Brady Shiplet

Leadership
March 31, 2009

The Empowered Leader:

10 Keys to Servant Leadership
By Calvin Miller

Calvin Miller is an excellent and dynamic writer, which has been proven time and time again. This
book will not let you down. The Empowered Leader: 10 Keys to Servant Leadership will encourage
you as a leader to imagine great things from God and attempt to do great things for God, under the
leadership set forth by those before us.
B&H Publishing states, “God blessed King David as a leader only after David submitted himself to
God's strength. In The Empowered Leader, Dr. Calvin Miller shows how following David's example
can turn you into the leader you can be, the leader God wants you to be.” This is the main point behind
the book.
Miller does not just simply collect Biblical passages about servant leadership in this book. Rather, he
cleverly combines fundamental Biblical facts with the best of contemporary leadership theory. Each
chapter starts with time-tested quotes each from great leaders and then follows with personal words of
advice.
Throughout the life of David you will learn ten valuable keys to the life of a servant leader, which
include: fostering an honest servant image; learning the art of self-perception; networking; vision;
decision making; defining, structuring, and motivating; the politics of grace and the abuse of power;
and coping with difficult people.
Writing about the perception of leaders, for example, he first draws principles from Samuel’s encounter
with the sons of Jesse. A few paragraphs later he reminds us of Winston Churchill’s greatness under
fire, “Did German aggression produce Winston Churchill” No, it but released him. The cruel and
voracious advance of the Third Reich produced an inner fury that unbound Churchill’s virility”.
Miller’s advice, “Never sidestep challenges. Grab every charging bull by the horns and slap him twice
across the face. Remind him that God is in charge of you, . . .” Powerful words echo deep within the
bounds of the book. Another favorite quote of mine is, “"Moreover, when God gives any man, wealth
and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work-this is a gift
from God." Ecclesiastes. 5:19 NIV.
Miller also understands that all we can ever be in this life is human. Every person confronts challenges
in the day to struggle, but all we can do is follow God’s wisdom and reach for the heavens from the
foundation he has laid out for us.
This book injects unsullied insight into time tested leadership legitimacy. One of my favorite quotes
from the book, “But I am convinced that great leaders are rarely normal, well-adjusted people. Frankly
which of us is not a bit tired of normalcy anyway?”
Through the lens of King David, Miller lays out the foundation for a “godly leader.” Though not
exactly normal himself, King David was great leader and follower of God. Every one can learn
something from such a powerful man, who once held God’s kingdom in his hands.
When leading, it is significant to create and maintain an environment that encourages high morale and
enables supporters to get the most out of who they are and make their best contribution to the
completion of the idea. This is how empowerment works. Empowerment gives a free rein to a person's
talents, skills and experience that are already in place but are often underutilized or intentionally held
back due to a leader's lack of confidence. Building an background of empowerment frees people up to
be who God created them to be. This is to be their creative and productive best, for the team and the
workplace. Just a few weeks ago, I witnessed two situations where people were let go from their jobs.
There was no reasonable explanation or any opportunity for the problem to be alleviated by another
course of action. It never ceases to baffle me how many times I come across where people are not
enjoying what they do and where there is an incredible degree of distrust, suspicion, hearsay and
slander that is accepted as habitual and normal. This book adds perspective that can be used in
everyday circumstances, by people from all walks of life. The book also employs many illustrations
and diagrams to get the point across to the reader in a simplified manner. These also function to
highlight important sections and information in order to better clarify them at a later date.
Conclusion
This book explores a leader’s self-perception, the servant image, networking, decision-making,
structuring your vision, the politics of leadership, coping with difficult people, the art of delegation,
and transparency in leadership. This book has compelled me not just to be a better leader, but a better
leader under God. Miller’s insight guides the mind along the path of David and provides a solid
leadership perspective. A great book and a great read. I would suggest it friends and family.
Author Biography
Calvin Miller is a favorite author of longstanding acclaim best-known for his classic, The Singer,
among other celebrated works on the life of Jesus. He is also professor of preaching at Beeson Divinity
School, Samford University, in Birmingham, Alabama. Prior to that he was professor at Southwestern
Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas. An English stylist on the Holman Christian Standard Bible translation
team, Dr. Miller is also the author of more than 25 books including The Christ We Knew, Until He
Comes, The Book of Jesus, and The Empowered Leader, and he is the writer of devotions in The
Millennium Bible.

References

Miller, C. (1995). The Empowered Leader. Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman. ISBN: 0805410988