Church leaders have always looked to scripture for wisdom on how God’s leaders are to fulfill their callings. Many leadership studies have been written on prominent biblical leaders such as Moses, David, Jesus, and Paul. But virtually every book of the Bible gives witness to how God worked through a multitude of leaders across the centuries of biblical history. One such leader is Nehemiah, the central figure of the book of Nehemiah, who led the effort to rebuild Jerusalem after the Babylonian conquest. He completed the daunting task of reconstructing the city’s ruined walls in a mere 52 days. A careful analysis of the book of Nehemiah reveals that he accomplished this amazing feat through the exercise of leadership that was smart and savvy while also deeply grounded in devotion to God.
 
Course objectives
Identify two or more key leadership themes in Nehemiah's story.
Examine at least 2 practices by which Nehemiah discerns his sense of call and cultivates a vision for responding with action.
Explore two or more ways that Nehemiah builds a team and sustains their commitment to the task at hand.
 
Learning goals
Participants in this course will read through Nehemiah’s story in the bible and reflect upon its various insights into leadership and ministry. They will learn how to discern a sense of God’s calling them to leadership in a particular context; how to develop a vision for leadership and ministry that aligns with God’s plan and purposes; and how to cultivate and sustain a team of people around that vision for the sake of the task at hand.
 
About the course
This course is a self-paced learning experience. It consists of six learning modules, each of which includes a combination of readings, videos, quizzes, and other forms of media that are designed to stimulate the mind and captivate the imagination. The learning modules contain all the materials necessary for completing the course, and therefore it is not necessary to purchase any additional resources or books.
 
Course outline
Learning Module One: Why look to Nehemiah for lessons?
Learning Module Two: Leadership and God's call
Learning Module Three: Seeking God's vision
Learning Module Four: Discerning a vision
Learning Module Five: Building a team
Learning Module Six: Staying the course
 
If you have any questions or problems, please email pathways@wesleyseminary.edu.