Character Verses Gifting
It is important to realize there is a very distinct difference between gifting and character. This is true for any ministry, but it is particularly true regarding the prophetic. People can be very gifted in the prophetic and still have serious character issues that would greatly impair the effective functioning of the team. The sad reality is that gifting does not ensure character. Giftings are received by faith. Character is grown as fruit. Having one does not insure the other. People can be very gifted in the prophetic, they can give accurate words with many specific details -- and they can have serious character deficiencies.
It is important to understand the difference between character and gifting when determining who would serve well as a team member in ministry. Individuals need certain character attributes to be effective team members and team ministers. This lesson and the next two deal with some of the important character qualifications that should be evidenced (at least in seed form) within individuals who would be good candidates for team ministry.
(Authors note: The content of this lesson could quite probably disqualify most everyone from ministry if held as the unwavering and ultimate standard. I do not offer this to be used as a rigid legalistic plumb line. Instead, I hope these guidelines will serve as a fluid indictor of areas in need of further growth, or areas in need of more of God's sustaining and enabling grace.)
Potential Problems In Teams
All teams face potential problems. But awareness of hindrances can help eliminate future obstacles. The following are just a few examples of the types of problems that frequently surface in the context of team ministry. Each of these problems indicate the need for character growth for effectiveness.
- * Jealousy
- Sometimes internal team struggles will develop and God will use these as character builders and indicators that more maturity and personal security are needed.
- * A Wrong Perspective of the Purpose
- One example of wrong perspective is if the person views a present ministry team position as a "stepping stone" to a greater position in their own ministry. This type of attitude develops a mind set that states "I am just biding my time until God opens the door for something much greater."
Team members must realize that their present position is God's training ground for them, that they are there because God has called them to be there. They must do the best possible job in order to be promoted. There is a place for goals, but the team member needs to pursue their present service wholeheartedly. Otherwise the team member is ministering with an inappropriate perspective or motive such as personal ambition. It will hurt the team in the long run to have members who are motivated to be on the team only because they view it as a "stepping stone" to some other goal. Team members need to be committed to the ministry that the team is performing.
- * Personal Ambition
- Sometimes an unhealthy desire for promotion or prominence can hinder the team effort. It can also happen when other people pressure trainees to be dissatisfied with their team position. People will sometimes come to a team member and say "you minister so well, why don't they let you lead the team?" If the trainee is not mature enough, this type of statement sows the seeds of the Absolom spirit.
- * Wrong Comparisons and Inferiority
- Improper comparisons can let discouragement creep in. It is not wise to compare ourselves with other team members who have strengths in certain areas. (I.e., Some prophesy longer, receive more specific words or insights, or flow more fluently, etc.) A team member should not measure himself against others, but rather against God's calling on his or her life.
Another wrong perspective is viewing our present team position as a second best role and an "inferior ministry." One's role does not determine one's value! Every potential prophetic team must view their situation from the perspective that where he/she is placed is God's purpose and God's pleasure. They must understand that their present position is (at this time) the best for them, and the best for the local house of the Lord and for the Kingdom of God. This type of outlook will bring a sense of security and fulfillment.
- * Defensiveness
- It is very important for team members to remain teachable. A teachable attitude is a reflection of humility, which pleases God. One needs to always be willing to have a word judged. This is very clear from scripture. "And let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment" (1 Cor 14:29). "For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets" (1 Cor 14:31,32). It makes it a lot easier for a leader to "risk" letting someone speak if there is a willingness on the part of the prophesier to be correctable. After all, we ALL have blind spots.
Desirable Characteristics for Team Members
The above list is by no means an exhaustive list of potential problems that can be encountered in teams. But it does indicate the need for certain characteristics that are desirable qualities for team members. The following are eight important character qualities to look for in candidates for team ministry:
- * Servanthood
- a team member's motivation should be to make the team's ministry a success, to further the kingdom of God by serving on it.
- * Faithfulness
- being consistent and someone who you can depend on
- * Availability
- the most gifted person with the highest character is not of much use to the team if they are not available to serve on it when they are needed.
- * Teachable
- the person must be willing to learn to improve in their gifting and open to helpful suggestions and corrections by team leadership.
- * Humility
- one who does not operate out of selfish ambition or conceit, but one who esteems others and does not look down on them.
- * Meekness
- a humble reliance on God's power an strength.
- * Corporateness
- one who is not overly independent and who can cooperate with the others on the team.
