict. A conflict is a situation in which two or more human beings desire goals which they perceive as being attainable by one or the other but not by both. This usually occurs between churches, denominations or leaders. The consciousness of either party to dominate, win or possesses other causes conflict even in the church. I discover that goals can cause conflict when the corporate goals are not favorable to the employee’s objective in the organization. Also if a pastor’s goal is to spend church money and the church is after good accountability, conflict will set in.
Factual truth of conflict is that it can be seen as harmful and essential. Conflict as seen by some people as good instrument that stimulates interest and activity which prompts change and strengthen the human character. While others accept conflict as events that make people feel defeated, and demeaned, it generates distrust and disillusionment and apathy and alienation. It is not a state of harmony, but act of harmony. I accept the statement on the ground of philosophy of use of words, “act” and “state.” Conflict can never be harmonious but it leads to the action that will create harmony.
When there is absolutely no dissatisfaction, no vision of anything better, and no pain, there is little chance of action, even development. A church with a healthy amount of tension and conflict is a church alive. Yes! I agree. The element of calmness in the church is the fear of conflict or inability to show the intra-conflict to the world. Most churches suffer development because they do not want to offend anyone. No matter the conflict, the church of God shall overcome the tension. Dissatisfaction always arises but inner threaten and gossiping will abruptly hinder the lasting peace of the church.
Dealing openly with conflict is an affirmation that the issues are worth fighting over and that we can resolve our differences without destroying one another. Open resolution into conflict clear throats of the affected parties in the faces of many witnesses. When resolution is done secretly, there is tendency over bias and unresolved matter. But the public show of it helps the concerned fellows to contribute and also clear their throats for fresh breathing in the church. The author did not specify which kind of conflict that needs public resolution and parlour resolution.
In the face of conflict, pastor can be criticized fairly and unfairly, i.e. criticism for doing nothing or for doing something. The plight of pastor in the conflict needs the grace of God so that his action does not bellow the furnace of conflict. There is need to be aggressive and stead in conflict. Need to consult elders, consultant, and God of conflict resolution. The personality of a pastor, his attitude, desire to service will help in the resolution.
What pastor should do in congregational conflict resolution are as follows: explore the lines of authority within the congregation; attempt to deal with issues of committees swapping to another committees’ responsibilities; check the power shift from official elected to members; and to know the history of such congregation. Don’t procrastinate; disseminate correct information to avoid gossip; encourage input of information; ideas and feelings from the group; listen carefully to what people are saying beneath the words they speak, be willing to ask for help; and do not get involved in a conflict over trivialities.
STRENGTH
From the known illustration to the unknown. The author addressed the issue of conflict by what we see and hear everyday. War, threat, political opposition from nations to nations exemplifies the reality of conflict in the world. The author has good illustrative skill of making an issue interesting then move to the major concern in the discourse. The conflict news in the book shows how current the author is even to issues in secular system that may help the church. As we have protest, threat, rumour of war in the world around so also in the church. Most of us could not accept the reality of conflict in the church until this eye-opener book by an outstanding author made it known that a living church shall to experience conflict.
The psychological understanding of the author was as he typified the kind of conflict a person can undergo. The accurate breakdown of personality experience on conflict is beautifully appreciated. Intrapersonal conflict has to do with internal commotion of oneself. When a personality conflicts with issues, there is interpersonal conflict, but when facts, values, goals and beliefs clash, substantive conflict will emanate. The author strongly stated that there can be mixture of the conflicts.
The author had brilliant classification of conflict in the church. Conflict can arise from doctrinal, personal, leadership, organizational, ethnic, and moral conflicts. The root of conflict matters in resolution. The author further identified conflict when there is ill-felling towards one another in the church. The way the author identifies the conflict will help the concerned pastor to sit back to understand conflicts and what to first apply as first aids before general treatment. Once the conflict is classified, the pastor as the medical doctor will apply necessary treatment to the disease (conflict) classified.
From the alpha to the omega of the scripture, conflict occurrence is principal among humankind. Genesis is the genesis of conflict as the author strongly stated with good Biblical understanding. He established the origin of conflict through Adam and Eve and their seeds would greatly influence the generation of mankind. His writing has good elements of OT and NT Survey.
The author rebranded the book of Proverbs as source book for conflict resolution for pastors. The concept of conflict was dealt with in the book of Proverbs. The way the author explored the book added value to the content and he opened up context for the book in the church conflict management, preferably resolution. The conflict resolution is presented like a wise attack.
WEAKNESS
The position of the author was not known on the harmfulness and essentiality of conflict in the church. Truly, sampled the position of others scholars on the issue, but the author was silent on what should be the ideal answer from his side. Sincerely, I believe the response of the author if known because it will have true contextualized seasoned experiential answers for the contemporary pastor especially in African context. Conflict can be harmful to a shallow minded pastor but constructive if well managed as other viewed it. For our context in Nigeria, there is no adequately answer from the author. I want to quote the author direct word of this issue.
The life application of types of conflict should have been added to enrich the points and comprehensively deal with the issues. There is need to add real life stories of such type of conflict in our context. We learn from people’s mistake faster than just theoretical facts written. The author did not prove the validity of those points in our day to day activities in our churches. It is my joy to learn from the experiential knowledge of the author on his past and present case studies in his hand that will help the upcoming pastor from wrong view of conflict and how to handle it without stress. Case precedence is used in legal matters. We can also use our own life stories of victors and victim with permission in the next edition for proper illustration and application.
I quote the author on page 138 of his book, “His temptations were conflict going on in His mind.” I discovered that bible did not specify the position of the conflict that he went through, whether in mind or physical appearance of Devil. But you wrote without considering any theological critique of the position. Your stand is not theologically correct. The author would have argued his point out as an assumption because it was not written as he quoted the scripture. The statement is more of affirmative than assumption.
EVALUATION
Conflict is essential but harmful if not well managed. Conflict is paramount as we gather, but the leader with good vision must plan along to settle any arising conflict not to suppress like pressure cooker which may explode beyond control. The author actually dealt with ways conflict show face in the church and the position of pastor in the scene. He may be criticized fairly and unfairly, yet he must stand tail with integrity that has no fear of favour of any party. The author is a seasoned conflict analyst of our denomination. Great kudos for great work. The author did not spell out feedback check board after resolution, if there is any.
This book actually excavates the silent tapeworm of our churches into limelight of laboratorial treatment through the leadership. Conflict may stand from the leadership but must end by the leadership. This book addressed the leader’s role in conflict resolution. Finally, the divine enablement of God, Holy Spirit helps our weakness with wisdom, confidence, and healthy relationship before, during and after conflict in the church.
CONCLUSION
Leadership in action is managerial tool for contemporary Christian leaders that expose the understanding of some definitions, terminologies and critical issues on leadership. The superb comparison of Biblical leadership with secular leadership style helps the contemporary ministers to know how to lead the people of God. Management together with administration equal to leadership plus vision seasoned with theology of leadership will bring forth decisions that will progress the church, the community and the global world at large, even in the face of conflict among the people of God.
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