“Take heed to yourselves, lest your example contradict your doctrine, and lest you lay such stumbling-blocks before the blind, as may be the occasion of their ruin; lest you unsay with your lives what you say with your tongues; and be the greatest hinderers of the success of your own labors…He that means as he speaks, will surely do as he speaks.” These words written by Richard Baxter in The Reformed Pastor in an article entitled “The Banner of Truth Trust” should be on the wall of every leader. The Biblical virtue of integrity points to a consistency between what is inside and what is outside, between belief and behavior, our words and our ways, our attitudes and our actions, our values and our practice. Read 1 Chronicles 29:16-20. Read more »

Yesterday we looked at David as a servant leader based on his actions toward Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson and David’s friend Jonathan’s son. Before leaving this part of David’s life, there are two more elements of leadership that should be addressed: generosity and gratitude. Review 2 Samuel 9.

Long after his friend Jonathan’s death, David returned a favor to his friend through a kindness to his son Mephibosheth. David restored Saul’s land to Mephibosheth and ordered Saul’s former servants to cultivate the land and provide an income for Mephibosheth. David also provided Mephibosheth a place in his court and invited him to eat at his table with his own sons. David’s gratitude for Jonathan’s friendship cultivated generosity toward his friend’s son. Read more »

The book of Judges can help a leader understand a cycle that is repeated, even today, when there is no central leader to give voice and example to godly core values and goals. Read Judges 2-16.

Without a leader to keep them focused on core values and God’s central goal, the people of Israel went through a series of downward-spiraling cycles. The people found themselves oppressed by foreign powers because without the leader’s constant restatement of goals that kept them focused, they gradually forgot about their part of the covenant with God and became disobedient. Each of these downward-cycles is characterized by: Read more »

The leadership and life example of godly leaders focus people on godly principles and God’s word. Without godly leaders it is virtually impossible for any group to have centralized, agreed upon, godly core values and when godly values are compromised, kingdom advancing goals are non-existent or compromised. Read Judges 1:21-36.

After the death of their central leader, the Israelites disregarded God’s directions and decided to negotiate some deals and compromise with the inhabitants of Canaan. The people hoped by doing so they could make friends and avoid confrontation. Compromising their values led to compromising their goals and the lack of a leader to focus an entire nation on commonly accepted godly core values had disastrous results. Read more »

Joshua continued to lead the people way into his old age. One of his great leadership skills was exhortation. Read Joshua 23:1-24:33.

Joshua’s farewell to the leaders was filled with passion exhorting the leaders to “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God as you have until now.” Read more »