examples of democratic leaders in the bible
Nearing land in a storm is a very dangerous thing. 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 . What can we learn about leadership, which can benefit others, and can promote the gospel? Even running under the shelter of a small island (Clauda, verse 16), they could hardly get the ships dingy on board. The dangerous season for sailing began about September 14 and lasted until November 11; after the latter date all navigation on the open sea came to an end until winter was over. The storms of your life may not have been sent your way to destroy you, but to turn you to Gods salvation. Examples. Pauls safety and deliverance was so certain that it was sufficient for others as well. 564 Would he not have dared to command the soldiers not to kill Paul, but to have allowed the others to be put to death? It would seem that they had fasted nearly two weeksthroughout the entire time the storm was raging. The short version is that there was a plot to destroy the Jews, and Mordecai got wind of the plot. When they set sail from Fair Havens, fifty or sixty miles brought them under the lee of Cauda (v. 16); on the fourteenth night from Cauda they drew near the coast of Malta (v. 27), and the next day (v. 39) they landed on that island, where they spent three months (28:11). 4 The United States is one. Because of his special blessing, he was appointed as one with judicial powers and responsibilities in Joshua 14:6-15. Bureaucratic leadership is defined as a form of leadership in which there is a hierarchy of authority that creates rules for management and decision making. You are the devil's advocate. The passengers were not to lose hope, but to keep up their courage. If you see shortcomings, those are the areas that you can ask God to help you develop. You may be familiar with the story of Esther. Up to this point in time, they had gone a long while without food. Christianity is not a fair weather religion. They could not see the sun nor the stars (verse 20) and so they were unable to navigate. Our world, like that ship of Pauls, was headed for destruction. I would say that is a great example of Godly leadership. It has become an untenable situation, a burden no man can bear. Thus, the safety of the ship, according to Pauls words, required the presence of the crew. Salem Media Group. What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like 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? In the early church there was a problem. The ship did not make it all the way to that beach toward which they were steering it. Did Paul pray for their meal, as well as his own? 549 Smith observes that Fair Havens is so well protected by islands, that though not equal to Lutro [Loutron, a port some 40 miles farther west along the coast], it must be a very fair winter harbour; and that considering the suddenness, the frequency, and the violence with which gales of northerly wind spring up, and the certainty that, if such a gale sprang up in the passage from Fair Havens to Lutro, the ship must be driven off to sea, the prudence of the advice given by St. Paul may probably be supported even on nautical grounds. Bruce, pp. If the relative safety of the passengers was in being on board ship, with Paul, our certain safety is in being in Christ. He has weathered the storm of Gods wrath on the sinner. He was nicknamed "son of encouragement" (Acts 4:36). Where is your God, he asked. They all waited for the morning light. The job or position title does not make you a leader. The soldiers were thus acting to save themselves, as well as the rest on board. nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. When you are walking in accordance with Gods purposes, whatever obstacles to the accomplishing of His will are encountered, He will overcome. Let us, like Paul, have a word from God for such needy times as ours. Leaders in this category encourage creativity while members are highly engaged. Doing so would be certain death, for the larger vessel offered more protection, so long as it held together. When I come to Acts chapter 27, it is like a breath of fresh air to me. Paul reminded his shipmates that they should have listened to him sooner. God does not jump through our hoops and thus Paul never presumed that he had Gods power on tap to use when and how he chose. He turned to the centurion and the soldiers and gave them what were really orders: Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved (verse 31). The gospel sustains men in the greatest storms of life. Sweden, the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, and the Netherlands are a few others. (1 Kings 18:27). To ensure you receive the best experience on Lifeway.com, we use cookies to process information about your visit. They planned to slip away, on the pretext of laying out anchors, but they were going to take the lifeboat (as it were) and leave the people to fend for themselves in the ravaging storm, in a ship drifting ever near the rocks of the approaching shore. But we can still have hope, even when we are afraid. I am not certain that anyone ever thought of Paul as the leader, but he did lead and they followed. The safety of the passengers, involved their actions, in eating a good meal, in lightening the ship, and in swimming to shore or in clinging to some wreckage and floating to shore. The cultural expectations on pastors are mostly unbiblical, entirely impractical, and generally downright unrealistic. 