- * Loving
- they need to love the people the team will be ministering to, not just "love" the position that being on the team gives to them.
We will take a look at these "desirable characteristics" in our next lesson.
Desired Character Qualities in Team Members
In our last lesson, we looked at the difference between gifting and character and explored the different types of problems that surface in teams due to character deficiencies present in team members. We identified 8 important character qualities that are desirable for team members to possess. They are:
- loving
- servanthood
- Faithfulness
- availability
- teachable
- humility
- meekness
- corporateness
Let's examine each of these traits.
Loving
The primary characteristic to look for in potential team members, is love. You need people who love people, not just position. Anyone that is ambitious, striving, and competing to be "best" has a wrong spirit. They must not be performance-oriented, but oriented towards blessing people. If the minister does not have a genuine care for people, s/he will fail to represent God's heart to the persons that he/she ministers to. Love is the ultimate measure of motive and attitude.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 states: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing."
Love is demonstrated in a sacrificial attitude -- someone willing to give rather than receive. This person will display an attitude of giving themselves wholly, to see the individuals they minister to blessed, built up and strengthened in their faith; and the vision of the ministry built.
Servanthood
An important kingdom reality is that the Kingdom of God functions quite differently than that of the world. Jesus said it this way, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here" (John 18:36). In fact, the Kingdom of God has even been called "the upside-down Kingdom," because His Kingdom works very opposite the natural domain. For example, the Scripture tells us that the greatest is to be the servant of all.
Matthew 20:25-28 states: "But Jesus called them to Himself and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many'" (Matt 20:25-28, also Mark 10:43-45).
A team member's motive and desire should be to make the team a success. A team support member should want to serve. The motivation should not come from fear, it should not come from a sense of duty, nor should it arise out of a sense of obligation. Rather they should desire to serve out of a true servant's spirit. Ephesians 6:5-6 states "Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness in your heart, as unto Christ; not with eye-service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart."
Those who are great at servanthood not only make effective team members, they also make effective team leaders. If you give a position from which to minister to someone who is a servant-at-heart, he/she will use that position to serve others instead of seeking self-advancement.
Faithfulness
Faithfulness is defined as being steady in allegiance or affection; remaining constant, reliable, trusted, or able to be depended upon; being strict or thorough in the performance of duty as in being a "faithful worker." 1 Corinthians 4:2 tells us, "Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful." Faithfulness carries implications of having qualities of stability, dependability, and devotion.
Faithfulness is a valuable asset to any team. Scripture have much to say about the character quality of faithfulness and the results of faithfulness. Luke 16:10-12 mentions three areas of faithfulness in which the results will be significant -- faithfulness with little; faithfulness with that which belongs to another; and faithfulness with financial things. It says, "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon; who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?" (Luke 16:10-12).
Team members should demonstrate that they are faithful in such areas as attendance, responsibility and service, personal Christian life, as well as relationships to leadership and the people.
A sub-topic under the whole issue of faithfulness is the character quality of loyalty. Loyalty implies firm support and defense of a person, cause, institution, or idea considered to be worthy: such as "a loyal citizen." Though loyalty is not often mentioned as a valued trait, its presence in a team is a great asset.
Availability
Team members should exhibit personal initiative and shouldn't have to be pushed into ministry. This will be evidenced by their availability and willingness to commit. Success of any team will correspond to the measure of commitment from each individual member. As a team is being formulated and released to minister, they will see that commitment brings stability even in the face of difficulty. As long as the team is committed to stand and serve together, there will be a sense of security and a sense of corporate anointing, unity and power. Regardless of how able and gifted a person is, if they are not available to commit to the time it takes to serve the team's purposes, they will only be a source of chagrin for the others who would depend on them.
Teachable
A person who is not teachable or correctable, but has a "know it all" attitude, will be a continuous problem. An uncorrectable attitude is almost a guaranteed formula for not only problems in the ministry. Ultimately, such a person will experience delusion and deception in their own life. The apostle James wrote that the one who possesses divine wisdom will exhibit an attitude of being "easily entreated" (James 3:17-18). A teachable attitude is a sure indicator of the next quality we will look at, that of humility.
We will look at the remaining traits (humility, meekness and corporateness) in the next lesson.
