examples of democratic leaders in the bibleexamples of democratic leaders in the bible

If you want to be a godly leader, I encourage you to focus on the qualities that God identifies as necessary in a leader. Verse Concepts. This was, I think, to cause the ship to draw less water, and thus to float higher in the water, so that it would not as easily drag bottom.560 The ship would therefore be closer to shore when it struck bottom, making it a shorter swim (or float). Had they heeded his warnings, this would not have happened. They took bribes and perverted justice. Thus, the sailors continually took soundings, measuring the depth below them, so that they could discern, far in advance, their approach to land (which would be indicated by progressively diminishing depths). He loved God. Isnt it true that men do those things which they know to be risky, partly for the love of the risk, and often due to some small gain they wish, prompted by a false sense of assurance, and by the hope for some small gain? Every passenger made it safely to shore. They could not see the sun nor the stars (verse 20) and so they were unable to navigate. Behind every support specialist, Bible study editor, graphic designer, and accountant is a Sunday School teacher, kids volunteer, or small group leader. I think not. Given all these factors, the ship set sail from Fair Havens. (5) The storm, and the gospel which leads to salvation. You may be familiar with the story of Esther. It seems as though the passengers, including Luke and Paul, were needed to help carry out this operation (see verse 19).556. But we can still have hope, even when we are afraid. Pauls execution was sought by the Sanhedrin, which first tried to execute him legally (like Stephen) and then by assassination, but God used Roman soldiers once again to spare His servant. 554 The wind would tend to blow the ship much more quickly than the current, and so a sea anchor would reduce the force of the wind on the ship by using the sea as a brake. The following post is adapted from my personal academic coursework. Since this was not an ideal place to spend the winter, and sailing conditions looked favorable at the moment, they decided to press on to a more accommodating port. All rights reserved. What can we learn about leadership, which can benefit others, and can promote the gospel? Pay attention to the type of men they chose to handle this problem. The sovereignty of God is no excuse for us not to work, but the assurance that our work is not in vain, in the Lord. The storm threatens not only the life of Paul, but also the lives of all on board his ship. Even running under the shelter of a small island (Clauda, verse 16), they could hardly get the ships dingy on board. This created a serious problem. I take it that this was a form of democratic rule. But today, we want to focus on a . But it is here, in our text, that I see Paul as a very wise man in practical matters, a man who is a leader of men, and whose counsel is taken seriously because he knows what he is doing. The centurion found an Alexandrian ship,547 laden with wheat that was headed for Italy. nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. Here are seven whose leadership played a significant role in leading the early church and furthering the gospel. Airline pilots must constantly monitor weather conditions, and make decisions as to the route they will take, their altitude, and even their destination. If God {is} for us, who {is} against us? We're sorry, an error occurred. Godly leadership is honest leadership that allows you to lead out of who you are. They took down the sail, which would have been ripped to shreds by the winds, and lashed down the rudders, which would have been broken up as they were smashed against the ship by the waves. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Because of its size and cargo, it required deeper water. The precise status of Julius is difficult to determine: from the authority which he assumed when once (from Myra onward) he found himself on board a ship of the Alexandrian grain fleet, it might be inferred that he was a frumentarius, an officer charged with supervising the transport of grain (frumentum) to Rome. Bruce p. 477. The ship did not make it all the way to that beach toward which they were steering it. Gods mission for Paul was to go to Rome and there to preach the gospel. There is no thus saith the Lord here, but Pauls words were worth heeding. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. Thus, the safety of the ship, according to Pauls words, required the presence of the crew. In spite of this fact, one man, Paul, emerged as the leader. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money. Not once or twice the world has had to thank the great saints and mystics for providing timely help in moments of crisis when realistic, practical men of affairs were unable to supply it. Bruce, p. 475. Pauls skillfulness and leadership gave the gospel a credibility it would not have otherwise have had in the eyes of these people. Vision Statements of 12 Great Leaders in the Bible Their safety was contingent on the presence of Paul and the patience of God. Democratic leadership is an effective leadership style but can sometimes be too slow when fast decisions are needed. Gods power and His sovereign control are no pretext for carelessness or recklessness. What did Paul do to bring about such a change? The sovereignty of God means not only that God is able to intervene supernaturally, but that He is also able to work naturally, through human instruments (like the Roman soldiers, and in our story, like the centurion, in Pauls behalf). Paul: "Believe in something bigger than yourself." "I have appointed you as a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth" (Acts 13:47). Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. Flee to safety today. He has also just released his new book The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. While it is great to learn from others, you dont have to try to be like others. That safety is only in Christ. If we are not in Christ, who has weathered the storm, then we must endure the storm ourselves, to our eternal destruction. Since leadership happens inside and outside the church, these examples are good wherever you lead. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, let her not send her husband away. But Paul did not presume to have God on tap and thus to be able to perform some miracle any time his wished. In Acts 20:35, we see him say to the elders of the church in Ephesus, "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more . modern political leaders are good examples (Tony Blair, Geogrge Bush, Sarcosie, JFK, David cameron) What is a sentence with the words democracy and democratic? All must abandon ship now. Except for Paul, they had all reached the conclusion that the situation was hopeless and that they were doomed. There are portions of Scripture that talk about the qualifications of a leader in the church. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning, Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act toward achieving a common goal. Susan Ward. 1 Peter 5:3. Food supplies may have been washed overboard or ruined by moisture. It is as certain as the salvation of His own. Paul thought of himself as nothing in the total scheme of things. Neither Lasea nor Fair Havens is mentioned by any ancient writer, two of the hundred cities of Crete. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 460. The stern of the ship began to break up. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like God? I suspect so. The ship would be lost, but not one of the passengers would perish. Are You Expecting Too Much of Your Pastor. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? (Esther 4:12-14). Verses 14-20 describe the sudden onslaught of the storm, the steadily deteriorating conditions, and the complete loss of hope of those on board. Priscilla and Aquila are an example of Godly leadership that was displayed or exhibited in a married couple. Leaders in the bible had six key characteristics that included commitment, credibility, purpose, gifts, accountability, and self-discipline. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them (Acts 6:3-6). The most probable account is that they dropped a floating anchor or drift anchor, which was dragged astern at the end of a rope of suitable length so as to offer the maximum resistance every time the ship plunged down from the crest of a wave. Bruce, p. 486. From here on, sailing will not be smooth. They just happened to run aground at the place where two seas met.562 It seems that the action of the water created some kind of sandbar or shallows, on which the ship stuck fast. If this was all that Paul said to these soldiers, he did not tell them that these men were attempting to abandon ship. As the song goes, More secure is no one ever, than the loved ones of the Savior. Whatever God has promised to do, He will do. In A.D. 59 it fell on October 5, but in all the neighboring years from 57 to 62 it fell earlier. In 1925 Nellie Tayloe Ross became the first woman to serve as a governor in the United States when she was inaugurated in Wyoming. Then the passengers would have a better chance to reach shore. He has been beaten by the storm of Gods anger toward sin. Here, Julius, the centurion in charge of Paul and the other prisoners, allowed Paul to go to his friends and be cared for by them (verse 3). Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. All one needs is a clean needle or a condom or possibility an abortion and theyre off and running, seeking a little pleasure, at the cost of the loss of their life, and of their soul. Myra lies due north from Alexandria, and its bay is well calculated to shelter a windbound ship. Bruce quoting J. Smith, Voyage, pp. Even when John Mark was being severely ostracized by Paul, Barnabas stood by John Mark. They hoped that daybreak would come so that they could visually navigate the ship, rather than to attempt to make port (or even to ground the ship) in the dark. Thankfully if God has called you to leadership, he will take the time to help you grow into it. When you are walking in accordance with Gods purposes, whatever obstacles to the accomplishing of His will are encountered, He will overcome. Paul was kept safe, and as a result, all of those with him were saved as well. Because of one prisoner on board that ship, all the other passengers were spared. This inside information was, I think, a factor in their plan to abandon ship. 4. In fact, it seems that virtually everyone voted against him when the decision was made. The God whom Paul served was a God who was (and is) in control. Effective leaders have the courage to speak even when it is unpopular to speak because they speak the truth with love. Where is your God, he asked. Whether by divine revelation, intuition, or by learning of their plans from some human source, Paul became aware of their intentions. Paul tells the soldiers that the sailors must remain on board ship, if they themselves are to be saved. Paul spoke up, cautioning them about sailing on any further, and warning them that if they pressed on this would result in the loss of lives and property. Romans 13:1-3 ESV / 3 helpful votesNot Helpful. Jesus: A leader is a servant first. If Paul had been right before, and his words had come to pass, he had even more important words to speak now, not from his own perception or judgment, but from the God whom he served. The assassination conspiracy was still the main hope of the Sanhedrin as Paul was imprisoned for two years by Felix, but God kept Paul from Jerusalem. No one followed Paul because he was a man of God, or even because they concluded the God was with him. In the early church there was a problem. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. It has long been acknowledged as one of the most instructive documents for the knowledge of ancient seamanship. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 474. Paul was overruled. Democratic Leadership Examples President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was famously democratic in his leadership style, once said that "leadership consists of nothing but taking responsibility for everything that goes wrong and giving your subordinates credit for everything that goes well." It was too late in the sailing season to travel on to Rome by sea. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who dont have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. Those who could swim should jump first, and make their way to shore. There is no place safer than the place of obedience to the Word of God. Today's nomenclature calls it tough love. Mordecais words influenced Esther to take an action that she would have otherwise not taken. Paul is one of a number of prisoners, on his way to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. He was obscure in comparison to other great Old Testament heroes, but faithfulness separated him from mediocrity.

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examples of democratic leaders in the bible