The truth and a leader's integrity

The Clinton campaign is insisting that her medical problems this past weekend is due to her having pneumonia. The video clearly showed that she would have fallen to the ground if the Secret Service men had not held her up. The way she was dragging her feet in the video indicated she may have even been unconscious when they put her in the car although she was able to communicate that she did not want to go to the hospital but to her daughter's home instead.

There has been a lot of speculation in recent weeks about her health. Some have suggested she might be dealing with Parkinson's Disease while others have speculated she may have other undisclosed medical problems. I've mostly ignored the speculations  simply because it's an election campaign and candidates on both sides long ago stopped discussing real issues and just look for ways to attack the other person. Still, this recent video does give one cause for concern.

Of course, social media was buzzing with speculation about the cause of Clinton's medical condition after this latest video went viral. Very troubling was the number of persons whose posts seemed to relish the possibility that Clinton has a serious medical condition, and this includes some Christians who posted about this event. I don't care how much one may dislike an individual, to wish poor health on them is far from Christlike.

Eventually, her campaign announced that she is being treated for pneumonia. Of course, her campaign was criticized for withholding this information from the public until they were forced to admit it. Some also question whether this is true or if she does have more serious medical issues.

The problem is that a majority of people do not trust her honesty. She lied about Benghazi. She lied about her emails. She lied about landing under fire overseas as Secretary of State when videos clearly showed her arrival was normal. She is the person who has cried wolf so many times that she cannot be trusted to tell the truth. Maybe her condition is no more serious than pneumonia, which is serious enough but treatable. But, how can anyone be sure?

This isn't a rant against Hillary Clinton. It is a demonstration about the negative impact being untruthful has on one's ability to lead. No leader can effectively lead a church, a business, or a nation if that person cannot be trusted to be truthful. Sometimes the truth hurts, but avoiding the truth eventually proves to be even more harmful to a leader.

As a judicatory leader I encountered a few situations where the church lost their ability to believe their pastor. He had been caught in too many lies and half-truths for the people to trust him. It was impossible for him to lead that church because he had no integrity with the people there.

Tell the truth. Do what you say you will do when you say you will do it. Be a person of integrity so that when you say something the people believe it. Only then will you be able to effectively lead your church.

Talking to your church about finances

Most of the churches that I work with share a common expectation when it comes to the pastor's salary and benefit package. When the finance committee begins to discuss it and when the budget for the coming year is about to be discussed in a business meeting, the pastor and family are expected to leave the room.  For some reason, adult Christians can discuss anything in front of the pastor except his or her salary.

In some churches, the pastor is not allowed to request anything regarding salary or benefits. Other churches specify which board or committee the pastor is to approach when making such requests. But, when the final package is being discussed, the pastor is not allowed to participate in that discussion. I consider that to be unfortunate.

Pastors need to be able to talk to people in the church about their finances. Their situations change which means that their salary package may need to change as well.  Sometimes it's not a matter of needing more money; their situation might be addressed by changing the designation of some of the money the pastor receives.  For instance, early in my pastorate I wanted to move closer to the church.  In order to do that I asked that the church designate part of my salary as housing allowance to make it possible for us to buy a home. The amount of money I was being paid did not change, but that change in designation meant I was paying less taxes making more money available to purchase a home. Incidentally, every pastor who does not live in a parsonage should receive a housing allowance.

Some churches have no idea how their pastors are struggling financially. I know of several pastors carrying a huge amount of student loan debt but does not want anyone in the church to know it.  Others are struggling due to medical expenses or some other financial challenges. How many pastors leave the ministry for better paying jobs just to pay their bills? If you are tempted to criticize a pastor for doing this, chances are you've never been harassed by bill collectors and struggling to provide for your family.

Churches and pastors need to do a better job of talking about the pastor's finances. There needs to be much more open and honest dialogue about what the pastor needs and what the church can provide. If such discussion is not permitted in a church this may be a sign that the church is not healthy and has some deep trust issues that need to be explored. If a church insists on keeping all financial discussions secret from the pastor and the majority of the church family, it is fair to wonder what other secrets exist in the church. As I wrote recently, a church is only as healthy as the secrets it keeps.

If such discussions have not occurred before, it may be helpful to invite a denominational leader or consultant to come and lead the discussion. An outside ear and voice can sometimes help reduce the anxiety that such discussions can create.

However you do it, make plans now to begin having open and honest discussions between the pastor and church leaders about the financial needs of the pastor and his or her family. Both the pastor and the church will benefit from such discussions.

