Who in the life of the Church can we look at as a clear leadership model for the church in the 21st century? Dr. Lynn Anderson answered this question in They Smell Like Sheep: Spiritual Leadership for the 21st Century (West Monroe: Howard Publishing Company, 1997) by pointing to the leadership style of Jesus in the New Testament. According to Anderson, Jesus exhibited three leadership models: shepherding, mentoring and equipping. These models can guide us as we strive to lead the church in a time when those outside the church are questioning the church’s relevance.
The title of the book gives a clear vision what Anderson means by a leader. A leader is a shepherd that spends so much time with the flock that the leader will smell like the sheep. After serving as a pastor for several years and feeling the effects of burnout, Anderson asked the question to himself, “What am I called to do?†Anderson had imposed a strict work ethic on himself that kept his finger on the pulse of the church but left little time to do actual ministry in the church. After searching the scriptures, he came up with this leadership model that allows elders and ministers to shepherd while deacons serve in the administrative function of the church.
This book contains two parts. The first part deals with what Anderson means by shepherding, mentoring and equipping while the second part deals with the characteristics of an elder. Anderson’s use of scripture to demonstrate his point but it is clear he sees only men in leadership roles. Throughout the book Anderson uses examples of men from his past and uses scripture as a means of understanding the male’s role in the church. While the example are helpful the lack of balance in including women as examples related to leadership is a shortcoming. Can you truly write about leadership in the 21st century without including women or acknowledging the women in scripture?
Truth can be gleaned from this powerful book on leadership if it is read with an open definition of leadership. By this I mean not seeing only men in a leadership role and not creating a strict tier system within the church. Anderson reminds the reader of how Jesus led by selecting a few people to mentor and equipping them to continue what He taught. It is a great vision of the church and one that has been neglected by current leadership models. Anderson rightfully tries to break the corporate structure mentality at some points but in the second part of the book reverts back to this image when talking about elders.
Anderson speaks of elders as those that are older people with experience, character and vision. These people would then become shepherds in the church leading through mentoring, equipping and shepherding. They are different from the deacons who are doing the administrative task of the church. Anderson points out that elders are already “shepherding†within the congregation whether called out or not. However, to say that only deacons should handle the administrative role seems to be a bit naïve if not narrow perspective.
Written in a plainspoken, understandable way They Smell Like Sheep gives a clear picture of a servant leader model for the church today. At points, Anderson is to simple in his explanation but through the discussion questions at the end of the book, these areas can be filled-in through life experience.
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