Godly Leadership

Intro:

A fella by the name of Dr. Tim White says that “Every believer is a minister or servant of God who should be serving God and exerting influence on others through his/her local church. Leadership is one person influencing positively another person. Christian leadership is one believer spiritually impacting others for God’s glory.”

Meaning that… As a follower of Christ, you not only have the power to influence others for the glory of God, but this is precisely the calling we are meant to fulfill.

Whether you realize it or not, the fact remains, that we all influence someone… it may be in a positive way, it may be in a negative way, but we all influence someone.

Every word we speak, action we take, and decision we make ripples through the lives of others—whether it’s within our families, among friends, in our workplaces, or even with strangers.

Influence isn’t limited to grand gestures; it often occurs in the small, everyday interactions that we may not even notice. Whether through encouragement, advice, or simply by the way we live our lives, we are constantly shaping the thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors of those around us.

This influence is an opportunity, a responsibility, and a powerful way to make a difference in the world… …

When we think of leaders, we tend to imagine people in positions of power and authority—figures like CEOs, politicians, or public speakers who stand at the forefront of movements and organizations. We often picture individuals who command attention, make decisions that shape the future, and lead others with confidence and vision.

However, leadership isn't confined to titles or roles. True leadership can be found in the quiet influence of a parent guiding their child, a mentor investing in someone's growth, or a friend offering support during difficult times.

Leadership is not just about standing in the spotlight, but about making a positive impact in the lives of others, no matter what position you are currently in.

We are going to spend our time in the coming weeks and months looking at what it takes to be a godly leader…

Someone once said “When one considers leadership, there are an abundance of books and materials available for consideration. Of those, none are better than the Old Testament book of Nehemiah. It is a master class study in leadership.”

As is my custom, I want to spend our time today giving you some background information, by way of introduction to this wonderful and informative book.

I don’t have a main passage for today, but we will look at some Scripture as we make our way through our message for today.

Meat:

The first bit of information that I want to look at is…

1. The Setting

Where exactly does Nehemiah fit into the chronology of Scripture?… … “Well Pastor, it is right in between the books of Ezra and Esther”… Which is true… but if the books of the Bible were listed in chronological order(meaning by the date they were written), then Nehemiah would be in a completely different place…

Nehemiah fits into the chronology of Scripture as a key figure in the…

1.1 Post-Exilic Period

… of Israel’s history.

Our study through Daniel took us all the way through the time in which Israel was Exiled… or taken away from their own homes and forced to live in Babylon.

(Slide)

Just for a bit of a refresher… remember that Daniel lived during the Babylonian exile after King Nebuchadnezzar had conquered Judah and deported many Israelites to Babylon in (605 BC)… And then Jerusalem was completely destroyed in 586 BC… which would include the destruction of the Temple and the walls surrounding the city of Jerusalem.

Daniel remained in Babylon throughout the exile, providing spiritual insight and prophetic visions concerning the future restoration of Israel.

Daniel knew that the exile would only last 70 years, as that is what God told the Prophet Jeremiah… and just as God said…

(Slide)

A man by the name of “Zerubbabel”, a descendant of King David and governor of Judah, led the first wave of exiles back to Jerusalem around 538 BC.

Zerubbabel was the one who oversaw the rebuilding of the temple, which had been destroyed by the Babylonians… … Now… We know this didn't happen immediately because, as seen in Daniel chapter 10, Daniel mourned for three weeks. This was due to the fact that, despite having the opportunity to return to their homeland for three years, most of the Israelites chose to remain in Babylon, showing little concern for Jerusalem, the Temple or proper worship of God.

However, around 516 BC the Temple building was complete…

Ezra 6:15 NKJV

15 Now the temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

And even after the temple was built, it still took about 60 years for more Israelites to return… … This is where Ezra comes in…

(Slide)

Ezra was a scribe and priest. He arrived in Jerusalem around 458 BC, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, he was the one who led a second group of exiles back to Jerusalem and his main concern was the spiritual and religious reformation of the people.

