Whatever dangers might arise, He will protect His people, in accordance with His purposes and promises. 7 Best Democratic Leadership Examples to Know in 2023 You are the church, and Lifeway is here to serve you with biblical resources for everything life brings your way. Would any have heeded Paul or the gospel as seriously as they did, had the trip to Rome gone quickly and smoothly? This was a Jewish couple who were deported from Rome. What is the relationship between spiritual leadership and secular leadership? Paul and a number of other prisoners were put aboard an Adramyttian ship,542 which was setting sail for ports along the coast of Asia. The centurion respected and trusted Paul a great deal, as can be seen by his previous dealings with him (see verse 3). 36 Just as it is written, For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered. 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. Democratic leadership style fosters high job satisfaction and productivity because followers are involved in decision making. The reason this type of leadership was necessary is because they were not just passing out food; they were solving a potentially bigger problem. This centurion was to develop a deep respect for Paul, so that he would extend considerable liberties to him, take seriously his advice, and make every effort to protect him. I do not believe that Lukes central purpose in Acts 27 is to teach us about leadership, but I do think that Pauls leadership is very apparent in our text. Lets examine some of these, because whether you lead one, a few, or many we all have to lead. It was still late at night, too dark to try to make shore until it was light. 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. 4. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath {of God} through Him. These are examples of democratic leadership: All opinions are brought forward in team meetings. In the early church there was a problem. 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. There are also plenty of real-life examples of leadership in action. The winds seem to have blown the ship away from the island of Crete. It was only some forty miles to Lutro. Robertson, p. 461. They were not men who manipulated people or their circumstances in order to further their own power or position. Pay attention to the type of men they chose to handle this problem. In all of this God protected Paul. From here on, sailing will not be smooth. You can look at the qualities and simply see how you measure up. He was obscure in comparison to other great Old Testament heroes, but faithfulness separated him from mediocrity. 17 Democratic Leadership Examples & Characteristics 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). A centurion of the Augustan cohort by the name of Julius543 was placed in charge of the prisoners. Do you want to go deeper in your walk with the Lord but cant seem to overcome the stuff that keeps getting in the way? It is enough to discourage any pastor. 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. Simply put, Paul warned those making the decision about whether or not to press on that continuing on was not wise. 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. And were all in it for the same reasonto fuel the churchs mission of making disciples. Focus on who you are and allow God to develop you into the leader he has called you to be. Paul accomplishes all this without any formal leadership position or authority. Whether by divine revelation, intuition, or by learning of their plans from some human source, Paul became aware of their intentions. Because of one prisoner on board that ship, all the other passengers were spared. Fearing that they might drift into shallow and dangerous waters some distance to the south,553 they put out a sea anchor of some kind, perhaps something like a parachute, which filled with water and slowed the ship down.554, The storm continued through the night, and the next day things looked even worse. 1 Timothy 4:12. 7 Great Leaders From The Bible | Jack Wellman - Christian Crier In fact, it seems that virtually everyone voted against him when the decision was made. (3) The Sovereignty of God and the Ultimate Peril of the Lost. He must live wisely and be just. 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. 31 What then shall we say to these things? The ship did not make it all the way to that beach toward which they were steering it. There are many examples of Godly leadership in the Bible as God has always raised up men and women to lead others. 552 A south wind having blown gently, in marked contrast to the violent northwest wind that they had faced so long. God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? His leadership was built not so much on ancestry from the Jewish lineage as by faithfulness. Their arrival had not been without difficulty, but things were only to go from bad to worse. 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. Pastor Appreciation Month and Pastor Appreciation Day are great opportunities every October to show how much you care for your pastor and church leaders. 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). Misconceptions about "Real" Leadership vs. Servant Leaders. Bruce writes. 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. Are You Expecting Too Much of Your Pastor. Examples. But there was a problem. Mordecais words influenced Esther to take an action that she would have otherwise not taken. The sovereignty of God will then result in the overthrow of His enemies and in the judgment of the wicked. When this happens, there will be no protection for the lost. At the beginning of the chapter, Paul is the object, the one who is acted upon. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. He has surrounded himself with executives that are experienced and insightful. {For I am} confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). 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. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. I see people working for a place a leadership, rather than working to serve others, and letting leadership develop or not on its own. Nelson Mandela (1918-2013).South African political leader victim of the racial policies of Apartheid that segregated black and white, in favor of the former. To reinforce his words, Paul now did what he urged each of them to dohe ate. 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. Thus, the safety of the ship, according to Pauls words, required the presence of the crew. Your Bible study. Pauls influence was not the result of his political maneuverings, but mens response to his personal competence. Featuring Jen Wilkin, Jennifer Rothschild, Kristi McLelland, and more! Regardless of where you find yourself, you have to lead. The question was where the ship would make port for the winter. He did not claim to have a certain (prophetic) knowledge of what was going to happen. Democratic Leadership Style in the Workplace: Pros and Cons Several days before, Paul had told the passengers, who had lost all hope, that they would all be saved, although the ship would run aground (verses 21-26). For Pauls sake, all the passengers on board his ship were spared from the storm. That safety is only in Christ. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house (1 Corinthians 16:19). The point was, before you can lead others you have to learn how to lead yourself. 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. The ships crew tried to hug the shore of Crete, until they could reach Phoenix, a harbor not all that distant. It seems that there was no protest from the sailors when the ropes to the lifeboat were cut. The ship ran aground on a reef, where it would be broken up by the action of the still raging waves. 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). 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. The Bible is pretty clear about what Godly leadership looks like. His previous warning did not take into account the intervention of God, resulting in the escape of every person on board the ship. Paul accomplishes all this without any formal leadership position or authority. Because of their very limited visibility, they might not see the land until it was too late. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. Too often, I hear leadership spoken of as a place of status, rather than a place of service. They followed Paul because he knew where he was going and inspired confidence in others to follow him. There is no thus saith the Lord here, but Pauls words were worth heeding. By the way, Paul may not have been frightened so much for himself as for the others. I would think that Paul would have more reason to be reckless than these seasoned seamen and the centurion, because he was a Christian. There is nothing wrong with a healthy fear of danger. This harbour would protect them for a time from the winds. Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. How often, I wonder, are others benefited by the presence of a believer? . It did not take long at this time of year for a storm to brew at sea. But by the end of this chapter, it is Paul who is active, Paul who is leading, and the others are following him. Examples of delegated authority include parents and their children, masters and their servants, priests serving in the temple, and Christian leaders, as Christ's servants, with the members of a church. 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). 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). 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. What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like God? 544 We know that Luke was on board ship because of the we references, and because of the great detail that he includes, as an eyewitness of the journey, the storm, and the safe landing of the passengers. Paul was a prisoner, on his way to stand trial before Caesar in Rome. As a church staff or volunteer ministry leader, you can learn valuable and unique lessons from several biblical characters. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined {to become} conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; 30 and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Christianity is not a fair weather religion. It seems as though the passengers, including Luke and Paul, were needed to help carry out this operation (see verse 19).556. The cultural expectations on pastors are mostly unbiblical, entirely impractical, and generally downright unrealistic. Beyond this, God is free to act or not to act in any way that He chooses. The lives which Paul warned would be lost were those lives which were spared by God, for Pauls sake (see verses 22-24). They boarded this ship and set sail. What Does the Bible Say About Democracy? - OpenBible.info The approaching land brought a new temptation to the sailors, who better than anyone else knew they were coming upon land.559. Some things dont change.