A Godly Leader on Trial : a Fresh Look at Nehemiah

By R. Zarwulugbo Liberty

For Church leaders in the twenty-first century who subscribe to the Inerrancy of the Bible and its authority in all matters of life and practice, change is necessary for the spiritual growth of the Church. The goal is to prepare Christian leaders to obey their creed by leading through biblical guidance.
In his analysis of the leadership principles and style of Nehemiah, author Dr. R. Zarwulugbo Liberty proposes a paradigm shift back to Godly leadership as exemplified by Nehemiah, who:
Pays attention to details (Neh 1: 1-3).
Cares for his people and country (Neh 1: 3).
Loves God (Neh 1: 4) with all his heart, soul, mind, strength, and loves his neighbor as himself (Mk 12: 30-31).
Prays persistently (Neh 1: 4-11) and fears God in all that he does.
Establishes a genuine relationship with God (Neh 1: 5).
Serves God and his people with a servants heart and takes personal responsibility (Neh 1: 5-6).
Obeys Gods command and has the ability to repent (Neh 1: 6-7).
Knows and applies Gods Word in every condition (Neh 1: 8-9).
Believes in Gods great power of redemption (Neh 1: 10).
Serves on Gods mission with excellence and respects authority (Neh 2: 1-2).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 30, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499062151

R. Zarwulugbo Liberty

R. Zarwulugbo Liberty (B.Th., Liberia Baptist Seminary; M.Div., D. Min., Knox Theological Seminary) is president and founding church planter of an African independent church denomination, Church of the Believers, Inc., in Liberia, West Africa, and the Africa International Christian Mission, Inc., with headquarters in Boynton Beach, Florida. Prior to his coming to serve as a missionary in the United States, he, along with his wife, Esther, planted nineteen churches in Liberia, established the Liberty Theological Seminary, the Fellowship of Christian Churches of Africa, and a Christian high school. Presently, Dr. Liberty serves as president of Africa International Christian Mission (AICM), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2000. The mission of AICM is to assist Christian churches in implementing the Great Commission of Christ in Africa and beyond by ministering to the spiritual and physical man. Its vision is to promote ministerial and missionary education in Africa, to be an agent of independent churches in Africa who want to partner with Western churches and missions, and to raise support for indigenous pastors and missionaries to enable them fulfill the Great Commission in their homeland. Also, it is to plan seminars, workshops, crusades and special Bible conferences for church leaders in Africa and the United States, with regular mission trips to and from Africa. The mission is planting churches in Africa, operating orphanages and schools, and supporting indigenous pastors and missionaries in their homeland. AICM is also operating a food bank in Boynton Beach, Florida, providing weekly food and other staples of life to the homeless, elderly, families, and children. Because Dr. Liberty hailed from Liberia, he focuses on his homeland, which went through fifteen years of civil war, taking the precious lives of over 250,000 persons. Presently, the unemployment rate in Liberia is 80 percent. AICM has been providing scholarships for hundreds of Liberians. Some of them have graduated from high school and college in that country. Through his effectiveness in evangelism and missions work in this country, along with his outstanding work in the Department of Evangelism and Missions, the Knox Theological Seminary awarded him a certificate of honor in evangelism and missions during his graduation in 2008. Dr. Liberty and his wife, Esther, live in Boynton Beach,

Book preview

Praise for A GODLY LEADER ON TRIAL: A Fresh Look at Nehemiah

A leader is someone who others follow. Here are some biblical principles, and practical insights to inform and inspire today’s Christian leaders to shape a better tomorrow.

Dr. Ron Kilpatrick, served as chairman of my Dissertation Committee at Knox Theological Seminary in 2010.

A Godly leader needs to come back to the roots. This book is a humbling reminder of our call to lead through biblical guidance. I have known Dr. Liberty for the past fourteen years as one of the most genuine, faithful, and humble leaders I have ever encountered. This book will give you new perspectives about leadership.

Sherry Colby, Senior Pastor of Victory Worship Center and author of This Is Your Year!

The Reverend Dr. R. Zarwulugbo Liberty undertakes a hard task to produce for us this great book. It is a must-read for everyone who loves God and those in leadership. The following lines caught my attention and interest: ‘A Godly leader’s comfort is not in his achievements or benefits… his primary concern is meeting the spiritual and physical needs of others.’ I highly recommend this book to every leader.