These people that were returning to Israel had been born and raised in Babylon, taught the ways of the Babylonians, lived like the Babylonians… And so upon their return, Ezra taught and re-established the Law of Moses and led a religious revival among the Jews in Jerusalem.

Ezra 7:10 NASB95

10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Which finally brings us to Nehemiah....

Nehemiah’s story unfolds as the final wave of restoration takes place. His focus is on rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, which were crucial for the city’s protection and dignity.

He arrived in Jerusalem…

1.2 Around 445 BC

Almost 100 years after the decree was made allowing the Israelites to return to homeland after being exiled to Babylon… 100 years have passed and the walls of the city are still not built…

I realize this is a lot of information to take in, but to truly understand Nehemiah and his motivation to become the godly leader he was, it's important to grasp the full context of his background.

The Second thing that I want to look at is…

2. The Theme - Godly Leadership

This will be the overarching theme as we make our way through this study… Nehemiah provides a rich picture of what it means to be a godly leader and his life shows us several key aspects of leadership that are rooted in faithfulness to God.

Again, we will talk about these more as we make our way through the book, but I will point out just a few things this morning…

First of all… Godly Leadership begins with…

2.1 Burden and Prayer

A burden is an inner stirring that moves the heart deeply. This burden isn't just a feeling of concern, but a sense of divine calling to address a pressing need or restore what has been broken.

We will look at this more in depth next week, but lets just look at the first few verses of Nehemiah real quick…

(Read vv.1-4)

When he learned of Jerusalem’s desolate condition, it wasn’t simply a matter of intellectual knowledge; he was deeply burdened. This burden drove him to tears, fasting, and prayer.

Before any rebuilding took place, Nehemiah brought his burden before God, pouring out his soul in prayer. This foundation of prayer not only fueled his vision but also gave him the wisdom and perseverance to lead others through opposition and challenges.

Godly leadership begins with a burden… and it is sustained by continual prayer, seeking God’s will and strength every step of the way.

Secondly, Godly Leadership demonstrates…

2.2 Action and Courage

Too often, believers pray for God to intervene in their lives or circumstances, but then sit back, expecting God to do all the work.

- Someone may pray for financial provision, asking God to help them pay bills or get out of debt, but then neglects to budget, avoid unnecessary expenses, or pursue job opportunities. They are hoping that God will miraculously provide without taking any personal responsibility for their financial situation.

- Someone might pray for a new job or career opportunity but then they do little or nothing to search for employment, update their resume, or apply for positions. They expect God to simply "drop" the perfect job in their lap without any effort on their part.

- Someone may pray for healing from a health issue—whether it be physical, mental, or emotional—yet continue unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as poor diet, lack of exercise, or ignoring medical advice. They expect God to bring miraculous healing without making any changes in their daily life.

This list could go on… … and yes, God can work miraculously, and there are times that He does, without any effort of our own… However, when we look at examples from Scripture and as we look at Nehemiah’s life, we will clearly see that, while prayer is essential, it must be coupled with active faith and a willingness to step into the work God is calling us to do.

After praying, Nehemiah didn't just sit back and wait for God to miraculously rebuild the walls of Jerusalem… he took action.

Which, also took a lot of courage… because he had to ask permission from his boss to take extended time off… which doesn’t sound like a big deal to us, but his boss was the King of Persia, so… he was risking much more than just a denial of his request… Any wrong move or misstep could have resulted in severe consequences, even death… …

Next… … Godly Leadership…

2.3 Equips Others

When we get to chapter 3, we will see a detailed account of how different groups and families took charge of rebuilding specific sections of the wall. Nehemiah didn’t try to do everything himself; he empowered others to take ownership of the work.

Godly leaders recognize that they cannot do everything themselves. By empowering others and delegating tasks, more can be accomplished in a shorter time, and everyone feels a sense of ownership and involvement in the project.

When individuals or teams feel a sense of ownership, they are more likely to be committed and motivated. They care deeply about the outcomes because they see themselves as integral to the process. This commitment often leads to higher quality work, perseverance through challenges, and a long lasting respect for the finished product.

