Integrity, Impact by Being Different
Philippians 2:14-15
Opening Statement
- Who's in charge? The nation calls for leadership
- Current state: Leaders are becoming an endangered species
Examples of Fallen Leaders
Importance of Leadership
- Arnold Toynbee's Conclusion: Societal rise and fall dependent on quality of leadership
- Necessity of Leaders: Quality of life determined by quality of leadership
- Key Question: What kind of person can make an impact?
Integrity: Making an impact by being different
- Why is Integrity Essential?
- Cultural Carnage: Leadership occurs within a culture
- Watergate Example: Indicative of widespread issues
- Paul's Teaching: Philippians 2:14-15 on living blamelessly
- Condition of the Church: Integrity deficiency
- George Gallup's Conclusion: Gospel making inroads but little impact on behavior
- Paul's Message: 2 Corinthians 5:17 on being a new creation
- Jesus' Teaching: Matthew 5 on being salt and light
- Revolutionary Concepts: Metaphors preceded by a beatitude
Models of Integrity
- Joseph (Model of Trust)
- Genesis 39: Temptation and refusal
- Daniel (Model of Honesty)
- Daniel 6: Accusation and integrity
- David (Model of Credibility)
- Psalm 78:71-72: Shepherding with integrity and skill
Developing Integrity
- Encouraging Adequate Models
- 1 Corinthians 11:1: Follow me as I follow Christ
- Example: Impact of a pastor's transformed life
- Employing Biblical Standards for Leaders
- 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1: Character over credentials
- Importance of church discipline for restoration and growth
- Producing Christlike Products
- Galatians 5: Fruit of the Spirit
- Matthew 5: Beatitudes
- 2 Peter 1:5-8: Adding to faith and being productive
Conclusions on Integrity
- Integrity and Environment
- Depends on relationship, not surroundings
- Integrity as demonstrated in a corrupt society
- Integrity and Results
- Depends on conviction, not outcomes
- Measured by faithfulness, not success
- Integrity and Culture
- Depends on truth, not contemporary values
- Patterning life after Christ, not the Christian community
- C.S. Lewis on moving with the times
Final Reflections
- Impact of Integrity
- Doing what is right despite group pressure
- Prayer for disturbance and change towards integrity
- Encouragement for Leaders
- Maintaining integrity and faithfulness in ministry
*The above summary is AI-generated, so discrepancies may exist. Please refer to the audio or video file to verify accuracy.
About the Contributors
Howard G. Hendricks
Dr. Howard G. Hendricks, known simply as “Prof,” directly or indirectly touched millions of lives in the evangelical community and beyond. For more than sixty years Prof served on the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), where he taught more than ten thousand students. He served as the chairman of the Center for Christian Leadership for over twenty years. He also ministered in person in more than eighty countries. Through speaking engagements, radio, tapes, films, the sixteen books he authored and coauthored, countless journal and popular-market articles, his service on numerous boards, and his work as a chaplain to the Dallas Cowboys (1976–1984), his reach was and is worldwide.
His legacy, in partnership with Jeanne, his wife of more than sixty-five years, includes four children and six grandchildren. Holding large audiences enthralled at venues such as Billy Graham’s conference center or Promise Keepers’ stadium rallies, Prof would confide, “It’s wonderful to be here with you, but I have a group of delicious students waiting for me back at the seminary.”
Contributors
