The effective leader understands the value and dangers of exhortation. Read Mark 6:14-29.

John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin and friend had publicly exhorted King Herod saying “It is unlawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” Herod’s response was to have John imprisoned. Herodias, the wife in question, responded by nursing a grudge! Ultimately, Herodias, through her daughter, got her chance to publicly exhort Herod to kill John and, socially backed into a corner before his friends, Herod had John executed. Lest we be too hard on King Herod, most leaders written about in the Bible responded unfavorably to prophetic exhortation or rebuke. How a leader responds to exhortation says a lot about their character or lack of character.

Leaders must at times use exhortation to help their teammates become the people God designed them to be. Read Haggai 2:10-14.

After 70 years of Babylonian exile, God has allowed a contingent of Jews to return to Jerusalem to inhabit the land and re-construct the temple destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B. C. The construction began with great enthusiasm but had stopped. Through His prophet Haggai, God exhorted the civil and religious authorities to stop continually working on their houses and vineyards and once again begin construction on the temple. Haggai pointed out that, by removing activity that honored God’s first priority, the people had deprived themselves of God’s blessing on the project.

When leaders are willing to confront difficult issues they will win the respect of their team. Read Zephaniah 2:4-15.

Zephaniah not only brought a message of judgment to Judah but in chapter 2 prophecies what lies ahead for Philistia, Moab, Cush, and Assyria. Not everyone agreed with Zephaniah’s judgment of Judah but even in the midst of disagreement on this topic he gained credibility among the people because he confronted difficult issues. He named people groups and named their sin.

Confrontation is one of the toughest tasks of leadership; it takes real courage and is not without risks. Read Ezekiel 23:36-39.

God told Ezekiel to confront the people of Judah that were being held in exile in Babylon with some tough facts of their past that needed to be dealt with if God was to be honored. Ezekiel uses striking imagery as he tells the story of two sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, both prostitutes from their youth who freely gave themselves in detestable acts. Oholah and Oholibah are symbolic names for Israel and Judah who had not been faithful to God but had prostituted themselves by worshiping the gods of other nations. God told Ezekiel that his job as their moral leader was to confront the people and hold them accountable.

Effective leaders understand that discipline for the individual or for the team should have a time of restoration when the process fulfills its purpose. Read Lamentations 3:31-36.

As Jeremiah lamented the destruction of Jerusalem, his thoughts went to God’s mercy even in the midst of an extremely difficult situation. Jeremiah wrote, “For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, He will show compassion…to deny a man his rights before the Most High, to deprive a man of justice – would not the Lord see such things.”