Authority: How Godly Rule Protects the Vulnerable, Strengthens Communities, and Promotes Human Flourishing

by Jonathan Leeman

Accessible Guide from 9Marks Equips Believers to Steward Their God-Given Authority In every position of power―from executives and world leaders to church elders and parents―lies the potential for life-giving leadership or destructive corruption. Driven by sinful pride or opportunism, many people abuse their God-given influence, harming the ones they’re called to lead and contributing to an intense angst against authority. The answer to bad authority, however, is not no authority, but good authority―the kind that, according to Scripture, causes those under it to flourish.
 
In this compelling guide from 9Marks, Jonathan Leeman shows that authority, done biblically, is not only good, but is essential to human flourishing. Through Scripture and many first-hand stories, he presents 5 attributes of positive authority and warns against sinfulness that corrupts leadership. Pointing to Jesus as the ultimate model of good authority, Leeman equips readers to pursue godly influence in their personal and professional lives. 

Genres: Theology, Christian, Leadership, Christian Living, Nonfiction, Ecclesiology, Faith

278 pages, Paperback

Published September 12, 2023

About the author

JONATHAN LEEMAN is the editorial director of 9Marks, which involves him in editing the 9Marks series of books as well as the 9Marks Journal. He has written a number of books on the church, including Reverberation, and he teaches theology at several seminaries. Jonathan lives with his wife and four daughters in a suburb of Washington, DC and serves as an elder at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington. You can learn more about him and his writing at www.9Marks.org.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not sure the last time I was forced to read a book this slowly. Not because the writing is bad—it’s actually beautiful—but because it’s so profound.

Every kind of leader should read it.

[Matt Ecton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular. I think I’ve read just about every book Leeman has published at this point and this might be his best work. Practical and theologically rich, while maintaining clear and accessible language. Will reference and return to this one often. Great for both church leaders and lay members alike.

[Collin Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent and timely book to read with others leaders in your local church.

[Salvador Blanco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just stellar! You’ll want to read this book and gift it to Christian leaders in your life. It’s nuanced, biblical, clear, convicting, and hopeful. It’s also a very much needed contribution to discussions of complementerianism, government, the pastorate, and leadership that rightly move us away from a hermeneutic of suspicion while not ignoring the abuses of authority in a fallen world.

Leeman carefully acknowledges bad authority. He even acknowledges how it may place some people in vulnerable positions (143), but the solution is not to abandon it, but rather to rightly exercise it with care to create life (13). In five parts, Leeman defines what authority is, what submission is, how authority works, and offers seven examples of good authority in action with helpful challenges to the reader.

[Jack Schutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is outstanding.


Extended quote from the introduction:

“A right view of authority must always keep both eyes open. One eye must always be fixed on bad authority. This is Satan's version. It's authority as exercised in the fall. And one eye must be fixed on good authority. This is God's version. It's authority as intended in creation and as exercised in redemption. With both eyes open, we see that authority is a good but dangerous gift…

Good authority binds in order to loose, corrects in order to teach, trims in order to grow, disciplines in order to train, legislates in order to build, judges in order to redeem, studies in order to innovate. It is the teacher teaching, the coach coaching, the mother mothering. It is the rules for a game, the lines on a road, a covenant for lovers. It says, ‘Trust me, and I will give you a garden in which to create a world. Just keep my commandments. I love you.’ Good authority loves. Good authority gives. Good authority generally passes out power…

Bad authority discourages, cripples, wilts, sucks dry, dehumanizes, snuffs out, annihilates. It uses, but doesn't give. It is political imperialism, economic exploitation, environmental degradation, business monopolization, social oppression, child abuse. Of course, bad authority doesn't always wear such monstrous faces. Often it charms and persuades. It borrows truth and offers empathy. It says, ‘I know how you're feeling. I recognize your troubles. Here is the solution. Listen to me. Keep my commandments.’ Bad authority takes a good and glorious gift that God has given to humanity and employs it for evil. It is a liar and a charlatan…

When we stop believing authority can be good, we grow in cynicism. We grow incapable of trust. We insist the world operates on our terms, which is another way of describing ‘individualism.’ When this becomes widespread, community breaks down, because authoritative relationships teach us how to defer to other people, even in relationships where no hierarchy exists.
When we stop worrying about authority becoming bad, we grow in pride and self-deceit, because we assume were right. We lack sympathy for the vulnerable, because we assume the decisions of the hierarchy are just. We condone sin in our leaders or sin performed on behalf of the group.”

