Foundation Matters
I didn’t realize how personal this would become. Over the years, I have seen and read about many leaders publicly addressing their “moral indiscretions.” From a distance, I’ve watched as greed, pride, impurity, and sexual immorality disrupt and damage families, churches, and communities. However, when I received a letter implicating one of my friends and fellow pastors, followed by his admission of guilt, I found myself in the painful reality of another leadership failure on my team and in my church.
Why are so many churches worldwide experiencing a surge of failing leaders? The scandals that emerge are alarmingly similar, with greed and pride often at the core of the sinful behaviors that create chaos for many. The collateral damage extends beyond those directly affected; it frequently impacts future generations as hurt congregants leave the church and, all too often, turn away from Jesus. At the heart of it is fear. This is precisely what David Cook and Shane Parker addressed in their book Leading From the Foundation Up: How Fearing God Builds Stronger Leaders.[1] Their intention in this book is to help readers understand the fear of God as a source of joy and life that shapes individuals into strong leaders rather than as an outdated phrase or, even worse, a rigid and stifling way of living.[2] In the post, I will focus on their approach to fear’s influence in the life of a leader, both fear of God and of man.
Proper Fear
In the book’s first section, Cook and Parker offer a blueprint for leadership, with the only true foundation being a proper Fear of God. Once the foundation is established, they seek to show how the foundational fear of the Lord supports pillars of leadership, which they identify as integrity, wisdom, zeal, family leadership, justice, and sacrificial service.[3] They clarify that the Fear of God is not merely about being afraid of Him, nor is it just an outdated concept from the Old Testament. Instead, the awe of God drives one toward faithful obedience. They describe this awe as “Trembling deeply before God’s glory and walking humbly in His ways.”[4] This awe creates an awareness of one’s smallness and cultivates a posture of humility before God and others.
Consider the scene described in Isaiah 6:1-6, where the prophet sees the Lord seated on His throne, high and exalted, with a temple filled with His robe. The atmosphere is filled with smoke, and the voices of the seraphim resound, declaring God’s holiness. In response, Isaiah cries out, “Woe is me! For I am lost; I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”When the Lord cleanses and calls him to go, Isaiah’s ready response is likely familiar to us all, “Here I am, Lord, send me!” Cook and Parker argue that fearing God emphasizes a deep respect and reverence that can guide leaders in decision-making and moral integrity. This aligns with Simon Walker’s idea of the undefended leader, who embodies authenticity and vulnerability.[5] Walker’s front-stage and back-stage metaphor highlights that influential leaders must balance their public image with their true selves.
A leader who fears God, as described by Cook and Parker, tends to lead with humility and accountability, effectively aligning these two essential aspects of leadership. This leader is convinced of two key attributes of God: His omniscience and omnipotence. The fear of God serves as a sobering reminder, especially when considering the behind-the-scenes reality for every leader—that we are fully transparent before God.
Improper Fear
Another area of exploration for Cook and Parker that aligns with Walker’s concept of the undefended leader. They all show how Fear of Man, often manifesting as a desire for people’s approval, is a struggle for many leaders. As Walker clearly points out, a fear of man frequently leads to a defended leadership stance.[6]
Cook and Parker emphasize that healthy leadership leads to human flourishing and is built on a solid foundation: fear of God. Those who base their leadership on the fear of others will eventually see it collapse. The words of late 19th-century Anglican Bishop J.C. Ryle are crucial for this discussion.
We must supplant the fear of man by a higher and more powerful principle-the fear of God. We must look away from those who can only hurt the body— to Him who has all dominion over the soul. We must turn our eyes from those who can only injure us in the life that now is—to Him who can condemn us to eternal misery in the future. Armed with this mighty principle, we shall not play the coward. Seeing invisible Him, we shall find the lesser fear melting away before the greater and the weaker fear before the stronger.[7]
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[1] David M. Cook and Shane W. Parker, Leading From the Foundation Up: How Fearing God Builds Stronger Leaders, (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2023).
