There are so many books on the subject of leadership, yet only one book truly matters when it comes to knowing what it means to be a leader. This book has its foundation in leadership because the author of leadership inspires it. This book contains countless instructions, guidance, and historical examples of great leaders and not-so-great leaders, it was written over 2000 years ago, yet it's never outdated and contains over 40 different authors, and yet none of them contradict. It is the bestselling book of all time, with nearly 5 billion copies sold and translated into more than 7009 languages. This book, of course, is the Bible.
It is interesting to note that the Bible has been on the ten best-selling books of all time. It has held the number one spot for years, followed by Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung, which sold over a billion, followed by the Quran, which sold 800 million. So, why do so many of us flock to secular books regarding leadership? Because it's easy, it comes with no convictions, persecutions, and commitment. You don't get persecuted for reading a book on leadership, but you will get questioned and persecuted for reading the Bible.
Since the creation of time, God created humankind, He first instructed him to lead by having dominion over the beast of earth and field, but this leadership was within the context of His leadership and not man. It is God who designed leadership, and it was God who created humanity, and therefore it is God who truly understands and knows what it means to be a leader. And it is God who should be our source of teacher, guide, and inspiration when it comes to leadership.
Don't get me wrong; reading other books on leadership is a great thing, and I highly recommend it if you are to become a great leader. I read plenty of them, and what I learned is that the majority of what I've read in these books most of the information taught in them can be traced back to the Bible. And while there are many books dedicated to the subject of leadership, there are not many offering sound principles and examples of leadership from a biblical perspective, in other words, God's view of leadership. God is the author of leadership, and He sent His son to demonstrate what perfect leadership is like, and it starts with Him.
John Maxwell said it best "Everything rises and falls on leadership." This is true for government, businesses, and organizations, and it's true for churches. Never has there been more of a need for godly and bold leadership in our society than today.