Leadership Is All About Character

Once again I have been challenged by the book we are working through as board here at Mountain Home Bible Church. "The Conviction to Lead" by Albert Mohler has been a great choice for us. Last Friday we discussed 2 chapters in the book, chapters 9 & 10.  

Here are two of things that stood out to me from chapter 9.

Page 79- paragraph 1-"As a community of character, Christians are to reflect the moral commitments to which we are called. As Jesus made clear, the moral credibility of the gospel depends on those who have been transformed by the grace and mercy of God demonstrating that transformation in every dimension of life. Within the church, leadership falls on those whose light shines with integrity and power."

I am reminded of Missionary Ron Goossen and what he said to our church this Spring. "if we are the light of this world, what wattage is your bulb?" Has the Gospel so transformed us that we are different in every area of our life. Is our character demonstrating that transformation?

Page 80- paragraph 3 & 4 -"We are not perfect, and claims of perfection will only serve to undermine our leadership. We will fail, and we must be answerable for those failures. Our sin will show up in our leadership, usually without delay. Character is indispensable to credibility, and credibility is essential to leadership. The great warning to every leader is that certain sins and scandals can spell the end of our leadership. We can forfeit our role as leader and the stewardship of leadership can be taken from us."

How credible are we? Maybe as Christians we should ask the question, how credible is the church? In a day filled with scandals, failures, and celebrity pastors, has the message of the Gospel lost its credibility because the representatives of that Gospel have lost theirs? As a pastor I am graciously reminded by God that my position is based on my character and credibility. I don't need to be perfect (good thing!) but I do need to be growing and striving. 

Without character, we don't have credibility, and without credibility we don't have leadership. May we be known as a people of character. People who not only say we love God and His Word, but people who live like we love them!