“It is necessary that a church leader be blameless, since he has the responsibility of God’s family. Therefore, he must not be self-absorbed, quick-tempered, a heavy drinker, quarrelsome, or greedy for dishonest gain. Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined…” Titus 1:7-8

For a man of God, character can be his greatest asset or, conversely, his worst enemy in ministry. Even “simple” character flaws can ruin everything and destroy a ministry.

Having a Difficult Character

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. But I received mercy…” 1 Timothy 1:12-13

It is difficult to be around someone with a difficult character. Solomon describes this well:

“A quarrelsome wife is like a constantly dripping leak on a rainy day.” Proverbs 27:15

A person with a difficult character is like the sound of water dripping continuously onto the ground or the ticking of an old clock when one is trying to sleep.

Being Quick-Tempered

Some ministers of God are impulsive, aggressive, and short-tempered. Everyone fears them. They act like dictators. They lash out and do not control their words. The apostle Paul was once a hot-tempered man, but God rescued him, and he changed. When the anointing grows faster than character, it can cause everything to explode and kill the anointing. Samson experienced this firsthand.

Criticizing Others

“Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye?” Luke 6:41

We should not be known for criticizing other Christians, whether they are leaders or not. Instead, we should be known for the love we have for others and the gentleness we show them. A person who uses the pulpit to criticize or mock others opens a great door for the devil in their life and ministry.

Not Admitting Mistakes

Some people never want to admit their mistakes. This is a sure way to invite trouble. If I do not acknowledge my mistakes and repent, I will encourage rebellion and, in some cases, cause division. It is good and healthy to ask for forgiveness from those we have hurt. If we have acted wrongly, spoken harshly, or made mistakes, we should not only apologize but sincerely ask for forgiveness.

Being Impatient

We have already seen that haste is a bad thing (such as wanting to grow a church or increase its wealth as quickly as possible).

Arriving at a church or in a country with a different culture and wanting to change everything at once is a sure way to “blow everything up.” We may be eager to change things that we do not like, but a church culture takes time to develop and evolve.

For example, in some places, simply seeing a pastor drink a glass of wine could potentially divide a church. In other places, if a pastor does not wear a tie, it may be poorly received. When traveling for ministry, we must respect cultures—and above all, of course, the culture of love in God’s kingdom.

Some young pastors who take over an existing church want to change everything in just a few days. Rushing without respecting what has been done before, the seasons, and the process of change shows a lack of wisdom.

If a pastor is convinced he has received a great vision and starts changing everything, reassigning roles—sending Mrs. X to cleaning duties when she has been playing the piano for years, or forcing Mr. Y to sit down when he has been handling accounting—he may face challenges. (In the United States or in certain denominations, things are different; some pastors fire all employees upon arrival…)

Respect for people, for the work accomplished, and for cultures (whether national or church-related), along with clear communication, are essential elements that must not be overlooked.

This text is an excerpt from the book Walk in Love 2 written by Jérémy Sourdril.

We invite you to read the next article: “THE RELIGIOUS SPIRIT.”

CHARACTER FLAWS. CHARACTER FLAWS.