Character

Kevin Cashman lists several questions that can help reveal where our leadership strengths lie. In this article, these five questions have been adapted. I suggest reading these questions slowly and reflectively every day for the next five days.

Underneath the cool of the giant mango trees, I sat with them until late into the night. I patiently listened to their grievances with one another. While I was thousands of miles from my home ‒ deep in the jungle ‒ I felt as if I were in the middle of an American church business meeting ‒ division, bitterness, self-pride, and control. All of the characteristics that leadership should not emulate.

Humility involves recognizing and boldly using the gifts that God has given us, in the places where He puts us.

In Psalm 15:1, King David, poses a question about character, “God, what do You look for in those who draw close to You?” As Christian leaders, we need to always be assessing our character to make sure it is of a heavenly standard.

I’ve observed explosive lies beneath the surface bring devastating fallout to friends, family, ministries, and a watching world. Here are three of those lies.

Jesus taught “Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much” (Luke 16:10). Those who are not faithful in the important aspects of leadership now likely won’t be later.

As a leader, you have a certain set of standards for those you lead. Those standards basically revolve around your followers being disciplined.

It’s out of style in today’s world, but in the value system of God, church leaders are to be held in high honor. First Thessalonians 5:13 says we should “Hold them in the highest regard in love, because of their work.”

As a biblical leader, I choose to model joy for the people I lead. By choosing to model joy, I hope my colleagues can see “work” and “vocation” as synonyms for joy.

The more you know about leadership, the more you practice it. The more you integrate it into your life, the faster and the farther you go.

If we strive to be excellent leaders, we must be intentional and passionate about serving Christ and His church ‒ moving forward, engaging culture. Leaders are born, but they can also be developed.

To help define what character is, we should also examine what it is not.