Up until recently, this was a major problem in the mission field…

(Illustration: White (or American) Missionaries/Teams building a church for the tribal people… … many Churches that were built by the missions teams sit empty and rot away after the missionaries leave.)

Nehemiah’s approach of equipping and involving others is a powerful reminder that teamwork and shared responsibility lead to greater productivity, a sense of ownership and a feeling of accomplishment throughout the entire group that helped with the project.

On the back of your outline, I have included a side by side comparison of what a worldly leader looks like and what a Godly leader looks like…

(Read comparison off the screen)… …

The basic difference between a worldly leader and a godly leader is that a worldly leader relies on their own strength, power, and manipulative tactics to achieve personal success and control, while a godly leader relies on humility, trust in God, and servant-hearted leadership, prioritizing obedience to God and giving glory to Him.

One Pastor puts it this way… “A worldly leader is qualified by his creation, while a godly leader is qualified by his Creator”

May we seek to have the qualities that are listed in the right side column of our comparison chart…

The last thing that I want to point out this morning is…

3. Nehemiah for Today

How does Nehemiah apply to me today??… …

There are those who look at these Old Testament books and see them as nothing more than ancient stories, dismissing them as irrelevant or outdated, without recognizing the deeper wisdom and enduring truths they offer.

But as we look at Nehemiah, a book written 2500 years ago, we will see a blueprint of how we can be godly leaders in our own families and community.

It starts with…

3.1 Developing a Heart for God’s Work

Like Nehemiah, we need to develop a heart and a burden for God’s work…

What are the 'broken walls' in your life?… What has God placed on your heart to rebuild?…

- It could be a broken relationship that needs mending, where forgiveness and understanding are required to restore it’s trust and love.

- It might be a ministry that has fallen into neglect, calling you to step up, take charge, and breathe new life into it with passion and purpose.

- Or it could be your own spiritual life, where you feel a need to reconnect with God, rebuild your faith, and seek a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Him.

Whatever it is, God may be nudging you to take action, to trust in His guidance, and to be an instrument for renewal and restoration in the areas He has placed on your heart.

Start with prayer. Bring your burden to God and ask for His guidance. Let prayer be the foundation of your leadership, just as it was for Nehemiah.

Once we have a heart for God’s work and have expressed that desire through prayer… We are to…

3.2 Take Steps of Faith

God is calling each of us to step out in faith. Whether it’s serving in a new ministry, sharing the gospel with a neighbor, or leading your family in devotions, godly leadership requires action.

Walking by faith is like using a GPS for navigation when you can’t see the road ahead. Imagine you're driving at night on a foggy, winding road, with very little visibility. You can't see beyond a few feet in front of you, and the path seems uncertain. In this situation, your GPS becomes your guide.

Though you can't see the entire route or know what lies ahead, you trust the directions provided by the GPS. Step by step, you follow its guidance, even when it instructs you to take turns or paths that you can't fully understand or see.

Walking by faith is similar. You may not always see the whole picture or understand every twist and turn in life, but you trust in God's guidance. Like the GPS that directs you through the fog, faith leads you through uncertainty. You don’t need to see the entire journey; you just need to take the next step, trusting that God is guiding you in the right direction, even when the road is unclear.

In order to make it to the destination that God has in store for you, you must take steps of faith… …

And lastly this morning… Like Nehemiah, a godly leader will…

3.3 Prioritize Spiritual Growth

As godly leaders, we should always point people back to God. Whether we’re leading a small group Bible study, leading our families, our coworkers, or our church,… our ultimate goal is to cultivate a deeper relationship with Christ in those we lead.

Closing:

I know that we did not look at to many verses of Scripture this morning, but come back next week and that will change!

As we make our way through this study, remember this… Nehemiah was an ordinary man whom God used in extraordinary ways.

He wasn’t a Priest, nor a Prophet… He didn’t receive any special visions or Revelations from God… … He was just a humble servant… who was willing to do whatever God asked him to do.

Does that describe you this morning?

Are you a humble servant of God?

Are you willing to do WHATEVER He asks you to do?

I pray that you are...

Prayer: