OTHER INSIGHTS ON LEADERSHIP

[Leadership style of Nehemiah 12]

9 NOW on the twenty-fourth day of this month the CHILDREN OF ISRAEL were assembled with FASTING, in SACKCLOTH, and with DUST ON THEIR HEADS.
2 Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; AND THEY STOOD AND CONFESSED THEIR SINS AND THE INIQUITIES OF THEIR FATHERS.
3 And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth THEY CONFESSED AND WORSHIPED THE LORD THEIR GOD.
4 Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the stairs of the Levites and cried out with a loud voice to the LORD their God.
5 And the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said: “STAND UP AND BLESS THE LORD YOUR GOD FOREVER AND EVER! “BLESSED BE YOUR GLORIOUS NAME, WHICH IS EXALTED ABOVE ALL BLESSING AND PRAISE!"
Nehemiah 9:1-5 (NKJV)

• What a leader does influences his or her followers—positively or negatively.

• The people fasted, wore sack-clothes, and put dust on their heads to be remorseful for the sins they had committed (Nehemiah 9:1).
• Note: in your leadership, endeavour to let the people know how to walk with God intimately, in their relationship with Him—by teaching them the Word.
• God created humans and put a desire to crave for Him, a desire to worship Him, in their hearts. He does reserve a place for Himself in the Humans' heart.
  THEY would only need a push or a motivation through a leader for them to allow God to take His rightful place in their lives.
• The people made a serious commitment in serving God:
  "JOINED their leaders and BOUND themselves with an OATH. THEY SWORE A CURSE ON THEMSELVES IF THEY FAILED TO OBEY THE LAW OF GOD as issued by his servant Moses. THEY SOLEMNLY PROMISED TO CAREFULLY FOLLOW ALL THE COMMANDS, REGULATIONS, AND DECREES OF THE LORD OUR LORD" (Nehemiah 10:29 NLT).
  READ: 1 Corinthians 9:16-18

• The people did promise to be responsible By (Nehemiah 10:29):
(i) Not giving their daughters in marriage to the nations around them, and NOT taking wives for their sons from them (Nehemiah 10:30).
(ii) Not Buying the merchandise or grains from them on the Sabbath or any holy day (Nehemiah 10:31).
(iii) Cancelling all debts every seventh year and forgo working on the land (Nehemiah 10:31).
(iv) Giving for the services of the house of God (Nehemiah 10:32-39).
a. The priests, the levites and the people to be more responsible in bringing the contribution of woods, to burn on the altar of the LORD according to the law.
b. They promised of bringing their first-fruits.
c. They also promised to bring their tithes and be faithful in all their GIVING responsibilities (Nehemiah 10:37-39).

• Rejoice and give thanks for the LORD'S Doing in your work—the assignment.

• Appreciate God's move and celebrate every result you may have had in your ministry assignment.
• Whatever God has done should be appreciated, celebrated and rejoiced over. Nothing should be seen as small or minute, out of all God has done, and would be doing in your Ministry (Hebrews 13:15).
• God loves celebrations. He ordained different feasts for the Israelites that they would not forget HIS works in their midsts (Exodus 23:14-17; Numbers 28:11,16,26; 29:1).
• The wall of Jerusalem was completed and dedicated with rejoicing and celebrations:
  "FOR the DEDICATION of the new wall of Jerusalem, the LEVITES throughout the land were asked to come to Jerusalem to assist in the CEREMONIES. They were to take part in THE JOYOUS OCCASION WITH THEIR SONGS OF THANKSGIVING AND WITH THE MUSIC OF CYMBALS, HARPS, AND LYRES" (Nehemiah 12:27 NLT).

