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A Case Study of Successful Ministry

A Case Study of Successful Ministry. Introduction. The Big Picture An Old Testament Overview . Ezra , Nehemiah and us. Introduction. Overview. 299. Key Verse.

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A Case Study of Successful Ministry

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  1. A Case Study of Successful Ministry

  2. Introduction The Big Picture An Old Testament Overview. Ezra, Nehemiah and us.

  3. Introduction

  4. Overview

  5. 299 Key Verse “So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about this and all the surrounding nations saw it, our enemies lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God” (Nehemiah 6:15-16)

  6. 300 Title • Ezra & Nehemiah originally formed a single book according to Josephus, Jerome, & the Talmud. • The Hebrew Bible also has the 2 books together under the title Ezra Nehemiah • However, the repetition of Ezra 2 in Nehemiah 7 may indicate that the two were originally separate works. • Nehemiah means "Yahweh comforts." Once again the names are significant in that Nehemiah functioned as God's comfort through building Jerusalem's protective wall.

  7. Authorship External Evidence • The Book of Nehemiah has long been considered as being named after its author and chief character, Nehemiah himself. Internal Evidence • The inspired title of the book reads, "The Words of Nehemiah, Son of Hacaliah" (1:1) & much of the content appears in the 1st person, making it clear that Nehemiah recorded this book. • Some believe the 3rd person sections (7:6–12:26; 12:44–13:2a) were written by Ezra since Nehemiah was absent for these events as he was in Babylon during this time (13:6).

  8. 300 Circumstances Recipients Those who 1st read Nehemiah comprised Jews who had returned from Persia with Ezra 3 or 4 decades before, as well as the grandchildren & great-grandchildren of the returnees with Zerubbabel about 125 years earlier. Date Nehemiah left Persia in the 20th year of Artaxerxes (445 BC) & returned to the king in his 32th year (433 BC). "Some time later" he came again to Jerusalem (13:6b), but the specific time is not designated. Perhaps it was ca. 425 BC or even 420 BC. This chronology places the writing after 425 BC, perhaps even as late as 400 BC. This dating of approximately 425 BC makes Nehemiah a contemporary of Malachi, which finds support in their common descriptions of post-exilic Judaism.

  9. Occasion • This story continues from Ezra about 11 years after Ezra's spiritual reforms among the remnant in Jerusalem. • However, whereas Ezra helped the spiritual establishment of the new community, Nehemiah gave it physical, geographical, and political stability. • Nehemiah's faith in God saw Him accomplish in 52 days what had not been done in the 93 years since the return under Zerubbabel. • This account undoubtedly helped his original readers to see that obedient faith can accomplish God's will despite what appears impossible.

  10. Characteristics Although Esther follows Nehemiah in our Christian Bibles, Nehemiah actually is later chronologically. Thus it concludes the account of the historical books of the Christian Old Testament. Perhaps no other book of Scripture provides a better depiction of the balance between dependence and discipline, as well as prayer and planning.  One difficulty in reconciling Nehemiah with Ezra concerns the walls themselves. At the beginning of the account, Nehemiah seems surprised that the walls were broken down. One clue is perhaps that the walls had begun to be rebuilt under Ezra during the reign of Artaxerxes, but the work had stopped.  Nehemiah is the only biblical book written mostly in the 1st person

  11. Jerusalem of the Returning Exiles Bible Visual Resource Book, 99; Gene Getz, Nehemiah,” in Bible Knowledge Commentary, 1:679

  12. Jerusalem of the Returning Exiles Nehemiah 1-7

  13. PART #1 SUCCESS IN GOD’S GREAT PROJECTS Nehemiah 1-7

  14. QUICKQUIZ Nehemiah Chapter 1

  15. Nehemiah Chapter 1 1. What was the condition of the wall of Jerusalem and its gates? (3) QUIZ The wall was broken down, and the gates burned with fire.

  16. Nehemiah Chapter 1 2. What did Nehemiah do when he heard about the remnant that survived the exile and about the condition of Jerusalem? (4) QUIZ He wept, mourned certain days, fasted, and prayed

  17. Nehemiah Chapter 1 3. What did Nehemiah confess in his prayer? (5-7) QUIZ The sins of the children of Israel, which they had sinned against God

  18. Nehemiah Chapter 1 4. What did Nehemiah ask God to remember? (8-9) The words God had spoken to Moses “If you turn to me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out to the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen to set my name” QUIZ

  19. Nehemiah Chapter 1 5. What was Nehemiah’s position? (11) QUIZ The king's cupbearer

  20. Phase #1 OBSESSION How to Become Impassioned with a Ministry Project The Godly Art of Burden-Catching (1)

  21. The Success Process Phase #1 – OBSESSION Phase #2 – PREPARATION Phase #3 – MOTIVATION Phase #4 – MOBILIZATION Phase #5 – FORTIFICATION Phase #6 – CORRECTION Phase #7 – PROTECTION Phase #8 -- COMPLETION

