Today’s spiritual leaders are not only expected to nurture God’s people, but to also be effective administrators and decision makers. What principles should guide their service as leaders? How can they make wise decisions and deal with sin in the community? Robert M. Solomon addresses these questions in this meditation on the book of Nehemiah, a richly layered account of how God called the governor of Judea to rebuild His temple. Read about how he deals with disobedience and disunity, handles administrative details, and institutes reforms in the face of external opposition and internal strife. Meet a man who, like many of us, was an ordinary person but was able to live an extraordinary life because of his faith, passion, and trust in a great God, and discover the secrets of his effectiveness as a spiritual leader.
The Spiritual Leader
It’s tough to be a leader.
Robert M. Solomon served as Bishop of The Methodist Church
in Singapore from 2000–2012. He has an active itinerant ministry of preaching and teaching in Singapore and abroad. He is
Conscience, The Enduring Word, Faithful to the End, Jesus Our Jubilee, God in Pursuit and Finding Rest for the Soul.
“This book inspired me so much that I was driven to stop reading and start praying.”
“This book stands out among many other books on leadership.”
—Ajith Fernando
—Dr. Patrick Fung QQ808 S9222
ROBERT M. SOLOMON
the author of more than 30 books, including The Race, The
The Spiritual Leader Lessons from the Book of Nehemiah ROBERT M. SOLOMON
“Robert Solomon has the experience of an effective leader and the ability of an outstanding Bible teacher. These qualities have combined to give us a deeply enriching book. It helped me plunge into the world of Nehemiah and its cultural background, it taught me many key lessons on leadership, and sometimes this book inspired me so much that I was driven to stop reading and start praying.”
Ajith Fernando
Teaching Director, Youth for Christ, Sri Lanka Author, Jesus Driven Ministry
“Dr Solomon is a pastor, scholar, medical doctor, and counsellor. All of these come together (along with being a biblical exegete) in this creative and readable book on leadership: spiritual leadership. On almost every page I found myself thinking of another leader I wanted to send this book to; then I thought of classes at Fuller who need this book. Leadership studies and church leaders will greatly benefit from this book, which carefully leads the reader even as it talks about leadership.”
Rev Dr Scott W. Sunquist
Dean, School of Intercultural Studies, Professor of World Christianity, Fuller Theological Seminary, USA
“This book stands out among many other books on leadership. Dr Solomon brings to life the story of Nehemiah, a man of God called to lead amidst discouragement and despondency. I highly recommend this book, particularly to those who are called to Christian leadership.”
Dr Patrick Fung
General Director, OMF International
“To get insights into godly leadership you need a spiritual leader to help you. In this book, Bishop Robert Solomon uses his own experience of being an outstanding spiritual leader to open up the biblical example of the leadership of Nehemiah. With his faithfulness to the text and very practical application, this is a book for leaders at all levels of the church.”
Rev Professor David Wilkinson
Principal and Professor of Theology and Religion, St John’s College, Durham University, UK
“A wonderful study on life and leadership in the real world, drawn from the challenges Nehemiah faced. It describes situations that leaders continue to face today: fake news, intimidation, treachery, and personal attacks meant to discourage and evoke fear. Lessons are skilfully drawn not just from the Book of Nehemiah but from across both the Old and New Testaments.”
Prof Lim Siong Guan
Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore Co-author of The Leader, The Teacher & You
“An engaging and helpful look at leadership from an author who knows what authentic Christian leadership looks like. Spiritual leaders in all contexts will benefit from Bishop Solomon’s penetrating insight and sage counsel, reminding us that one’s relationship with God is paramount in a leader’s life.”
Rev Dr Bill T. Arnold
Paul S. Amos Professor of Old Testament Interpretation, Asbury Theological Seminary, USA
“Robert Solomon’s lovely work on Nehemiah is a treasure. He combines biblical scholarship with pastoral passion, humility, and wisdom in application. In an age where too many books on Christian leadership are based on secular values rather than God’s Word, this slim volume is a gold mine of spiritual truth. Read, repent where needed, and cry out to the Lord for the leadership that honours him, and that the church (and the world) so urgently needs.”
Rose Dowsett
Retired OMF missionary, Missiologist and author, Scotland
“This book captivated me. I could not put it down until I finished the last page. A strongly recommended book for all who are spiritual leaders, or who are aspiring to be spiritual leaders.”