More Important Character Traits For Team Members
In our last lesson, we looked at some desirable character traits for team members. These included being motivated from love, having a servant's heart, exhibiting faithfulness (being one who the others and rely on), being available and ready to minister and being teachable. In this lesson, we will look at three more important character traits for team members:
- humility
- meekness
- corporateness
Humility
Humility is another example of how the Kingdom of God works very opposite the natural domain. The Apostle Paul wrote: "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him" (Phil 2:3-9).
Notice the dynamic; the way up is the way down, and the one who humbles himself is exalted. This concept is reiterated in 1 Peter 5:5-7, "...and be clothed with humility, for 'God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.' Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."
It is the humble that are exalted and the proud become abased. If we attempt to lift ourselves up, we stumble; if we get low, we will be exalted by God.
Paul told this to the Christians in Rome. He said, "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith" (Rom 12:3).
Humility is not just absence of pride, which is thinking more highly of yourself than you ought. Nor is it low self esteem - thinking more poorly of your self than you ought. That is still a focus on self and is actually a form of false humility, showing up as a reversed pride that says "I should be doing better..."
Humility is absence of self, all-together. It is an absence of self focus; absence of personal ambition; absence of a need for recognition. A minister must be dead to self. Otherwise, his ministry vaunt self, attracting others to him rather than to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Meekness
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt 5:5).
Meekness is not the same as weakness, but is characterized by a humble reliance on God's power and strength. Those who are meek exhibit a sensitivity to others. They are approachable and teachable instead of hard and not entreatable. They are not arrogantly independent, but rather recognizes his/her need for corporateness and dependence upon God.
Moses is a wonderful example. Moses was called, at the end of his life, the meekest man on earth. But we also see that he went through the God's "school of brokenness" to obtain this meekness. Through the years, he came to the point of relying on God's power, instead of on his own. Let's look at how God developed this trait in him. We see an unbroken Moses after forty years of secular training in the finest leadership schools Egypt had to offer. His efforts at that point to dilemma his people from the Egyptians only ended in failure and he was banished to the desert.
Then we see him after another 40 years of desert tempering. Finally, at 80 years of age, we see a man who was called the meekest man on earth. Now he was ready to be used of God in a mighty way. Now we see Moses, not defending himself to his accusers, but rather falling on his face in intercession while God moves dramatically to defend him. Meekness and dependence on God was the difference.
When a person allows God to work meekness and deference into their soul, that person is no longer marked by the hallmarks of a carnal man: obstinacy, hardness and sharpness.
Corporateness
Ministries who will not receive the grace from God to become corporate will be, at the least, limit their ability to be optimally effective. And at most, they may find themselves sliding into delusion and error. God designed us for relationship; for inter-dependence. This is an essential attitude for those who would become team members and team players. We do not want an unhealthy dependence (born out of fear of man, people pleasing, and fear of rejection), but nor do we want independence (born out of pride and rebellion). Rather God is after inter-dependence or corporateness; the humility to recognize our need for one another.
Independence and isolation are sure signs of unhealthiness or immaturity. Proverbs 18:1 states "He who separates himself seeks his own desire, he quarrels against all sound wisdom." Instead we are to "Grow up in all aspects into... Christ... from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love" (Eph.4:15,16).
In order to be corporative, it is essential that the team minister be able to be submissive and yield to spiritual authority. Scripture speaks very directly to this issue. Hebrews 13:17 puts it this way: "Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you." And 1 Peter 5:5 says, "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'"
James tells us that divine wisdom is exhibited in a willingness to yield and be gentle and peaceable. "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace" (James 3:17-18).
For instance, let's consider a person who feels he has a word from God. He stands up in a meeting and declares a directive word without regard to the ones who have spiritual authority and responsibility in the meeting. He tells the congregation that everyone in the church should come to the front and kneel at the altar and cry out in repentance "right now." The individual has "taken control" of the service and has created a dilemma for the pastor. What if the Pastor felt that the Lord was leading the meeting in a different direction? If the pastor tries to follow the leading God gave him, he will appear to "rebel" and "resist" the word of the Lord and His "directive." Now it looks like the pastor is being rebellious to the "Word of the Lord" when, in fact, he is merely obeying what God spoke to Him. This can automatically cause others to look upon the leaders as insensitive, closed to the moving and direction of the Spirit of God, etc.
It is imperative that prophetic people be sensitive to the God given responsibility that pastors have, and respect the authority God has given the pastor in the local church. That prophet should have submitted to the pastor the "sense" he or she had. The prophet should ask permission before releasing a word that may end up redirecting the flow of the service. Deference to leadership is essential for effective team ministry.
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