Book review: Servant Leader Strong: Uniting Biblical Wisdom and High-Performance Leadership, by Tom Harper
Have you wondered how to build the skillset of an exceptional leader, inspire and effectively motivate those under your leadership, or create a solid vision in your church, organization, business, or home?
Have you searched for a book that shares how to genuinely motivate others while transforming your leadership and life to the level God wants for you? Or one that shares how to have genuine peace and joy – and why it's okay to have imperfections?
Look no further.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Tom Harper's book, Servant Leader Strong: Uniting Biblical Wisdom and High-Performance Leadership.
The principles in this book are outstanding, and the book is versatile – you could easily read it in an afternoon or use it as an in-depth Bible study on leadership principles. I believe Servant Leader Strong should be deeply contemplated, as you slowly absorb the wisdom and look for ways to apply it to your life.
I appreciated Tom's transparency in his well-written thoughts and experiences, and sharing how the book came to be. After struggling to lead in a difficult work environment filled with conflict, he did an in-depth study through the entire Bible and marked every verse that related to leadership.
After a while, the Holy Spirit guided Tom toward a vision for his book: to call servant-minded leaders to boldly champion God's will for their companies, churches, organizations, and families.
Tom did an excellent job fulfilling this vision, as I was greatly challenged and inspired to champion God's will as I read each chapter.
Servant Leader Strong is a practical how-to resource for Christian leadership development. There are devotions throughout the chapters with verses you can later study, share, and discuss, too ... which makes it ideal for companies, teams, and families to go through together. There is also a helpful website where you can access a list of all the micro-devotions.
I appreciated the many Bible verses that speak to leadership. It's always good to have a biblical premise to build principles upon. Many leadership books I've read build upon only a human perspective.
Servant Leader Strong would be perfect to read with your family, a friend, staff, book club, and especially in the workplace.
So much of this book resonated deeply with me. One of my favorite quotes is:
"I believe a big part of servant leadership is 'strength under control' ... Full of grace and peace, power and authority. Godly leadership begins, flourishes, and grows over time as the leader develops character, good followers, wisdom, and most importantly, a strong walk with the Holy Spirit."
Who wouldn't want a strong servant leader such as this in the workplace, in a marriage, as a parent, or a government or church setting?
So many leadership books have a feel-good factor. You'll find plenty of encouragement, positivity, and inspiration here for sure, but I genuinely appreciated Tom's willingness to break from the typical positive-thinking mode to address the uncomfortable topics of leadership as well.
This book drives home high standards, excellence, and conviction. There were several moments I paused to consider specific ideas and challenges it presented – and as a result I initiated some personal changes.
Another quote I love in the book is this:
"God gives us the ability to choose good or evil in virtually every waking moment."
We each truly have the ability to change our leadership, performance, families, and lives with each waking moment as we vibrantly connect with God and all He has planned for us.
This is an excellent, timely, and relevant book. It helps leaders know what to do when tragedy strikes, addressing the fears, worries, and impossibilities we all face in life.
I like the part of the book that addresses "suffering the nonsense." There's a good possibility that your company, church, or home may be operating from a dysfunctional base. It's good to do a sober check so you can know how to wisely remove toxicity.
I recommend having your Bible right beside you because you'll feel inspired to dig deeper into many of the principles and characters, as I was.
I really liked the discussion of how culture affects results in leadership, businesses, the workplace, or any organization. Such a powerful concept. The chapter on mission, vision, and culture is an absolute must read for any leader and organization.
I liked Tom's explanations of common questions in leadership – especially in regard to finances and whether to go with a no-debt approach versus borrowing.
If you're looking for a book that will give you fresh wisdom, practical ideas, ways of reducing stress as you rejuvenate, how to walk in God's peace and joy, and will totally get you excited about waking up each morning, you've found it!
Tom Harper is a well respected, capable, and trustworthy leader. I highly recommend his book to anyone who is in a position of leadership and those who desire to transform their church, business, life, and family.
 | Kim Niles is the author of Getting Your Breath Back After Life Knocks It Out of You and is the co-founder of Grief Bites. She is also a writer and partner for YouVersion, a Community Leader at her church, and an inspirational speaker. Learn More » |
More on Servant Leadership
- Are you an adaptable leader? (by Miranda Carls)
- When wisdom begins with ‘I don’t know’ (by David Bowman)
- The secret weapon a pastor needs for church growth (by Mark MacDonald)
- Read the room to lead the room (by Jenni Catron)
