Jesus CEO: Using Ancient Wisdom for Visionary Leadership

by Laurie Beth Jones

Following the example of Jesus, a "CEO" who built a disorganized "staff" of twelve into a thriving enterprise, a handbook for corporate success details a fresh, profound approach to motivating and managing others that translates to any business.

Genres: Leadership, Business, Christian, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Christianity, Self Help

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 1995

Reviews

[A Rye · Rating 1 out of 5]

This only receives one star, because I couldn't leave a -5.
This is a God-awful piece of crap; a ten-year-old could have written this in one sitting while half-asleep during Sunday school.

There are about 275 chapters in as many pages found within this book, and each "chapter" expounds bulshittingly upon the absolutely pedestrian statements found within the chapter titles. For example, the book supposedly explores, through corporate leadership clichés, the dynamics of Jesus Christ's leadership, and why he was good at what He did. Interesting, right? No. Wrong. "Chapter 5: He Believed in Himself" Hmmm. I wonder where Mrs. Jones goes in her deep, one-page exploration of this concept. Or how about Chapter 11: "He Did the Difficult Things" or even Chapter 9: "He Stuck to His Mission", or the absolutely earth-shatteringly-deep Chapter 83: "He Educated Him"...


This is the kind of watered-down, sacharine-sweet garbage that turns many people off altogether from philosophical/theological texts. What pisses me off the most about this crap, is that it has quite successfully been used to exploit those in search of wisdom and knowledge of Jesus.
With that in mind, fuck you Laurie Beth-Jones, and fuck your used toilet paper of a book.

If, for some reason, you find yourself in the unfortunate predicament of having to read this book, don't. Simply read the table of contents, give it away to someone you don't like (thereby wasting their time), and then promptly prepare yourself a strong drink. After relaxing, if you feel particularly lively, go find copies of this book, brand new, and tear the front cover of it, so it can't be purchased by someone unwittingly.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laurie Beth Jones uses Jesus' life, ministry, and relationships to demonstrate what she calls "Omega Leadership" - a style which is neither "alpha" (Type A) or "beta" (Submissive/Passive) but rather encompasses both assertiveness and compassion. I enjoyed the format of the book - each small chapter focused on a key characteristic and tied examples from scripture to modern circumstances. Recommend for leaders in any sector.

[Lukas Mason · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is just a bad, bad book. Rarely do I glean nothing from something. But this...oh boy.

[Kristin Wilk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome leadership book that I discovered attending, Loyola! Studying Jesus' leadership style and applying it to todays world. My take away: Emphasizing the importance of being an "omega" leader like Jesus in the real/business world. A true leader can not always be an alpha style leader or a beta style leader. They must be willing to follow and lead when needed. A great leader is able to do both!

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually started reading this book after having to make a tough decision as a manager at work. I've always had difficulty with the fact that business and spirituality, much like politics and religion, simply do not mix. The intro of this book is most interesting because the author talks about how few business books are written by women, and also how Jesus led his staff/disciples, a group of poor, uneducated men to carry on a message that has lasted for more than two millennia. How did he do it? The principles in this book are enlightening. Not only does she compare the strategies of Christ to modern day business, but she marries the dichotomy of being a compassionate boss AND a strong leader. I was really impressed by the book and will definitely give it another read in the future.

[Jim Martin]

Geared to the business world, but has many applications in dealing with people in general. Page 111- chapter titled "He was Bold" points out that Jesus did not debate in his head or with commitees His next step, as he already knew in his head and heart what the next, correct step should be. He drove our the money changers, He walked into the temple and taught as 12 years of age, not out of arrogance, but out of boldness and clarity. He used his very blood to paint the message. President F.D. Roosevelt was warned by his staff that his plans to end the Depression were too large, too costly and too rough. "Well", he said, "maybe they aren't perfect in every way. But, by God, we've got to do something!" Timely words for today I would say.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting approach: modeling the behavior of Jesus Christ as an example for business leaders. Lacks greatly in its execution however. It is obvious the author is well versed in the business world but lacks depth in Biblical insights. I feel that she should have co-authored this book with someone that has greater religious knowledge than herself. The 'afterward' could have been left out. It was unprofessional and caused her credibility to dimension. The book has some good insights but her scriptural examples lack depth and become redundant. Typical pop cultural type book in both religion and business. A lot of fluff and little substance. Great for daily quick one minute thoughts, but you will walk away hungry.

[Rediningrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Indonesian) Deskripsi dari seorang pemimpin yang jelas dan berjangka panjang, tidak takut kehabisan visi karena belajar dari sejarah, seperti yang dilakukan tokoh sentral masa hidupnya. Pemimpin yang otomatis hampir tidak pernah kehilangan pengikut, karena selalu jelas dan bergairah. Salah satu gaya kepemimpinan yang tidak ditawarkan dalam pelajaran manajemen. Namun artinya dalam bagi mereka yang mengadopsi dan dimpimpin dengan cara ini. Dan pemimpin ini tidak perlu susah payah berargumen memperjuangkan sikapnya. Kebenaran2 yang disampaikan langsung/ tidak bisa dibuktikan sendiri oleh pengikutnya.

[Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had to read this book (for whatever reason) for my American History class. I got through 2/3 of it and decided I didn't need to finish it to write my paper--I could get everything I needed from the chapter headings.

I thought Jones' writing style was terrible and her theology inconsistent and a faulty representation of the Bible. I also came away thinking that if you cut out all the Biblical references she could have truthfully called the book "What I Learned About Being A Leader".

[Adrienna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book I would definitely add to my library. This book is written in 1995 but I can still walk away with many of these concepts on leadership, visionary, and Jesus' concept on discipleship.

So many great quotes that I shared in my Christian groups on FB. "Jesus said, "I give you my name. Use it." We do as believers--"in Jesus name." We claim it and name it, in His name. Yes, blessed by this book. Use your gifts and make disciples of Jesus Christ.

[Cara Brackstone · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful. Did not finish. Shallow and overused management/leadership/motivational "principles" wrapped loosely in poor interpretations of the Bible. Proof texting at it's worst. A better use of this concept would be a deeper study of Christ's humility, inclusiveness, sacrifice, generosity, complexity, political engagement etc and how his example can inform leaders at all levels of society. Instead it achieved the opposite, squeezing Christ in the moulds of corporate management and self help.

[Robert Cristobal · Rating 4 out of 5]

After hearing Dr. Lance Wallnau speak on the opportunities to shape culture in the workplace by living out to the full the giftings that God has bestowed to a believer, it is quite timely to read about a book on leadership which talks about the practical techniques that was modeled by Jesus through his disciples.

[John Taebenu · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I learned from this book is Jesus our patron in life. We should learned alot from Him because He is best ever CEO the world ever had.

[Kim Kanofsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say, Jesus certainly taught us a LOT about being an excellent leader. I will have to refer to my notes often to be sure I am following his ways.

[Janel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love it and still refer to it today.

[Jara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, "Jesus, CEO" contains insightful and practical wisdom about how to apply Jesus' "Omega" style of leadership (Jesus actually refers to Himself as "The Alpha AND the Omega" in Revelation 22:13) in the modern business world.

I recommend "Jesus, CEO" as a devotional to Christians who are interested in business or leadership, non-Christians who are interested in self-improvement, and anyone who wants to understand business from a woman's perspective*. As a multi-talented advertising consultant, Ms. Jones has an excellent command of how to communicate a point concisely, creatively, and with humor. She even includes her own poetry, song lyrics, and cartoon strips.

"Jesus, CEO" is organized into 3 major sections: Strength of Self-Mastery, Strength of Action, and Strength of Relationships. Each major section is divided into 85 sub-sections, and each of those sub-sections illustrates a point about Jesus' management style (e.g., "He Was Willing to Look Foolish", "He Trained His Replacements", "He Saw Them As God's Gifts to Him"). Each sub-section is about 2-3 pages with insights about Jesus or some other Biblical character, anecdotes about how she - or others - applies Jesus' wisdom to business situations, and questions that prompt introspection about how the reader can also apply this wisdom to our own lives. While answering her questions, the Holy Spirit confirmed that there's been a method to His madness with me. He's been developing these "Omega" leadership qualities in me all along!

Although about 90% of Ms. Jones' use of Biblical references are properly applied, her slightly New Age-ish (e.g., sometimes she uses "Higher Power" interchangeably with "God"), feminist perspective shapes her theology, which gives the book a "double-minded" vibe, which is confirmed in the "Author's Notes" at the end of the book:

"My reference to Jesus as "he" in the lower case is in no way intended to be or to convey a diminuition (sic) of his Lordship or Divinity. It is merely an acknowledgment of a more contemporary writing style.

