Leadership Lessons: Stonewall Jackson

As someone who has been called to minister in the local church, leadership is something I think about often. As a pastor, I am called to lead the congregation entrusted to my care. This includes setting direction for the church, directing the execution of the church's mission, modeling a godly life, and developing other leaders to continue the work of the ministry. Leadership is something I regularly study, read, think, and write about (so far that is just scribbles in my notebook). Leadership is something that I am passionate about. Leadership matters.

And the Scriptures have a lot to say about leadership. The Bible directs, instructs, and informs leaders. It also provides powerful models of leadership , both failed and successful.

But sometimes it is also helpful to draw leadership principles from other great men of the past. Great men of history provide a unique opportunity for studying leadership, both good and bad. We can look back and see where leaders came from, what molded them, what difficulties they faced, and how they led in the face of momentous challenges. We can look back and see where their decisions led. We can evaluate their accomplishments and failures and consider how we should lead in light of this.

Recently, I read Robert E. Lee: A Biography by Emory M. Thomas. Much could be said about Lee's leadership. But I was especially  intrigued to read about the bravery, conviction, and leadership of another great Confederate; perhaps the greatest subordinate to Lee, and in many ways Lee's superior, none other than Stonewall Jackson.

With my interest in Jackson piqued, I was excited to find a newer biography on Stonewall at my local public library, Rebel Yell: The Violence, Passion, and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson by S.C. Gwynne.

I started reading this biography last week and it has been hard to put down. Gwynne is a superb biographer and talented writer. He makes the days surrounding the Civil War come alive.

As I started reading about Jackson being thrust into leadership from relative anonymity, I found myself noting pages repeatedly (don't worry, in Evernote not on the pages). Jackson is a powerful example of great leadership. As Gwynne walks you through the dusty lanes of northern Virginia and the fiery baptism of those first battles, Jackson's leadership marches to the forefront.

While he was not perfect - and he would agree with that statement - Jackson was truly a great leader among men. He offers valuable lessons in leadership, timeless principles that need to be applied in our tumultuous times as well. So as I read Rebel Yell, I plan to post some brief summaries of leadership principles drawn from the life of this greatest of Southerners. I hope you will profit from it as much as I.

The Enemy inside the Walls

Any man worth his salt will think often about protecting what is valuable to him. Money in the bank, documents in the cloud, guns in the safe; we protect what we value.  We take proactive steps to ensure the safety of what we treasure. When it comes to our flesh and blood, this caution levels up big time.

No man in his right mind would ever allow danger to come at his wife and kids. So we act different than the fairer sex. We keep our head on a swivel when out in public, looking for danger close. We check the locks before we go to bed at night. We put up walls around our homes, install alarms, and sleep with our boomstick close to hand.  Double-aught baby. We exercise great caution to avoid danger, but prepare to handle it should it ever get close.  We protect what we love.

In Colossians 3:19, Paul reminds men to apply this protective mindset to the person they should love most–their wife. But this isn’t protection from danger outside the walls. It is protecting love from the enemy inside the walls, the enemy of bitterness.

“Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.”

We get the love part. At least we know we are supposed to love our wives like Christ loves the Church. But how often do we think about bitterness toward our wives?

Bitterness is the dried out and twisted heart. It’s the remnants from the slow-burn of anger that smolders on the inside. It is under the singed heap of unmet expectations, irritations, frustrations, and anger that we choose to direct toward the one who is to instead be a well-spring of life. Bitterness is the silent killer that wraps the piano cord of selfishness around your neck and twists without mercy until your marriage lies lifeless on the floor. Bitterness is the enemy within.

Ironically, bitterness is the enemy that we let slip inside. We choose to let it in. We let it happen. Hence the command to not let bitterness poison the love of a husband for his wife.

