Christian Management the Book of Joshua Opens

Christian Management

The book of Joshua opens with an anecdote of a pivotal moment in the evolution of the Jewish people. Moses is now dead, and the people need a new, strong, and holy leader. The son of Moses's aide Nun is chosen. His name is Joshua. God chooses Joshua as Moses's successor for a reason. The Lord recognizes in Joshua the ability to keep the commandments sacred, to keep the covenant with God sacred, and to also manage and lead the Israelites. The Lord tells Joshua, "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them," (Joshua 1:6). However, God does not simply appoint Joshua as the new leader of the Jewish people and let him fend for himself. God is with Joshua, and promises to guide him as long as he remains a servant of God. As long as Joshua obeys God's law, never straying, he is guaranteed success. Joshua -- and his people -- will be "prosperous and successful," (Joshua 1:8).

God's words become more fervent as he gives Joshua a pep talk. Finally, the Lord tells Joshua, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go," (Joshua 1:9). Modern-day leaders have a lot to learn from Joshua. Thousands of years ago, in the deserts of Canaan, Joshua knew nothing about marketing management. Yet a lot of what Joshua does once he is appointed to the position of leader would be considered managerial.

A marketing manager might not be as visionary as Moses was, which is another reason why Joshua is an apt role model. Moses was a visionary leader. Joshua turns out to be a different type of leader, one who is good at delegating as well as consulting and negotiating. These are also important traits for a marketing management team to have. Not all leaders are transformative and visionary. Joshua shows us that effective leaders share in common their ability to keep in mind the core values of the organization and work hard, tirelessly, and fearlessly towards achieving organizational goals. This is exactly what Joshua does. He understands the core values of the organization, which in Joshua's case, is the Israelites. Joshua understands that the God's law and God's commandments are his mission statement. The goals of the organization are to reenter the Promised Land. God -- as his CEO -- tells Joshua that he is entrusted with the responsibility of leading and guiding his people to fulfill their destiny. As a leader, Joshua is a role model because he understands the importance of what God tells him in terms of remaining "strong and courageous." Those two qualities -- strength and courage -- are echoed throughout this book of the Bible. God wants his leaders to be both strong and courageous, and to have faith. Moreover, God wants his leaders to always keep Biblical law in mind, leading from the soul and spirit. Leading others with strength, courage, and conviction in God will result in the prosperity and success that is God's reward. The Bible teaches us that people in any position of power in an organization can become integral to the prosperity and success of the company.