[Grant Kemink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. One of the most respected men in our church who is a retired 80 year old pastor said that the chapter on the husband’s authority is the best thing he’s ever read on the subject.

Leeman is thorough and helpful. The subject is underrated in its importance. I would recommend giving it a read to help understand the role of authority in your life.

[Mark Donald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Much needed. Sufficiently nuanced. Persuasive.

In a day and age which is allergic to authority this is a welcome treatment. Highly recommended.

Particularly convicting to me as a husband, father, and pastor. Pray I grow in using my authority for the flourishing of those under my care.

- Read with the elders of Covenant Hope.

[Jeff Colston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just an amazing book. So good. Maybe one of my favorites in 2024. Whatever stage of life you’re in, whatever your workplace, whatever your church, we all wrestle with being under authority and being in authority. This provided such a helpful framework for me. I walk away convicted on ways I can be a better leader and better follower in my church and at my school. More importantly, I am reminded of the model we have for authority in Jesus: firm, loving, boundary-setting, merciful, steadfast, consistent, self-sacrificing.

May anyone who is ever under my authority always be able to say: it was “profoundly costly” for him, “usually involving the sacrifice of everything. It required the end of (his) personal desires.”

Just incredible. I highly recommend this!

[John Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comforted, challenged, and encouraged. Superb

[emma jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book that gives a high level understanding of authority which connects to the real, practical outworking of that biblical framework. I found it to be both educational and encouraging.
Similar to Paul Tripp’s Dangerous Calling, the bad examples were deeply sobering but the good examples were a sweet breath of fresh air. In particular, the chapter on husbands was phenomenal—some of the best marriage advice and encouragement I have ever read.
Highly, highly recommend!

[Kalman Buterbaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I did not expect to enjoy this half as much as I did. Nor did I at all recognize how much we desperately need a solid, thoughtful, biblical theology of authority until reading this book. Leeman takes on an incredibly loaded topic and does a masterful job drawing out the biblical principles and letting them to speak to the topic. Saturated in biblical truth, written in a loving tone that does not ignore the emotions that are often intertwined with the issue, and a care to not over-correct or over-prescribe beyond what the Scripture teaches.

[Ben Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptional book about an important subject!

[Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great book with lots of opportunity for personal assessment. I noticed and appreciated his friendly style of engaging with convictions that he holds that the reader may not share. A few times he made qualifying statements on how his position on certain doctrines influences his understanding of authority in certain contexts and encourages the reader to take the principles and simply apply them to their own context (ie being congregational vs elder lead. Regardless of who you believe holds the ultimate authority in a church governance, the characteristics and principles still apply).

As a woman reading this book I do want to point something out that I didn’t see mentioned in any reviews or even see coming in the book itself. I was personally disturbed by the level of detail he went into with regard to some of the women he has counselled in abusive marriages/households. I don’t know that he went too far, but it was too far for my comfort. Of course in writing a book on authority and protecting the vulnerable he was going to “go there”. I don’t know why I didn’t see it coming, but it felt like it came out of nowhere and got really intense, really quick. Again, I can’t objectively say it was inappropriately intense. I am very emotionally sensitive to the subject of abuse and needed to take a break after listening to the chapter or two where these cases were discussed.

Highlight: chapter on how to rebuild trust after you yourself have abused your authority and those under it. He gave an example where he unjustly blew up at his teenage daughter. Part of the reconciliation in his confession and repentance to her was demonstrating that even though he is her dad, he also has to submit to authority. He told her that he would be confessing his sin to the group of men he was meeting with the next morning. By doing this he modelled accountability and submission to authority and showed her that he not only took his sin seriously but would take steps to prevent it from happening again.