So how do we guard against bitterness? How do we kill this silent but powerful enemy? We go back to the beginning and find the answer in one word, love. If we make it our business to love our wives, bitterness will be kept on the outside. Love is the wall that keeps bitterness out. And if bitterness ever finds its way inside, love is the weapon we choose to take up that will slay this mortal enemy. Christ centered, Spirit empowered love. 

So men, protect your love toward your wife. Watch your heart toward her. Remember, that bitterness is the enemy that will do great harm against your wife. Stay on guard for bitterness. Check that the doors to your heart are locked against it. Watch out for it. Be ready to shoot it down if it creeps in. Protect what you value most. Protect your love for your wife.

Pathways

"14 Do not enter the path of the wicked

And do not proceed in the way of evil men.

15 Avoid it, do not pass by it;

Turn away from it and pass on.

16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil;

And they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness

And drink the wine of violence.

18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,

That shines brighter and brighter until the full day."

 

~ Proverbs 4:14-18 

Alot more of us need to sit at the feet of this teacher and lend our ear to his wise words.

We understand that when the writer speaks of the path of the wicked he means their course of life, their sinful character, and the actions that follow. But think about it, at the time that Solomon wrote there was literally a path to the wicked.

How could you go lie in wait to ambush someone (1:11) or go to the house of the harlot (5:8) unless you physically walked on a path to go meet up with them. You had to physically get up, go outside, and walk to the door of the harlot's house. There was actually effort involved in entering the path of the wicked.

We need Solomon's words even more today. What do I mean? I mean it is all too easy, convenient, and anonymous to enter the wicked path today. Now, every IP address is a path to folly and every sort of evil. A step only takes the press of a button, a single click of a mouse. The path of the wicked is all around us, floating in the cloud, choking and blurring our way.

Without stepping foot in the dusty square of Sodom, we find ourselves like righteous Lot, who was oppressed by his generation, though I want to have a different ending to the story of my life than his.

Here's the deal. I don't think that we will do much shining if we are constantly walking in the fog of spiritual confusion that characterizes our modern life. What is  the answer?

We need to dive deep into the truths of God's word and let it's living waters flow over our souls. We need to make the hard climb up to the heights of older theological stalwarts and let them show us the vast panoramas of God's glory. We need to walk the old paths through the sun dappled meadows of righteousness.
 

Then our minds will be clear, our path will be evident, and we will shine.
 

Eiger Jungfrau Switzerland

How to Be Spiritually Miserable

For the last several months I have limited my reading to the printed page, and that further limited to the wisdom of more seasoned writers. Puritans and older current pastors who write in the same vein of reformed soul care have been my focus. Frankly, so much of what is published today feels vacuous and leaves a dry taste in my mouth.  Previously, I found myself wanting the skilled soul care that comes from deep theological and pastoral reflection; and there's just not alot of that out there on the interwebs.

So this post by Eric Davis was a real blessing to my soul today. I'm not saying it felt good reading it. There was some serious conviction going on in my heart. But after dealing with my own soul before the Lord, I was happy. It is encouraging that there are guys like Eric and the other fellows at The Cripplegate who are concerned with genuine biblical heart change.

The question I'm wondering is what puritan divine has Mr. Davis been reading recently?

Check out Eric's post here:

How to Be Spiritually Miserable: You have to do one thing to ensure a run-in with misery: exist. In a fallen world, it’s inevitable. And, for many, it’s unbearable. Misery: a state of dissatisfaction, unfulfillment, an…

A Treasure Trove

A box full of treasure arrived today. The delivery man had no idea the heavy box he lugged up the steps was full of olden gold, pearls of great price, and rare diamonds. But the treasure inside was not the stuff of rare metals or brilliantly compressed minerals. Inside the box lay centuries old wisdom, the priceless treasure of theological reflection and pastoral insight that is all but lost today - lost treasure - and maps to more for the adventurous wisdom seeker.

Jesus compared the gospel to a treasure hidden in a field (Matthew 13:44). Sometimes it feels like the field is now buried under the concrete jungle of our modern times. But there are still wizened guides who know the way. They have already sunk shafts deep into the quartz of theological truth and they offer to share their gospel gems if you are willing to dig a little. 

