Tag: Nehemiah

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Nehemiah’s Example of Persistence in the Direction of God’s Goals

Nehemiah, a leader living in the fourth and fifth centuries B.C., received a vision from God about rebuilding the walls and gates of the city of Jerusalem, but encountered opposition when attempting to implement that vision.

Nehemiah’s Example of Persistence in the Direction of God’s Goals

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In his time the walls and gates of Jerusalem needed to be rebuilt because the people of the city needed security against their enemies as well as a method to keep the Jews as a separate and holy people from foreigners. Both of these were critical problems to the Jewish population,[ref]Gary Smith, “Ezra-Nehemiah, Esther,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, ed. Philip Comfort, vol. 5b, (Carole Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2010), 9[/ref] and Nehemiah needed to be persistent to overcome them.

Nehemiah’s Example of Persistence in
the Direction of God’s Goals

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12 Leadership Principles from the Book of Nehemiah

In today’s blog post I share twelve leadership principles from the book of Nehemiah.

12 Leadership Principles from the Book of Nehemiah

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Nehemiah is viewed as one of the great leaders and managers of the Old Testament. He led a group of Jews living in Judah to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem in only 52 days! Here are twelve brief leadership principles from the book of Nehemiah.

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5 Themes and 5 Leadership Principles from Nehemiah

The book of Nehemiah is about the restoration of the physical and spiritual life of the nation of Judah in Jerusalem. In recent years many books have been written about leadership using the book of Nehemiah as a source to develop leadership principles. This post will explain the primary message of the book of Nehemiah and then use that primary message to evaluate leadership principles written by others.

5 Themes and 5 Leadership Principles from Nehemiah

Photo Credit: Marcus Hansson

The book of Nehemiah tells the story of restoration of the city of Jerusalem. When examining the book of Nehemiah as a single unit of material one will notice that it is a book which focuses on “lists.” Fifty-three percent (214 verses) of the material in Nehemiah are lists, 25 percent (146 verses) is historical narrative, and 11 percent (46 verses) are recorded prayers.[ref]Stehpen Bramer, “Nehemiah, ” unpublished class notes for BE103 Old Testament History II and Poetry (Dallas Theological Seminary, Winter Term, 2013), 3. Quoted from Robert Bell, “The Theology of Nehemiah” in Biblical Viewpoint, 56.[/ref]

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Nehemiah’s Model for Creating an Inspiring Mission

I want to encourage you to create an inspiring mission for your city, nonprofit, church, or company. Why? Because in my experience I know that when you create an inspiring mission good things happen because people want to get involved and help.

My goal is for you to learn how to create an inspiring mission. As you may know I have experience running nonprofit programs, leading volunteers, and fundraising money to help make a difference in communities.

Nehemiah’s Model for Creating an Inspiring Mission

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In 2005 I started a nonprofit program that fed more than 5,000 people in five years. Additionally, I worked at the United Way of Stanislaus County for six years raising funds to support community and coordinating volunteer groups. Together I’ve spent eight years working to improve the communities I’ve worked in, mostly through the nonprofit industry.

One of the things I’ve enjoyed doing over the past two years is studying the biblical book of Nehemiah in light of the work being done to transform and improve communities. Through this study I have observed some things Nehemiah did that can be transferred to our current context and cities. I would like to share with you just one principle that you can do and when you do do it, it can transform your city.

Let’s look at the book of Nehemiah to read two verses and see what it can teach us about how to be leaders who transform the city we live in. But, before we look at those two verses, let me start with a story.

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I’m doing a great work, so I can’t come

Today’s blog post is based on a very important Bible verse in the book of Nehemiah which has great implications for leaders. It is also one of my favorite verses from one of my favorite books of the Bible.

Example of a Wall

One of the reasons I love the book of Nehemiah is that it allows the reader to peek inside the heart of Nehemiah because it was written as a memoir from Nehemiah. Most of the books of the Bible tell about events that happened, but rarely do they tell about the thoughts and feelings of the biblical characters. However, because the book of Nehemiah was written as a memoir, we get to take a peek past what has happended and actually read about what Nehemiah was thinking and feeling.

The verse we are going to look at today is important for leaders because leaders need focus in order to work towards their goals. Without focus, they will allow themselves to get pushed and pulled to many different projects and initiatives within their organizations. When goals and objectives are clear for leaders, they are better able to focus their time and attention to get things done and make positive change.

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An Urban Ministry Exegesis of Nehemiah

A leader can make a positive change in the inner city with the hope of restoring poor people to a closer relationship with Jesus Christ.

An Urban Ministry Exegesis of Nehemiah

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH

The book of Nehemiah is a potential model for inner city ministry because, if we study it exegetically, there are lessons we can observe and apply to bringing the gospel to inner cities. One author writes about the importance of bringing the gospel to the inner city in a positive way stating, “Annunciating the kingdom will mean that instead of accepting the inner city as it is and offering words of future consolation, Christians will work to reverse the misery, suffering, and injustice that too often grip it. Such kingdom-focused work includes establishing alternative institutions, advancing holistic initiatives, and advancing the cause of urban reform.”[ref]Mark R. Gornik, To Live in Peace: Biblical Faith and the Changing Inner City (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002), 29.[/ref] My pastor, Brian Miller, felt a burden as he began Enclave Community Church. He knows it is important to play a role in making sure that the problems of the poor are solved.

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I’m doing a great work, so I can’t come

One of my favorite books of the Bible is the book of Nehemiah.  And one of my favorite verses of the Bible is Nehemiah chapter six, verse three.

“. . . So I replied by sending this message: ‘I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?’ ” – Nehemiah 6:3 (NLT)

In other words, I’m doing a great work, so I can’t come.

I. THE STORY OF NEHEMIAH

Nehemiah is the great story of a servant to a King who is allowed to travel to the city of Jerusalem and performs the amazing work of rebuilding the walls all the way around the city in only 52 days! Nehemiah is typically listed as one of the main “management” or “leadership” books of the Bible because of Nehemiah’s ability to have vision for what he wanted to do, then mobilize and lead people toward that vision.

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Leadership Take Away’s from Nehemiah ch. 6

Last Friday the guys and I studied chapter 6 of Nehemiah looking to learn some leadership principles.  Here’s the links to what we learned in chapter 4 and chapter 5.

Protect Your Time.

In verse 6:3 (NLT) Nehemiah says, “I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come.  Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?”  Man, I love that statement.  The evil political leaders of the land are trying to meet with Nehemiah because they claim to want to work out their differences.  But Nehemiah refuses, he was a busy man and didn’t want to stop what he was doing.  The work he was doing was the most important thing, and meeting with political leaders who had their own personal agenda didn’t match up with his vision.

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