Bishop Harmon D. Yalartai, Presiding Bishop at Faith Revival Temple Church, Inc.

"Dr. Liberty’s new book A Godly Leader On Trial – A Fresh Look at Nehemiah gives each of us the strength and courage to be a leader, a leader of one(self), to a leader of millions. Nehemiah was a leader with a tender heart who used unconventional ways to complete God’s calling for him. Dr. Liberty’s book brings out the modern-day Nehemiah in all of us! This book will forever impact your life!"

Frank McKinney, 5x bestselling author including, The Tap ( www.The-Tap.com).

"The 18th century literary titan, Samuel Johnson, said, ‘People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.’ In A Godly Leader On Trial, Dr. Liberty has reminded us what Godly leadership looks like. This is practical biblical help on leadership from a seasoned leader I respect."

Dr. Tommy Kiedis, Senior Pastor, Spanish River Church

Pastor Liberty’s book on Nehemiah offers a refreshing perspective on Christian leadership. It promotes a back to the fundamentals approach. As a leader, Nehemiah’s heart was devoted to the physical and spiritual needs of others. This book reminds us that the heart of a Godly leader should be to care for his parishioners and their needs. This focus promotes a kingdom-building frame of mind instead of a church building or following mentality.

Dr. Robert Saum, Dean, College of Online Studies and Faculty Innovation Center at Daytona State College

A

GODLY LEADER

ON TRIAL

A Fresh Look at Nehemiah

R. Zarwulugbo Liberty

Author of

Growing Missionaries Biblically

A Fresh Look at Missions in an African Context

Copyright © 2014 by R. Zarwulugbo Liberty.

Library of Congress Control Number:            2014914668

ISBN:      Hardcover         978-1-4990-6216-8

                Softcover            978-1-4990-6217-5

               eBook                  978-1-4990-6215-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Office: Africa International Christian Mission, Inc. P.O. Box 243856, Boynton Beach, Florida 33424. E-mail address: [e-mail].

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 09/10/2014

Xlibris LLC

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Dedication

My first dedication and appreciation goes to the Lord Jesus Christ who saved me and miraculously provided for this project. I am honored to recognize those who made a significant impact in my walk with God. Each one taught me something unique in church leadership:

First, this book is dedicated to Deacon Gbargayee Garwudu who departed this life in 1978. He was a member of the Apostolic Faith Church of Jesus Christ with headquarters on Lynch Street, Monrovia, Liberia. Deacon, as he was affectionately called, taught me how to step out in faith, trusting the Lord alone in all that I do. He was my mentor and hero. His favorite Bible verses are Titus 1:15–16: To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions, they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

Second, the book is also dedicated to Mother May-jean Garwudu–Wurdorjalah, who taught me the importance of persistent prayer in the ministry by her own prayer life. She was a member of the Apostolic Faith Church of Jesus Christ with headquarters on Lynch Street, Monrovia, Liberia, and planted the branch of her church in Grand Bassa County, Liberia. Mother May-jean was my mentor and heroine in Christ. She received her spiritual promotion to be with the Lord in 1982. Her favorite Bible verses are 2 Corinthians 4:1-4, Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Third, Elder Jacob Kayou Paye was one of my heroes in Christ. He was an elder of the Bible Faith Christian Church with headquarters in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, Liberia. He started mentoring me after the death of Mother May-jean Garwudu–Wurdorjalah. Elder, as he was affectionately called, taught me how to help other younger ministers of the Gospel into an effective ministry. He was a great teacher, a man of enormous joy even in the midst of crisis. Elder Paye was called home to be with Jesus on December 13, 2005. His favorite Bible verses are from Psalms 118:8-9, It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princess.

