Page 68 - Principles of Leadership - Nehemiah

Nehemiah had already rebuked the leaders in Nehemiah 5:9 about not walking in fear of the Lord. “What you
are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you walk in fear of our God [and not invite] the reproach of our foreign
enemies?” (HCSB) Nehemiah realized that if the spiritual transformation was to sweep the Jerusalem
community, those in leadership must demonstrate the fear of God more than most. If people were to describe
our lives, would they define us as people who fear God more than most?

John Maxwell offers the following suggestions when you are looking for potential leaders. “Men are developed
the same way gold is mined. You do not go into the mine looking for dirt; you go in looking for gold. That’s
exactly the way to develop positive, successful people. Look for the gold, not the dirt, the gold, not the bad. The
more positive qualities you look for, the more you are going to find.” 180 Here is a list of qualities he looks for in
leaders.

• Character (I’ve found nothing more important than this quality)
• Influence
• Positive Attitude
• Excellent People Skills
• Evident Gifts
• Proven Track Record
• Confidence
• Self-Discipline
• Effective Communication Skills
• Discontent With The Status Quo

3. Recognize specific dangers (7:3)
I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot, and let the doors be shut and securely
fastened while the guards are on duty. Station the citizens of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and
some at their homes.”

I love what Raymond Brown says about this verse. “Newly fortified walls were no guarantee against future
onslaughts. The enemy was ruthless and determined to undermine Nehemiah’s leadership… In times like ours,
when pluralism, hedonism, materialism, relativism, and syncretism shape contemporary values, gates and
guards are as necessary for the church as in Nehemiah’s Jerusalem.” 181 (See Appendix II for the definition of
these terms) We mustn’t rush over these comments. Raymond Brown points to the need for guards and
gatekeepers in the church today, just as Nehemiah had guards and gatekeepers to preserve worship in
Jerusalem. He points to the infiltration of hedonism and materialism in today's church, which is crippling it with
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