Leaders and credibility

As a Navy veteran I have been frustrated for the past few days over the recent apology Brian Williams issued for his statements that he was aboard a helicopter that was hit by rocket propelled grenades during the invasion of Iraq.  Eyewitnesses of the event in question claim that Williams' account is false and that the aircraft he was in arrived in the area about an hour later.  Although Williams has repeated his story, even as late as 2013 on the David Letterman show, he now says that he somehow conflated one aircraft with another.  I personally find it difficult to understand how one is confused about which helicopter one is on when one has been hit by enemy fire and the other wasn't.  I think most people would know which chopper they were on.  As a result of this issue, some are now questioning some of the claims he made as he reported on things he saw as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

NBC news is conducting an investigation of Williams' claims although some sources are now saying that Williams himself is not being investigated.  Williams has removed himself from his anchor news chair for a few days while this investigation continues.  There are calls for his resignation, but there is a widespread belief that the network has too much invested in Williams for that to occur.  Regardless of what happens, his credibility as a journalist will now be questioned by many and it will be interesting to see how his ratings will be impacted if he does return to his anchor chair.  Personally, I have watched NBC news since the Huntley-Brinkley days, but since this has occurred I've decided it's time to check out the other network news.  If Williams returns to his anchor chair, I will switch to another news source because I frankly can't trust him to report the news accurately.

For a person to be successful in a leadership position they must earn the trust of the people the serve.  Without credibility one cannot earn that trust.  Credibility occurs when one is honest, treats people with respect, keeps his or her promises, maintains confidences, and does his or her job with excellence.

Credibility is essential for those of us in ministry just as it is for anyone in leadership positions.  When church leaders fail morally, ethically, or financially they lose credibility with those they had been leading.  Often, they are never able to regain that credibility.  It takes time to earn the trust of people, and if that trust is violated it takes even longer to gain it back.  Sometimes, such trust is never regained and the opportunity to return to ministry is lost forever.

How do ministers maintain credibility with those we lead?  First, do what you say you are going to do.  Maybe you realize you agreed to something that will be more difficult that you thought.  Too bad, do it anyway because you said you would.  If you find out it is impossible to keep your word, immediately contact the person and explain why you can't.  Secondly, be honest in your dealings with people both inside and outside your congregation.  No church wants to hear that their minister has been involved in shady dealings with people in the community.  Third, treat people with respect.  You may not agree with their theological beliefs, their lifestyle choices, or anything else about them, but never forget that they are persons for whom Jesus Christ gave his life on the cross so that they can be saved.  That makes them persons of great worth and persons who should always be treated with respect.

Fourth, maintain confidences.  Your counseling session on Tuesday should not be your sermon illustration on Sunday.  Fifth, communicate to the people in your church.  I hear from so many church members who complain that their pastor never seeks their advice but just does whatever he or she wants to do.  Most churches want a leader; they do not want a dictator.  Sixth, pay your tithe to the church.  I'm sorry, but your service to the church is not your tithe.  If you want to teach stewardship you must first model stewardship, and it begins with the tithe.  Seventh, serve your church with excellence.  Most ministers I know work very hard and put in long hours.  However, the ministry is also a great place for lazy people, and I've known a few ministers who would fall into that category.  God has called you into ministry; your church has called you to be their minister, so do your ministry with excellence.  Last, but not least, serve your family well.  Most churches appreciate the minister who refuses to sacrifice his or her family on the alter of ministerial success.  Those who don't appreciate that don't deserve to have a minister.  Be an example of how one should love his or her spouse and children.

Will you always do all these things perfectly?  No, none of us will.  I have found that most people will be very forgiving if we will quickly admit when we fail.  I have made many mistakes in the ministry, but people were willing to forgive me because they knew that these mistakes were not intentional.  I never set out to deceive them, and when I realized I had made a mistake I quickly admitted it and asked for their forgiveness.  If you do that, you will likely find that most people will forgive you as well.

Credibility is essential if you want to enjoy an effective ministry.  If you will follow the eight recommendations listed above, you will enjoy great credibility with those you lead.

A church and its secrets

There is a belief in some churches that it's best to keep troubling news from the congregation.  In most cases, when church leaders keep such news from the congregation they do so convinced that if such news becomes common knowledge in the church and/or the community that it will create enormous problems.  I have seen churches keep information about clergy misconduct from the congregation and other churches do the same when they've found that a church leader has misappropriated funds or done something else unethical or illegal.  In a misguided attempt to protect the church, leaders try to keep these things a secret from the congregation.  Such secrecy seldom ends well.

A church is only as healthy as the secrets it keeps.  A church with a history of keeping secrets will be a church with little trust between the leadership and the laity.  People are not stupid.  They know when there is more going on than they are being told, and since no one is telling them what this is they have no recourse but to try to imagine for themselves what's going on.  This leads to gossip, meetings in the church parking lot, and cherry-red phone lines as church members discuss among themselves what they believe might be happening in their church.  None of these things leads to a healthy church.