[2] Cook and Parker, Leading From the Foundation Up, xi.
[3] Cook and Parker, Leading From the Foundation Up, xvi.
[4] Cook and Parker, Leading From the Foundation Up, 17.
[5] Simon Walker, The Undefended Leader, (Piquant Editions, 2010).
[6] Simon Walker, The Undefended Leader.
[7] J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke, (New York: Robert Carter, 1875), 60.
About the Author
Chad Warren
A husband, father, pastor, teacher, and student seeking to help others flourish.11 responses to “Foundation Matters”
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Chad, I am so sorry to hear about the situation at your church and what it could mean for your friendship, team, the congregation, the other person’s family and especially the impact on the faith in Jesus for anyone connected to it. One of my the hardest times in ministry was many years ago when a congregation found out their youth pastor was doing things that he shouldn’t have done. As I met with some of the parents even they were questioning God and their faith as they worried about their children. Naming the sinfulness of actions was important. Your discussion of Isaiah and his awareness of himself in relation to God and the differences between that healthy v an improper fear sound as though it is a processing of sorts on your part for, perhaps, a way to help your team and congregation through this time. Is there anything in particular that you would like prayer for in this?
Diane, thank you for sharing a bit of your experience. I ask for continued prayer regarding wisdom and discernment as I walk with people deeply impacted by the sin in this situation.
Hi Chad, thanks for letting us in on the tough parts of ministry. We had a similar situation at my church this year and it was absolutely devastating (and still is). But the Lord tends to get beauty from ashes and one thing that the exposure to this person’s sin did was inject a fear of God into our church. It was sobering to see a leader fall so hard, and a reminder that less we walk carefully and repent often, that could be us too. Praying for healing for your congregation.
Christy, I am saddened by how common this seems to be. However, I am encouraged by the testimony in your church of how God uses public confession of sin to bring sobriety to the rest of the congregation. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Chad,
In your experience, how can the concept of fearing God, as described in Cook and Parker’s book, be integrated into contemporary leadership practices within a church setting?
Shela, thank you for your question. I believe that integrating the concept of fearing God into contemporary church leadership requires creating a culture of reverence and accountability. Cook and Parker emphasize that fearing God is not about fear; rather, it is about having a deep respect and awe for His authority and wisdom. This culture must first exist at the leadership level before it can matriculate into the broader culture of the congregation.
Chad, I am so very sorry about this. You will be putting out fires as a result of this for a while. Since you list the pillars of leadership in the book, do you have some idea which may be most useful to you as you navigate this difficult time?
Debbie, your question is something I’ve been thinking about for a couple of weeks now. Among the pillars introduced in my post from Cook and Parker, two stand out as the most crucial this season: wisdom and sacrificial service. Gaining wisdom from the Lord will be essential as I navigate different situations and conversations. Additionally, engaging in sacrificial service will help the Lord restore the trust in leadership that has been lost.
Hi Chad, May you have have the heart and mind of Christ as you walk by your friend and congregation through this time. I struggled somewhat to fully grasp the connection of fear of God and leadership until the phrase, “we are fully transparent before God.” What practices might help us live in this awareness and thereby remain transparent in our leadership communities?
Julie, I believe that practices that help us live transparently before God and within our leadership communities should focus on fostering reverence and accountability. Some fundamental activities that come to mind include establishing a community that regularly engages in fasting, prayer, and repentance. These practices are likely to enhance our sense of reverence and accountability.
Hi Chad, Thank you for sharing this with the cohort. I know it’s heartbreaking to go through this. I will be praying for you and the church where you shepherd. From our recent 60-minute interview, I remember you have a small group of individuals supporting and encouraging you. I will also be praying this group comes alongside you during this challenging season. You don’t need to answer this here, but which of God’s promises can you hold onto as you journey through this and continue to fear Him?