--comments by Greg Strand, EFCA Director of Biblical Theology and Credentialing

Iain Murray, John MacArthur, Servant of the Word and Flock (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2011).

Murray has written some excellent bibliographies: Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Arthur Pink, David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, John Murray. One of his most recent is on John MacArthur.

As he begins this biography, Murray uses MacArthur’s teaching to emphasize five qualities or marks of an evangelical leader. They are worthy of consideration and emulation!

An evangelical leader is one who leads and guides the lives of others by Scripture as the Word of God. An evangelical inspires the affection of followers because they learn Christ through him, and see something of Christ in him. An evangelical leader is a man prepared to be unpopular. An evangelical leader is one who is awake to the dangers of the times. An evangelical leader will not direct attention to himself. It follows that genuine spiritual leadership will lead others to the conclusion: ‘Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, because of Your truth’ (Psa. 115:1).