Much of this can be prevented with open and honest communication.  I have found that congregations can handle the truth about what is happening in their church.  I have seen congregations presented information that was painful to share and painful to hear, but these congregations were able to process the information and move forward.  As disappointed as they might be in what they have heard at least they know they can trust their leadership to be upfront and honest with them.  As mature Christians they can work together to address the issues and take steps to make it less likely that this same issue will occur again.

What can church leaders do if their church has a history of secret-keeping that has resulted in a lack of trust within the congregation?  The best answer is to communicate.  In fact, over-communicate.  If there are problems, be up-front about them and address them.  Obviously, there are confidentiality concerns that must be protected, but at the same time there is much that can be shared with the congregation.  Don't speculate, but share what you have proven to be true and how the problems are being addressed.  Be kind and gracious, but also be truthful.

A number of years ago a church leader told me he was working with a congregation to help them get unstuck.  He thought he was making progress until one of the people reminded others in attendance that they could not do what they were discussing because of something that had happened in the church years earlier.  Newer members of the congregation knew nothing of the prior event because it was something that was never discussed.  I was never told what the event was, but even though the congregation had long ago locked it away in a secret place it was still impacting the church and limiting its ability to move forward.  That is what secrets can do to any church.  It's far better to address problems openly and correct them so the church is not held hostage by them.

What do people want in their leaders?

In 1993 James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner wrote Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It.  In 2011 the book was revised based upon new research they had done in the intervening years.  The book examines the reasons people follow the leaders they choose to follow and looks at the traits people identify as the most important qualities they look for in their leaders.  One interesting finding in the book is that the top three qualities had not changed in the nearly two decades since the first book was released.  These top three qualities are

1. Integrity (honest, trustworthy, a person of character and conviction)
2. Competence (capable, productive, and efficient)
3. Leadership (inspiring, decisive, and provides direction)

The writers explain that "The key to unlocking greater leadership potential can be found when you seek to understand the desires and expectations of your constituents and when you act on them in ways that correspond to their image of what an exemplary leader is and does."  This is true whether you are the head of a Fortune 500 company or the pastor of a bivocational church.  People will be more willing to follow you if you exhibit these three qualities and they will be more committed to helping you achieve the vision you have laid out before them.

As I work with church leaders I see some who exhibit some of these three qualities but not all of them.  Some are totally honest people but they lack competence.  It's not that they don't try to accomplish good things; they just don't know how.  Some lack leadership abilities.  The way they relate to the people they serve fails to inspire those people.  They have no vision for the future of the church so they are unable to provide direction.  Like the Israelites in the Wilderness, the church spends its time wandering in the wilderness under their leadership.  The saddest group however are those leaders who lack integrity.  Because of their track record people no longer trust them to tell the truth.  Of the three, integrity is the most important because if the people do not trust you no one will follow you regardless of how talented you might be.  The most successful church leaders are those who show evidence of all three qualities.

Now that you know what people are looking for in their leaders, and if the statement in the second paragraph is true, now is a good time to examine yourself and see how you rate on these three qualities.  As part of that evaluation you should try to see yourself through the eyes of those you are leading.  How would they evaluate you in these three categories? 

Competence and leadership can be learned, and as a person called to a leadership position you should be committed to growing in each of these areas.  Integrity is an inside job and has to do with your character.  Once integrity is violated and people view their leader as a person that cannot be trusted it is very difficult to earn back that trust.  Congregations will often offer grace to a pastor who leads them in a ministry that doesn't produce the desired results; much less grace is often afforded the pastor who violates their trust in his or her integrity.  I once heard a long-tenured pastor of a church say that even when people did not necessarily agree with the direction he sought to take them as a congregation they were willing to follow him because they knew his heart.  They trusted his intentions because they trusted him as a man of integrity.

As I read the section of the book that addressed these issues I was reminded again of how important a long tenure is in a church, especially a smaller church that has experienced frequent pastoral turnover.  It takes time to prove you are a person of integrity.  It takes time to prove one's competence and ability to lead, and until these qualities are proven to the congregation they are unlikely to accept the pastor as a leader in the church.

If you are a leader of a church, or any organization for that matter, keep these three qualities in mind at all times.  Be a person of your word.  Don't promise something if you do not intend to keep it.  Remember that people are watching you at all times so be a person of character.  Work as much as possible in the areas of your strengths because that is where you will be most competent.  Prayerfully seek God's vision for your church and lead the people in the fulfillment of that vision. Demonstrate courage and lead.  As you consistently focus on demonstrating these three qualities in your life and ministry you will find greater acceptance as a leader, and one day you'll suddenly notice just how far you have led the people God has given you.

