Effective Spiritual Leadership
Today will be one of my more busier days in a while. Early this morning I left the house at 6 a.m. to meet a friend to travel to the Capitol in Denver for a legislative Bible Study. We visited the House and Senate Chambers and then made it back to Loveland in time for a Rotary meeting. I then stopped at Northern Colorado Rehab hospital to take care of a couple of 
issues and then home for a rest, so I could work on my blog before getting ready for a banquet tonight.
There was a good group of legislators in attendance at the Bible Study and it was good to connect with some former colleagues over in the Senate that I have not seen for a while. The picture is me with former Loveland State Representative Jim Welker and Dan File, the Chaplain at the Capitol.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…“See what trouble we are in because Jerusalem is in ruins and its gates are destroyed! Let’s rebuild the city walls and put an end to our disgrace.” And I told them how God had been with me and helped me, and what the emperor had said to me. They responded, “Let’s start rebuilding!” And they got ready to start the work. Nehemiah 2:17,18
As I read the account of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, I was once again amazed at the “leadership lessons” that are in these first six chapters of the Book of Nehemiah. Because of Nehemiah’s faith and reliance on the Lord I call this “effective spiritual leadership” but most of the principles apply for believers of faith in any leadership context.
The first thing I notice is that often leaders come from unexpected places. Nehemiah was a captive in a foreign land. He was in a position of trust and responsibility, but he was a cupbearer to the King. He was not like Daniel and his friends who had been groomed for positions of leadership, but his position proved to be strategic in getting the Kings attention and favor. (Neh. 1:10,11)
Then I note that leaders are aware of their own limitations. I see this in Nehemiah’s consistent commitment to prayer. When he heard of the distress of the exiles in Jerusalem and the condition of the walls, he prayed. (Neb. 1:4) When the King asked why he was sad, he prayed. (probably a good idea since this was not acceptable in the King’s presence.) When the King asked what he wanted, he prayed. We read consistently of Nehemiah’s prayers throughout the process of rebuilding the wall.
Leaders are people of courage. I notice this in Nehemiah’s bold request of the King. His bold request, took courage. I see courage in stepping out an calling the people to task for rebuilding the walls. He faced all kinds of opposition and challenges. What confronted him was not an easy task nor something for the “faint of heart.”
Leaders evaluate and plan before taking action. Nehemiah personally assesses the task the is before him. When Nehemiah gets to Jerusalem he doesn’t tell anyone one what the Lord has laid on his heart, he takes time to evaluate the condition of the walls, and as he did I’m sure he was formulating a plan and considering the challenge that was ahead. (Neh. 2:11-15)
Leaders inspire others to take action. (Neh. 2:17,18) Nehemiah assembled the leaders and key people of the city and pointed out the problem. “See what trouble we are in because Jerusalem is in ruins and its gates are destroyed!” People must believe the mission they are being called to is possible and that the Lord is with them.
I will continue with some additional observations tomorrow. We find many practical lessons in God’s Word that we can apply to our lives. Whether someone is in a leadership “position” or not we all exercise influence in certain places and at certain times. All of these observations that we see in Nehemiah’s life can be applied to our lives today.