Paul the CEO

Nowadays, management skills are growing in importance in the workplace even though you may not be a manager. Middle managers of any organization feel the demand on them. They can no longer quit the job, enter management colleges to get the qualification. To meet their needs, we see a bloom in the publication of self-help management titles on the book shelves. I have not studied management and therefore cannot judge the quality of those books. However, we see a number of bestsellers whose titles, curiously enough, are related to religious figures, such as Buddha CEO, Moses CEO and Jesus CEO etc. These books deal with leadership and a lot of insight can be derived from the lives of these leaders. The Acts shows us the management skills of the apostles and today, I would like to draw some lessons from Paul.
To begin with, a leader must have a vision. Something is not right at the moment. He has to mobilize his team members to get things done so that the situation is improved in the desired direction. The improved situation is the vision guiding the actions of this team of people. So, what was the vision of Paul?
To trace his vision one step back, we came to Antioch of Syria where the Holy Spirit instructed them to start the missionary journey.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." (Acts 13:2)
So, what was the work to which God had called Barnabas and Saul? We know very little how Barnabas was called, but we know quite a lot about the conversion of Saul. Jesus had this to say to Ananias in Damascus.
But the Lord said to him (Ananias), "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." (Acts 9:15-16)
Therefore, the mission of Paul was to preach Jesus before the Gentiles, kings and Israelites. These were the things to be done. But still, what sort of improved situation would be achieved? It depends on how Paul interpreted his mission. Did he see a world unified in Christ? Did he see a green world without pollution or a world without any discrimination? Probably this was his vision, his theology of the Mystical Body of Christ.
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body -- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free -- and all were made to drink of one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:15)
Guided with this vision, Paul mobilized all his resources and worked with his team members to achieve his mission.
Eloquence is an indispensable resource for any leader. No doubt, Paul was eloquent but the contents delivered at the appropriate moments also count. In Lystra, we see how Paul adapted his preaching to the background of his audience. They were not Jews and knew nothing about covenant and the Messiah. Therefore, Paul appealed to natural theology, which is applicable anywhere on earth. When he tried to stop the people from offering sacrifice to him, he had the following to say.
Men, why are you doing this? We also are men, of like nature with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.
In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways;
yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness (Acts 14:15-17).
Paul had a good news of salvation through faith in Jesus to share with all his audience, whether Gentiles, kings or Israelites. Yet, timing is important. First of all, the audience needed to know that there is a Creator God and that men are living in a sinful state in need of salvation which comes from faith in Jesus. These ideas need to be presented step by step. People in Lystra were religious. They worshipped their gods. So they did not see anything wrong. Paul made the first step. Granted that God had made the heaven and the earth and all that is in them, but the God of Paul was not the same as the gods worshipped by the people of Lystra. Paul deliberately remained ambiguous. He did not want to argue prematurely about the identity of this Creator God. This would complicate the situation. Furthermore, Paul the Pharisee did not even condemn their idolatry. Rather, he introduced an idea which he later brought up again in Athens --- in past generations, God allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. God had tolerated the idolatry of the people because they had not yet known Him. This was how Paul tried to win his audience over by remaining ambiguous and tolerant.
Unfortunately, jealous Jews arrived from Antioch of Pisidia and from Iconium to disrupt the word of Paul. Paul was outnumbered and was stoned. He could not stay in Lystra anymore. Though one venture failed, Paul continued to look for other opportunites and to start another. He would not give up that easily. In modern terms, Paul had a high AQ score.
Meanwhile, Paul turned to Derbe and successfully converted many there. Paul returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch of Pisidia. Luke did not explain why Paul was successful in Derbe which seemed to be a confidence booster for him. Now, he was able to return to visit his previous failures. The second attempt yielded good results. Paul was able to delegate his mission to elders in these Churches.
And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they believed (Acts 14:23).
Leaders come with differnt flavours. While some enjoy the fruit of their own labour, Paul was denied this joy. He knew his mission well. His job was to sow the seeds of salvation. Others watered and yet others reaped. Paul knew how to delegate.
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6).
I have done my part. I will leave it to the readers to draw their own conclusions.

Dear Lord, You have chosen well. You set before us good models of leaders. Let us learn from them and put it into practice to put up Your Church. Amen.