There were a few personality quirks that made their way into the book that maybe didn’t need to be in there, but I took it with a grain of salt. 1) after describing one of the abusive husbands he made a comment along the lines of “if there is anyone worthy of receiving the full extent of God’s wrath in the imprecatory Psalms, it was him.” He was personally invested in the care and protection of the abused wife, so I get where he’s coming from… but at what point does our hope cease to be repentance? 2) he flat out called men who aren’t actively pursuing and fulfilling their roles as leaders “losers”. Again, I get where he’s coming from. But… dang. He does say in the beginning of the book that he has received feedback that he can be too direct and intense. I’m sure a book that went through several rounds of edits and revisions before going to print is already the pared back version. His intensity still comes through!

Overall great book, highly recommend. Those with sensitive hearts just be cautious of the abuse chapters early on - smooth sailing after those.

[Cameron McCartney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unsurprisingly, this is a book about a biblical, Christ-minded perspective on authority, which the author himself defines as the moral right or license to make decisions with power (p. 24). However, the author is quick to caveat this definition with a statement that, in order to have authority, someone must “authorise you to do whatever they want you to do” (p.25). The author also makes clear what he intends his readers’ main takeaway of the book to be, namely, to know that “whatever authority you have is under the authority of God and others” (p. 101) and that “whatever authority God has given you, he’s given it to you so that you might in turn give life to others” (p.101).

Whilst this purpose for writing is clearly intended to be the pistil in the flower of his argument, the author adds structural petals of application to illustrate more clearly what he means by these overarching, definitive statements. I think he does quite well to point out the expected positives of rightly-working authority, but also doesn’t shy away from floating up the negatives, even going as far as titling one of his chapters as “Authority Is Satan’s Sinister Scheme for Supplanting God” (p. 31). He also explains at-length the different practical applications of authority in the different streams of society including family life, church life and government. The author takes some time to look at what submission is, as something that everyone in society should be used to, even those in authority!

I would say a fairly unique feature of this book is its tone, it feels like it is written to catch up the church on what authority is and why it does still matter, even in this generation where people, especially the younger generation, seem to have a generous lack of trust in authority. I think this is often because in the media we often see the spotlight shone on the heroes of licentious self-seeking authority, but then take it off those who have used their power, under God, to create space for blessed life and growth in faith. Jonathan Leeman, while not ignoring some real examples of horrendous authority, does well to not give the book an overly condemning tone, but encourages those reading to do authority better, with the mandate that God has given us in creation. It’s fairly hard to determine a specified audience for a pretty lengthy book which looks at authority from many different practical angles, but I feel that Christians with any level of recognised authority (the vast majority of Christians) would take a lot away from this book, and so, should read it. Given my point above about a growing lack of trust in authority, I’d especially encourage those who are a bit skeptical of the concept of authority, to give this book a read.

The book was thoughtfully structured, starting with a definitive mandate for good authority, spearheaded by Christ’s second coming, whilst explaining how anything other than this is probably harmful authority. The author then briefly discusses submission. He follows this by a helpful pentagon of characteristic principles of good authority and then applies these principles to the varying positions of authority that readers are likely to find themselves in. This was a good structure, generously spiced with real-life examples, making the topic of the book feel close-to-home, not distant and meaningless. However, I did feel the book was maybe longer than needed. I know many people for whom a book over 200 pages is an immediate turn-off when choosing a Christian book to read. I do, in fact, think that an abridged or shortened version of this book could be used as a really helpful resource for the church, but I feel pessimistic about the realistic spreadability of this book as a 264 pager. I also was a little underwhelmed by the conclusion of the book, I expected something punchy and devotional, what I got was a practical exhortation, consisting of a list of detailed statements that to me felt a little disjointed and clunky. Overall, the book was good and rightly thought-provoking, I just didn’t feel that the plane had landed.

I liked the two types of authority that Leeman brought out; the authority of counsel and command, or, immanence and transcendence. He distinguishes these well, and he applies them accurately to different people in authority. This concept is tightly linked to his Spectrum of the Implementation of Authority on p. 159, which I thought was perhaps one of this book’s most helpful contributions to the church. This diagram is one I will come back to in the future, and a shorter book, based on this spectrum, is one I would be much more optimistic about sharing.

The author’s use of Scripture in this book is by-and-large very effective. There is certainly no doubt that this is an evangelical Christian book, not a political or philosophical paper. The early chapters of Genesis were a heavy feature (sensibly) as was 2 Samuel 23, which anchored a memorable, biblical illustration for godly rule in the minds of the readers. As expected, he referenced Timothy and Titus well when discussing elders. His elucidating biblical texts at the beginning of some of the latter chapters were certainly infallible and life-giving, but perhaps not always related to the content of the chapter.

When I first heard the author whisper about the secondary issue of congregationalism, I felt it was fine and applicable for him to mention it. However, in acknowledging that it is a secondary issue, I feel he then proceeded to make too much of it, referring back to his congregationalist stance in later chapters.

That being said, I felt one of the stand-out features of the book was his take on the role of child discipline in society (pp. 187-188). As someone who formerly had a brief career in primary education, I appreciated Leeman’s piercing, but totally correct take on the destructive impact of low-discipline parenting. A functioning society relies on good parenting, schools and social work are limited in what they can do for children who have been let down by parents. Sadly, I think too many people fail to recognise this, and are even somewhat offended by it, so I’m grateful that Leeman was not afraid to bring this out.

Many thanks to Jonathan Leeman for this helpful book, which has given me the space to think about authority in a more helpful, and biblically faithful way than I had done so before. In simple terms my main takeaway from this good and helpful book is that good authority is really good, and bad authority can be really, (really) bad. Therefore, those of us in authority should submit ourselves to the Lord, the author of our authority, and in response to his grace and blessing, be good stewards of the power and responsibility he has given, in the home, in the church, in the state and perhaps even in the government or monarchy. We should also be ready to submit with wisdom, in a way that honours the Lord as the great husband, shepherd, master, ruler and king.

[Amber Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a phenomenal book. Jonathan so helpfully outlines what Authority is, what submission is, how good authority works and what good authority looks like in action. He uses God’s word to answer all of those questions and he gives living color examples of both good and bad authority. I think every Christian should read this book, whether you’re a spouse, parent, manager, sibling, friend, we all have authority in some way, and we should use it in the way it was intended to be used. I particularly was helped by the chapters of what it looks like in action for the government, the church, and the elder.


“Like the perfect face, your rule is perfectly balanced, perfectly composed, perfectly resplendent. It’s gentle and mighty, loving and fierce, conscientious and wise, empowering and correcting, demanding and giving, forgiving and just, righteous and good. It inspires desire, affection and love. It makes us want to rule like you rule, so that all things may be in subjection to God, and that God may be all in all.”

[Andrew Tankersley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book exceeded my expectations. It was the clearest explanation and perspective on how God utilizes authority edification of self, love of others, and ultimately glory for Him.

His differentiation between the authority to counsel vs authority to command was beneficial in understanding the ordained roles God has created us in His image for.

Great read and would recommend to anyone. I’ll be rereading several of the chapters that spoke to me most clearly.

[Andy Huette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected this book to lean on the theoretical/theological end of the spectrum but it turned out to be highly practical, extremely readable, and truly encouraging. It made me appreciate God’s design of authority and made me want to exercise authority in the home, workplace, and church with much greater attention to the flourishing of those around me. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for the surprising encouragement of this work.

[Brenden Wentworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really important book!

