Leadership Dependent On Character

August 2009

I was shocked to hear the recent news that Mark Sanford, the governor of South Carolina, was involved in a long-term affair. I had heard his named mentioned often in recent months as the leader who would bring the Republican Party back to power. Obviously, Republicans will have to look elsewhere.

During the Clinton presidency, one of the discussions that surfaced on the national media (after the revelations of his affair with Monica Lewinsky) centered on whether character was important in good leadership. The general secular consensus seemed to be that Clinton’s leadership as our president was so effective that it overrode any deficiencies in his character. That national debate about character and leadership has continued to the present time.

Let me weigh in on this debate from a biblical standpoint. I believe that one of the keys to good leadership is character. Now, a person can have great leadership ability, but lack of character will ultimately cause that leadership to fail. Names like Hitler and Stalin immediately come to mind. Some (such as Clinton) will survive their time in the spotlight, but I believe that history will judge them unkindly because of their lack of character.

In the church, good leadership is especially dependent on good character. After all, leaders in the church represent our Lord in a very personal way. Poor leadership brings disrepute to the person and to the faith. Names like Jim Baker and Jimmy Swaggart immediately come to mind. Over the past thirty-eight years of ministry, I can add many other lesser-known names of those whose character has corrupted the effectiveness of their leadership.

Why is lack of character so devastating in church leadership? Character affects both the goals and process of leadership. A deficiency in character can convince a church leader that the end justifies the means. Indeed, sometimes leaders on the secular level follow exactly this kind of pattern and appear to be successful. However, in the church, our methods must as godly as our goals. Both reflect on the honor of Christ.

Lack of character in a church leader can also cause that leader to work for his own glory and not the glory of God. That will never be acceptable in church leaders. Our purpose in the church, ultimately, is to bring glory to God. As Paul taught, we must decrease and He must increase. The leader in the church must always keep the focus on Christ. That requires character in leadership.

Success in church life will always be related to good leadership. And good leadership will always be dependent on good character.

Send this Column to a Friend






Past Columns

Return to top