If this was all that Paul said to these soldiers, he did not tell them that these men were attempting to abandon ship. An Uncorrupted View of Godly Leadership from Jude, 10 Women in the Bible God Used to Save Lives and Lead Others. Pauls influence was not the result of his political maneuverings, but mens response to his personal competence. Because of their very limited visibility, they might not see the land until it was too late. What are some examples of democratic leadership? 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 . If Paul was completely right in his previous warning, then many were about to die. So, says Luke, they lowered the instrument, not being more specific perhaps because he did not know, or did not remember, the technical name for whatever it was that was lowered. He had the courage to speak to the evils of his day. 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? What has happened over the course of these events, so that a lowly prisoner, a man at the bottom of the ladder, so far as position and influence are concerned, is now the outstanding leader? Where is your God, he asked. Discouraged by the disapproval of Jesus, yet blessed by the warmth and affection of Jesus. They could not see the sun nor the stars (verse 20) and so they were unable to navigate. Examples of Democratic Leadership More than half of the countries in the world with populations over 500,000 people use a democratic leadership style. Not one soul was lost. And were all in it for the same reasonto fuel the churchs mission of making disciples. Regardless of where you find yourself, you have to lead. During the night, an angel of God had appeared to Paul, with a sure and certain word about the future, a word that would bring encouragement to all on board ship. He was not a sailor; in fact he was not even a paying passenger. Priscilla and Aquila were hospitable. Furthermore, Paul was an apostle, a man through whom God had worked many signs and wonders. He did get disgusted. Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. He was courageous as indicated by the spy scenario in Numbers 13:31. Paul had a fair bit of experience with sea travel. The reason this type of leadership was necessary is because they were not just passing out food; they were solving a potentially bigger problem. The sovereignty of God means that He is not at our disposal, to carry out our whims or wishes, but that we are at His disposal. In one of the more popular set of verses in the Bible, here is what Mordecai told Esther. Because of one prisoner on board that ship, all the other passengers were spared. I would say that is a great example of Godly leadership. He . 1 Peter 5:3. It seems that there was no protest from the sailors when the ropes to the lifeboat were cut. He has surrounded himself with executives that are experienced and insightful. Tim Cook, for example, hires people who challenge and inspire him. Here are some ideas to help you celebrate them this year. How often, I wonder, are others benefited by the presence of a believer? There are many different styles and forms of leadership. What the ships crew intended to do was a cowardly thing. Second, the majority of those who voted on this issue favored going further. 31 What then shall we say to these things? Paul was as secure as any man could be. Paul assured them that not a hair from their head would perish (verse 34). Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. He has also just released his new book The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. A democratic leader encourages open conversation and helps their employees set goals, evaluate their own performance and motivates them to grow. Remember, he struck the rock and disobeyed God, but his patience had worn thin. He only said that their remaining on ship was necessary if these soldiers wanted to survive. No one followed Paul because he was a man of God, or even because they concluded the God was with him. They had to be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. Scripture offers examples of both. 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. 553 The storm was now heavy upon the lumbering vessel, as it came roaring out of the north-east. I believe leadership must be positive influence . It has become an untenable situation, a burden no man can bear. Here is another example of Godly leadership in the Bible that sometimes gets overlooked. Obedient Daniel. Now, in our text, Paul is again in great danger. Would any have heeded Paul or the gospel as seriously as they did, had the trip to Rome gone quickly and smoothly? 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. Why not get better at it? It seems as thought they had left it in the sea, towed along behind, when the storm suddenly came upon them and swamped it. But he was wrong about the loss of passengers. Gods promise was fulfilled, just as Paul had said He would. Passing it with considerable difficulty, and apparently not being able to make port there, they finally were able to make port at a place known as Fair Havens,548 which was not far from the city of Lasea, where they could have spent the winter. 543 The centurion Julius, into whose custody he was delivered, belonged (we are told) to the Augustan Cohort. 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). The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. They boarded this ship and set sail. 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. Consider these two things: Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home (Titus 1:8). CSB Experiencing God Bible, Hardcover, Jacketed. (3) The Sovereignty of God and the Ultimate Peril of the Lost. In spite of Pauls words of encouragement, the passengers had still not eaten. It was drifting wherever the storm carried it. Paul did not have a formal position as leader, but was rather a functional leader. In the sea of Adria (en toi Hadriai). Here is a man whose personal safety was assured, and yet who lived with care and caution. There are portions of Scripture that talk about the qualifications of a leader in the church. It was too late in the sailing season to travel on to Rome by sea. Leaders in this category encourage creativity while members are highly engaged. In all of this God protected Paul. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to {obtain} an inheritance {which is} imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. If you possess these types of qualifications, would that make you a better leader? They followed Paul because he knew where he was going and inspired confidence in others to follow him. He did not claim to have a certain (prophetic) knowledge of what was going to happen. I confess, I am distressed at the ways in which Christians are trying to take control of the political and governmental positions of authority. It was his responsibility to persuade her to use the position she had to make a difference. While Paul had not lost hope, as had his shipmates, he must have been afraid. He was not an "out front" kind of person, but rather stayed in the background as a fan and supporter of Paul. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house (1 Corinthians 16:19). 1 Timothy 4:12. I see leadership held out to men and women as a prize, rather than as a humbling responsibility. Some Christians are inclined to live their lives sloppily, believing that because God is sovereign He will, on demand, produce a miracle to deliver us from the fruits of our own foolishness. But Paul did not presume to have God on tap and thus to be able to perform some miracle any time his wished. But Pauls concern here was not for himself, but for others. "I have appointed you as a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth" (Acts 13:47). He had had enough. Verses 14-20 describe the sudden onslaught of the storm, the steadily deteriorating conditions, and the complete loss of hope of those on board. Behind every support specialist, Bible study editor, graphic designer, and accountant is a Sunday School teacher, kids volunteer, or small group leader. Paul accomplishes all this without any formal leadership position or authority. . The soldiers who were guarding them were not as concerned about their survival as much as the possibility of an escape. Because of his special blessing, he was appointed as one with judicial powers and responsibilities in Joshua 14:6-15. Here are some examples of their leadership. This journey began on an Adramyttian ship, which took them as far as Myra, where they boarded an Alexandrian ship, headed for Italy. God has given each leader specific gifts. A church leader is a manager of Gods household, so he must live a blameless life. But more than this, God had already assured Paul that he would reach Rome. I do not agree. Just about every pastor has "struck the rock" at one time or another; but then, like Moses, the same pastor usually has the resilience to see things through. (1 Kings 18:27). It was, I believe, for the sake of the gospel that Paul and these passengers were saved. Inclusive Meetings A weekly meeting provides the best illustrations of the democratic ideology. They may have the power, but they do not have the trust. It was needlessly endangering others that Paul was trying to avoid. 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. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your fathers family will perish. 551 Although there almost certainly would have been some loss of life, apart from divine intervention. Navigating the challenges and joys of ministry life. Nobody said it would be easy. By the way, Paul may not have been frightened so much for himself as for the others. The otherstwo hundred and seventy-six in allfollowed his example. {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). His sarcasm showed his disdain for those who had forsaken God. Nevertheless, he did not presume that God would intervene in this instance. 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. Allow me to make one last observation here. Paul encouragement the passengers to trust God to do all that He promised. Priscilla and Aquila are an example of Godly leadership that was displayed or exhibited in a married couple. The danger in which they found themselves was unnecessary. Moses. Fourteen days have passed since they left Fair Havens and the storm first struck the ship.558 The sailors now have little idea as to where they were, or how far they might be from land. About midnight on the fourteenth day, the sailors determined that land was nearing because the depth of the sea below had diminished from twenty fathoms to fifteen. los lderes demcratas (41) dirigentes socialdemcratas (18) lderes democrticos (15) lderes demcratas (13) demcratas (8) If elected in free elections, the usurpers of power are usually democratic leaders. 2:2). The great leaders of the Bible, men like Joseph, Moses, David, and Daniel, were men who had an impact because they were men of God, men of great skill and ability, and men who God raised up. 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. What he recognized was the person who had the ability to help bring deliverance to the Jews was Esther. 4. But there was a problem. The centurion commanded that all should make it to land if they could. The God who was to rescue them was Pauls God, the God whom he served, and to whom he would bear testimony before Caesar. Paul accomplishes all this without any formal leadership position or authority. They made port in Sidon, a city about 70 miles north of Caesarea. Peter: Leaders recover from failure. Flee to safety today. Paul need no longer fear, because he knew the outcome of this storm. It was time for another word of encouragement. 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. What did Paul do to bring about such a change? (This also required a small boat, which was going to be taken by those abandoning the ship.) Here are three unique leaders who serve as great examples of democratic leadership: Abraham Lincoln President Lincoln took office understanding his decisions over the next four years would determine the fate of the United States. If God {is} for us, who {is} against us? He bridged the gaps between the Greek and Jewish worlds. Our world, like that ship of Pauls, was headed for destruction. I do not think that Pauls words were meant as a typical I told you so so much as they were spoken to motivate his peers to listen to him now. Leadership Styles in 1 & 2 Kings Merida introduced his Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings by touting the relevance of the biblical text to the modern world. The Fast is the day of atonement (Yom Kippur), which falls on Tishri 10. You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. Finally, in the following chapter, there will be the snake bite, from which Paul will be spared as well. You may be familiar with the story of Esther. Myra lies due north from Alexandria, and its bay is well calculated to shelter a windbound ship. Bruce quoting J. Smith, Voyage, pp. The ships crew tried to hug the shore of Crete, until they could reach Phoenix, a harbor not all that distant. Paul knew that he would reach Rome, but he also strongly sensed that the ship and some of its passengers would not. Pauls skillfulness and leadership gave the gospel a credibility it would not have otherwise have had in the eyes of these people. The ship ran aground on a reef, where it would be broken up by the action of the still raging waves. Is this principle of extended deliverance perhaps an explanation of Pauls comments in 1 Corinthians 7, that the unbeliever is sanctified on account of the believer? This was a Jewish couple who were deported from Rome. nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. Some call it a tough mind and a tender heart. 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. Pauls caution is rather interesting. 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). 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). 547 Ramsay is of the opinion that the ship was a government vessel of which the centurion, as senior officer, was properly in charge. There is no place safer than the place of obedience to the Word of God. All in all, it would be best to wait out the storm at sea.