Most Rev Datuk Ng Moon Hing
Archbishop, Anglican Province of Southeast Asia Bishop, Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia
The Spiritual Leader: Lessons from the Book of Nehemiah © 2018 by Robert M. Solomon All rights reserved. Discovery House is affiliated with Our Daily Bread Ministries. Requests for permission to quote from this book should be directed to: Permissions Department Discovery House P.O. Box 3566 Grand Rapids, MI 49501 Or contact us by email at permissionsdept@dhp.org. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Image used under license from Shutterstock.com Design by Joshua Tan ISBN 978-981-11-7200-7 Printed in Singapore First Printing in 2018
The Spiritual Leader Lessons from the Book of Nehemiah
ROBERT M. SOLOMON
Contents Preface
9
1 The Praying Cupbearer
15
2 Responding to God’s Call
31
3 Prayerful Planning and Faith-filled Risk-taking
51
4 Starting the Project
63
5 The Gift of Teamwork
77
6 Dealing with Growing Opposition
91
7 Repairing the Community
113
8 Doing the Will of God Amid Intense Opposition
129
9 Word, Worship, and Witness
151
10 A History of Sin and the Mystery of Grace
171
11 New Beginnings
193
12 Dealing with Sin’s Stubbornness
213
Conclusion: God and His Man
233
Endnotes
243
Preface In recent decades, there has been a growing interest in leadership. In the secular world, this has been evidenced by the rise of leadership gurus, the popularity of books on leadership, and the MBA degree. This interest has also entered the church, and there have been all sorts of materials and programmes on Christian or spiritual leadership. Perhaps this interest is due to a longing for good leadership. When I was teaching in seminary, I heard some church leaders tell seminary leaders that they were looking for graduates who could do two things: preach well and lead well. Leadership is not something that can be considered in a vacuum. Leadership is always relational, and the most important relationship in leadership is the one we have with God. The best leaders are those who know how to follow Christ. Leadership and “followership” in this respect are closely connected. It is the committed followers of Christ who have the potential to be good spiritual leaders. Leadership can be approached in terms of techniques and tools, and there are many books that focus on leadership skills. This book approaches the subject biblically and biographically. Some of the best lessons we can learn about leadership are in the Bible. A book like Derek Tidball’s Ministry by the Book: New Testament Patterns for Pastoral Leadership explores the theme by studying what each book in the New Testament has to say about leadership.1 Another Bible-based approach is the study of biblical biographies. In this respect, there is no better model than the Lord Jesus Himself. Books such as Lead Like Jesus by Ken Blanchard, Phil Hodges, and Phyllis
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Hendry provide food for thought in this direction.2 The apostle Paul is another biblical character popularly used by writers, such as John MacArthur,3 to explore leadership lessons. Old Testament characters, such as Moses and David, have also been studied for their leadership styles. One of the most popular Old Testament characters used for leadership reflections is Nehemiah, the governor of Judea in the fifth century BC. His life’s details and his thoughts are recorded in the book named after him. This is the book that we will be exploring, to see what leadership lessons we can gain today. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah come to us from 2,500 years ago, at a time when the Persian Empire was the superpower of the ancient Mediterranean world. The two books are sometimes seen as one (Ezra-Nehemiah), and they record the stories of Ezra the priest-scribe and Nehemiah the governor. Our focus will be the book of Nehemiah. Although Ezra is mentioned in this book, the main character is Nehemiah. Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah were sacked by the Babylonians in 587 BC, and many Jews were forced to leave home to live in Babylon as exiles. The Medo-Persian king, Cyrus, conquered Babylon in 539 BC and, in an enlightened policy, allowed 50,000 Jews to return to Jerusalem in 538 BC. There, the returnees, with the encouragement from the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, strived to build the temple, from 538 to 516 BC. Years passed before another group went to Jerusalem from Babylon under the leadership of Ezra in 458 BC (80 years after the first group) to teach the people and manage them in Jerusalem. About 13 years later, in 445 BC, another small group led by Nehemiah went 10
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from Susa in Persia to Jerusalem, this time to help rebuild the wall and gates of Jerusalem. This particular story is told in the book of Nehemiah, and is the subject matter of our study. Cyrus was succeeded by the following kings: his son Cambyses, Darius I, Xerxes (or Ahasuerus; the king in the story of Esther), and then Artaxerxes (464–423 BC), in whose court we find Nehemiah the cupbearer at the beginning of the book. With the king’s permission, Nehemiah made his way to Jerusalem to assume responsibility as the governor of Judea and to initiate and supervise the rebuilding of the wall. Despite much relentless opposition from neighbouring leaders, as well as disobedience and disunity among some Jews in Jerusalem, Nehemiah managed to complete the wall. He was interested in not only rebuilding