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Leader qualities ...
I have been looking recently at the issue of leadership and the qualities that are required. Effective
leadership is vital if a church is going to grow and sustain its growth. So what are some of the qualities a
good leader needs to have?
A good leader needs to be visionary. Again, and again I have observed that church, missionary and
ministry leaders are people of vision. Vision really means that those who are in leadership know where
they are going. In the book of Nehemiah, we see a man who was burdened about the condition of
Jerusalem. Nehemiah 1:4: “So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept and mourned for
many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of Heaven.” As soon as Nehemiah heard of the plight of
his people, and that the walls were in ruins, he was burdened, and had a God given vision to return and
rectify the situation.
A good leader needs to be prayerful. In the first chapter of Nehemiah, prayer is mentioned eight
times, and numerous other times throughout the rest of the book. Most leaders recognize that prayer
should be an integral part of developing a God-ordained vision. Leaders can get many good ideas that on
the surface seem worth running with, but unfortunately are not God-ordained. In John 21, the disciples
fished all night and caught nothing and as they came to shore, Jesus asked them if they had caught any
fish to which they had to answer no. Jesus then asks them to cast their net on the right side of the boat.
Remember these were seasoned fishermen who knew the Sea of Galilee well, however at the word of
Jesus they were blessed with a full net. I have seen churches doing programs for years without knowing
if they were God-ordained or not. The result is no fruit and the church becomes disillusioned and
profoundly discouraged.
A good leader will recognize the need for practical infrastructure to bring into reality their
vision, and to sustain it. Nehemiah was strategic in what he did. For example, with the rebuilding of
the wall Nehemiah appointed families to do the section of the wall next to their home. This gave them
extra incentive to do the job well. Whilst this is only a brief overview of the importance of vision,
particularly in the local church, I am absolutely convinced that many of our churches are experiencing a
crisis of leadership and as a consequence a crisis of vision. We need to get back to developing godly
leaders, who are putting into place God ordained vision.
Carl Carmody
Editor Challenge
A good leader knows the importance of conveying their vision to others. This is particularly
important in church life. Evidence abounds that clearly indicates that unless the church owns the vision it
has little to no chance of succeeding. Nehemiah took time in chapter 2 to share how God had called him
and prepared the way for him to return to Jerusalem. By doing this, he was validating his vision from
God. An important part of conveying the vision to a church is to model it to the people. If the leaders
want their people to evangelize, for example, then they need to be prepared to model evangelism.
Another important part of conveying a vision is to inspire people. Nehemiah did this by not only letting
the people know what God had already done, but that he was willing to get down in the trenches with
his people. Leaders who are aloof from their people rarely inspire. In addition, Nehemiah inspired his
people by his faith in God. Having expressed how God had done some wonderful things, he then
declares to his people in chapter 2v20, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us.”
A good leader needs to be passionate. To have a vital relationship with the Lord Jesus and thus a
passion to fulfil their God-given vision. Once Nehemiah knew what God wanted him to do, he pursued
it with vigor. He was bold before the king in letting him know what was ailing him, and then what he
needed, to get him back to Jerusalem and get started on the wall.
Read More ...
The Lord is My Shepherd (Part 8)
The Lord is My Shepherd (Part 7)
The Lord is My Shepherd (Part 6)
The Lord is My Shepherd (Part 5)
The Lord is My Shepherd (Part 4)
The Lord is My Shepherd (Part 3)
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