  22. I. Catch A Burden from God (1:1-4) A. Catch a Burden by Investigating the Needs of Others (1:1-3) B. Catch a Burden by Empathizing with the Needs of Others (1:4)

  23. II. Share Your Burden with God (1:5-11) A. Give Your Burden to God (1:5-11) 1. Base Your Prayer on God's Character 2. Base Your Prayer on God's Promises 3. Base Your Prayer on God's Power B. Give Yourself to God (1:11)

  24. QUICKQUIZ Nehemiah Chapter 2

  25. Nehemiah Chapter 2 1. What did King Artaxerxes perceive about Nehemiah? (1-3) QUIZ His countenance was sad

  26. Nehemiah Chapter 2 2. For what did Nehemiah request permission? (4-5) QUIZ To be sent to rebuild Jerusalem

  27. Nehemiah Chapter 2 3. What letters did Nehemiah ask the king to write? (6-9) One to the governors beyond the river, that they would convey him over till he came into Judah; and another to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he would give him timber to make beams QUIZ

  28. Nehemiah Chapter 2 4. Why were Sanballat and Tobiah disturbed? (10) QUIZ That there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel

  29. Nehemiah Chapter 2 5. What did Nehemiah do at night? (11-16) QUIZ Surveyed the walls and the gates

  30. Phase #2 PREPARATION How to Prepare with Prayer and Planning Launching Your Project (1:11-2:10)

  31. The Success Process Phase #1 – OBSESSION Phase #2 – PREPARATION Phase #3 – MOTIVATION Phase #4 – MOBILIZATION Phase #5 – FORTIFICATION Phase #6 – CORRECTION Phase #7 – PROTECTION Phase #8 -- COMPLETION

  32. I. God Prepares the Way as You Pray (1:11-2:4) A. Pray Dependently (1:11) B. Pray Patiently (2:1) C. Pray Spontaneously (2:4)

  33. II. God Prepares the Way as You Plan (2:5-9) A. Your Plans Should Include the Approvals Needed (2:5) B. Your Plans Should Include the Time Needed (2:5-6) C. Your Plans Should Include the Resources Needed (2:7-9)

  34. Phase #3 MOTIVATION How to Recruit and Motivate Ministry Partners The Courageous Heartache (2:11-20)

  35. The Success Process Phase #1 – OBSESSION Phase #2 – PREPARATION Phase #3 – MOTIVATION Phase #4 – MOBILIZATION Phase #5 – FORTIFICATION Phase #6 – CORRECTION Phase #7 – PROTECTION Phase #8 -- COMPLETION

  36. How to Recruit and Motivate Ministry Partners I. Help People Grasp the Problem that Exists. II. Display a Plan that Will Solve the Problem. III. Describe the Provisions that God has Supplied. IV. Point out the Power that is Available in God.

  37. The Success Process Phase #1 – OBSESSION. You wrap your attention, heart and prayers around a need and allow God to turn it into a personal “burden.” Out of this grows a vision of what can be done.

  38. The Success Process Phase #2 – PREPARATION. You prepare for your mission with prayer and planning. Then you wait for God to provide the resources to deal with any obstacles that might be in your path.

  39. The Success Process Phase #3 – MOTIVATION. For your ministry to really take off you will need ministry partners. You can motivate them through a godly, contagious style of motivation.

  40. The Success Process Phase #4 – MOBILIZATION. Now it is time to organize and mobilize people for maximum productivity. Motivation without mobilization leads to frustration.

  41. QUICKQUIZ Nehemiah Chapter 3

  42. Nehemiah Chapter 3 1. What was repaired and rebuilt in this chapter? (1-32) QUIZ Gates, doors, locks, bars, and towers of the wall

  43. Nehemiah Chapter 3 2. We read of at least twelve gates in the book of Nehemiah, all having a specified name. Name three. The East Gate (3:29), Water Gate (3:26), Valley Gate (3:13), Refuse (Dung) Gate (3:14), Miphkad Gate (3:31), Fountain Gate (3:15), Sheep Gate (3:1), Fish Gate (3:3), Old Gate (3:6), Prison Gate (12:39), Horse Gate (3:28), and the Gate of Ephraim (8:16). QUIZ

  44. Nehemiah Chapter 3 3. Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests rebuilt which gate? (1) QUIZ The Sheep Gate

  45. Nehemiah Chapter 3 4. Which group of men would not participate in the work? (5) QUIZ The nobles of Tekoa

  46. Nehemiah Chapter 3 5. What is the importance of the often-repeated phrase "next to him/them" or "after him/them"? QUIZ The people worked side by side, in unity, each accomplishing his/her own area of service.

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