the wall but also reforming the people. After serving as governor in Jerusalem for 12 years, Nehemiah returned to Artaxerxes in Susa. Then he returned to Jerusalem “some time later” (Nehemiah 13:6), anywhere from a year to a few years later, and made further reforms among the people. The themes of worship (centred on the temple) and the law are the focus of the book of Ezra. These two themes are repeated in Nehemiah, together with the focus on the wall (representing the need for Israel to be holy for the Lord). These three themes—worship, word, and walk (before the Lord and the world)—are themes that are as relevant to us today as they were to the Jews of Nehemiah’s day. How Nehemiah exercised his calling to lead the people is the particular focus of our study. The book is never boring (although the long lists of names may not be interesting for many readers). Nehemiah had a “formidable, practical” personality that comes through strongly in the book. The outstanding leadership that
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Nehemiah provided was deeply rooted in his devotion and faith in God, and his total commitment to serve the Lord wholeheartedly. The man had a strong “passion for faithfulness”, as J. I. Packer puts it,5 and his unflagging zeal in the face of opposition and disappointment provide great lessons for those seeking to understand the secrets of true spiritual leadership. The book of Nehemiah is a compilation of personal reflections and prayers (from both Nehemiah’s personal account as well as from official lists of leaders, registered occupants of the city, gifts given, and work teams stationed at different parts of the wall). The degree of fine detail is amazing; in some ways, this should not be surprising because of Nehemiah’s great administrative skills and his ability to observe little details alongside the big picture. A significant part of the book (Nehemiah 1–7, 13) is written in the first person, the text probably coming from Nehemiah’s personal journal. The middle portion (Nehemiah 8–12) is written in the third person, using records and narratives. The exposition of the text of Nehemiah brings out many useful observations relevant to the exercise of spiritual leadership. The term “spiritual leader” applies to anyone in a position of responsibility for others. This would include not only pastors, church leaders, and missionaries, but also small group leaders, Sunday School teachers, parents and grandparents, school teachers, leaders of youth groups and worship teams, project managers, bosses and supervisors in the workplace, and so many others who are called to guide and care for others. If you are reading this, you are probably a spiritual leader of some sort, and the lessons in this book may be helpful to you in your various relationships and roles.
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The aim of this book is to help readers live out their calling by taking responsibility for the people and tasks given to them. To assist readers, a summary list of leadership lessons is provided at the end of each chapter.
Robert M. Solomon
PREFACE
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1
The Praying Cupbearer Nehemiah 1:1–3
W
hen we meet strangers at social gatherings, the ritual is to exchange name cards that give essential information about the owner of the card. Or, we may simply ask each other various questions: What is your name? What do you do? These two questions establish one’s pedigree and profession, two important features of any introduction—details that help people size up the person being introduced. When we start reading the book of Nehemiah, we meet the man who is the author of the book in the same way.
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Identity (1:1) Nehemiah introduces himself in chapter 1. He was “Nehemiah son of Hakaliah” (Nehemiah 1:1), which meant he was a Jew. He had a brother named Hanani who came to see him from Jerusalem along with other Jews (Nehemiah 1:2). Nehemiah was the “cupbearer to the king” (Nehemiah 1:11). A cupbearer in ancient times was a trusted person. One of his responsibilities was to ensure that the king was not poisoned by enemies. A king could be assassinated by the sword or poisoned through his meals and drinks. Kings had to entrust their lives to personal guards and cupbearers. The cupbearer’s job was given to the most trusted individuals, whose loyalty to the king could not be bought through bribery or broken through threats. There is one more aspect of Nehemiah’s identity that comes through clearly in chapter 1—and it is the most important part. Nehemiah, in his personal prayer to God, describes himself as “your servant” (Nehemiah 1:6, 11)—he identified himself as a servant of God. The man knew whom he ultimately served. Through all the ups and downs of life, in all his duties and responsibilities, he never forgot who his God was. This is often the missing element when people introduce themselves. Name and job, and perhaps personal achievements, are mentioned. But people seldom reveal their ultimate loyalties, their underlying foundations in life. Even Christians shy away from revealing these important aspects of their lives. When we leave our homes to do our work or enjoy times of leisure, do we remember that we are the servants of God who have been saved and called to worship and
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serve Him? Nehemiah was clear about these things. This ensured that his life was well-spent in serving God and His people.