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). (2) The Sovereignty of God and Mans Safety. Paul was not striving to be a leader here, but simply trying to be of help. The approaching land brought a new temptation to the sailors, who better than anyone else knew they were coming upon land.559. Paul was a leader here because people followed him. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, let her not send her husband away. They eventually connected with Paul and became his partners in the ministry. The otherstwo hundred and seventy-six in allfollowed his example. Priscilla and Aquila are an example of Godly leadership that was displayed or exhibited in a married couple. Paul had a fair bit of experience with sea travel. It was, I believe, for the sake of the gospel that Paul and these passengers were saved. He wanted to spare him, and so he forbade them from killing any of the prisoners.564 All of the prisoners were spared, on account of one personPaul, just as all of the passengers were spared for Pauls sake. 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. Because of one prisoner on board that ship, all the other passengers were spared. "I have appointed you as a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth" (Acts 13:47). The Greek-speaking Jewish believers complained that their widows were being overlooked in the distribution of food when compared to the widows who were Hebrew-speaking. Pauls caution is rather interesting. This journey began on an Adramyttian ship, which took them as far as Myra, where they boarded an Alexandrian ship, headed for Italy. Examples have not been reviewed. Verses 33-41 report Pauls encouragement, in words and deeds, and the grounding and breaking up of the ship. They were also able to build a church that met in their home. Moses. The non-swimmers could wait a little longer, perhaps for the ship to further break up, and then clinging to some piece of floating wreckage, paddle their way to shore. He was generous and that in itself bridges the gaps of selfish and greedy people if God's grace is given the opportunity to be operative. He had God on his side. His God was in control of all things, including the sea. As time went on, as Paul was better known, and as the crises on board the ship became more pronounced, Paul stepped forward, giving both direction and hope to all the others on ship. He did get disgusted. Handling the ship in this storm was almost impossible, and any attempt would require an expert crew. The wise leader will work hard at blinding his or her eyes to the pettiness of church members' criticism. But he was wrong about the loss of passengers. Paul was spared so that he could go to Rome, and there proclaim the gospel. He must live wisely and be just. They were not going to get to Rome until after winter was over anyway, and they could stay right where they were, with no real problems. Tim Cook became CEO of Apple in 2011. After all, the ships captain and the pilot had more experience, and they also had more to lose. When Esthers words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: Do not think that because you are in the kings house you alone of all the Jews will escape. The winds seem to have blown the ship away from the island of Crete. Far to the south, off the African coast, lay the notorious Syrtes (17), the graveyard of many ships, as underwater archaeology has vividly revealed in recent years. This problem would require the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit, which is foundational to Godly leadership. Clearly the answer is yes. 543 The centurion Julius, into whose custody he was delivered, belonged (we are told) to the Augustan Cohort. With renewed strength, the passengers set about lightening the ship by throwing the remainder of the cargo the cargo of wheat overboard. Their troubles to this point would seem insignificant compared to what was soon to come. Nevertheless, they decided to press on to a better harbor. Petty criticism wears on the leader. They took bribes and perverted justice. Here are seven whose leadership played a significant role in leading the early church and furthering the gospel. Paul strongly urged them to stay where they were, at Fair Havens. There would be no one left who was an experienced sailor, who could help land the crippled ship. It was needlessly endangering others that Paul was trying to avoid. In all of this God protected Paul. Paul need no longer fear, because he knew the outcome of this storm. (This also required a small boat, which was going to be taken by those abandoning the ship.) 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). Unsaved men do not have the answers. He refused to bow to the king and ended up in the lion's den. That sounds like leadership to me. Here are some ideas to help you celebrate them this year. How does Pauls safety relate to you? It seems as thought they had left it in the sea, towed along behind, when the storm suddenly came upon them and swamped it. 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). The point was, before you can lead others you have to learn how to lead yourself. He took Pauls warnings seriously here, too. They had little to gain and much to lose. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. If you possess these types of qualifications, would that make you a better leader? Even when John Mark was being severely ostracized by Paul, Barnabas stood by John Mark. But in addition to his surviving this storm, God promised to spare all the other passengers on board as well, not for their sakes alone, but for Pauls sake. 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. 