Nehemiah Ministry Application Assignment 1

1:1-2:10

Course Preparation:

Overseeing Youth and Children’s ministry at the Church I am soon to serve at.

2. Building a student ministry.

3. Guiding parents in discipling their kids.

The central focus of communication in Nehemiah 1:1-2:10 is that Nehemiah is burdened by the destruction of the wall of Jerusalem and desires to rebuild it by the grace of God and to the glory of God. In this text, recipients would include God, King Artaxerxes, Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the Ammonite. God does not directly respond to Nehemiah or his prayer in this text, however, we see that God is very pleased with Nehemiah’s zeal for Him and his faith in Him. The Lord upheld his promise mentioned in verse 8-9 of chapter 1 by softening the heart of the King to allow Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem, as well as send army officers and calvary with him for his protection. The Lord clearly allowed and provided for Nehemiah’s endeavor. King Artaxerxes, as led by the Lord, was pleased by Nehemiah’s boldness and allowed and provided for Nehemiah’s journey. Finally, Sanballat the Horonite as well as Tobiah the Ammonite were greatly displeased in Nehemiah’s attempts to rebuild the destruction of Jerusalem. T.J. Betts writes in his commentary on Nehemiah, “when the people of God rise up to do the work of God, it will infuriate the enemies of God” (Betts, 37). This was true concerning Sanballat and Tobiah.

I am nineteen years old, soon to turn twenty, and I am soon to be voted on by a church in my hometown to be their Youth and Children’s director. This is a ministry of roughly fifteen children and five to ten students. I am relatively inexperienced in church ministry and fairly young for a position of this nature, which could result in push back from the congregation as well as parents as there could be hesitancy in submitting to my leadership and entrusting their kids to my guidance. To gain this trust is going to be a drawn out process. In building from Nehemiah 1:1-2:10, it is evident, (as Dr. Betts also emphasizes in his commentary) that Nehemiah is a man of prayer. As Nehemiah is made aware of the devastating news, his first course of action is prayer. This is how I ought to be. My first course of action ought to be prayer in attempting to gain the trust of congregation and parents. That the Lord would move the heart of the parents to follow my guidance and trust my leadership. In the midst of inexperience, as I am filled with ambition to do ministry for the Lord, I must first and foremost seek guidance from the Lord like Nehemiah. To add, as I step into this ministry, a lot of change is needed. Being new, inexperienced, and young, it will be difficult to take charge and make changes. However, as Dr. Betts comments on verse five of chapter two, we see Nehemiah have courage which enabled him to communicate his desire. This is how ought to be bold. To clearly communicate my vision and lead out in that vision, trusting and relying on the Lord in the process.