Recently I read an article in Entrepreneur magazine that made  an astounding assertion: “According to a number of studies (US Department of Labor, Yahoo! survey, and others), leaders who read at least 7 business books a year earn over 2.3 times more than people who read only 1 book per year.”

Not surprising. We all know that "readers are leaders" since the very act of reading becomes an investment in self development. And, frankly, whether the ideas are new or old, relevant or not, the reader is once again challenged to analyze and apply what they read - leading, usually, to renew motivation and new goals.

The astounding part is how pastoral leadership has become absorbed with reading the latest top selling business books, presumably searching for insight and instruction.

Several observations: (not based on a statistical study):

• I find more and more secular books on business on pastors' desks and in their libraries
• Most well attended leadership conferences include messages or models based on recent business books
• Some conferences invite business or civic leaders to speak to pastors and ministry leaders
• The Pastor's Study (prayer, exegesis, meditation) has become the Pastor's Office (corporate models, counseling, consulting)

Pastoral leadership can learn much from business books and magazines written for the marketplace. That is not my concern (after all, I found the opening quote in a business magazine that I was reading!). But, if church leadership has better ears to hear what the managers and business trend setters are saying than ears to discern the leading of the Holy Spirit, we are in trouble. If our ministers hunger to learn more from the marketplace than from the scriptures, then we have leaders who may be able to relate to our times but are largely unable to discern the times. Our rudder must be that which is biblical and spiritual to guide us through the options and cycles of that which is cultural and practical.

Are we revising Acts 6:4? Has "we will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word" become "we will be faithful to our values statement and the Board of Directors' strategic plan?” It is possible many of our leaders know more about corporate systems than the dynamics of corporate prayer.

Purpose and plans are best received from the Holy Spirit in the context of scriptural application and prayer. How many of the "seven business books" point us back to our foundation of faith? Even if a business theory has application to the human dynamics of the Body of Christ, it must never become the chief operating system of the chief executive officer!

I enjoy reading Business Week and am glad to use insights from The Tipping Point and other business related books when I teach on the need for change in our churches . . . but may I never allow the components of Acts 6:4 to get out of order (or worse yet, out of style). Read. Read the marketplace and business gurus. But always submit their insights to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as you pray and study God's word.

It seems to me many of us should place a new sign on our door - Pastor's Study.

Pastor Phil