Leadership principles from Nehemiah (I)

Introduction Scripture presents numerous role models for leadership. Few, however, are as fully developed as the example of Nehemiah. Under authority from King Artaxerxes I, he returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the city, beginning with its broken-down wall. There is a lot we can learn from Nehemiah's model and I pray that the Lord Himself will help us to be leaders after His own heart, whether in the home, at work, in the church or in the nation.

Leaders Have a Sense of Mission
Almost by definition, leaders have some end to which they are headed. This sense of mission helps to guide their decisions and determine their strategy.

Nehemiah's mission grew out of his knowledge of the Law and his awareness that the destruction of Jerusalem had come about through God's judgment of his people's sins (Neh.1:5-8). At the same time, he knew that God was willing to forgive their sins and restore them to the land (Neh.1:9). Therefore Nehemiah determined that he would see to the rebuilding of Jerusalem, in accordance with the Lord's promises, and he began to devise a strategy toward that end (Neh. 1:10-11)

It is important to note that Nehemiah did not dream up a sense of mission out of his own agenda or self-interest. He responded to the news of Jerusalem's plight with tears, prayer, fasting, humility, and seeking the Lord's will (Neh.1:4). As he prepared to go before the king, he probably did not know exactly what he should say or do, only that he needed to go to Jerusalem. Nor could he have known all that he would encounter once he arrived at the ruined city.

Nevertheless, convinced that God wanted the Holy City to be revived, Nehemiah stepped forward as a change agent, and his leadership proved strategic.

If you are in a leadership position, have you identified the overarching mission to which you are committed? Is it a worthwhile endeavour? Is it something that you believe God wants you to accomplish?

Leaders Leverage Their Power
Management has been defined as the ability to get things done through other people. However, that can happen only if the people involved are in a position to get things done. Thus leaders must use their influence to get people of means participating in their efforts.

Nehemiah followed this principle in his plan to rebuild Jerusalem. He was in a key position of influence as the cupbearer to Artexerxes. He had the king's ear, and he leveraged his proximity to power for the advantage of his people. He requested and was granted a leave of absence (Neh. 2:5-6), letters of reference (Neh. 2:7), and a government grant for building materials (Neh. 2:8).

Today, the ability to leverage power is an indispensable requirement of leadership, especially for those who work in community development and urban ministry. There are plenty of resources to help the poor but it takes wise and disciplined leaders to align themselves with the powerful on behalf of the powerless. Tasks such as grant-writing, resource development, and asset distribution require careful cultivation of relationships with those in the networks of power.

If you are in a position of leadership, what is your relationship to the powerful? Do you know how to befriend those to whom God has given authority and influence, so that you can enlist them appropriately in your efforts for good? Or do you resist or resent them, thereby alienating yourself and those you lead from vital resources that could help you accomplish your goals?

Leaders Conduct Research
A missile without a guidance system is a dangerous thing; all power and no direction. In the same way, leaders who do not know where they are going can wreak havoc. That is why it pays for people in leadership positions to gather the right kind of information, so that they can make wise choices about which path to pursue.

Before he launched his plan to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, Nehemiah conducted careful research about the task at hand. He quietly walked around the city by night, without fanfare, surveying the extent of the problem and perhaps formulating some tentative strategies (Neh. 2:11-15).

Nehemiah's low profile was especially appropriate given that he was a new member of the community. As a representative of the king, he could have come in with trumpets blaring and declared what his expectations were. Instead, he kept his thoughts to himself and avoided attracting attention until he had formulated a plan.

If you are in a position of leadership, do you take pains to gather the kind of information you need to make decisions? Are your decisions informed and based on reality? Or do you assume that the power of your position alone is all that is required to bring about the results you seek?

Leaders Build Community
In many countries of the twentieth century, the labour force often has been sharply divided between management and labour. One problem of this rigid distinction is that it tends to create a mentality of “us” versus “them”. History shows that most of the greatest achievements of humanity have been accomplished by teams and communities of people working together toward common ends.

Nehemiah understood the power of community as he undertook the task of rebuilding Jerusalem's wall. After surveying the situation, he gathered the people and gave a speech in which he mobilized the community around the rebuilding project. First he raised their awareness that something should be done, then he instilled confidence in them that something could be done – by them (Neh. 2:17-18).

It is interesting to notice that Nehemiah spoke in terms of “we” and “us” even though in his written account he used “they” and “them”. Clearly he saw himself as a participant in the dire circumstances, even though he had just arrived from the royal palace, In fact, he bridged the class division between himself and his people by sharing the discussion he had had with the king, thereby showing that the people had a friend in the emperor's court.

If you are in a leadership position, have you learned how to break down walls that divide and instead build community? Like Nehemiah, do you know how to overcome communication barriers? Do you address individuals and families by name, involve people right where they live, respect their limitations, and take a personal interest in their circumstances?

Leaders Adapt to Adversity
Many people run from adversity; wise leaders cheerfully expect it! Wherever change and progress are underway, competing interests inevitably rise to challenge them. At that point, leaders must decide whether they will accept the challenge and meet it, or turn tail and let their opponents set the agenda.

.Nehemiah's adversaries were a group of Jews from racially mixed backgrounds and Gentiles who had a vested interest in seeing that Jerusalem remained unprotected (Neh. 4:7). During the 70 years of Judah's exile, they had established dominance over those left behind. Therefore, Nehemiah's plan to rebuild the walls and revitalize the city threatened to end their monopoly on control.

Nehemiah responded to their opposition with resolute faith and prayer and measured resistance. Rather than escalate a touchy situation, he defended against attack and kept on working. Thus he adapted to adversity rather than run from it or overreact to it. God eventually rewarded Nehemiah's perseverance with the completion of the wall (Neh. 6:15).

If you are in a position of leadership, how do you respond to opposition and adversity? Do you bend but not break, strengthened by your faith and confident that God will see you through? Do you respond to the opposition in appropriate ways, taking practical steps to ensure that the task goes forward, even as others try to shut it down? TO BE CONTINUED!

STAY BLESSED “A NIGHT WITH JAMES VARRICK-ARMAAH” – MUSICAL CONCERT Beloved, join us at the Kama Conference Center on Friday, January 30, 2009 at 5:30pm for another thrilling concert featuring the musical prodigy James Varrick-Armaah and the Harmonious Chorale. Admission is Free