Leaders function with integrity when they understand they are only stewards of what God owns. Read Malachi 3:6-17.

God established ways for His work to be completed in Israel by full-time priests and their helpers. These temple servants were to be compensated with food and money from the other tribes of Israel so they could live a somewhat normal family life. The law God gave to Moses made provision for these workers because the other tribes were required to tithe from the fruit of their labor.

How a leader sees the team determines how that leader treats the team. Read Malachi 2:10.

The questions in verse 10, “Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?” If answered seriously, these questions would shape how a leader sees their team and change the leader/follower relationship in virtually every case. Seeing your teammates as God’s creation, a person He personally designed with specific talents and gifts to serve at your side in a team situation will definitely change both the leader and the teammates’ behavior toward each other and the team.

Teams tend to become like their leader – good or bad! Read Malachi 2:1-9.

The leaders, both civil and religious, in Malachi’s day did not live up to the standards set by God for Hebrew leaders. Chapter 2 is full of accusations against their hypocrisy, treachery in the home, violations of temple regulations, marrying people who worshiped foreign gods, divorce, and false teachings. The people followed their example and the entire nation dishonored God. This behavior got God’s attention and in verse 9 God says, “So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people…”

The Christian leader’s performance should be so distinctively positive that it demands an explanation. Read Malachi 1:6-14.

The book of Malachi is the last book in the Bible’s Old Testament. Malachi was a prophet to the people living in Judah and Jerusalem about 70 years after the return from the Babylonian exile and about 440 years before Christ was born. After Malachi spoke to the people for God there was a period of silence for over 400 years until John the Baptist came on the scene. Malachi prophesied during a period of corrupt priests, wicked practices, and compromised leaders. He called the leaders to account for ignoring God’s standards of excellence.

Effective leaders connect with their team before they correct their team. Read Malachi 1:1-14.

The name Malachi means “Messenger of Yahweh.” Malachi was the last prophet to bring the Hebrew people any message from God until John the Baptist brought God’s word to the Jews approximately 400 years later as the forerunner of Jesus. Malachi uses an easy to follow question and answer format to address issues such as divorce, infidelity, hypocrisy, tithing, false worship, complacency, and arrogance. Even though Malachi had a difficult message of the changes the leaders needed to make to please God he made a connection with the people before he brought God’s message of correction.