Fourth, special honor goes to my beloved wife, Esther Bantoe Liberty, who is patient and supportive in her prayers and unwavering love for me for many years. She has taught me faith in the midst of chaos, always waiting for God to speak in every situation, and how to pray daily everywhere even in the bathtub. To our children: Robertson (who departed this life on December 9, 2013), Roosevelt, Roseline, Vera, Joshua, Comfort, Edwin, Samuel, Bobby, You-jay, Baryo, and to our grandchildren. Our children taught me patience in their upbringing and love for them. The Apostle Paul asks, For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?(Tm 1:5) To my late father and mother (may their souls rest in perfect peace) who did everything that they could for me to be where I am today. My parents taught me how to love people by helping to meet their needs. To the citizens of Gbee and Dorwudu District, Liberia, from where the Lord raised me up to serve Him. Furthermore, my gratitude goes to the Fahn-yah ethnic group within the Gbee clan of the district that my late father led for many years. He appointed me, among the tribal leaders, to succeed him. But prior to his death, my father stressed that this new leadership will be in Christ! To the members of the Church of the Believers in Liberia that the Lord founded through us; to the pastors who are serving the Lord in our various churches; to the Board of Directors of Africa International Christian Mission; and finally, to our partners and friends who have been praying with us for our ministries in America and Africa, my deepest appreciation.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17(ESV, italics mine)

Contents

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Introduction

An Invitation to Godly Leadership on Trial

Who Should Read This Book and Why?

Summary of Chapter Descriptions

Chapter One

A Godly Leader Knows the Biblical Background of His People

Leading through Biblical Knowledge

Introduction

Background of the Book of Nehemiah

The Authorship

The Assyrian Invasion of Israel—The Northern Kingdom

The Pain of Judah: The Beginning of Their Exile

God’s Faithfulness in Restoring His People to

Their Promised Land

Conclusion

Chapter Two

A Godly Leader Loves God, His People, and Country

The Heart of a Godly Leader (Neh Chap.1)

Introduction

The Description of a Godly Leader’s Heart

Conclusion

Chapter Three

A Godly Leader Prays for God’s People

Leading through Persistent Prayers (Neh Chap. 2)

Introduction

The Answer to Prayers

Nehemiah’s Appearance before the King with a Prayerful Heart

His Commission to Rebuild the Walls of Jerusalem

His Prayer: Knowing the Historical Background of the Enemies

His Prayerful Preparation for the Project

Secret Inspection

Mission Objective Revealed

His Prayer and Constant Opposition

Conclusion

Chapter Four

A Godly Leader Leads

Leading through Mission Statement, Vision,

and Vision-Path (Neh Chap. 3)

Introduction

Mission Statement

Vision

The Vision-Path

The Twelve Gates in Jerusalem

The Sheep Gate

The Fish Gate

The Jeshanah Gate or the Old Gate

The Valley Gate

The Dung Gate

The Fountain Gate

The Water Gate

The East Gate

The Horse Gate

The Inspection Gate

The Gate of Ephraim

The Gate of the Guard

Conclusion

Chapter Five

A Godly Leader’s Mission Is Embedded with Typology

Leading through God’s Mission (Neh Chap. 3)

Introduction

The Twelve Gates of Jerusalem and its Typology

The Walls of Jerusalem and the Holy Spirit

The City of Jerusalem and the New Heavenly Jerusalem

Conclusion

Chapter Six

A Godly Leader Remains Faithful in Prayer through Opposition

Leading through Opposition (Neh Chap. 4)

Introduction

Reasons for the Opposition

A Godly Leader Prays for Victory against Opposition

The Enemies Planned to Attack

Recovering from Burnout to Faith and Strength

Conclusion

Chapter Seven

A Godly Leader Is a Peacemaker

Leading through Peacemaking (Neh Chap.5)

Introduction

Root of the Problems

Response to the Problems

Decision and Redress

Peacemaking through Self-sacrifice

Argument for Nehemiah’s Sacrificial Life and

Other Examples Today

Conclusion

Chapter Eight

A Godly Leader Overcomes Constant Opposition

Leading through Faith in God and Discernment (Neh Chap. 6)

Introduction

Resurgence of the Enemies

A Plan to Cause Nehemiah to Sin

Mission Accomplished

Conclusion

Chapter Nine

A Godly Leader Leads through Structure

Leading through an Organizational Structure (Neh Chap.7)

Introduction

Leadership Structure in Jerusalem

Census Conducted

Conclusion

Chapter Ten

A Godly Leader Is a Reformer

Leading through Constant Covenant Renewal and Revival

(Neh Chaps. 8-10)

Introduction

The Water Gate Revival (Chapter 8)

Israel’s Confession (Chapter 9)

