20 Leadership Questions

Mark Driscoll says that "leadership is moving people in a passionate drive toward the mission of God." He writes:

Nobody exemplified this better than Nehemiah. The Book of Nehemiah is not just about building a wall. It is about missional leadership-building a city within the city. It is a story about how God's people worked to live as a countercultural kingdom amidst an opposing culture. It is an inspiring story of how church leaders today can lead with humble confidence to build a safe place to gather as a city within the city for the good of all.

Nehemiah raises many missional leadership questions every Christian leader must seriously answer if they hope to build a city within the city. The following twenty questions are general principles. They will be most beneficial if used along with the reading of Nehemiah so that they can be specifically applied to actual ministry issues.

Here are the 20 questions. Go to Driscoll's article to see his explanation/elaboration on each question.

1. What has God revealed to you (1:1-11a)?
2. What must you walk away from to pursue God's calling (1:11b)?
3. How will you communicate your vision to others (2:1-3)?
4. Who must you ask for what resources (2:4-10)?
5. What research must you do to realistically assess the total cost (time, money, energy, emotion, etc.) of the mission (2:11-16)?
6. Which leaders must be strategically recruited first (2:17-20)?
7. Where is the best place to begin the work (3:1-32)?
8. Where are your gates (3:1-32)?
9. How will you respond to your critics (4:1-23)?
10. How can you show the gospel with mercy (5:1-19)?
11. How will you handle escalating opposition and threats (6:1-14)?
12. What is the generational legacy you are laboring (7:4-73)?
13. How will you connect your ground war and your air war (8:1-18)?
14. Will you courageously and continuously call your people to repentance (9:1-38)?
15. What are your terms for covenant membership (10:38-11:36)?
16. How will you track and assimilate those whom God is bringing to your city (11:1-36)?
17. Who are your trustworthy priests who can work in the mission while you work on the mission (12:1-26)?
18. How will you celebrate your wins (12:27-47)?
19. How much will you demand of your men (13:1-22)?
20. Which closed-hand, practical life issues will you go to war (13:23-31)?
    

(HT: Colin Adams)