• In conducting of a programme:

• A minister should have the understanding of the planning and execution of programmes. Your skill in it would have to be developed.
• Note the following to avoid any programme failure:
  (i) Whatever programme that God has not commanded should not be organized or held.
  (ii) See to the welfare of the ministers that would be invited for the programme.
  a. The honorarium that would be given to them should be prepared alongside with the overall planning and the expenses of the programme.
  b. If the ministers are coming from outside; other towns, cities, or Nations. THERE must be a proper arrangement on how they would be received, the hotels they would be lodged, the food and other things.
  c. If any music minister would be invited, apart from the church choristers, there should be similar proper arrangements for such.
  (iii) The venue, the publicity, and efforts to mobilize your people, in order to invite other people for the programme; should be done excellently well.
  (iv) You will need to mobilize your people to pray for the success of the programme. If every other thing was done well, but prayer is neglected, the programme could still not be a success.
  (a) Prayer should be an integral part of whatever to be done in the work of God, ministry work, because we can but do nothing without the help of God (John 15:5).
  (b) And aside that, we wrestle not with flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12), the devil might want to rear up his ugly head to stand against the success of the programme. He is the accuser of brethren (Revelation 12:10,11). Thus, prayer is of paramount importance.
• If attention was not given to a proper programme planning, such could be flopped. Pray, plan, and prepare for the programme:
  "I LED THE LEADERS OF Judah to the TOP OF THE WALL and organized two LARGE CHOIRS TO GIVE THANKS. One of the choirs proceeded southward along the top of the wall to the Dung Gate" (Nehemiah 12:31 (NLT).

• To be a successful ministry leader you need to have a little knowledge of different areas of life.

• A ministry leader should not only be skilful in preaching or teaching, but such should be a good administrator also.
• Nehemiah assigned the people to do different works, and specified what to be done by them—when the wall was being dedicated:
  "ON THAT DAY MEN WERE APPOINTED TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE STOREROOMS FOR THE OFFERINGS, the first part of the harvest, and the tithes. THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE TO COLLECT FROM THE FIELDS OUTSIDE THE TOWNS the portions required by the Law for the priests and Levites. For all the people of Judah took joy in the priests and Levites and their work" (Nehemiah 12:44 NLT).

• Leadership

• A leader must be principled and resolute. Nehemiah did the work of reformation. He did improve and change a number of things.
• What are the things he did:
  (i) He corrected the idea of trading on the Sabbath day (Nehemiah 13:15-18).
  (ii) When he realized the portions of the Levites were no longer given to them, he made the necessary corrections; contended with the leaders, and that made the people to be faithful in Tithing:
  10 I ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE LEVITES HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN THEIR PRESCRIBED PORTIONS OF FOOD, so they and the singers who were to conduct the worship services had all returned to work their fields. 11 I IMMEDIATELY CONFRONTED THE LEADERS AND DEMANDED, “Why has the Temple of God been NEGLECTED?” Then I called all the Levites back again and restored them to their proper duties. 12 AND ONCE MORE ALL THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH BEGAN BRINGING THEIR TITHES OF GRAIN, new wine, and olive oil to the Temple storerooms" (Nehemiah 13:10-12 NLT).
  (iii) He ejected, TOBIAH, one of those who stood against them in the building of the WALL; who supposed not to occupy the rooms in the house of God (Nehemiah 13:4-9).

• If you are not firm and thorough, you may not succeed in your leadership assignment.

• You would have to put your foot down on certain things. You may have to be very strict or coarse at times, in opposing what some people wanted to introduce or do; that may be contrary to the instruction given you by God!
• Force may have to be applied in getting some things done.
• Also, your absence at your place of assignment should not be too long, even if you travel for a purpose, make sure you are back on time to check how things are being done (Nehemiah 13:6).
• Check on those whom you have delegated to do one thing or another.
• Set a good standard for the assigned leaders to follow—those who are working with you.
• Your presence and contribution cannot be overemphasized, in putting things Right, when things are degenerating.

• You will not fail in your assignment in Jesus' name.

• Should there any ailment in your body, I declare your healing now in Jesus' name.
• Whatever God has not planted in your body, which is contrary to your health, such is cursed and rooted up in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
  Peace!