Conclusion

Chapter Eleven

A Godly Leader Teaches Biblical Truths

Leading through Restoring Biblical Tithing and Covenant-Making

(Chap.10)

Introduction

Biblical Covenant-Making

Reinstitution of Tithing and Tithing Debate in the

New Testament

Tithing in Old Testament

Tithing in the New Testament

Tithing Debate

Author’s Response to the Debate

Conclusion

Chapter Twelve

A Godly Leader Is a Man of Vision

Leading through Repopulating Jerusalem (Neh Chap. 11)

Introduction

Repopulating Jerusalem

Repopulating Jerusalem: A Focus on Judah and Perez

Judah, the Fourth Son of Jacob

Perez, One of the Twin Sons of Judah

The People Lived on Their Ancestral Properties

Conclusion

Chapter Thirteen

A Godly Leader Is an Excellent Planner

Leading through Adequate Preparation (Neh Chap.12)

Introduction

Preparation for the Dedication

Hanukkat/Hanukah: The Dedication

Conclusion

Chapter Fourteen

A Godly Leader Is a Priest and Not a Professional

Leading through the Renewal of Priestly Support

Introduction

The Origin and Renewal of Priests’ Support

The Priests’ Responsibilities and Support

Renewal of the Priests’ Support

The Priests’ Portion Used to Fund the Kingdom of Israel

The Application of Priestly Support to Church

Workers Today

A Pastor Is Called and Supported, Not Hired and Paid

Abuse in the Pastorate

Abuse of the Pastorate

Conclusion

Chapter Fifteen

A Godly Leader Promotes Obedience to God

Leading by Example (Neh Chap.13)

Introduction

Spiritual Awakening in Jerusalem

Israel’s Repentance

Conclusion

Chapter Sixteen

A Godly Leader Leads His People As Subjects of God’s Kingdom

Leading with the Bible As the Constitution for the Kingdom of God

Introduction

Obedience through Peacemaking As a Committee in the Church

A Peacemaking Committee

Peacemaking Committee Awareness Training

Biblical and Historical Examples of Obedience to the

Kingdom of God

Nehemiah

Bishop Ambrose of Milan

The Jethro-Moses Example

Conclusion

Wrapping Up the Book of Nehemiah

The life of Nehemiah

The Lessons from Nehemiah

Nehemiah as a Type of Christ

Nehemiah’s Legacy

About the Author

Endnotes

Bibliography

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

One cannot write a book of this nature without the help, encouragement, and guidance from a variety of people. I am indebted to the following persons whose prayers and academic guidance resulted in the writing of this book. My sincere appreciation to Dr. Ronald Kilpatrick for editing the manuscript and providing many helpful suggestions. I am very grateful to Dr. Tommy Kiedis, senior pastor, Spanish River Church, Boca Raton, Florida, who edited three chapters objectively and made constructive suggestions, which enable me to add three more chapters. My deepest appreciation to Elissa Crawford, who I consider the coauthor of this book. Though I did all the research, she sat for countless hours in shaping my ideas to be more readable and understandable from the very hour when the thought of writing a book on leadership came to mind. Besides her editing skills, she has been my encourager in making sure that I finish this book. She would always send me an e-mail when I stop sending her work to edit on the book with this question, Is there anything to edit? I praise God for Joyce Grothamnn of Knox Theological Seminary for helping out in editing the second draft of the manuscript. My deepest apperception to the Xlibris Publishing Company’s editing team who applied their professionalism in getting the manuscript ready for publication.

My heartfelt gratitude to the late Dr. D. James Kennedy, founder of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and Knox Theological Seminary, who had a deep passion for the Great Commission. His zeal and love for the Lord Jesus Christ resulted in the establishment of a scholarship fund at Knox Theological Seminary. Kennedy’s objective for this scholarship was to train pastors for effective ministry irrespective of race. This book could not be made possible had it not been for the Scholarship Committee of Knox in both my Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry studies.

