I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates are burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be in disgrace”…Then they said, “Let us arise and build.” So they put their hands to good work. (Nehemiah 2:17,18b)

I have always enjoyed the book of Nehemiah because of the amazing leadership lessons we can learn. Without rehashing the entire book, Nehemiah worked for King Artaxerxeas as his cupbearer and was one of the King’s most trusted men. One day Nehemiah was given the green light by the King to return to Jerusalem to try to assist those who were living in this desolate city. Nehemiah had a heart for his fellow Jews and desired to see them taken care of properly. Upon arriving at the city he observed that the wall had been torn down and the gates had been burned. Nehemiah toured the city for 3 days presumably praying and asking God for wisdom on how to rebuild this city. Then Nehemiah acted by providing the people of Jerusalem with a vision to rebuild the walls and the city. He said to them “Come, let US rebuild the wall…” They responded with “Let US arise and build.” After many years and much opposition the wall was complete and the people of Jerusalem had their city back.

So you may be asking “What is the big deal Mike?” Let’s look at this from a church leadership angle.

1) Nehemiah had proven himself trustworthy. (Kings Cupbearer)

2) Nehemiah was commissioned by the King to go.

3) Nehemiah waited on the Lord and assessed the situation.

4) Nehemiah set forth a vision that inspired his followers.

5) Nehemiah worked as a team with his people to complete the vision.

We as leaders should take note of this wise man.

1) People who want to lead must be trustworthy. People will not follow you if they don’t trust you.

2) They must be recognized by others leaders. You cannot commission yourself as a leader. Others must see this in you and confirm what you believe God has called you to.

3) Leaders must look, listen, feel, ask, and pray over church situation before they try to change it. Don’t try to overhaul a church or ministry in your first week. Assess the situation and go from there.

4) Vision, Vision, Vision. You absolutely 100% must have a vision for the areas you are leading. Remember “without vision people perish.”

5) Build teams. Lone Ranger ministry doesn’t work. You are not a superhero so check your pride at the door and get help. People who have ownership in the decision making process will care about the outcome.