Paul and His Team by Ryan Lokkesmoe

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This is a book review of Paul and His Team: What the Early Church Can Teach Us About Leadership and Influence by Ryan Lokkesmoe

Paul and His Team by Ryan LokkesmoeStars: *****

Moody Publishers (2017)
209 pages
Christian Living/Practical Life/Leadership

Summary: Most Christians know something of the Apostle Paul’s life and ministry, but what about the incredible team of influencers he assembled and mobilized? Who were they, and how did Paul lead this team to accomplish God’s purposes? Even more, what can we learn from their successes and failures, and how can we imitate their qualities? In Paul and His Team, pastor and Bible scholar Ryan Lokkesmoe examines the lives and practices of both prominent and obscure members of the early church. Whether your ministry is onstage or behind-the-scenes, you’ll learn how to: adapt to cultural, doctrinal, and interpersonal challenges, lead new believers towards maturity, equip others for ministry and develop leaders to replace you.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

This book first drew my interest because I had been reading through the epistles of Paul and had learned a great deal about his ministry. The idea of learning more about Paul and his team was what interested me the most. However I learned a great deal more.

In each chapter, Ryan introduces us to one or more of Paul’s team members such as Timothy, Mark, Barnabus or Tychicus and then tells us a story from the Bible that illustrates the leadership lesson we can learn from them. It’s really well done. You suddenly see these ideas and lessons that were definitely there all along but you just didn’t see in a leadership light before. Ryan is not pulling something out of the Bible that isn’t really there to fit his book. He is sharing something that is there, but hidden.

Ryan makes sure he shows how that leadership quality can be used by any kind of leader.

[…] I want to be clear that this book is not just for ministry professionals. While on the surface the activities of Paul’s team most closely resemble the work of full-time pastors, it would be a serious error to conclude that the lessons we learn from them are only meant to be applied in professional ministry circles. Understanding the spiritual outlook and organizational temperament of Paul’s team provides wisdom and inspiration for anyone who wants to be a more effective influencer for Christ – whatever your context might be. Parents, teachers, supervisors, employees, coaches, students, volunteers, law enforcement officers, military personnel, church leaders, neighbors, grandparents, friends, siblings – whatever hat you happen to wear[…].

I found some of the information helpful to other kinds of leaders too (non religious.) As a Girl Guide leader I can understand how some of the lessons apply to me in that case as well.

Although it’s not just for pastors, I will be passing my copy of the book on to our Reverend and I know she will find someone in our church clergy who wants to read it.

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About Kathleen

I've been a nonfiction lover for as long as I can remember. I love children's nonfiction as well and love to share my knowledge and the books I gained them from, with the world. I wish more people would give nonfiction a chance.