Leeman thoroughly explains a proper biblical understanding of what authority is and why it matters.
It was convicting but also encouraging how he described both good authority and bad authority.
The fruits of either can either be life-giving or life destroying…so let’s aim for the goodness of godly authority and be accountable so we don’t give in to bad authority

An important book to read for anyone in any form of leadership, especially since in the second half of the book he goes through different spheres of authority: such as husband, parent, government, manager, the church, and pastor/elder

[Aiden Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very good. It has given me a whole new perspective on Biblical Authority.

[Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite book of 2024.

[C.J. Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it slowly. Very helpful. Biblical and practical. Sobering and helpful examples throughout. The concept of authority of counsel vs. authority of command will be one I use for the foreseeable future. Leeman has a way of adding something like that to my life and ministry with each book he writes.

Elders should read it together and discuss.

[John Pawlik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Long review warning!

It’s a struggle to review a book like this. There’s so many things that Leeman does well. There are so many other things that could be so much more robust.

Ultimately, I would give this book to a member who has grown up in healthy leadership and authority settings who wants to learn more about to how to lead in sacrificial authority, specifically a new parent or a member who is leading employees.

I would not give this to a member struggling to think through biblical authority or who feels wounded by past experiences and conversation. The style Leeman writes in is just too grating, he lacks a pastoral tone too often, and he often approaches points more polemically than pastorally.

Two notes on things I think that could have gone better, and then some things I think that were really great about this book:

1.) The main area that the book lacks is a biblically robust view of the distinctly Christian aspects of authority. Too much of this book could go in a Christian business leader genre and fit right in. There is something about Christian leaders and especially pastors that is supposed to be especially meek while also strong in their handling of authority, and I think an idea of “servant leadership” comes through more than the radical re-imagination of leadership given to us by Jesus and Paul. The first must be last, Christ and Paul have taken on form of a slave, the lowliness which both exhibit in their leadership. I am not talking about a flat egalitarian view of authority that only presses mutual submission, but the subversive and up-side down kingdom that Jesus and Paul regularly make reference to. A great example if you want a biblical case study of this is Stephanus in 1 Corinthians 16, it is precisely by becoming a servant of all, lowering himself without any named office (elder or deacon) that Paul says he and his household are the type of people worthy of the church’s submission and emulation. I think Leeman does a genuinely good job of painting a beautiful picture of the strong positive aspects of authority, and an even better job of describing the leadership of civil servants and business leaders, but there is a Christian element distinctly lacking in his view.

2.) I think the chapters on the abuse of wives by their husbands exercising bad authority was too descriptive, to the uncomfortable extreme actually. I get the reality of marital abuse is real and needs to be taken seriously, but he goes beyond the level of detail that was necessary to communicate this point, and it was quite odd to me, I noticed some other women who even liked the book make similar comments. I think this may be a small point, but it was off-putting to me and further adds to my point about not giving this to a hurting member.

Things that he did well!

The leadership of counsel and command distinction is gold, you just can’t argue with it. That’s a very helpful model and puts words to something people have been struggling to describe. Anytime someone can do this well it’s a great help to the church.

He is also very right to say that the solution to bad authority is not to throw authority out, but to press on to more biblical authority in marriages, parenting, the church, and elsewhere. We have suffered from a vacuum of authority in our fear of its abuse. He does a good job with this. It also helped the book to be so nuanced and convicting at times in the way it navigated this issue. He does a really great job with this.

Additionally, I really do think there’s a lot of great biblical wisdom for anyone who is thinking through what it means to lead well as a Christian, I think a lot of great stuff on marriage and parenting, pastoring and Congregationalism. Really it was a fantastic book in so many areas, but I can’t justify more than three stars with some of the glaring issues in the way he communicates. I think that 9marks is a wonderful network as has so much to offer the church. If the dispositions around authority and communication style improved at times, I think they could do a lot more good than they are doing now. I say this as someone who is thoroughly committed to Congregationalism and the project 9marks has been engaging in to make the church healthier, and by all means I think it has!

This is one big area of short-coming I think people are right to criticize. As Christians we should be constantly reforming our behavior and speech to be more in conformity to the risen Christ and his holy Word. Happy
to talk about this with anyone!

