When I teach Bible College students how to lead like a pastor, I remind them of the one explicit thing Jesus said about leadership: don’t lord it over people (Matt. 20:25). Despite the very direct words of Jesus, abuse of power is not considered a moral failure in the same category as sexual immorality.

It should be.

If all power comes from God, then any power humans exercise is delegated power—something to be handled faithfully. Too often, the norms of society combined with the desire for production, efficiency, and efficaciousness tempt pastoral leaders to value the goal over the means. Another thing I tell young pastoral leaders: you cannot reach kingdom-of-God ends using kingdoms-of-this-world means.

Diane Langberg focuses on the human issues involved with the use, misuse, and abuse of power. The way that you exercise power exposes your theological presuppositions. Do you believe the person you’re leading is a walking, breathing, image of God?

You will never meet, talk to, walk with, or work beside a human being who has not been purposefully knit together by the hands of our Father. Never. (108)

Redeeming Power is an easy book to read due to Langberg’s clear writing style—but the topics she handles are anything but simple. If you read this book with an open mind, you’ll begin to see the way power is used by those around you. Hopefully, you’ll even consider how you steward the delegated power of God.

This book is an introduction to the theme, not an exhaustive or academic reference. It’s the perfect volume to put into the hands of leaders learning to wrestle with this theme for the first time.

Langberg, Diane. Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church. Brazos Press, 2020.