Nehemiah’s Current Address (1:1) Nehemiah was in the “citadel of Susa” (Nehemiah 1:1). But, how did Nehemiah end up in Susa, doing what he was doing? To fully understand Nehemiah, we must briefly look through the history of Israel. It is important to identify God’s hand throughout Israel’s history. Without historical context, we would be drawing lessons in a disembodied and ahistorical manner. Rather, it is important to deepen our understanding of God as the silent director over Israel’s past. Ultimately, it was He who placed Nehemiah exactly where he was, in order to use him for His glory, at just the right time. Our brief tour of history will help us understand the previous efforts to rebuild the city, setting the stage for Nehemiah’s efforts.
A Brief Look at History Susa was the winter capital of the Persian Empire, the most powerful political entity of the ancient world in the days of Nehemiah. There were earlier big empires—the Assyrians and the Babylonians— whose influence and power had waned and the vacuum was filled by the Persians. The prophet Daniel had earlier interpreted a dream of the Babylonian emperor Nebuchadnezzar that the world would see a succession of empires: Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman (Daniel 2). The northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah were the two divisions of David’s united monarchy that occurred after the death of David’s son, Solomon. Because of their persistent
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apostasy and idolatry, both kingdoms were conquered and destroyed by foreign powers: Israel fell to Assyria in 722 BC, and Judah fell to Babylon in 587 BC. The Assyrians had a policy of deporting influential local leaders and “diluting” the identity and culture of conquered peoples by sending foreigners to settle in the land and intermarry with the natives (2 Kings 17).1 The policy of the Babylonians was slightly different from that of the Assyrians: the Babylonian policy was to deport the leaders of the conquered land to Babylon. There were two reasons for this: firstly, to keep a close watch over them and thus minimise potential rebellion and trouble in the conquered lands, and secondly, to recruit the best among them for service in the Babylonian empire. Over time, nostalgia for the homeland would die a natural death among the succeeding generations, and the conquered homelands would remain weak and not pose a challenge to the conqueror. This policy was demonstrated in the way the prophet Daniel and his three friends, who were exiled to Babylon, were enrolled in the royal administrative school and placed in government service (Daniel 1). In fact, Daniel demonstrated his leadership abilities so well that he and his friends were promoted to key government positions (Daniel 2:48–49). Other Jews who lived ordinary lives in Babylon were encouraged to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city” ( Jeremiah 29:7). God had promised through the prophet Jeremiah that Judah’s exile would last for 70 years, after which God would act on behalf of His people. “I will come to you and fulfil my good promise to bring you back to this place” ( Jeremiah 29:10). This divine promise would have kept 18
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the loyalty and nostalgia for their homeland among the Jews alive, as expressed in Psalm 137: By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. ... How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. (Psalm 137:1, 4–5) This may have been the sentiments of many Jews in exile, but perhaps not all of them. Some of them may have become quite comfortable in their new land, and their offspring would have adapted to the lifestyle of Babylonians—just like how the children of migrants in the modern world often assimilate into the culture of where they are living, instead of retaining their parents’ culture. God kept His promise and rearranged the empires of the world. Powerful Babylon fell to the Medo-Persians, who conquered Babylon in 539 BC. How it happened is quite fascinating. Centuries ago, God had spoken through the prophet Isaiah that He would raise up a king named Cyrus who would subdue nations and be used by God to rescue His people: He will rebuild my city and set my exiles free, but not for a price or reward, says the Lord Almighty. (Isaiah 45:13)
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When Cyrus entered the city of Babylon as conqueror, he was apparently told of this ancient prophecy, and he was impressed and pleased. “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfil the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing” (Ezra 1:1). Cyrus arranged for 50,000 Jews (2 percent of the people who had been taken into exile) to return to Jerusalem with the articles from the temple in Jerusalem that King Nebuchadnezzar had carried away to Babylon (Ezra 1). It was a great day for the Jews, for God had kept His promise, and no empire could stand in His way when He decided to do something. The Jews returned joyfully to their city, which had been destroyed some seven decades ago, and the older ones cried when they saw the condition of the city, and especially the condition of the temple of God that had been destroyed. They built the altar and began to offer sacrifices according to ancient Mosaic Law. They laid the foundation of a new temple, and began their rebuilding project. But opposition from enemies nearby dissuaded them. Their hostile neighbours had offered to help the Jews with the building work. The Jews rebuffed them because they sensed ulterior motives on the part of their enemies, who then started psychological warfare by constantly discouraging and intimidating the Jews, and bribed local government officials to “work against them and frustrate their plans” (Ezra 4:5). This lasted for some 15 years until God’s intervention. God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to Jerusalem to stir the Jews there into resuming their temple-building. Due to the opposition, the Jews had diverted their attention to focus on building their own houses. The house of the Lord remained incomplete (Haggai 1:3, 9). Reminded of their neglect by Haggai and Zechariah,