Most people also encouraged me during this writing project: I am grateful to Pastor Sherry Colby of Victory Worship Center and Juan Resprepo, who are members of the Board of Trustees of Africa International Christian Mission, Inc., for their prayers: Pastor John Panico of Calvary Chapel Delray Beach, who I meet weekly for an hour for prayers. I have always used the prayer time to discuss ideas that were running through my mind about this book, and some of the things that I had written. John was supportive with a big smile and provided constructive advice. Dawn Terrizzi, my coworker at the Community Outreach of Boynton. She had always said to me regarding the book, Pastor Liberty, you can make it because God is with you! Last but not the least is Bishop Leroy York, founder, Body of Christ US Fellowship with headquarters in Florida. We meet monthly or as the need arises for prayer at which time we discuss ministry issues. He has encouraged me by reading and commenting on some of the chapters. During our regular fellowship, sometimes, my book has been the major point of discussion.

Most importantly, all the praise finally goes to God. Without Him, this work would have been impossible. He gave me good health, energy, joy, and the perseverance to come to this point. I trust that this book will contribute, some meaningful way, to the advancement of Christian leadership.

FOREWORD

As children, one of the first games we are taught to play is a game called, "Follow the Leader." This is the game where one person is designated the leader, and success in the game is dependent on everyone else’s ability and willingness to follow the leader. What I love about the game is this: that in order to become the leader you have to learn how to follow. This principle holds true in life; to be a good leader, one must know how to follow.

How important is Godly leadership? If you walk into your local bookstore, usually there are shelves, and even entire sections, designated for books on leading effectively. Most of these books have been written by those who have attained a measure of success in an area, whether it is politics, business, health, or sports.

As Christians, we are called to be leaders in our homes, churches, and communities. Thus, it is no surprise that just as in the secular book stores, Christian bookstores also have shelves and entire sections of books written by Christian authors about leadership. These books range from leading our youth, to leading in our homes, to leading within the walls of the church, sports, and business. Unfortunately, many of the books follow the same formula as the non-religious books. Books written by Christians who have experienced success in a given area, end up writing books about how they did it…and how you can do it also, as if by following the same formula, you too will attain this success. This is a pitfall for Christians called to lead, because it misses the point entirely.

We have a book called the Bible. Contrary to popular belief, it is not just stories of successful and unsuccessful men. Rather, it is God’s story from start to finish. In it are stories of how God uses ordinary men to accomplish extraordinary tasks. It is full of principles that many have neglected, that are invaluable in teaching us how to seek God’s plan for our lives. This also includes His power for the purposes He has set aside for us from the beginning of time. Thus, when it comes to leadership, whether it is leadership in the home, in the work place, and even in the church, God’s word is perfectly sufficient to equip us to complete the task at hand. It is replete with biblical principles to learn, commands to follow, and has both good and bad examples, all of which we can benefit us where God has called us.

For the last five years, Dr. Liberty and I have met at a local Dunkin’ Donuts between the hours of 1pm and 2pm on Wednesdays. The only set agenda for these meetings has been prayer. We talk and pray about a range of things from doctrine to the challenges of church planting. On one particular Wednesday in the spring of 2014, he asked me to write the foreword to this book. When I read the manuscript, I found in it a biblical principle of Godly leadership that he has emphasized to me over the years. He believes that successful Godly leadership is not defined by the success according to the world’s standard, but rather by his obedience to God and His word. Thus, in a day and age where leadership in the church has been heavily and adversely influenced by the culture, this book proposes a paradigm shift to Godly leadership calling on Christian leaders to lead through biblical guidance in the twenty-first century.

This is the beauty of Dr. R. Zarwulugbo Liberty’s book. This book goes straight to our final authority — God’s word. It shows the example of the Godly leadership of Nehemiah and derives its leadership instruction from a man who has a deep love for God and a burden for God’s people. But I would point out that this book was written by a man who, he himself, has a deep love of God and a burden for his people. It is a breath of fresh air coming from the heart and pen of one whose heart belongs to God. I believe that this book will be a benefit and a blessing to all who read it.

John A. Panico, M.Div.

Senior Pastor

Calvary Chapel Delray Beach

INTRODUCTION

An Invitation to Godly Leadership on Trial

In May of 2011, I received a phone call from John K. Vah, acting chairman of Church of the Believers, Inc., in Liberia, West Africa. He told me that the national board of the church had approved the recommendation—from one of the board members—to study the Book of Nehemiah for their 2011 annual conference. The national church challenged me to prepare a series of lectures for the convocation scheduled for the first week in December 2011. Since God touched the leadership to study this unique book,