I know what you are thinking: with all the leadership books on the shelves (and in my office) why another one?  It is easy to get cynical about another leadership book, but consider Ready, Set, Grow by Scott Wilson.   Based on my review of “IT” by Craig Groeschel, the folks associated with Scott asked if I would consider doing a review of his book.  Since I had not heard of Scott or his leadership in any way, I figured I could give a pretty unbiased review of his book.  I believe that is what you will be getting.

Scott is the Senior Pastor of The Oaks Fellowship in Dallas, Texas.  To say he is doing something right would be an understatement.  When he took over as pastor of The Oaks from his father, they were averaging 650.  Several times.  They now average about 3000 every week.  When I say 650 “several times,” The Oaks suffered from what many churches do: they would reach a certain number and would then fall back to a more comfortable one.  They reached 900 several times only to fall back to 650 in a relatively short time.   This is the story of Scott’s leadership technique in training and mentoring the other leaders in his church fellowship until they were no longer falling into the old patterns that saw them dip backwards.

What gripped my attention from the very beginning was his opening gambit in the Introduction.  He related how frustrated he was watching the church move upward to a certain number only to fall backwards again.  He tried to solve that by going to conference after conference and implementing the “new best thing.”   Been there done that.  It was even a joke among his staff, because they knew he would be introducing a new leadership approach/church growth approach from his latest conference or a book he had read.  This time they misread him.  His new resolve changed everything.

To be honest, it is not a quick fix he is suggesting.  It is, in fact, quite aggressive and demanding.  This book is written exactly as he took his staff through the paces.  It is based on three conversations he had with them-corresponding to three consecutive years.  Each year became more intense.  He took them from being Workers, Equippers and Multipliers to Models, Mentors and Multipliers.  The book includes his talks with his staff, suggestions he made along the way, and their reactions to the “project.”  Also included are several personal reflections of some of his staff.  What makes the book unique is Scott also includes a “failure” story, i.e. someone who failed to implement the leadership actions necessary to being part of the success story.

I found the book helpful on several levels.  But I also found it troubling.  I think it fits into a multiple staff situation.  It would take a yeoman’s bit of work for a pastor to adapt it to a small church in a small community (of which I am one).  Scott’s church model is different than the one I work with.  While he is “The Pastor” and that implies “the head,” my church model says I am the Pastor, but I work with a group of elders and do not consider myself above them.  I do not have the power to hire or fire anyone (I currently work with a Youth Pastor and a part-time church secretary).  We also do not have the pool of people The Oaks does.   I also have to admit I had bad flashbacks to a certain Leadership guru who espoused some of these same principles.

All in all, I thought the book was good reading on leadership.  At my age (61) I find it difficult to see me implementing this approach, especially as a pastor of a small town church (which I love).  But you may be different and be drawn to this challenge.  I suspect if you do, you will experience the highs and lows Scott did.  Give it a try, or at least read what he has to say.

This book was furnished to me by a group associated with Scott.  I received no compensation nor was I asked to give a good review. I have had this in my cue for several weeks.  I even inadvertently published it once.  It is time.  Any comments you have?