Priorities for the Church: Rediscovering Leadership and Vision in the Church

by Donald MacLeod

Jesus promised that as long as the earth remains his church will continue, and it’s a good job he did. When we survey the church and how it relates to the world we have to wonder why he would bother! The church is not the building, nor is it the structure of government, it is a body of believers. Christians make up the church and it is our responsibility to prayerfully think through how we can affect the situation, sitting idly by is no longer an option. As the church drifts along, splintered, distracted, all too willing to slip it theological moorings and often showing a remarkable lack of love, its influence on society dwindles – either becoming indistinguishable from the world or becoming so unrelated that is appears to be a relic of an entirely different era. Donald Macleod brings his customary flourish to this most pressing topic. His seemingly effortless ability to communicate complicated issues ensures that the message he conveys is clear.

144 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2003

About the author

Donald MacLeod is a Scottish theologian.

Macleod studied at the University of Glasgow and the Free Church College before being ordained as a minister of the Free Church of Scotland in 1964. He served as professor of systematic theology at the Free Church College from 1978 to 2011, and as principal from 1999 to 2010.

In 1996, Macleod was cleared of allegations that he had sexually assaulted four women. The Sheriff court found that "the women had all lied in the witness box to further the ends of Professor Macleod's enemies in the Free Church of Scotland." A number of people who believed Macleod should be put on trial by the General Assembly then formed the Free Church Defence Association and ultimately a new denomination, the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). However, Johnston McKay notes that although on the surface the split was about Donald Macleod, he believes it was about theology since Macleod belonged to the more "modernizing" wing of the Free Church.

In 2011, a Festschrift was published in Macleod's honor. The People's Theologian: Writings in Honour of Donald Macleod (ISBN 1845505840) included contributions from Richard Gaffin, Derek Thomas, and Carl Trueman.

Reviews

[Andrew Canavan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well worth reading from a highly respected theologian and pastor. It’s a little disjointed as a collection of his columns that are loosely tied together but there is a lot of food for thought here.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of articles, talks, and essays from the premier Scottish Theologian of the modern era. Worth your time.