Bill Scott
I am sure the first thing that comes to mind is that’s a no brainer. Well, at the surface you would be correct. There are not too many people that would tell you their goal is to not have integrity.
I have had the privilege of working in some sort of a ministry my whole life. I grew up as a pastor’s kid and than followed my father in ministry. I didn’t become a pastor but I did end up in Christian radio.
Over the years I’ve seen people in ministry lose their integrity. Most didn’t set out for that to happen. You see it’s the little compromises that leads up to failing the ministry that God has placed us in. Rarely is it one huge epic fail. I’ll never forget doing a sharathon at a radio station that will remain nameless, and the head of the ministry asked me to make up a $10,000 match. I remember just staring at this man. I was trying to process what I heard. I had to repeat to him what he just told me in order to make sure that I was understanding what he wanted me to do. He said, “Hey, its just funny money until it actually comes in.” Now, it’s true some people call in their pledge and never make good on it. What he was asking me to do was lie and mislead people. He wasn’t happy when I told him I wouldn’t do it and if he decided to go that route I would have to leave the studio when he did it. I don’t believe he got to this point over night, it was a series of small compromises.
My challenge to you is to keep an eye out for the small things. If you are in full-time ministry, more than likely working at a Christian radio station, then Satan is waiting for the chance to trip you up.
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1Peter 5:8)
Keep in mind, it’s the small choices we make that begin the ball rolling. My friend Ron Day has a new book out called The Hedge, The Winepress and The Tower, which is on Kindle. I love what he said in his book, a great reminder for all of us. This book is a quick read and well worth the time.
“In ancient times, when there was a vineyard planted, these little foxes (not the big ones) would sneak into the vineyard and eat the flower of the vine. This was more damaging than just eating the grapes as this meant that the vine would never produce fruit. The enemy wishes to use these “little foxes” to destroy the flower of our vine before it can ever produce fruit.”
“Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom”
(Song of Solomon 2:15)
Make sure you hold onto your integrity during your next fundraiser. Don’t do so much theater of the mind that it actually deceives your listeners. Keep things above board. When dealing with the ministries finances, keep it above board. In your own personal life, keep your standards high and don’t compromise on the little things. As most of you know, your personal life can spill over into your ministry and that last thing we want to do is destroy a ministry that God has entrusted you to work at.
Have a great fundraising season and lets be praying for each other. I’ll leave you with this quote:
“There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity.” Tom Peters
