Christian leadership books can be frustrating. To be honest, many are written by pragmatists with business backgrounds who mine scripture to figure out how to lead like Moses or Nehemiah, or even Jesus. I was sharing this frustration with representatives at the Zondervan table at a conference recently and they put Rooted Leadership into my hands. I’m glad they did.

In Rooted Leadership, John E. Johnson covers all the topics you find in mainstream leadership theory: definitions, leaders v. managers, competency, power, etc. What sets this book apart is the depth of theological reflection. Johnson has a PhD in systematic theology and teaches practical theology. It shows.

In each chapter, Johnson describes the topic and surveys the relevant literature. Then, he reflects biblically on the topic, nuancing ‘secular’ conversations around leadership significantly.

The one fly in the ointment was his chapter on power. He rightly argues that all power is essentially delegated power, received from God. He overstates, however, when he declares that “The essence of God is power” (Ps. 147:5). That proof text doesn’t support the weight of his statement. The scripture passage does affirm that God is “mighty in power”—but not that power is God’s essence. God’s essence is love. God is love (1 John 4:8, 16). This has radical implications for our use of power.

All things considered, Rooted Leadership is the best book I have read on leadership from a Christian perspective. I plan to integrate it as a textbook in my Pastoral Leadership Workshop class.

Johnson, John E. Rooted Leadership: Seeking God’s Answers to the Eleven Core Questions Every Leader Faces. Zondervan Reflective, 2022.