Formed to Lead
Formed to Lead, Jason Jensen. InterVarsity Press | Formatio (ISBN:9781514009901) 2025.
Summary: Through reflection on Luke 1-4, proposes a vision of leadership rooted in formation of character and spiritual discernment.
I’ve noticed that for the most part, those who read books on spiritual formation tend not to read books on leadership. Likewise, readers of leadership books are often not big readers of spiritual formation books. Jason Jensen believes there is ample evidence for the error of compartmentalizing these two things. Sometimes, it may be spiritually deep individuals who do not know how to lead others. But more often, it is evident in the moral failures of gifted and prominent Christian leaders. Rarely does their leadership failure for lack of leadership ability or training. More often it is a failure related to pride, a defect of character, or a lack of integrity, thinking lies and deception can accomplish the work of God.
Jensen has reflected deeply on Luke 1-4, the chapters that describe the formative period of Jesus life. He begins with Luke’s vision of leadership integrity, expressed in the Magnificat and the birth narrative. It is a vision of humility and bold faith in response to the Spirit’s initiative. Out of this emerges spiritual discernment. Thus, Jensen introduces us to themes that will recur in his study. Here we see those who surrounded Jesus reflecting these qualities
Having laid this groundwork, Jensen reflects on other formative experiences. In Luke 3, he considers how the word comes in the wilderness. He explores both our wilderness experiences, and how sought solitude to listen to God may form us. Sometimes, the “wilderness” of our context, particularly when we are out of our depth reveals blind spots and self-sufficiency. Wilderness humbles us, making us more aware of those on the margins.
The wilderness is also the site of Jesus baptism. Specifically, God affirms three important things in baptism: identity as God’s son or daughter, affection as the beloved of God, and God’s pleasure upon the baptized. For Jensen, baptism is also associated strongly with rest or sabbath. In sabbath, we cease doing to allow God to remind us of our identity, and his affection and pleasure upon us. Thus, we work and lead on other days out of this rest and restoration. Finally, for Jesus wilderness is the place of testing both in the abstinence from food and in resistance to the adversary’s warfare. His reflections upon and use of scripture confirms the power of the word that came in the wilderness, and the Spirit who filled him as he entered the wilderness. So it is that he emerges in the Spirit’s power to face illness, demons, and opposition.
Thus, the Spirit’s empowering of Jesus tested character results in spiritual authority. Jensen notes that spiritual authority is integrity, not charisma; love, not authoritarianism; and holiness, not pragmatism. As Jesus spoke from Isaiah 61:1-3, he shared prophecy that shaped his sense of call. Jensen likens calling for us to pilgrimage, in which we learn to attend to the markers along the way. We discern through repentance, intimacy with God, character formation, and the everyday journey of faith. He describes discernment as a “roundabout” way, commending the labyrinth as a practice in which we experience that “roundaboutness.”
Finally, leadership is about dependence and dying. Prayer is to leadership as breathing is to life. We both encounter God in devotion and commit those we lead to God in intercession. Leadership is also a rehearsal of our death. The shadow of death was upon the ministries of both John and Jesus. We live in the realization that we have already died in baptism and are not our own and our hope and consolation is in God alone.
Jensen interleaves his reflections with formational practices and group discussion guides. Rather than either an introspective book for individuals or a how to book of leadership, he gives us a book showing the ways God forms the character of Jesus in us so that he might work the ministry and mission of Jesus through us. This is leadership both rooted in godly character and empowered by God’s Spirit. It is leadership marked by integrity, love, and holiness. May God use this book to raise up such leaders!
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.