The church had appointed me to serve as the children’s pastor after having served as an intern and a coordinator of the elementary-age ministry. It was my ministry dream come true.
The church was a growing mega-church with a nationwide reputation, and I felt like I had “arrived.” Six months into my service, accusations surfaced regarding the moral failure of the senior pastor. I was crushed.
Being naïve, I did not think something like this could ever happen. As the elders attempted to deal with the situation, the problem consumed the staff.
The “scandal” was the main topic of lunches, meetings, and any gathering of leaders. Every church staff member was focused on the situation.
During those meetings, it became apparent that I was on an island because of my feeling that the pastor may have disqualified himself from leading the church.
The only other member on my island was the worship pastor. It became apparent that leaders who had pastored their own churches for decades, served as missionaries, and had been respected across the Christian community, were ready to turn a blind eye.
The situation became bewildering and deeply discouraging to me. I simply could not understand why only two of us thought this might be a serious matter. Being young and naïve, I was distraught.
One Sunday, at the end of a planned vacation, my wife and I attended EV Free Fullerton to hear Chuck Swindoll teach. His message that Sunday was from Numbers 13. The message was focused on the need for Christians to stand firm in their faith and not succumb to the whim of the world.
The gist of the preaching was that Joshua and Caleb were among the twelve leaders sent into the land to spy it out (Number 13:1-15). When they returned, only Joshua and Caleb were willing to stand up and speak on God’s behalf. The other ten succumbed to fear and doubt.
Swindoll rightly noted that even leaders can fall into the sinful traps of this world. Moses did not send ten “losers” and two leaders into the land. He sent twelve of Israel’s best, the leaders of God’s people into the land. Only two of them stood on the side of the right. Word!
During that message, I felt as though I was having a one-on-one with Chuck Swindoll. Rather, I felt like God was using Chuck Swindoll to speak directly to my heart.
Over the years I have read many of Chuck Swindoll’s books and have spoken with many congregants in the church who felt like he had the gift of speaking on God’s behalf through his teaching. There are many other examples of leaders who impacted me in a similar fashion. This is a characteristic feature of effective leaders.
Effective leaders develop Word disciplines. These disciplines are essential for speaking on God’s behalf.
These disciplines are evident in the leadership of Joseph, Jesus, and Paul but before we move on, it might be helpful to clarify what we mean by “Word disciplines”.
“Word disciplines” are the habits and regular practices that leaders develop all for the purpose of communicating accurately on God’s behalf.
Some, but not all of those practices include recognizing that all wisdom comes from God, maintaining a vibrant relationship with God, experiencing and practicing listening and discernment, developing skills for studying Scripture, clarifying and compelling communicating God’s Word and allowing God’s Word to shape and transform their own life.
In the next three weeks we will see these qualities in Joseph, Jesus and Paul. This week Joseph will take center stage.
Joseph Speaks With Confidence
As we have already noted, Joseph was committed to building a life of personal godliness.
In addition to this marvelous quality, we add his desire and ability to speak on God’s behalf. Joseph had found himself sold into slavery and then subsequently unjustly imprisoned when Potiphar’s wife lied about him after he refused to commit sexual sin with her.
In Genesis 40, he is incarcerated with two others who had served in Pharoah’s court—the cupbearer and baker (vv. 1-4). Having status, even in prison, Joseph was assigned to serve them (vs. 4).
One morning Joseph notices their dejection and inquires why they are so downcast. They explain that they had experienced dreams that they could not understand and there was no one to interpret them (vs. 8). Joseph’s response is noteworthy and a leadership key.
When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” 8 “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.” (Genesis 40:6-8)
Like so many of us, the chief cupbearer and chief baker were facing a situation that they could not understand. Apparently, their dreams were vivid and thought to have meaning.
However, they were unable to understand the meaning. They were dejected, knowing they had a problem with no solution. Joseph notices their dejection and in a pastoral way, asks why. The two officials explain their predicament and Joseph’s response is our focus.
Joseph immediately responds with the statement, “Do not interpretations belong to God?” From this statement, we can extract two leadership principles.
First, Joseph realizes that the solution to their dilemma rests with God.
It is God who can provide insight, interpretation, guidance, and answers. Joseph makes it very clear that it is not his own wisdom, but rather, God who provides the insight.
Second, Joseph has the confidence that God can and will make Joseph the conduit for communicating on His behalf.
We know from his early life that Joseph had experience with dreams (Genesis 37:5-11), both of which indicated that Joseph would take pride of place among the sons of Jacob.
The brothers understood this meaning, further inciting them to act against Joseph. Joseph himself must have been aware of the same meaning and likely had a sense of destiny. The point is that he had begun developing the discipline associated with dreams as a means of God communicating His Word.
He proceeded to exercise this discipline with the chief cupbearer and baker. Joseph goes on to provide God’s interpretation of the dreams and that interpretation is validated in the restoration of the chief cupbearer and the death of the chief baker.
Unfortunately, the chief cupbearer forgets Joseph and leaves him lingering in prison. That is… until the Pharaoh has a dream he cannot interpret. Again, Joseph is called upon to interpret.
In the morning, his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.” So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” (Genesis 41:8-16)
The modern reader sees a sequel in the making as the Pharaoh has a dream that cannot be interpreted. However, in this case, the stakes are higher.
The Pharaoh is “troubled” by his dream (vs. 8) and likely frustrated that his court magicians, priests, and officials were unable to make sense of the dreams.
We know from his dealings with the chief baker that the Pharaoh was capable of brutal acts of violence as seen by the impaling of the official. Frustrating the Pharaoh or misleading him with an erroneous interpretation could be perilous.
It is within that setting that Joseph is brought before the Pharoah. The chief cupbearer had remembered Joseph’s giftedness and recommended him to the Pharaoh. Standing before the Pharaoh, we hear Joseph intone the same message he spoke to the cupbearer and baker.
Joseph begins by explicitly stating that he cannot help the Pharaoh. This is not only a statement of humility, but also likely an important element in his Word discipline.
Namely, if one desires to speak on God’s behalf, then humility is essential.
Joseph realizes that any interpretation is likely to be credited to him and so moves himself out of the center of attention, placing God there instead. If one wishes to be a conduit for communicating for God, then humility and selflessness are essential.
Drawing attention away from oneself and instead towards God is a critical posture for the leader.
Joseph also has the unwavering confidence that whatever the dream may be, whatever the question, God has the answer. Joseph speaks with confidence, not in himself but in the omniscience of God.
There is no situation that leaves God confused, no question that He cannot answer, and no problem too complex for God to solve. Joseph’s confidence does not rise from his experience as a “dream whisperer” or his previous experience with interpreting dreams.
His confidence is in God and not himself.
Effective leaders exhibit this kind of Word discipline. They realize that God holds the answer to every human question. A leader alone is unable to untangle the knots of damaged relationships.
God has the guidance and insight that is lacking in the fallen world in which we live. An effective leader approaches the task of communicating that Word with humility. Their confidence lies in God and His Word.
From the example of Joseph, we learn that effective leaders humbly look to God as the source of all wisdom and have the confidence to communicate God’s Word to others.
Join us next week at this same time as we examine “Word Disciplines” in the life of Jesus!
My blog will be posted the same time every week and I hope you can join us next week. The podcast version is available here!
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