John Owen is one such guide. Read him and you will have to dig. You might even scuff your knuckles and perspire a bit. But follow his prospector lamp a little further down the mine shaft and you will hit the mother lode. 

Here's my treasure maps. Can't wait to start diggin'!

   

 

*If you are interested, you can find the works of Owen here.

Beauty Unobserved

Sometimes we trample around on real beauty completely unawares. We cry out for something to entertain us, something to salve our scorched hearts. Beauty lies before us, a field of wild flowers under fragrant golden light, and we trample it down, braying a cacophony of discontentment. 

At times, we come to the Bible with this darkened heart. We pick it up to read and are bored. The pages are tasteless. The narrative is bland. We trudge through, the pasty taste of stale, unsalted crackers in our soul. We look around and blame other things. I'm tired. I'm busy. I have that project to finish. 

Meanwhile, we miss the sumptuous scents rising from the feast-table of God's Word. The bread of life is before us, fresh and warm. The deep and satisfying living water stands ready to be consumed in draughts, beads of delight dotting the cups cold surface. 

Where are we in this soul picture? We have missed the beauty. Instead of feasting, we crawl around under the table, picking at crumbs. We lick our dry lips and strain to swallow against parched throats. 

The problem lies in us. We have settled for lesser things.

Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8)! Open your eyes to the beauty that lies before you and let your soul be satisfied in Him. Recognize the paucity of your soul, and then stand and drink deeply of the One who is true beauty. Grasp the bread of life, already torn, and feast. 

Beauty is missed by many today. Beauty is unobserved. 

Taste and see.

Old but True

The following was first published in 1877. Yet, when you read it, consider how much it describes the present state of the Church at large today. Old but true words.

I leave the subject of my introduction here, and hasten to a conclusion. I confess that I lay down my pen with feelings of sorrow and anxiety. There is much in the attitude of professing Christians in this day which fills me with concern, and makes me full of fear for the future. 

There is an amazing ignorance of Scripture among many, and a consequent want of established, solid religion. In no other way can I account for the ease with which people are, like children, "tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine" (Eph. 4:14).

There is an Athenian love of novelty abroad, and a morbid distaste for anything old and regular, and in the beaten path of our forefathers. Thousands will crowd to hear a new voice and anew doctrine, without considering for a moment whether what they hear is true. There is an incessant craving after any teaching which is sensational, and exciting, and rousing to the feelings. There is an unhealthy appetite for a sort of spasmodic and hysterical Christianity. The religious life of many is little better than spiritual dram-drinking, and the "meek and quiet spirit" which St. Peter commends is clean forgotten (1 Pet. 3:4). Crowds, and crying, and hot rooms, and high-flown singing, and an incessant rousing of the emotions are the only things which many care for. Inability to distinguish differences in doctrine is spreading far and wide, and so long as the preacher is "clever" and "earnest," hundreds seem to think it must be all right, and call you dreadfully "narrow and uncharitable" if you hint that he is unsound!...All this is sad, very sad.

This was penned by J.C. Ryle in his introduction to the always-classic Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, & Roots. He was prophetic in that he called his present generation to re-examine God's call to holiness. Prophetic, in that his words ring true today. The plight described by Ryle's sober words has only grown and metastasized in the Church today. God calls his people to be holy, for He is a holy God (1 Pet 1:15, 16). Yet many in the church, and men especially, display very little love for God, and a weak sort of holiness at best.  Indecision, immaturity, vacillation, immorality, and a complete lack of self-control, plague many men in the church today.

Men, God will not have that.  When you stand before God and give an account of your life, only what is holy will stand. Only holy thoughts, words, and deeds will last. Let the men of today who say they are followers of Christ live like it. Men, pursue holiness in the fear of our Holy God. Be a man of valor by pursuing a holy life, a life that is pleasing to God.