Jesus On Leadership: Discovering the Secrets of Servant Leadership from the Life of Christ by Gene Wilkes is a helpful resource for teaching Christians biblical answers to leadership questions. Wilkes, who pastored Legacy Drive Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, earned his bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and his MDiv and a Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Wilkes speaks and trains internationally in the area of leadership.
Wilkes gives the seven principles of servant leadership. Principle one is, “Servant leaders humble themselves and wait for God to exalt them.” The Parable of the Wedding Feast, found in Luke 14:7-11, serves as the source material. This passage reminds leaders they should not concern themselves with places of esteem. Principal two, “Servant leaders follow Jesus rather than seeking a position,” is based on Mark 10:32-40, where Jesus foretells of His death for the third time. Much like the disciples, Christians need to trust Jesus when they are uncertain of the outcome. Principle three, “Servant leaders give up personal rights to find greatness in service to others,” based on Mark 10:41-45, features Jesus giving one of His most famous quotes, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Christians, likewise, are called to serve. Principle four is “Servant leaders can risk serving others because they trust that God is in control of their lives.” John 13:3 states, “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,”(ESV). Trusting in God’s plan and provision gives Christians purpose and confidence as they serve their communities Principle five says, “Servant leaders take up Jesus’ is towel of servanthood to meet the needs of others.” John 13:4-11 gives an account of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. Christians are called to do likewise. Principle six is “Servant leaders share the responsibility and authority with others to meet a greater need.” Acts 6:1-6 tells of the calling of the seven to serve. This passage commissions Christians to help their communities. Principle seven, the final principle, encourages servant leaders to multiply their leadership by empowering others to lead. Exodus 18:17-23 serves as inspiration. This book helps leaders grow in their personal leadership ability through biblical application and then inspires them to produce other leaders who share those qualities.
The book shines when it stays on the source material — Jesus Christ. Wilkes does a serviceable job of organizing and communicating some of Christ’s best teachings and personal examples of servanthood. Wilkes also adequately demonstrates how servants inspire better performance from their followers. Integrity, loyalty, and trust are qualities that emerge from servant leaders. These qualities encourage their followers and help organizations. Jesus’ model of the suffering servant inspires Christians to look past their ambitions and focus on the well-being of others. Christ’s aversion to the “head table” and His desire to serve instead of being served are qualities that have inspired Christians for centuries. Waiting on God’s timing and approval moves the burden from the leader and empowers him or her to succeed. Finally, Wilkes argues that a willingness to be a follower creates teams that are focused on the end goal but greatly benefit the group as opposed to the individual.
Wilkes correctly emphasizes the need for Christians to emulate Jesus above all. In a world saturated by materialism and power, focusing on Christ’s example and seeking Him in worship challenges believers to pursue higher callings and become better stewards of physical and human resources. Following Christ adds perspective and purpose to seemingly meaningless daily decisions that can be harnessed for God’s greater plan. This perspective, aided by Scripture and prayer, emboldens believers to make difficult decisions that can seem counterintuitive in worldly environments and to leave the results to God.
While the book is an accessible read, some areas flow better than others. The book, at times, wanders from Christ into the teachings of Moses, Paul and other parts of the Bible. At these junctures, Wilkes appears to be more concerned with supporting the seven principles than examining the life and leadership of Jesus. While the content of these passages is beneficial for leaders, Wilkes fails to connect the content directly to Jesus. The results are cumbersome and unnecessary, considering Christ should offer plenty of source material and serves as the book’s titular focus.
Written at the end of the twentieth century, Jesus on Leadership is also a product of its era. While much of the teaching is timeless, some of the author’s application is dated. Wilkes cites church growth gurus such as Rick Warren and Bill Hybels without updated examples from twentieth-century leaders. His use of acronyms, such as S.E.R.V.E. and E.Q.U.I.P. harken back to a time when churches regularly used corporate and military communication methods to relay their vision. His references to DISC personality inventories and spiritual gifts assessments alongside biblical teaching are hallmarks of the church growth movement. This work was also shaped by a corporate mentality. Most of Wilkes’ examples come from the first chair, like a pastor or CEO. These examples fit the context of leaders making decisions by themselves or with a small group and expecting subordinates to carry out the vision. While the illustration of a CEO serving his or her workers is inspiring, the visioning and creative process may have changed in recent years. Tech companies such as Google and Facebook have implemented innovation structures that are more collaborative and less hierarchal. Also, church polity can be diverse depending on geography and denomination. Some congregations make decisions in a more grassroots manner, without strong pastoral or elder input. Some of Wilkes’ applications need updating to account for these changes.
Critics allege that pastors of that era “baptized” corporate resources to put congregations to work. The size and scope of the megachurch movement required heavy parishioner involvement. In the twenty-first century context, programmatic church ministry struggles with sustainability issues, and the leadership applications of this work may need updating to decentralized, missional settings. While the merging of biblical wisdom and leadership study, if done improperly, can be distorted into shallow self-help or prosperity teaching, Wilkes balances the two and produces a useful resource that respects both sources.
Though dated, Jesus on Leadership by Gene Wilkes is a valuable and helpful read for those who desire to use their position of leadership for the greater good. He demonstrates knowledge of both the biblical text as well as leadership theory, and he can connect ancient scriptures to a modern context. Wilkes advocates admirably for servant leadership and inspires a generation of leaders to re-define success.
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