Bible Students

This week’s reading covered chapters eight through twelve of Lincoln on Leadership. Lincoln thought outside of the box often. He pushed the choice to start a war onto the enemy, not choosing to start a war, but giving the Southern states the warning against war. Lincoln would fight back against those states if they were to fight the North. Lincoln was without the ability to fight back against the South. Lincoln fought hard against those who opposed the North. Lincoln threatened to return equal strength back to the South. 

Lincoln was a man of contemplation. Before a leader appears, the situation is a disaster. Lincoln meditated during a time of disaster and came out the other side. He made a command to suspend the inability of arresting suspicious persons without a crime. Anyone who could seem to oppose the North would be arrested and held during the war. Lincoln imprisoned many people during the war in order to suppress the Southern powers. Lincoln was not technically breaking the Constitution if the suspended laws had a clause to suspend them and no specified person who could suspend them. The Christian leader should be able to act on their own if needed. The pastor of the church should not need to go to the board during an immediate crisis, but should have the platform and the ability to act in the moment if needed. 

The South was overconfident, and Lincon warned them of it. Overconfidence in the Christian ministry will lead to overestimating the team’s abilities and resources, leading them to stretch themselves too thinly, and cause a defeat. Lincoln was kind to the soldiers, and loving, and talked to them of the hope of a future outside of this conflict. This grew the troop’s belief in their leader. Christian leaders should care for their team members and all those who follow them. They should love them and remind them of the hope to come, the hope that ultimately is consummate when Christ comes back to earth. Lincoln was confronted with things no one had ever seen before, and had to take serious novel action in the moment. Christian leaders need to think critically and understand their times to act both biblically and immediately to resolve serious issues. 

Lincoln knew that power dynamics could ruin an already unstable situation, when someone in power took more power for themself. Those under the head leader in a church should not seek to gain more power for themself during times of crisis, but rather should aid the head leader in recovering the organization from the crisis. Lincoln sought out middleground with political sides, and likely would do so today. When there are two different views, both extreme, in the church, it may be wise to find a middle-ground between the two, rather than choose one side. This is exempted when one side is evil and one good. However, when there are two sides that are morally neutral, it may be good to find a middle ground. For example, in the area of creation, I believe every Christian must believe God has created everything by His power and His sovereignty, for His purposes, and has made humanity in His Image, and different from any other animal (among other things). Different beliefs can adhere to these essentials while radically disagreeing on the timeline of creation. This is not only to find middle ground, as middle ground is not always a good thing, but I believe the issues are not morally-relevant issues if the individual believes the Bible intends what the original author intended, that we are far removed from the text and may not fully understand it, and agreeing to the previous doctrines. 

Lincoln did not want to rely on creating federal debt. Churches, likewise, should not depend on taking out loans and accruing debt for their organization simply to make what they want to happen. Lincoln chose to work with his team. He had always had a vision of slaved being freed from the capitol. Lincoln appreciated the input of those under him and legitimately cared about their opinions, especially about himself. Christian leaders should be listening to many people who are under them. They should be willing to grow in the areas other people see, where they are not able to see. They should also ask people who do not agree with their positions, from those who oppose them, and from those who are in different demographics. This kind of transparent reflection is essential for a proper Christian leader. Christians must appreciate rebuke, otherwise they will become hard-headed in all of the worst areas. 

The church and state should be separated. When the state is involved with the church, the church may be oppressed by other religions or denominations. The church should remain a separate entity with the freedom to operate apart from the influence of the state and the state’s interests. The interests of the state are far different from the interests of the church. This is not necessarily because the state is secular, but because the state has a far different mission than the church. The church aims to sanctify the body of Christ in a particular environment, and the state aims to protect the individuals of its nations from domestic and foreign threats. 

Lincoln treated political enemies with respect. Christians must treat their opposition with respect as well. Adiditonally, Lincoln beleived the troops of the North had to respect the citizens and troops of the South, even if they were at war. The Christian must love those who are at war with them. Though the Christian does not begin the spiritual fight against the devil, they need to love those who are tools of the enemy in the spiritual fight. Christians must love those who are agaisnt them, understanding that the enemy has them as a tool, and that the Lord desires them to be saved. 

Lincoln beleived all religions were equal, but this must not be the thought of the Christian leader. The Christian must seek to save others from false religion, and love them enough to tell them the truth. However, the government should not have a place in this. Eventually, the government will oppress Christians to the fringe, and Christians should seek to avoid this for as long as possible. 

Political idealism is different than political reality. For some people, some ideas are not even a possibility, and need to be slowly introduced. Christians must introduce ideas with the expectation that not everyone will agree to them, if they are new ideas that the audience has not had time to adjust to. Leaders must pay attention to public opinion.