Balancing Personal Holiness and Public Ministry: Walking with Integrity
I suspect nothing has done more damage to the church than the lengthy line of spiritual leaders who have failed morally. The result of such moral failure can disillusion a church family, and it often further jades those who are outside the Kingdom. The need for integrity in the life of a pastor cannot be overstated. This is a high calling and settling for second best is simply not a viable option.
Christian ministry is a very public responsibility. Pastors are normally one of the better-known members of a community and this demands diligent sensitivity toward those who are watching. An expression of senseless anger at a street intersection or an unkind word at a check-out line can irreparably damage a pastor’s effectiveness.
This public demand can create unhealthy stress for pastors and can easily contribute to burnout. The key to managing this stress is ensuring that your public persona is consistent with your personal character. If a divide exists between these two, you can be sure that you will wear down quickly. Remember that James said a “doubleminded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1.8).
However, if your character is consistent regardless of the circumstances or the social setting, you will find joy in ministry that is unmatched. Solomon said that “he who walks with integrity walks securely” (Proverbs 10.9). In addition to your own joy in ministry, you will find your impact on others to be more effective as they see your sincerity as a servant of the Lord.
The truth is that when our actions dishonor the Lord, it usually betrays a deeper issue. Jesus said that ungodliness arises from the heart. Make no mistake, the key to a healthy public ministry begins with personal holiness. If a pastor takes lightly the call to cultivate personal holiness by cutting corners, it will eventually show in public fashion. Nothing may be more important for a minister than the need to cultivate a vibrant devotional life with the Lord. This becomes the fuel that powers us forward in ministry.
A vibrant devotional life is focused on prayer, Bible reading, and service to others. While most ministers excel at the first two of these disciplines, many struggle with the third. The fact is we can be great at prayer and efficient as a Bible student, but if we do not engage in personal ministry our faith will eventually become hollow. One of the surest means of maintaining sincerity in service is ministering to the needs of others in a personal and tangible fashion.
Joy in ministry depends on personal integrity. When our public ministry grows out of our personal holiness, we will be liberated to be ourselves in every situation of life. This does not mean that we will be perfect and void of mistakes, but it does lend itself toward a sincerity which pleases the Lord and is attractive to those who need the Lord in their lives.
Author: Dr. Shawn Parker is the Executive Director-Treasurer of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board.
