Wise Christian leaders will find ways to offer encouragement and hope to their team even during a process of correction. Read Amos 9:11-15.

For eight and one half chapters Amos had given warnings of God’s coming judgment to the people of Israel. Amos’ sharp declarations required a response; Israel’s sin had to be dealt with and that meant some very difficult times ahead. But, the book concludes with hope for the future. In the last half of chapter 9, Amos’ words were full of hope, healing and the vision of a positive change that once again would bring God’s blessing. Through Amos’ closing words, God illustrates how much people need both admonishment and affirmation.

A leader’s true development and growth happen as they develop their character. Read Joel 2:12-14.

In the midst of delivering a message of judgment to the people of Judah the prophet Joel tells the people in verse 12 to “…return to me with all your heart, with prayer and fasting and mourning.” The result of this return is spelled out in verse 14, “…He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing…” The bridge in verse 13 gives some practical advice on how real change is made. Verse 13 says, “Rend your heart and not your garments…” A leader’s real change is not external but internal; real change starts in the heart where character is formed and then becomes part of a leader’s external persona.

Effective leaders are able to read the signs of the times, interpret them, and prepare their team and others for what is ahead. Read Joel 1:1-14.

God gave Joel the wisdom to see a spiritual application from the natural disaster of locusts that was destroying the nation. Joel’s divine intuition enabled him to stay ahead of the times and use the events of the moment to draw timeless conclusions.

Effective leaders adapt their leadership to their followers’ needs. Read Ezekiel 3:8-9.

In Ezekiel chapter two and the early part of chapter three, God told Ezekiel that the people he was being sent to would not listen to his words. Even though they spoke the same language and had clear understanding of his examples because of a common background, their hearts were hard and they did not want to hear from Ezekiel because they did not want to hear from God. For this reason God told Ezekiel that he was preparing him to lead in this specific leadership situation by making him unyielding and as hard as the people he was asked to lead.

Effective Christian leaders are not paralyzed by change. They seek to analyze situations so they can make changes that actually fix the problem. Read Jeremiah 9:1-12.

In verses 1-11 God uses His prophet Jeremiah to point out how the people of Judah had rebelled against Him and to foretell of the terrible results of their actions. In verse 12 He asks the question “What man is wise enough to understand this? Who has been instructed by the Lord and can explain it? Why has the land been ruined and laid waste like a desert that no one can cross? Defining what needs to change is often the toughest part of the change process.