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the Jews rose to the challenge and completed their building project in 516 BC. God then sent Ezra to build God’s people up by turning their attention to the land. Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in 458 BC from Babylon with a letter of authorization from King Artaxerxes and a group of “leading men” from among the Jewish exiles. “For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). Ezra was deeply aware of God’s hand on him (Ezra 7:6, 28; 8:18, 31). It was at this time that God revealed additional plans—they had to do with Nehemiah, the cupbearer. He was one of the Jewish exiles who were still in Babylon and Persia, and he was serving the king. Why had he not returned with the others to Jerusalem? Had he forgotten his roots? Was he too comfortable in his secure and prestigious job in Susa? What we discover about the man shows us that he was very much a Jew at heart, and he did care for his homeland and the purposes and promises of God. Perhaps he knew that he was where he was in accordance to God’s plan. He was God’s servant, ready to spring into action as directed by God.
Troubling News and the Call of God (1:2–3) Nehemiah was going about his duties in the king’s palace. He was obviously a good and trustworthy worker, or else he, a Jew and a foreigner, would not have been appointed to such a crucial job as cupbearer. When one has settled into a respectable job, it is easy to adopt a mind-set that is self-centred and self-satisfied. The natural assumption would have been this: the more time Nehemiah spent in the palace, the more distant Jerusalem would have become, and the
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less he would have cared about the fate of those among his people who had returned to their homeland. Yet, the beginning of the book of Nehemiah shows that Nehemiah was made of sturdier and more admirable stuff. All his days serving the Persian king in beautiful palatial surroundings did not dull his sense of loyalty to his God and people. In his heart, a fire kept burning for the honour of the Lord and the wellbeing of his people. Nehemiah was visited by Hanani, one of his brothers, together with some other men (Nehemiah 1:2). The subject of the conversation revealed the heart and priorities of Nehemiah. In all likelihood, he did not waste time talking about inconsequential things: how the journey was, or whether they had seen anything interesting on the way. He did not try to show off his house and workplace, or the glories of the Persian king’s summer palace. No, he went straight to the most important and urgent questions. How is the Jewish remnant that went back to Jerusalem? How are they doing? How fares the city of Jerusalem, its new temple, and the rebuilding project? These were the questions of a man who kept the things of God in the centre of his heart. It seems as if he woke up each day, thinking about these questions, and praying for Jerusalem and the Jews there. Unlike now, news spread slowly in Nehemiah’s time. It took 50 days to travel from Jerusalem to Susa, and it was not every day that Jews would make this journey. Thus, when the visitors from Jerusalem turned up in Susa, they came with answers to questions Nehemiah had probably been asking day and night. The news they brought was not good or encouraging.
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They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” (Nehemiah 1:3) If Nehemiah had been reading this in a newspaper, the words “trouble”, disgrace”, “broken”, and “burnt” would have jumped out and grabbed his attention. Those were terrible words to describe what was going on in Jerusalem—this was deeply distressing news that had profound effects on Nehemiah. If the visitors had brought words that suggested that Jerusalem and her inhabitants were managing fine or that things were improving steadily, Nehemiah would have felt encouraged. But the answers to his urgent questions were heartbreaking. Instead of simply showing some sympathy and promising to pray for the people of Jerusalem before sending off the visitors, perhaps with a gift, Nehemiah’s response came from deeper in his heart. It was a response that would change the course of his life and his nation. Amidst all the bad news that he was receiving, Nehemiah also heard God’s call. That is how God often calls people to serve Him. When God visited Moses while he was working as a shepherd near Horeb, the holy mountain, God told Moses about the dire circumstances of His enslaved people in Egypt. God explained to Moses in very personal terms: “I have indeed seen . . . I have heard . . . I have come down” (Exodus 3:7–8). The condition of God’s people was bad and required urgent action. It was in that context that God told Moses, “I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). In Moses’ case, bad news about the condition of his people was connected with God’s call in his life.
