Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders

Week 8: Chapter 7 — The Leader and His Reading

Read Chapter 7 of Spiritual Leadership. Key passages: 2 Timothy 4:13; Ezra 7:10.

Sanders turns to the intellectual and devotional habits of a leader, making the case that reading — especially of Scripture — is not optional equipment for spiritual leadership but essential formation.

Discussion Questions

7 questions

1.Sanders argues that a leader who does not read is no better off than a leader who cannot read. How do you respond to this claim? Do you think this is an overstatement, or is it an accurate description of the leadership cost of intellectual laziness?

2.Sanders points to Paul's request in 2 Timothy 4:13 — 'Bring the cloak and the books, and above all the parchments' — even while Paul was in prison awaiting execution. What does this detail reveal about Paul's attitude toward study and intellectual growth?

3.Sanders draws a contrast between those who read widely and deeply and those who stopped growing intellectually when they finished formal education. Where would you honestly place yourself on that spectrum? What is your current reading diet like?

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Closing Prayer

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