S4.E9 - Leading from Silence & Solitude

S4.E9 - Leading from Silence & Solitude

Pastor Daniel talks about the practice of silence and solitude in leadership. Nehemiah spent time alone with God, actively seeking His presence and guidance when there might have been other things that seemed more important. This is the same battle we face as leaders, to see God Himself as the most important resource. Seek Him first.

In Pastor’s Perspective, Pastor Joe Williams gives examples from his own life and ministry of how spending time alone with God has played an essential role in fulfilling God’s purpose. You are not responsible for the results of what has called you to do. You are responsible to prioritize God and listening to His voice in order to know what to do.

Quotes

---

Quotes ---

“If you think that being extremely busy equates itself with spirituality, learn a lesson from Nehemiah. It is not in the rush and the hurry of activity that a person gains the respect of those around him; it is what he does when he is alone.” - Chuck Swindoll

___

“You can’t building a reputation on what you’re going to do.” - Henry Ford

___

“Listening is central to the development of humility.” - Dan Rockwell

___

DEFINITION: Silence—staying still (not speaking), taking time to process, think, plan and pray. / Solitude — taking rest and taking time away from others

___

Jesus said, “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”  (Matthew 5:6)

___

“When you walk by faith and seek to lead, you will encounter the hostility of people who walk by sight.” - Chuck Swindoll

___

“Sooner or later every believer discovers that the Christian life is a battleground not a playground.” - Warren Wiersbe

S4.E8 - Asking Others For Help

S4.E8 - Asking Others For Help

Pastor Daniel looks at Nehemiah’s humility in asking for help. He asked God first, he asked the king and he asked the people of Jerusalem to come alongside him to build the wall. What are the lessons we can learn about asking others for help in ministry? Why does it matter to God?

In Pastor’s Perspective, Pastor Joe Williams shares his own experiences in recognizing his need for help and what a critical role teamwork plays in ministry. No one can do ministry alone. God has called us to be in community. We work better together. 

Quotes

---

Quotes ---

“Nehemiah was quick to call for help. His favorite position when faced with problems was kneeling position.” - Chuck Swindoll

___

“The filling of the Spirit is essential for spiritual leadership.” - J Oswald Sanders

___

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” - Michael Jordan

___

“Great things in business are never done by one person; they're done by a team of people.”  - Steve Jobs

___

“The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.”  - Babe Ruth

S4.E7 - Persevering in Prayer

S4.E7 - Persevering in Prayer

Pastor Daniel talks about a subject that is critical to every leader—persevering in prayer. Perseverance is doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. We know that Nehemiah’s prayers to God were not answered immediately. He prayed and kept praying, through sadness and the burden for his people. God teaches us much as leaders through perseverance in prayer.

In Pastor’s Perspective, Pastor Joe Williams tells the stories of his own perseverance in prayer and how God has used difficulty and delay in building his own faith and shaping him into the leader God wants him to be.

Quotes

---

Quotes ---

George Muller (a great man of faith and prayer) said, “The great fault of the children of God is, they do not continue in prayer; they do not go on praying; they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God’s glory, they should pray until they get it.” 

___

“Little prayer, little power, much prayer, much power.” - Rick Warren

___

“God’s child can conquer everything by prayer. Is it any wonder that Satan does his utmost to snatch that weapon from the Christian or to hinder his use of it.” - Andrew Murray
___

Hudson Taylor said, “Satan the hinderer may build a barrier about us, but He can never roof us in so that we cannot look up.”

___

“Sometimes a failure to persist in prayer proves that we were not serious about our request in the first place. At other times God wants us to persist in prayer in order to strengthen our faith in Him. Faith would never grow if all prayers were answered immediately.” - Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines

S4.E6 - Character Over Charisma

S4.E6 - Character Over Charisma

Pastor Daniel talks about the value of character in a leader. Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the king. This was essentially the role of a servant, but this person played a critical role for the king. The Bible has a lot to say about the value God places on a person’s character, who we are on the inside. This is a great discussion on an important subject in leadership.

In Pastor’s Perspective, Pastor Joe Williams shares about the role of character in a pastor’s life. It’s definitely not about perfection, but about allowing God to shape and mold you over a lifetime of surrendering to His will and purpose for your life. 

Quotes

---

Quotes ---

“True greatness is not measured by the headlines a person commands or the wealth he or she accumulates. The inner character of a person is the true measure of lasting greatness.” - Billy Graham

___

I love how God chooses differently than the world would pick to raise up leaders… - Pastor Daniel

___

“Character is expressed through our behavior patterns, or natural responses to things” - Joyce Meyer

___

The great and legendary basketball coach John Wooden said, “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

S4.E5 - Fasting

S4.E5 - Fasting

Pastor Daniel talks about the spiritual discipline of fasting. When Nehemiah heard of the situation in Jerusalem, he fasted before God (Nehemiah 1:4). It is important to know what fasting is and what it isn’t. We know we are called to fast. Pastor Daniel talks about the correct understanding of fasting and the great spiritual value and benefit it produces in our lives. 

In Pastor’s Perspective, Pastor Joe Williams talks about his own experiences of fasting and how it has impacted his life. It has been a struggle for him as it has for most leaders. But the benefits are worth it. 