Without integrity you cannot be trusted and cannot lead

A political campaign advertisement for President Obama uses a man who accuses Mitt Romney of being partially responsible for the death of his wife.  The gentleman claims that he lost his job and health insurance when a company Romney was involved with closed the plant where the gentleman worked.  A few years later his wife was diagnosed with cancer and soon died.  The claim is that if he had health insurance she might have sought treatment sooner and lived.  Republicans point to the number of years that passed between the closing of the plant and the death of this lady and the fact that by that time Romney has left Bain.  The purpose of this post is not to determine whose spin of this event is the most accurate.  I think we have already seen that this campaign is going to be ugly, and I imagine it will get much worse before the election.  At a time when our nation needs real solutions to real problems all we are getting is a lot of mud being slung by both sides  It has been said that a nation gets the government it deserves which says to me that the United States is in serious trouble.  If our current elected officials and candidates for office is the best we have then we have failed miserably as a country.

But, what led to this post is White House Press Secretary Jay Carney's response to a question from a reporter from CNN about the above campaign ad.  He claims he has never seen it and therefore cannot comment on it.  Does he seriously expect anyone to believe that?  Is he the only person in America that has not seen that ad and hasn't formed an opinion about it one way or another?  White House Press Secretaries do not go before reporters without a thorough briefing and a review of likely questions.  Is he trying to tell us that no one anticipated a question about such a sensitive issue as this campaign ad?  I often err on the side of giving people the benefit of the doubt, but this is too much.  I can understand his reluctance to respond to the question and even to defer it to campaign officials (which he did), but to stand there and say he has never seen it and therefore cannot respond is to stretch his credibility past the breaking point.  Can I prove he has seen the ad?  No.  But, I will say that if he in fact has never seen the ad and was not provided with talking points about the ad if asked then someone in the White House failed to do their job in preparing him for this briefing.  I will also say that people who have risen to the level of White House staffers usually do not fail that miserably.  If they weren't smart people they would have never got to the White House in the first place.  For that reason I simply do not believe Carney was being truthful with the reporters and with the American people, and that means I cannot trust anything he says.

Reporters tend to be a rather skeptical bunch.  The CNN reporter certainly did not seem to believe that Carney was being truthful when he said he had never seen the TV spot.  I would have liked to have seen the entire press corps walk out of the room.  They are there to ask questions and receive truthful answers to pass on to the American public.  Did they believe Carney was telling them the truth about never having seen that ad?  If so, then perhaps I'm wrong.  If they didn't why would they remain there to ask him additional questions?  If he didn't answer that one truthfully why should they expect him to respond truthfully to any other?  Or, have they become so used to hearing half-truths and stonewalling answers that they've grown immune.  That also spells trouble for the American people because we depend on journalists to report what is happening in our nation and if we cannot depend on them to report the news factually we will see increasing problems in the future.  Our nation needs journalists who will not accept the spin offered by both parties but will demand truthful answers to the tough questions they need to be asking and then passing those answers to the American people.

How does this correspond to the church and its leaders?  If your word cannot be trusted you cannot lead.  If you lack integrity in your life, in your words, and in your attitudes you cannot lead.  Leadership is not about position; it is about trust, and people cannot trust you if they question your honesty and integrity.  If they do not trust you they will not follow you.  This is true in the church; it is true in business; and it should be true in government.   I believe one reason we have such a crisis in leadership in this country today is because of a lack of trust in the ones supposedly leading us, and, unfortunately, that includes many church leaders.  Trust is built up over time, but it can be lost rather quickly, sometimes never to be regained.  So what can a church leader do to live a life of consistent integrity?

Keep your word.  Honor your commitments.  If you find out you were wrong, quickly own up to it and apologize.  If you got your facts wrong, admit it as soon as you discover it and share the accurate information even if it hurts.  Be truthful at all times.  Remember the lessons you hopefully learned as a child: it hurts much worse if people find out later you were lying to stay out of trouble.  Keep confidences.  Don't lie to protect someone who is doing wrong.  A person once asked me to lie on his behalf, and I refused.  It would have been a little white lie, but I told him that if I would lie for him I would lie to him.  I don't think he understood because I learned later he lacked integrity in his own life.  Practice civility towards others whether you agree with them or not.

Everything I said above about Carney I will probably be able to say about some of Romney's people before this campaign is over, and that's a sad commentary on our nation's political leaders.  My prayer is that I will never be able to say those things about the pastors I know.   Conduct your life and ministry is a way that will earn you the trust of the people, and if you do so you will be able to lead them to fulfill the vision God has for them.