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When the Lord Jesus saw the needy crowds in Galilee, He noticed how they were “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36) He then spoke to His disciples, challenging them, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37–38). Then the Lord sent His disciples to minister to the crowds (Matthew 10:1–20). The desperate conditions of the people were connected with the divine calling to do something about it. This is often God’s chosen method of calling people to serve Him, though we must take note, as Oswald Chambers reminds us, that the need is not the call, but the occasion for it.2 It was the same in the case of Nehemiah. The bad news that his visitors from Jerusalem brought became the basis on which he received his calling from God to do something about it. This principle is repeatedly seen throughout history. It has been a common pattern that has stirred followers of Christ to step out in faithful obedience, ready to attend to a need. It has been the springboard for countless missionary enterprises.
What Does Breaking News Do to Us? Today, a constant stream of breaking news hits us daily. News of war, natural disasters, child refugees, violence, injustice, poverty, disease, epidemics, ungodliness, and many other distressing conditions of the human race has become so common. It is now possible to read or watch such distressing news and not be moved beyond simply shaking one’s head while munching on delicacies. What do newsreaders feel when they read out reports of tragedies and human suffering every day? Perhaps, for many, it is just a job,
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and they have learnt how to remain unaffected by the pain, just like many doctors working in hospital emergency departments. Trevor McDonald, a well-known British newsreader, was observed to have been privately affected by the terrible news that he often had to read. He “would sometimes spend some minutes weeping in his dressing room after having delivered the national news. He felt something of the pain of the news he was delivering”.3 But most people are unaffected by tragic news. We can become desensitised to breaking news to such an extent that it becomes nothing more than fodder to satisfy our curiosity or to entertain our bored minds. Seeing burning buildings, earthquake victims, and the plight of refugees from the comfort and safety of our homes via TV, computer, or mobile phone does not help either. While viewing distressing news, tantalising advertisements about cosmetics, vacations, food, and other goodies from the consumer marketplace are interspersed! We may watch a documentary or read an article about some terrible need in the world—orphans, the slave trade, child abuse, drug addiction, or gang violence—and even if we care enough to pay attention and be moved, it is only a momentary feeling. The busyness of life, and the daily pursuit of individualistic desires, results in these issues and problems being filed away as part of our growing general knowledge—to be recalled only as points of interest in social discussions, as and when they arise. How often we miss God’s call because we do not give sufficient attention to what God is saying to us. God does not suddenly appear to us one night to issue a call or give us instructions. Often He speaks to us in a less spectacular fashion: through a talk given by a
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visiting missionary, a report or article in a magazine, news on TV or on social media, a conversation with someone who has been involved in a ministry to the needy, and in so many other ways. A spiritual leader is one whose heart is always tuned to God, and who seeks to hear God in all of life’s many situations. He hears news that matters. He may not be attracted to the headlines that the world is interested in, but other pieces of news will make him sit up, because he hears God speaking to him. He has an eye and ear for the things that matter to God, and picks these things up in his daily routines, in his reading, viewing, observing, and reflecting. Nehemiah was such a spiritual leader. The bad news that his visitors brought became the very means by which God called him to obedience and service. Nehemiah saw the connection between bad news and divine calling.
