William Wilberforce’s leadership

Today I want to share with you one politician story 

One day there is was a traffic accident between a farmer cultivator and congressman’s car 

When the police car came there, only farmer was there 

So the policeman asked him 

Where is congressman? 

And the farmer answered 

He died 

So where did you put him 

I buried him under the ground 

The police man surprised “buried him? “ 

“Oh no, you should not touch the spot until the police come” 

By the way did he really died? 

And the farmer answered he said that he is still alive but I couldn’t believe the politician’s words 

It seems the distrust in politics is the same in the Philippines and Korea. 

Politicians lost their credit for long 

I still remember Walter Caput says 

There’s three kind of handclap 

For the Lord (high), for the pastor (middle), and for the politicians (low) 

You know there’s a saying “stay with the winner” 

Pastor Lumahan once said 

His province is bayambang 

But when marcos time 

He said oh I’m ilocano 

And when aquino time 

He said I studied high school in monkada 

And when ramos time 

Oh I’m pangasinan 

You know even people don’t like politicians 

Still they try to connect with them 

Why?? Because of they have power. 

Today I want to introduce to you one politician 

His name is William Wilberforce 

He was congressman in England in the 18 century 

That time, British’s industry was booming 

And strong maritime power 

They were the best sailors of the world that time 

By that strength, they trade with the world 

There is a saying “Sun never sets in the great kingdom” 

Because, they have many colonies 

When some part of Britain turns into darkness (night falls) 

Some part turns bright (sunrise) 

So Great Britain never have total night and day. 

The stronger the sunlight, the clearer the shadow becomes 

Anyway, because of the developing industry the gap between the rich and the poor was widened 

They had many social irregularities. 

They hunted more than million slaves from Africa and sold them to the Americans 

  

Let go back and trace Wilberforce career 

He was born in Riverpole in 1759 

He studied in Cambridge 

He became a member of the parliament when he was 21years old 

and became a congressman for 41years 

He had a rare gift of an eloquent speaker 

when he speak in the parliament 

even his enemies were listening to his speech 

he died in 1832 

and through him, slavery was abolished in England 

Going back, when he was 25 years old he met pastor Isaac Willer and John Newton (the composer of “Amazing Grace”) 

and through them, he became a Christian 

and when he became a convert 

he stopped gambling (he like coke fighting) 

and he started to live a Christian life 

and he was thinking of giving-up congress and go to bible school 

so he went to Pastor John Newton to get some advise 

But John Newton said “No’ 

He said your ministry field is the parliament 

And your calling is in the congress 

you look for what God’s purpose in your place is 

so he prayed to God and asked 

Lord what do you want me to do, what is your plan for me? 

For what that you made me a congressman 

And that day he wrote in his diary like this 

I have 2 missions 

one is to abolish slavery 

another is to reform the Social system in England 

you know, now you think it’s very easy to abolish slavery 

but in those days, it was an impossible thing 

it is like, asking for the moon 

because that time, 40% of the income of England is through slave trade 

that was their major income 

You think they will give it up easily? “No” 

one thing more slavery was the custom in those days 

I will give you example 

Now in my country major income is car and IT (semiconductor) industry 

And someone would say you stop the production of Car and IT 

Because it spread environment pollution 

They would automatically say “No” 

Because that is their number one source of income and living 

It’s the same with their concept 

To abolish slavery is beyond conception in those days 

But he continued to advocate in abolishing slavery in the parliament. 

He said 

“Slavery system will make God angry” 

“No country will prosper when God is angry.” 

Through this affair he was attempted assassination 2 times 

And most of the congressman said 

That is a traitorous act 

but he did not give up 

you know when they capture Africans, they were chained 

they treat them as animal 

did you see a truck full of chickens? 

They were like those chickens 

When they ride a ship, they confine them in iron cells 

And if they get disease the just throw them into the sea 

During the voyage of a ship, usually 30% of slaves were thrown to the water 

And when arrive in America 

They sold them separately 

They sold the mother there, father was sold in another place 

So in his conscience, he cannot tolerate the slavery system 

So he submitted slavery abolishing act, 150 times in parliament 

And in 1832, the emancipation act was passed in parliament 

Finally slaves were free by law 

And after 3 days Willam willberforce died 

Not only this one 

He established many law during his term 

1, made general hospital and cure poor people’s disease free 

2, abolished gambling 

3, abolished child labor (that time because of industrialization, there was a shortage of labor so even children were forced to work so he made law against child labor.) 

4, changed the death penalty system 

 That time, death penalty system is guillotine 

 Because that time, death penalty was done by beheading the criminal in front of the public. 

It was a savage system 

5,made vocational education for non educated people 

 So they can get a job 

6,the illiteracy eradication campaign 

He reformed England by the law 

You know we call British is gentlemen 

But actually, they are the descendants of Vikings 

Vikings is pirates (pirata) 

They are descendants of pirate 

They are descendant of savage 

But Wiberforce made a turning point from a savage country to the gentleman country 

They called him the conscience of British 

And Britain even proclaimed Wilberforce’s Day in commemoration of him. 

During those days, even France’s general Napoleon, an enemy estate, respected him 

Abraham Lingcoln of America was also influenced by Wilberforce act to abolished slavery through Civil war 

Brothers and Sisters 

God used him and reformed England 

and I want some of you become like Wilberforce so that you might reform the Philippines 

What then are the features of Wilberforce’s reform? 

What do we have to learn from his leadership? 

1) Specialization 

He collects data and thorough study, even he went to Africa and survey the condition of slavery 

So he speak in parliament, if there’s other opinion, he can answer everything. 

It is same with you 

When you prepare sermon, you try to your best 

If not, it’s better you invite guest speaker 

2) Media 

He knows the power of speech 

So he published a journal and let people know why we need to abolish slavery 

is why we have computer class 

You make internet site for your church 

When you use the media, you will have more effective result. 

3) Reformation 

It is reform not revolution 

It is not by the use of violence 

You know reformation is mas mahirap than revolution 

He fight by lawful means not by violence 

For example, the crusade of war 

Even though their purpose is justice, their way is wrong 

You know accusation leads to another violence 

And would give rise to a third one 

4) Morality 

When he was converted, he really lived Christian life 

he did not only talk but also act 

His words and action were matched 

His life is earnest 

And he used most of his income for relief and helping the poor 

That is why His life influenced others 

5) never surrender 

as I told you, he submitted abolishing slavery act 150 times in the parliament 

You know, it’s not an easy job to do that 

Everytime his bill was rejected, he felt depair 

And it was during this time that John Wesley wrote him a letter saying ,“that is your mission which God had given to you so never give up” 

so he was encouraged and continued to fight 

Finally, after 50 long years, slaves became free through him.  

6) witness for the Lord 

Through him many congressman became Christian 

He also evangelized the higher class 

And church opened the door for black African because of him. 

He made law to send missionaries to all the colonized nations 

This is important 

Whatever you do and wherever you go 

In your place, you should witness for the Lord 

Brothers and sisters 

A great leader can change the course of one country 

But these days, it is very difficult to find one great leader 

I do hope that all of you will become great leaders of your own ministry.