Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed, That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was afaithful man, and feared God above many.(Nehemiah 7:1-2)
When Nehemiah was looking for a man to be the mayor of Jerusalem. He looked for a man with three qualifications:
1 He chose a man that was a follower.
Now the man that he chose happened to be his brother. I am not advocating nepotism here; but the fact of the matter is that the people that we entrust with positions of leadership should be familiar to us. We need to know their qualities; and we need to know their flaws. They ought to be people that we have had a working relationship with in the past. People that have proven themselves over the years. A good leader will have already been a good follower.
2 He chose a man that was faithful.
God has told us that a faithful man is hard to find. By the way, we ought to select people based on the faithfulness of their past; not on the promised faithfulness of their future.
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. (Luke 16:10)
3 He chose a man that feared God.
If you are looking for a wise leader, look for someone who fears the Lord. The Bible is clear that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of both knowledge and wisdom. People who do not fear the Lord cannot even begin to have wisdom.
Today’s Reading – Nehemiah 1 - 5 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible) (Second Milers Read – 1 Corinthians 5 - 8; Psalms 141 - 145; Proverbs 30) Listen to this morning’s Scripture song –1 John…
Today's Passage - Nehemiah 1 - 5 Second Milers also read - 1 Corinthians 5 - 8; Psalms 141 - 145; Proverbs 30 “And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto…
Pastor Phil Erickson has been the pastor of Jersey Shore Baptist Church since January of 2002. Having grown up in Ocean County, Pastor Phil has always had a burden for the south Jersey area. After graduating from Bible College in Longview, Texas, he and his family moved to Galloway Township with the vision of digging in and serving the Lord and the people of Atlantic County. Pastor Phil and Cindy Erickson have been married since 1985. They have four children and ten grandchildren. Their oldest son, Phil Jr. and his wife Katelyn are serving the Lord in Egg Harbor Twp., NJ. Their oldest daughter, Melissa, is married to Wesley Clayton who is in the Air Force and is currently stationed in New Mexico. Samantha, their third child, is married to Justin Mears and they are both serving the Lord at the church in Galloway. Hannah, the youngest, is married to Lucas McCollum, and they are also serving here in Galloway. In preparation for ministry, the Lord led him through a variety of educational experiences that have equipped him to serve the Lord and His people. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Georgian Court University, a Bachelor of Biblical Studies in Pastoral Theology from Texas Independent Baptist Seminary (formerly Texas Baptist College), a Master of Religious Education in Bible from West Coast Baptist College, and a Master of Biblical Studies from The Crown College. More recently, he completed a Graduate Certificate in Biblical Counseling and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Veritas Baptist College. He is thankful for these opportunities to study God’s Word more deeply, and counts it a privilege to use whatever knowledge the Lord has given him for the building up of His church. In addition to pastoring, the Lord has given Phil the wonderful privilege of teaching as an adjunct professor at Vision Baptist College in Berlin, NJ and Veritas Baptist College.
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