Broken Walls, Burnt Gates Notice how the news also contained Nehemiah’s vocation. He heard about the broken walls of Jerusalem and the gates that remained unrepaired after being burnt by invaders. The glory of a city in ancient times included its walls and gates. The walls of a city offered protection and displayed its strength. Cities built thick walls that could not be easily breached, walls that sent a message to potential invaders: think twice about attacking. Gates control who gets into a city and who gets out. While walls establish protection and separate a city from potential dangers, gates allow for transactions between the city and its environment. Gates allow for trade and tourism. A burnt down gate is useless because anyone, including enemies, spies, and thieves, could easily walk in
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and then out with their spoils. Broken walls and burnt gates did not offer the people of Jerusalem any comfort of protection and safety, never mind about showing off any sense of glory. It was a life-anddeath matter. Imagine living in a house with walls that have been brought down by a falling tree, or with a door that has been eaten away by termites. It would be difficult for the people in that house to feel safe and sleep soundly, especially if they were living in a rough neighbourhood. It was like that for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In a way, burnt gates and broken walls also represent the lives of persons who are in desperate need of repair. A destroyed wall means that there is no protective mechanism in one’s life. Deadly and corrupting influences can easily enter one’s mind and heart to colonise them. Even in the biological world, cells in the body have a protective wall which engages with the surroundings through a semipermeable membrane that regulates what goes in and what comes out. Without the cell wall and the membrane, the cell would quickly die. Life would not be possible. What is true in biology and in the political life of a city is also true in the lives of individuals and churches. One of my friends, Ben Witherington III, likes to share one of the significant things he learnt from his grandmother. She said: “Never be so open-minded that your brain falls out!” A healthy individual or church would have healthy interactions with the surrounding social environment. The absence of walls and gates is not conducive for healthy life. There are churches that have broken walls—there is no difference between them, as a redeemed community, and the world, that is lost in sin. The world has entered the church and blown away its witness. Such a church would also have dysfunctional gates—no one is coming in as the fruit of evangelism and no one is going out to do God’s mission.
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Surely such situations are as grave as the one that Nehemiah heard about. The man knew in his heart that God was calling him to be involved, to obey Him, and do His work. Today, God does the same in our lives. Spiritual leaders are those who develop their relationship with God and grow a heart that is sensitive to the whispers and nudges of God. If spiritual leaders become great, it is simply because they are related to a great God who uses them for His eternal purposes.
Leadership Lessons Understand the connection between location and vocation. First, God places men and women to serve Him in different places. A spiritual leader should prayerfully seek God’s will wherever he may be. For leaders, what they are doing in their places of work is more than a job; it is a place of calling and ministry. Our location is often connected with our vocation—referring to where we are physically located in our homes and workplaces, as well as where we are socially located, meaning the relationships we have with our family, friends, colleagues, and neighbours. As Christians, we know that nothing happens to us by accident—our physical and social locations have been assigned by God (1 Corinthians 7:17). Thus, we have to ask what God’s purpose is with regard to where we find ourselves—in our family, church, workplace, neighbourhood, and so on. Pay attention to what God is saying. Second, a spiritual leader is one who is sensitive to what is happening in his heart as well as in his world. He should be able to discern what God is saying within him and around him. Only in this way can he be useful and faithful
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to God and be able to receive God’s call for special tasks. He must learn to be still in God’s presence, so that God’s voice can be clearly heard within. He should be a reflective person, observing what is happening in and around him, paying particular attention to the unseen things that lie behind and at the heart of visible realities. Be genuinely concerned for God’s people. Third, a spiritual leader should be particularly interested in matters related to the people of God. He should not just receive news out of curiosity, but out of genuine concern. Whatever he hears, he should commit it to God in prayer, and seek God’s will. He should have a regular habit of praying for others—family members, colleagues, fellow church members, those he meets, and those he reads about. Receive news with a sensitive heart. Fourth, breaking news should, from time to time, break a spiritual leader’s heart. We cannot read or watch the news without the involvement of our hearts, hearts that are connected to God’s heart through reading His Word and through prayer. The spiritual leader should read the news not as a worldly person but as God’s servant, ready to discern God’s voice in the news, and share God’s heart for a troubled and sinful world. This he must do, not only in public prayer but also in private prayer. Stay connected with God. Fifth, the heartbeat of leadership is a vital relationship with God, maintained by the holy habit of earnest prayer and ready obedience. Without such a living relationship, it is not possible to be a leader after God’s own heart. God referred to the apostle Paul as “my chosen instrument” (Acts 9:15), emphasising that belonging to Him is the basis of being used by Him. Our relationship with Him is the basis of any leadership role He may
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give us in our service for Him. We must know Him before we can make Him known, and love Him before we can urge others to do so.
Reflect • In what ways are your present roles and responsibilities in life a reflection of God’s calling for you? What does this say about how God is working in our lives? • Why is Christian identity so vital in our life and witness? How can we strengthen our identity through daily disciplines? How does a strong Christian identity serve as a sturdy wall and an active gate? Why is this important in the life of a spiritual leader? • How can reading or watching the news be a way God speaks to us, and how can this be connected to His call in our lives? How can one read the news with one ear tuned to what God is saying?
- End of Sample If you like a copy you may purchase a copy at the Book Launch. https://ourdailybread.org/my-booklaunch2018/
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