Quotes

---

Quotes ---

Jentezen Franklin, in his book Fasting, says, “Prayer and fasting were a big part of Jesus’s life. Why should it be such a small part of yours? If Jesus needed to fast, how much greater is our need to fast?”

___

Prayer links us to heaven and fasting separates us from earth. - Charles Spurgeon

___

“Reading about prayer instead of praying will simply not do. But reading about prayer in addition to praying can be a valuable way to learn” - Donald Whitney, from Spiritual Disciplines

___

Fasting is not a requirement; it is a choice. It is a vow you choose to make to pursue God on a deeper level. The entire time that you are on a fast you are acknowledging God. When you are feeling hungry, empty, and weak, you connect with God without all the clutter. -Jentezen Franklin

___

The secret to tapping into the supernatural is for you to have the courage to do the natural first.” -Jentezen Franklin

S4.E4 - Our First Response

S4.E4 - Our First Response

Pastor Daniel talks about the importance of prayer. From Nehemiah 1:4-11, we read the heartfelt response of Nehemiah’s heart to what he had learned about the situation of the people of Israel in Jerusalem. Nehemiah’s sets an example for leaders of how to respond to the burdens God places on our hearts. It is a prayer packed with wisdom.

In  Pastor’s Perspective, Pastor Joe Williams shares how God has used the power of prayer throughout his 40 years of ministry…sometimes saying yes, sometimes saying no and sometimes saying wait. But God answers every time we pray. 

Quotes

---

Quotes ---

Donald Whitney said, “This much we do know---Jesus prayed. Luke 5:16 tells us “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed”. If Jesus needed to pray, how much more do we need to pray? Prayer is expected because we need it. We will not be like Jesus without it.

___

Chuck Swindoll  said, “Nehemiah was quick to call for help. His favorite position when faced with problems was the kneeling position.”

___

Although burdens/problems can be painful at times, they can also bring passion and calling. Our concerns and cares should cause us to act!

___

Tony Evans says, “You can always tell how serious people are about their belief that only God can make a difference by their prayer.”

___

God can do more in one moment than we can in a lifetime!

S4.E3 - The Importance of Asking Questions

S4.E3 - The Importance of Asking Questions

Pastor Daniel talks about the importance of asking questions in ministry, seeking God’s wisdom first and also inquiring about other people. Nehemiah asked questions in order to understand what was happening with God’s people in Jerusalem. We can learn so much if we ask and take the time to listen.

In Pastor’s Perspective, Pastor Joe Williams shares his insights into the benefits of waiting on God, listening to Him and listening to others. 

Quotes

---

Quotes ---

Charles Swindoll says, “A leader must have a clear recognition of the needs.”

___

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20
___

If we know something, we are challenged to act.

___

Can I ask you… Are you looking? Are you asking? Do you care?

___

We need to be more in the moment than just rushing through life!

S4.E2 - Context Matters

S4.E2 - Context Matters

Pastor Daniel talks about the context of Nehemiah. What is happening in Nehemiah’s world at this time? What is the setting? Why does is this important? Nehemiah is an autobiography of Nehemiah’s calling to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls which are in ruins. God is restoring the people and the city of Jerusalem once again. God wants to restore us in order to use us in restoring and blessing others. God is in control, even when it doesn’t look like it.

In Pastor’s Perspective, Pastor Joe Williams joins Daniel to share his own perspective on the context of Nehemiah and how God works in difficult situations, through His word, through the writings of others and through the personal relationships we have with brothers and sisters in the faith. 

Quotes

---

Quotes ---

Pastor Craig Groeshel says, “You can never fulfill your calling in your comfort zone.” 

___

“True greatness is not measured by the headlines a person commands or the wealth he or she accumulates. The inner character of a person—the undergirding moral and spiritual values and commitments—is the true measure of lasting greatness.” Billy Graham

___

“God uses our own mistakes and the mistakes of others to humble us and give us the ability to teach others. We don’t have to make every mistake ourselves to learn what not to do.” Pastor Joe Williams

S4.E1 - Let's Study Nehemiah Together

S4.E1 - Let's Study Nehemiah Together

Pastor Daniel is back with a whole new season, a new audio podcast format and a new segment called Pastor’s Perspective. This season will be a deep dive into the book of Nehemiah. With all that’s happened in the last couple years, it is a great time to look at how God taught Nehemiah how to be a leader in the midst of troubled times. Pastor Daniel will do a teaching segment on Nehemiah each lesson, followed by an in-depth conversation for Pastor’s Perspective with his father, Pastor Joe Williams. Pastor Joe has been a pastor in Tacoma, Washington for 40 years. He has great insights to share from his years of walking with the Lord.   Join us for this exciting new season.

Quotes

---

Quotes ---

J. Oswald Sanders said in his book Spiritual Leadership, “Nehemiah is one of the most inspiring  leaders in the Bible” (pg 163). 

___

Tony Evans states that, “Nehemiah provides a study in great leadership” (pg 461).
___

Chuck Smith always used to say “Blessed are the flexible for they will not be broken”
___

“Methods are many, principles are few. Methods always change but principles never do.”

___

In his book Pass Me a Brick, Chuck Swindoll said, “Nehemiah, although an ordinary man underneath, emerges as one of the most significant leaders in history. He was highly motivated to do a job for God that had many difficult circumstances surrounding it” (pg 4).