Section 10 - The Leaders Pitfalls & Rewards

Group Activity: Create a one-page visual summary of the leaders pitfalls. Study chapter 10-11 in Blackaby Study chapters 20-22 in Sanders

The Leader Nehemiah

J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership, Chapter 22

Nehemiah is one of the most inspiring leaders in the Bible. His vigorous reforms produced rapid effective change - we can trace this effectiveness back to the quality of his character.

Nehemiah was a man of Great Character

1. He was a man of prayer This was a normal part of life and living - he heard about jerusalem and prayed 1:4,6, 2:4, 4:4,9, 5:19, 6:14 etc. 2. He was a man of courage 6:11 But I said, Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go! Fearlessness is often inspiring for the people you lead.

3. He was a man of concern 2:10 - shown in fasting, prayer and tears 1:4-6 1:6 shows his identification with his people, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my fathers family, have committed against you.

4. He was a man of foresight He carefully planned his strategy for example he realised opposition would arise so he got letters before he left for Jerusalem 2:8 5. He was a man of caution He took 3 days upon his arrival to assess the situation, even though he felt the urgency of things - when he started work he did not announce it to everyone, and he set guards from the early days.

6. He was a man of decisiveness He did not put off making decisions. He had no favourites - rebuking the workers and officials in the same way 5:7 7. He was a man of empathy He listened to people - and then took action depending upon their grievance - 4:10-12, 5:1-5

8. He was a man of realism - 4:9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. He understood the need to know the world and to rely on God 9. He was a man of responsibility He took responsibility - then followed through on all aspects of it whether easy or hard.

Realism in the arts was a 19th-century 8. He was a man of realism - 4:9 art movement that originated with a But we prayed to our God and group of Paris-based artists whose posted a guard day and night to independent exhibitions brought them meet this threat. to prominence during the 1870s and He understood the need to know 1880s in spite of harsh opposition from the world and to in France. The the art community rely on God name of the style is man offrom the title of a 9. He was a derived Claude Monet work, Realism, soleil responsibility levant (Realism, Sunrise),-which He took responsibility then provoked the critic Louis Leroy to coin followed through on all aspects of the term in a satiric review published in it whether easy or hard. the Parisian newspaper Le Charivari.

10. He was a man of administration Calm in a crisis, fearless initiator, decision maker and persevering leader, resolute against threats people had confidence in him.

Nehemiah led through Effective Methods

1. He raised morale He moved peoples focus away from the impossible and onto the greatness of God 2:20 - The God of heaven will give us success. 8:10 - This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

2. He built a culture of faith Faith builds faith pessimism destroys faith. As a leader you have to build faith in peoples hearts.

3. He rekindled hope The people were downcast when Nehemiah arrived - he told of the vision and provision of God in his life - 2:18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, Let us start rebuilding. So they began this good work.

4. He exercised personal discipline Nehemiah lived the life - he didnt stop and correct the people but showed them that his conviction was deeply held and to be acted upon. In this he showed that problems could be overcome by decisive action - e.g. The events of Neh 4:10-16 and his follow through.

5. He corrected people Neh 5:1-15 The poor brothers had been taken advantage of by their rich brothers Nehemiah addressed this he listened and sympathised - and then negotiated a successful resolution to the problem

6. He recovered the authority of the WOG The standard of Gods word was vital - 8:1-8. In this he restored worship and saw true repentance come into peoples hearts and minds - 9:3-5, 13:4-9 - tithing, sabbath rest and forbidden marriage with non-Israelites also returned.

7. He organized well Before starting he surveyed people and resources - it might seem to be paper pushing and time consuming but it undoubtedly helped Nehemiah to get the job done well. He established objectives and gave them to key men - in all of this he opened up the potential of others to be used.

8. Nehemiah demonstrates an all roundedness to being a man of God he faced up to opposition without forcing violent confrontation, took insults, innuendo, treachery, he walked through with much prayer and head held high. When possible he simply ignored his adversaries - he took precautions but never allowed people to deflect him from his task. He always kept faith in God.

Nehemiah 6:15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.

What do you most admire about Nehemiah - how can you use this to try to emulate him? What would you like to leave behind by the time your life is done?