Character Counts In The Local Church

Articles

Antoine N. Holloway
06/08/14 - Church Bulletins

Warren Wiersbe writes, “We may have talent, training, experience, reputation, & personality, but if we don’t have character, we don’t have anything, for the foundation of ministry is character.” In other words, we may have everything to run a secular business successfully, but in doing the Lord’s work, we need to start with integrity, or we will fail as a local church. Poor character in the church nullifies any talent, awareness, knowledge, reputation, & personality the brethren have, for the good you do, folks won’t remember, but the bad you do, they will never forget. For this reason, the Psalmist writes the following, “O you who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 97:10).

The Bible does not define word “character” with a specific definition, but we do have an example of the type of character God would like for us to have in the person of Job. Listen to your Bible! In Job 1:1, the Bible reads, “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, & that man was blameless & upright, one who feared God & turned away from evil.” The members of a congregation belonging to our Lord should be blameless, upright, fear God, & turn away from evil. Too much is at stake (1 Corinthians 9:27). Here are a few quotes pertaining to character:

Character is the raw material of life, out of which we either by diligence construct a temple or by negligence create a trash heap. – Warren Wiersbe
Character is like a tree & reputation is like the shadow of the tree. The shadow is what we think of it, but the tree is the real thing. – Abraham Lincoln
Reputation is what people think we are; character is what God & the holy angels know we are. – Unknown
Character is what a man is in the dark. –D.L. Moody
Character is the best collateral a person could give. – J.P. Morgan

When we put character first, then the foundation of this local body will be strong; strong enough to equip saints & utilize the strength & talents of brethren to broaden the boarders of God’s kingdom for His glory.