[Lawson Hembree · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a culture that increasingly questions authority, Leeman's book is a breath of fresh air and needed treatise on the benefits of authority as God has designed it. He makes a strong biblical case that authority, when exercised rightly, protects the vulnerable, strengthens communities, and promotes human flourishing.

The book is divided into 4 sections covering authority, submission, principles of good authority, and examples of authority in action. While the first two sections provided helpful clarity on authority, submission, and God's design for each, the final two sections are particularly beneficial.

In the section on principles of good authority, Leeman carefully demonstrates what godly rule requires and produces for the one in authority and those under authority. The biblical model is contrasted with modern distortions to show the beauty of God's design for authority. The final section covers examples of authority in action: husbands, parents, governments, managers, churches, and elder. Each chapter details what kind of authority each exercises (counsel, command, or a blend) and what God's intent for each is.

I recommend this book particularly for anyone who is in a place of authority. It is both an encouragement and corrective and should equip you to exercise your authority for God's glory and the good of others.

Notable quotes:
“Every human being exercising authority will learn and grow in the process of leading. We learn the skills of leading and creating, and perhaps more crucially we learn the skills of giving and sharing. Good authority strives to delegate and to pass out power, which means an exercising authority trains us to share in rule and even in glory, as God does with us.”

“God exercises his authority with beneficence & generosity. He never ever needs to seek something he doesn’t already have, including dominion & control & glory. Therefore his authority is never fear-driven or desperate. It’s always & forever exercised in strength & love. Human authority that moves out from under God’s authority, is always stolen. It’s a perpetual grabbing for something you don’t already possess. Therefore, it’s always weak, fear-driven, & desperate.”

“The solution to bad authority is not no authority but good authority.”

“In general, good authority helps lead people to God, while bad authority can cause people to doubt or even despise God. Good authority creates life and more authority. Bad authority kills both life and authority itself.”

“Whatever authority you have is under the authority of God and others. Whatever authority God has given you, he’s given it to you so that you might in turn give life to others.”

[Alex Melber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shoutout to Andrew Jones for not only recommending this book but also gifting it to me.

It’s one of the most impactful and convicting books I’ve come across in a long time. I felt like I was underlining every other paragraph. Leeman unpacks what biblical authority truly is, clears up what it isn’t, and confronts the cultural lies about submission and how we should respond to poor authority.

This book deepened my love for Scripture and its vision for a life that’s far more beautiful and compelling than what the world offers today. Definitely one I’ll revisit again.

[Seth Cusson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, balanced, and a much needed look at a much needed topic! As I read it, I was reminded of just how prevalent issues of authority are in our age. We all see both things happening: abuses of authority, and the overall suspicion of those in authority. This is a biblical and thoughtful look at such an important issue in an anti-authoritarian age.

[Stephen Tankersley · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy 5/5 stars

Can’t recommend more highly! Extremely helpful for defining authority as it should be used in different roles and the included responsibilities. Extremely encouraging and biblically strong. Extremely convicting in ways I’ve not been fully faithful in the areas of authority I am in. Opened up several conversations with Molly on areas I/we can improve and be more faithful in modeling authority as Christ does.

[Caroline McGill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic and much-needed treatise on authority and its various forms.

[Derrick Kenyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Tremendously helpful for all areas of leadership. Highly recommend!

[Will Allen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reads like a mostly egalitarian attempt to explain the inescapable presence of God-dispensed authority among mankind without actually abandoning egalitarian principles. Also quite clunky and incredibly wordy. Maybe 100 pages of real substance in a book over 300 pages long.

[Paul Abdallah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a worthy read and I think will have shaped my thinking in more ways than I’m ever going to be aware of. His examples and illustrations throughout the first 3 parts of the book are so good. Parts 2 (on submission) and part 3 (5 principles of godly authority) are so so helpful. But part 4 where Leeman walks through the different arenas of authority was my favorite and definitely where I will continue to go back for help and meditation. Thankful for this book!