I believe that God is equal parts female and male. For me to refer to God as "She" would unfortunately put this work beyond the boundaries of acceptance and understanding for too many people. We must search for an all-inclusive terminology. (p. 305)"

Meanwhile, this is what God's Word says about His gender, His creation, and our purpose:

Then God said, "Let us make human beings in Our image, to be like Us [referring to our Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit]. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground." So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it." - Genesis 1:26a-28a NLT

This is the written account of the descendants of Adam. When God created human beings, He made them to be like Himself. He created them male and female, and He blessed them and called them “human.” When Adam was 130 years old, he became the father of a son who was just like him—in his very image. - Genesis 5:1-3 NLT

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation... - Colossians 1:15

Jesus came and told His disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20

I thank God for gender "boundaries". God reveals Himself in His written word as "He", so that's what He is. Our Heavenly Father is a He. Jesus Christ is a He. The Holy Spirit is a He. So "He" is already an "all-inclusive term" because God created Adam first, then created Eve by removing a rib from Adam, not the other way around.

Women are created to support men in their leadership roles, to nurture and counsel but, ultimately, to submit to the male authority that God assigns to cover us. Women who rebel against their creation role tend to end up divorced, never married, and/or promoting some form of "women rule" philosophy. Jesus even specifically rebukes a church about letting the Jezebel spirit in a prophetess take over (Revelation 2:20) and cites sexual immorality, idolatry, and dead children (i.e., fruitless labor) as the results of following the Jezebel spirit's teaching. See also Genesis 1-3, 1 Corinthians 11, and 1 Timothy 2 for more details about how easily women are deceived by the wrong kind of "empowerment" (one sub-section is titled "He Empowered Women"), especially those who yearn for top leadership positions (because they weren't valued as females by their earthly fathers!). It's important that women understand our very important role in creation.

Ms. Jones includes divorce (i.e., fruit of the Jezebel tree) and leaving a "repressive religious environment" as accomplishments in her bio, which is more confirmation that a spirit other than the Holy Spirit is also influencing her and her writings. She regularly praises her artistic mom for her wisdom, creativity, counsel, and courage in "celebrating the feminine", but her comments about her salesman dad hint that she views him as a source of restriction to her self-expression. She is clearly a combination of both of her parents.

Her image of Jesus is an extroverted, emotional leader who focuses on cultivating the "innate" goodness in people and whose mission was to "love" (mostly illustrated through nourishing and supporting) His "staff"...which is not a comprehensive image of God or the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so it's a half-truth (which is one of the devil's tactics). Essentially, she has recreated God in her own image and rejects the masculine aspect of God's character and the sin nature of humanity. This is self-worship (idolatry) and self-deception. She has proof-texted the Bible to support her own theology instead of study the entire Bible, then come to her conclusion about God's gender and mission on earth.

In her Author's Notes, she even confesses that she wasn't going to cite the Scriptures that she paraphrases, but reconsidered when her mom insisted that she cite the Scriptures so that people can do their own study. Again, adding to, subtracting from, paraphrasing, twisting, and misapplying Scripture are tactics of the enemy (see Matthew 4:5-6). The Lord God warns us not to edit His commands in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 4:2) and the New Testament (Revelation 22:18-19). In fact, this is the last command that Jesus gives us in the Bible!

This book was published over 20 years ago and took her 20 years to finish (do a Bible Study on what God can do in 40 days/years and be amazed!). She thanks many, many people (including pastors) in her Acknowledgments for helping her produce this book. I believe that it took 20 years just to pray her into the 90% Scripture accuracy (i.e., they regularly asked God to take authority over her mind on her behalf as they read her spirit of error-inspired rough drafts). Because, clearly, her flesh and her demons reject God's Wisdom. I believe that she's a believer. The Holy Spirit in her overrode her flesh and those other spirits that influence her (see Romans 8 and 1 John 4) to write this book!

I pray that God enlightens her - and her staff, readers, etc. - about His purpose for creating gender and heals this inner conflict in her. I had to go through the same journey...which is why God is just now bringing this book to my attention rather than in 2013 when I was called to manage the daily operations of my mom's bookstore with a majority-female staff (while reading "Lies Women Believe: And the Truth That Sets Them Free" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss in a women's Bible study group at my first home church).