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. They were not men who manipulated people or their circumstances in order to further their own power or position. Paul did not seek to sanctify his words by giving them any spiritual flavor. Nobody said it would be easy. If they were to have the strength necessary to make it to shore, they would need to start the day with a good meal. I know it sounds more like mother or a TV commercial, but Paul was dealing with a very practical necessity. Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Pauls faith and his courage were contagious. If there was ever a time for Christians to emerge as leaders, it is now. Hence the battle to maintain a westerly course, aided, it appears, by a veering of the wind to the east, as the cyclonic disturbance shifted its centre. Blaiklock p. 190. 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. He's Where the Joy Is by Tara-Leigh Cobble, Black Church Leadership & Family Conference, 10 Gift Ideas for Pastor Appreciation Month, Pastor Appreciation Month: 5 Ways to Say Thanks, Why Prayer is Essential in the Life of a Leader. 550 As they waited for a change of wind at Fair Havens, it soon became clear that they could not complete the voyage to Italy before the onset of winter. 556 The following day, a more drastic measure was necessary: the spare gear had to go if the ship was to have any chance of surviving. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, {being} more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:3-9). As a church staff or volunteer ministry leader, you can learn valuable and unique lessons from several biblical characters. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? If Gods sovereignty is the source of comfort to the Christian, it is the source of terror for the unbeliever, for God has warned of His coming judgment. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word. This proposal pleased the whole group. No doubt there were some anxious thoughts racing through the minds of the passengers. In 1925 Nellie Tayloe Ross became the first woman to serve as a governor in the United States when she was inaugurated in Wyoming. Gods power and His sovereign control are no pretext for carelessness or recklessness. Verses 14-20 describe the sudden onslaught of the storm, the steadily deteriorating conditions, and the complete loss of hope of those on board. But by the end of this chapter, it is Paul who is active, Paul who is leading, and the others are following him. The storm caught the ship in its force, and so they could do nothing but allow the ship to be driven along by it. They may have the power, but they do not have the trust. Some things dont change. Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. While it is great to learn from others, you dont have to try to be like others. 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. Paul knew that he would reach Rome, but he also strongly sensed that the ship and some of its passengers would not. When you study closely, you will discover these examples of leadership in the Bible can help you address all of lifes situations. Examples of democratic leaders. Paul was a prisoner, on his way to stand trial before Caesar in Rome. He was not the captain of the ship, nor one of the soldiers. Vision Statements of 12 Great Leaders in the Bible They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them (Acts 6:3-6). 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. God used this two-year delay of Felix and the bungling of Festus to bring Paul to the point where he would appeal to Caesar. Whatever dangers might arise, He will protect His people, in accordance with His purposes and promises. In every effective leader's life, there is a time for love, but also a time for courage. Verse Concepts. Scripture offers examples of both. Pauls circumstances certainly do no give him any status, any clout, with anyone on board that ship. The sovereignty of God means that we dare not presume that God will work a miracle for us, at the time and in the way we choose, due to our foolishness, carelessness, or sin. (3) The Sovereignty of God and the Ultimate Peril of the Lost. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy (1 Corinthians 7:13-14). Indeed, the fate of the ship was not exactly as Paul had warned, for there was no loss of life.551 He simply spoke as a seasoned traveler, an astute observer, and one who had experienced dangers at sea. As the song goes, More secure is no one ever, than the loved ones of the Savior. He must live a devout and disciplined life. Paul was overruled. The broad issue is that of leadership. All rights reserved. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house (1 Corinthians 16:19). They did not know exactly where they were and they could not recognize anything familiar about the land, but they did resolve to run the ship aground in a bay which they could see ahead. 31 What then shall we say to these things? They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. He was right in that a great storm had swept down on this ship, and that both the ship and its cargo would be lost. Pastor Appreciation Month and Pastor Appreciation Day are great opportunities every October to show how much you care for your pastor and church leaders. He did not claim to have a certain (prophetic) knowledge of what was going to happen. Nevertheless, he did not presume that God would intervene in this instance. When the ship is grounded and the passengers must swim for their lives, the soldiers plan to kill Paul, along with the other prisoners, to prevent any from escaping. Focus on who you are and allow God to develop you into the leader he has called you to be. As time went on, as Paul was better known, and as the crises on board