The Weight of Character

Response to "Shepherding the Church" by Joseph M. Stowell.

In business, a corporation is limited in growth by the level of its leader. The leader establishes short term aspirations, defines what is desired of the organization's members, and implies what level of effort is minimally acceptable. As a business leader matures, his organization is given headroom to grow.

Thus the capacities of a CEO must continually increase, as the development of
his organization depends upon his personal development.

The local church reflects this dependent relationship in the role of its shepherd. As Stowell points out, the outward successes of the positional leader are either short-lived and undeserved blessings or the product of hard-earned well-developed character. In Stowell's words, “character counts”. A God-pursuant pastor will purposefully identify character weaknesses and conscientiously work towards Christ-dependency and refinement in those areas. One flaw in the character of a church's shepherd can and will be made evident in a congregation that shortly develops similar weaknesses. When the undesirable is portrayed as acceptable in the person of a congregation's shepherd, the sheep are likely to follow suit.
Stowell is correct in identifying several of the most deadly blemishes in the character of men. 1 Timothy addresses some of these- the most prevalent being a hurtful tongue.

Speech can be the rudder for the ship of personal character.

The content and tone of one's speech can shape one's internal attitude, as well as determine the image presented to others. If a congregation witnesses unwholesome or hurtful talk from its shepherd, his image is tarnished semi-permanently with this outward blemish. In addition to this negative impression in the minds of a congregation, a shepherd's weakness in the area of speech is a warrant of permission for his congregation to adopt similar communication. Gossip, slander, lying, exaggeration, deceit, beguilement, murmuring, complaining, criticizing, belittling, proud/arrogant speech, and short-tempered or thoughtless responses are all deadly pitfalls- each one just a moment of weakness from tarnishing one's character. The obvious prescription for sidestepping these pitfalls is dependence- whole and continuous reliance- on the Spirit of God, in addition to understanding God's empowerment to walk righteously, and repetitious concentration on God's biblical exhortations to speak in love with sage concern for the betterment of one's character.
Another area Stowell addresses is personal and interpersonal conduct. This second external/observable aspect of persona can be more permanently damaging than unwholesome speech.

Unholy conduct can forever disqualify a shepherd from ministry leadership.

When a leader falls prey to offensive relationships or relational misconduct, the imperfection in their character becomes public scandal. These situations often leave congregations bitter, hardened, and scarred, unwilling to ever trust another shepherd. Thus it is expected and desirable that a shepherd's personal and public life be exceptionally pure- without no foggy areas, no grounds for speculation or accusation. The primary means of achieving this end is open communication and open living. Relating to women as sisters in Christ, remaining accountable to one's family and congregation by counseling in public/accessible situations, and committing to honesty, integrity, and trust in a marriage relationship. Financial dealings should be equally exposed- with genuine integrity, and ethically above reproach. If a shepherd expects his congregation to be fiscally responsible for the church, he should become so himself. If a shepherd expects strong marriages, he should model his own for the congregation. If a shepherd desires purity in the hearts and lives of his parishioners, he should be a level above in displaying no opportunity to challenge the purity of his character (no closed-doors, no room for doubt).
When a congregation determines the character of its shepherd, it is only allowed the ingredients of its shepherd's external traits. Is he kind, edifying, caring, trustworthy, pure, properly motivated, does he appear to love the Lord his God? The greatest block a shepherd can contribute to the congregation's construction of his own image is love. Does he love me? Thus it is of utmost importance that a shepherd's love for God and others is clearly and boldly displayed. A parishioner will observe love in several areas, and will be watching specifically for evident specific concern- does my shepherd really care for me, or is his love a facade? To defeat this standard skepticism, a shepherd must concentrate on developing love for others through developing love for his God. Prayer, meditation, and scripture reading will bring a shepherd closer to God, and make his character more like his heavenly Father's. As a shepherd becomes more like the Great Shepherd, he will tilt towards genuine God-spawned love for others (one's congregation). The direction of this love must be focused on individuals- the core element of one's flock. Only relational development can lead to educated love, so true love demands time investment. As time is spent together, genuine sensitivity can be acquired- concerns and trials are shared. Sensitivity is never ignored- a shepherd's congregation will feel loved, and their admiration for the person of their shepherd will grow. Likewise, a shepherd's credibility will grow, and so the impact of his words become greater as messages are received from a knowledgeable, caring, and concerned source. One may also find composing sermons much easier when one's audience is more clearly defined and intimately understood.
When I consider my own character, and contemplate my future entrance into congregational shepherding ministry, I am terrified and challenged by what I see. I am most susceptible to character flaws in my speech. I hold a negative tendency to speak hastily, often hurtfully, and in my own defense. I intend to correct these failures through desperate pursuit of God's character. Through prayer and reliance on the Holy Spirit whom indwells me, I can and will quest for humility. A humble spirit makes no effort to defend himself. If I am challenged, and I am in the right, God will vindicate me. If I am incorrect, the challenge may be warranted. In my verbal responses, I must be more loving- also a product of humility. I must be more thoughtful, caring, and wise- all products of prayer and dependency.