*So I cautiously recommend "Jesus, CEO" as an affirmation of how Jesus includes feminine qualities in His leadership style with the warning to prayerfully "extract the precious from the worthless" (Jeremiah 15:19 NASB).

[Stacy S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The chapters are short, so I agree with those that said it is more like a daily devotional. It is full of simple, but powerful reminders of how our spiritual lives should intersect with our professional lives, and examples of how to be a servant leader by following in the traits and habits of our Lord Jesus Christ. I enjoyed the book very much. Definitely could be made into a meatier book, but the short, easy-to-digest chapters were helpful for me, allowing me to pick up when I needed to refocus and regain perspective in my work.

[autumnatopoeia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This concept of Jesus as a CEO and the introductory description of Omega leadership really intrigued me. However, this book was mostly shallow, very dated (some books from the 90's just don't age well), and filled with shaky theology (granted, I understand this is a business book, but when you pull Jesus into the theme, you had better have your theological ducks in a row). There were a few golden nuggets (I'm NOT referencing the random personal poems/song lyrics)... but mostly this was a very boring, basic read geared towards leaders in their earliest stages.

[Jude · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book for anyone, but particularly someone in a leadership position, whether that's a family leadership position, a work leadership position, any leadership position. It reads like a daily devotional, so my recommendation would be to read one chapter daily and focus on applying that message during that day. Overall, it's a book worth reading and has stood the test of time in my opinion (it was published in the 1990's). The affirmations in the appendix are powerful and nicely summarize the lessons in the book.

[Charles Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author wrote this book a while back, so you will notice it is a little dated by her references, nevertheless the lessons and messages is timeless. This is a book that I reread once and a while as a reminder to think and act like an Omega leader like the author points out that Jesus must have been.

The book is chalked with little nuggets of personal stories and examples that are very instructive. Nicely written and doesn’t drag on.

[John Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Management consultant Laurie Beth Jones details a series of attributes for Jesus regarding his sense of mission and relationship with others and applies them to management. Each chapter is only two-three pages long culminating with a couple of questions to ponder. Although I purchased the book as an preaching resource, this book would also be beneficial with any that manages teams of employees.

[Kevin Dickson · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting concept and it’s obvious that the author has excelled in business. But this book lacks depth and Biblical understanding - some parts even seemed to be contrary to the Bible. I was very excited to read this book based on the title, but overall, this book really isn’t even worth sitting on a night stand somewhere.

[Jeremy Cork · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed how each chapter was set up; as a character trait of Jesus translated to that of an Omega Leader. It's the kind of book where you can read through the list of chapters and find a trait that you are curious about then go read the chapter - more like a manual. I will recommend it to my superior leadership any chance I get.

[Cherie Kephart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book that I probably wouldn't have picked up on my own, but was recommended to me. It was an interesting read, one that brought forth a lot of wise teachings that are applicable to all of us, no matter what our occupation or religious/spiritual beliefs. I appreciated the succinct nature of the book and also the questions at the end of each section to get the readers to consider how they can best apply these concepts in their life.

[James Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was not at all what I was expecting; however, it was delightfully written and showed how Jesus "ran His business" of leading His disciples. Laurie Beth Jones used Biblical references and introduced me to a new perspective of the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. This book is inspiring and I encourage all who aspire to become more than they are to read this book.

[Jonathan Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay book
Chapters are a few pages with the author creating the format of about 100 different tips for leadership that Jesus portrayed
If you like daily readers, then this book would be more of your style
If you like reading an entire book and getting 1 or 2 big overarching themes then this is not the one

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captured my interest and a valiant attempt to tie in Jesus' principles of leadership into today's corporate environment; after all we should try to understand Jesus' leadership style considering his following!

[Sharon Gilpin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the book was a little too simplistic in structure. It would have been nice to have greater Biblical depth to the reasoning aspects of Jesus' leadership. But there are many good points for a person in leadership to consider.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read on what makes Jesus an effective leader. Also provides great strategies on how to be a more effective leader. The strategies are out of the box for today’s culture, but so is the Bible. I loved this read!

[David Pugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book that every leader MUST read.

This book is a easy but powerful read. Each chapter is short and to the point, but causes you to reflect and develop yourself as a leader. It's definitely one to keep on file that you can keep going back to.