the ship became more pronounced, Paul stepped forward, giving both direction and hope to all the others on ship. Moses. It is only when all hope is lost that Paul addresses his fellow shipmates.557 Much time had passed, the storm had not diminished, the ship was being constantly mauled by the storm, and the passengers had gone a long time without food. Leading others is just too big of a responsibility for us to handle without continual prayer. When the ship set sail, they began to encounter unfavorable winds. They want to use numbers and influence decisions based upon voting power. The encouraging news that Paul was about to tell them was that he was both right and wrong when he had warned them not to sail. He arose, then, for two reasons: (1) his shipmates were in desperate need of encouragement, and (2) he now had a word from God for them. Progress was slow, due to wind conditions. The lives which Paul warned would be lost were those lives which were spared by God, for Pauls sake (see verses 22-24). I have always looked upon the Apostle Paul as a godly man, a zealous servant of Jesus Christ, and a powerful preacher of the gospel. 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. Here are 12 examples of inspiring leaders in the Bible who teach us what a great leader could and should be as well as how leaders should carry themselves. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. He was thoroughly subservient to the will of God, and he was committed to a specific, meaningful mission. It seems that there was no protest from the sailors when the ropes to the lifeboat were cut. 546 With the westerly winds which prevail in those seas, says James Smith, ships, particularly those of the ancients, unprovided with a compass and ill calculated to work to windward, would naturally stand to the north till they made the land of Asia Minor, which is peculiarly favourable for navigation by such vessels, because the coast is bold and safe, and the elevation of the mountains makes it visible at a great distance; it abounds in harbours, and the sinuosities of its shores and the westerly current would enable them, if the wind was at all off the land, to work to windward, at least as far as Cnidus, where these advantages ceased. Dwight Eisenhower (1890-1969) - The 34th President of the U.S. Eisenhower was the Supreme Command of NATO before he served two terms as the U.S. President. Examples of democratic leaders A few specific examples of leaders who have demonstrated this style of leadership include: Former CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi, demonstrated how much she valued her team members by writing personalized letters to their parents. They invited Apollos into their home and spent time explaining the truth to him. Did he do anything? The seas were closed to sailing until the beginning of February at the earliest; the three months spent in Malta must therefore have corresponded roughly to November, December, and January, so they must have left Fair Havens not much before mid-October. 7 Best Democratic Leadership Examples to Know 1. 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 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. I read in the paper the other day that when faced with the decision as to whether he should change to an alternate airport or press on to the original destination, the pilot of a commercial airliner left the choice with his passengers. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Verses 14-20: A Sudden Storm and Lost Hope, Verses 21-26: Pauls Night Visitation and Words of Encouragement, Verses 30-32: Sailors Stopped From Abandoning Ship, Verses 33-41: Pauls Encouragement and the Ships Grounding, Verses 42-44: Prisoners and Passengers Spared From Death. They would hardly wish to be close to shore in the storm anyway, for there was more danger of the ship breaking up on the rocks than of it breaking up in the open sea. He was both blessed and disgraced almost in the same breath. The smaller boat, was much more easily handled, and would have been the logical choice when trying to make shore, especially in such circumstances. What did Paul do to bring about such a change? He was going to survive. They complained and whined at every inconvenience (Ex. Misconceptions about "Real" Leadership vs. Servant Leaders. These are examples of democratic leadership: All opinions are brought forward in team meetings. Democratic leadership style fosters high job satisfaction and productivity because followers are involved in decision making. Now, no one had the use of this boat. As Paul had already informed them, neither the ship nor its cargo would survive, only the passengers. He bridged the gaps between the Greek and Jewish worlds. But what are some of these purposes and promises? Now, in our text, Paul is again in great danger. 482-483. Mordecais words influenced Esther to take an action that she would have otherwise not taken. To Paul (in my opinion) this would be akin to jumping off the pinnacle of the temple, and thus putting God to the test (Luke 4:9-12). Jesus: A leader is a servant first. Joshua had been in the presence of God. 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. I could talk about David, Moses, or Nehemiah, but I want to talk about three lesser-known leaders who make great examples of Godly leadership in the Bible. If there were but ten righteous in the city of Sodom, God would have spared the city for the sake of those righteous (Genesis 18:22-33). Some call it a tough mind and a tender heart. 11. It was time for another word of encouragement. 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.