Character Sample Chapter

Bi r m i ng ham ,

A l ab ama

To Kim, my wife, and a living example of character we write about here, and to Legacy Church who God has used to mold my character.

Gene Wilkes

I dedicate this book to my wife, Dana, who has faithfully allowed God to shape her character beginning as a fifth-grade young lady until the present.

Norman Blackaby

S

NT E T N CO

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 1

The Importance of Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

2 Character Is a Matter of the Heart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 3 The Need for a Biblical Approach and Why We Chose Case Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

H o w Go d D e v e lo p s C har act er 4 Moses: Growing in Humility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 5 Joshua: Character in the Midst of Failure . . . . . . . . 41 6 Nicodemus: Character Comes to Light . . . . . . . . . . 53 7

Jonah: A Character-Challenged Prophet . . . . . . . . . 65

8 Mary, Mother of Jesus: Confident Assurance . . . . . 77 9 John Mark: Character Makes a Comeback . . . . . . . 87

10 Jesus and the Disciples: Growing Pains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 11 Mary and Martha: Relationship Is the Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Cha ra c t e r Th at Mak e s a D if f e r ence 12 The Unnamed Servant Girl: Character That Is Merciful . . . . . 129 13 Hannah: Character That Trusts God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 14 Joseph: Character That Preserves Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 15 Barnabas: Character That Comes Alongside Others . . . . . . . . . 161 16 Stephen: Character That Is Fearless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 17 Paul and Timothy: Character That Leaves a Legacy . . . . . . . . . 183 18 Philemon: Character That Refreshes Hearts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 19 Ruth: Character That Is Selflessly Loyal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

Con c l u s i o n 2 0 Character in Our Day: Why It Still Makes a Difference . . . . . . 219 2 1 Preparing for God to Mold Your Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 2 2 Allowing God to Make a Difference Through You . . . . . . . . . . 233

Acknowledgments

A book about character requires people of character who are behind it. We would not have a message or the urgency to share it without the person and leader of Jesus, who is our example of godlike character. Christlike character is the standard for all measures of character, and we are humbled to have been called by Him to be His servants where He has placed us. We are grateful to our wives who encourage us and support us in projects like this one. Dana Blackaby has read and reread the manuscript throughout the writing and editing process, and her careful work is invaluable to what you read here. We want to thank Andrea Mullins of New Hope Publishers who invited us to write this book, and Joyce Dinkins and the team at New Hope who produced the book you hold in your hand. Writers are helpless without editors and production teams. The team members at New Hope are true servants of the Lord. We also want to thank Dr. Gary Cook and Dallas Baptist University for the opportunity to lead the PhD seminar in biblical servant leadership that was the seedbed for this topic and project.

Gene thanks the people of Legacy Church who consider his writing ministry part of his ministry to them and to the big C church as well. Gene also thanks Legacy’s staff and leadership team who exhibit character and work at the highest levels to carry out the mission and vision of Legacy which allows Gene the freedom to write.

INTR ODU CTIO

of d t n i u B o e r l A Litt Backg

N

everal years ago I (Norman) was asked to co-teach a seminar on Biblical Servant Leadership with Dr. Gene Wilkes for a university PhD program. I did not know Gene at the time, but was aware of his writing and speaking related to Christian leadership. Gene and I had very different backgrounds and ministry experiences. His field of study is in New Testament and mine is in biblical backgrounds and Old Testament. I wondered how we would approach the seminar and whether our teaching styles would be complementary. From the very first semester, we found a common ground: a deep love of God and His Word, which is the basis for our lives and ministry. We have continued to teach together over the years, and it is a joy each time I have the privilege of working with Gene.

While we continue to teach together, both of us remain very active in the local church setting. Gene continues to serve as the senior pastor of a church he has led for more than 20 years. While I teach full-time in a university setting, I continue to serve in my local church, as well as speak in churches and conferences when time permits. God has also placed on both of our hearts a deep burden for missions that places us in a variety of unique ministry settings around the globe.

God has placed us in diverse ministries, from the local church and mission field settings, to the seminary and university classroom. Regardless of where we serve, we encounter one common issue that rises to the forefront: the issue of character.

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Introduction

Whether we are teaching a singles Sunday School class, counseling church members, leading conferences, or teaching PhD seminars, we find people wrestling with issues related to character. First, we see in many people a deep desire to develop godly character in their own lives. Further, we encounter Christians who need help relating to people who seem to have a lack of character.

Our initial thought for this project was to create a helpful tool to assist our teaching endeavors. However, as we moved farther into the project, it became clear that we did not want this work to be limited to a classroom setting; rather, we want this work used to encourage and guide people wrestling through issues of life in real-world settings. While we hope that our students will enjoy this book, it is truly our desire that this offering be a blessing to those in the church who desire to walk closely with our Lord in the challenging times in which we live.

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CHA PTER 1

em f r o o L e lec scutemr n t i a t T r r tpeo ChaIrpa p m a I h ThCe

The Importance of Character

haracter is a matter that has been pushed to the forefront of our society with great intensity in recent years. All too often, issues of character are highlighted by moral failure.

The news media quickly pounce upon a story of a famous politician, sports figure, or church leader caught in a careerending scandal. On a more local level, there are stories of those in the community who have “fallen short” in various areas and now have to pick up the pieces of their lives which have been ruined by a deep-rooted character flaw. In many of these instances there is an outcry for character or the recognition of its importance, but little is offered as a

em r o L tlinesuch aswayum i T God to develop their character that their lives are making r p e I t p significantCcontributions in all walks of life. What determines if a person ha solution for this call. At the same time that the world is highlighting the failure of so many, there are countless others who have determined to allow

will live out God’s full potential for his or her life? We believe it is the issue

of character. Character is the single most distinguishing aspect of a person’s life. No matter one’s training, traits, or skills, character determines who a person is and how he or she will respond in critical issues of life. God cares more about our character than our skills, personality, or intelligence because biblically, character is a matter of the “heart.” The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings related to one’s heart. God chose people whom He could mold through their circumstances, so that He could use them for His eternal purposes.

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