HAGGAI INSTITUTE OMAN 2nd NATIONAL SEMINAR Lecture 2

INTEGRITY AND THE LEADER

PERSPECTIVE OF INTEGRITY

What are the challenges facing the Christian and the Christian Leader? ……… James 1:22

What are the rewards that God promises us if we follow the Word? ………………. James 1:25

We should be and not only

Jesus, in what is sometimes called the CHRISTIAN MANIFESTO, has made a number of strong statements about what it means to be part of the Kingdom.

What is the CHRISTIAN MANIFESTO? - Matthew Chapters 5 to 7

ACTIVITY:

Form groups and list your insights on what Matthew 5:13 and 14 tell us about Christian life.

Matthew 5:13

Matthew 5:14

Our actions confirm the truth otfalsehood of our words and actions. Someone once said —

I cannot hear you

because

what you do speaks louder than what you say

Will a person of integrity face such dilemmas?

What BEING involves

What is being? The dictionary defines it as ‘existence’, ‘substance’, ‘essence’, ‘any person or thing existing’.

Through the ages we have seen churches setting up monasteries, retreating to hills and deserts, even living on top of pedestals — how will such churches spread the Word if they withdraw from what they call ‘pollutants’?

Is hypocrisy a problem today? Or has it existed in the church and in the lives of Man? How do we, as Christians and Christian Leader overcome this problem?

Consider Matthew Chapter 23~

What can we summarise here?

Phylacterv: a charm or amulet, worn by the Jews, on the left arm or forehead, inscribed with verses of the scripture, an ostentatious display of religion.

Study what Verse 3 tells us:

Jesus did not condemn these people for what they taught, but for their BEING.

Let us now take a couple minutes and list those things that we feel

are important — ‘What does being involve?

What are the three important aspects of BEING?

The TALK

~- The THOUGHT

~ The TANGIBLE

THE TALK

There are more than a dozen words that describe the way the Church communicated the Gospel in the First Century. The predominant word w~s that the Church conversed the Gospel.

Moses set the standard for God fearers in what is known as the ‘shema’ (to hear). Let us look at what Moses told his flock:

Deut.6:4—7

Let us ask ourselves some hard questions -

• Do we in our Church do just this — talk ‘God talk’ when we congregate?

• Do we, the leaders lead the way or do we let ourselves down, the Church and God through our talk?

• What effect does shema have on the life of Christians, the Church and me, as a Christian and leader?

THE THOUGHT

Is what makes the difference between action and planning.

Let us look at the way most things unfold in a person’s life:

WRONG OR SINFUL FEELINGS

WRONG OR SINFUL ACTIONS

PARADIGM SHIFT ..~.

ATTITUDE CHANGE

OR CHANGE IN

BELIEF

PLANNING THE RIGHT THINGS

REINFORCING RIGHT FEELINGS

DOING AND CONTINUING TO DO THE RIGHT

THINGS

What is Jesus’ message for believers? He not only condemned wrong or sinful actions but He went behind the external factors, attacking the thinking pattern that existed behind the action. Jesus makes the point in the Sermon on the Mount — the even law is not merely interested in the action.

THE TANGIBLE

This is the visible part of our world — that which is ‘real’ or tangible —what can be seen — our actions.

Let us look at some examples where actions spoke louder than words. What is the sequence of events?

2SamueI ll

In spite of David’s final actions, we see that the Lord was not happy with what he had done. Actions — and thoughts.

Consider what is written in II Samuel 12: 7 to 9

Genesis 20: 1 to 7

Genesis 39

THE PRACTICE & MAINTENANCE OF INTEGRITY

This is an essential part of our lives — we are people of integrity, living by God’s commandments. It is a daily struggle — temptations, trials and problems are all around us — in our personal lives, our family life, our Church, business/profession — how do we constantly practice and maintain our integrity?

Why is the practice and maintenance of integrity essential?

Let us cast a glance at what some leaders have said about integrity and the Christian life:

Michael Griffiths in Consistent Christianity The transformed life of the Christian should be one of the most convincing evidences of divine intervention in human affairs.

T. R. Glover: The early Church succeeded so magnificently because they outlived out thought and out did the pagan world.

Today, we are again required to beat the pagan world by showing them that it is only when they become Christians will they live the way man was meant to live.

INTEGRITY AND POWER

It is commonly said that ‘Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely’.

Do the leaders in our Churches, we, handle power, authority and coming under authority? The Messiah Complex.

Do we, as leaders practice the ‘Servant model’ expressed by Jesus? Or is they just words that we use when it suits us?

EXERCISE IN INTEGRITY

Don’t take too much time thinking — your first response may most likely be the correct response.

Try not to answer with ‘Not Sure’ as this will not test your integrity!

Statement yes No not sure
1. I behave differently when I am away from the

Limlight of leadership

2. I find myself forgetting promises I make

3. People find it difficult to entrust me with secrets

4. I find myself changing from stated intentions

5. I am usually late for appointments

6. I often go for practical solutions rather than start from first principles

7. The end is more important to me than the means

8. There are things I do which I would not do if I know people are watching

9. I do not consider it important to account for small amounts of money.

10. I do not return the things I borrow.

After completing the exercise, check to see if you have more Yes’s than No’s. Hopefully you will have no Not Sure’s.

CONCLUSION

When does integrity occur?

Only when

1. The Talk

2. The Thought

3. The Tangible

all align. We need to ensure that the unsolicited testimonial God gave Job our goal in life:

Job 2:3

• ... “there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil. He still holds fast

unto his integrity, although you move against him, to destroy him without cause.”