The Reason Leaders Fall: Character Always Catches Up – Slowly
Character and competence are two key areas in leadership where we most often either:
- get taken out before God can do what he wants through us, or
- rule ourselves out because we don’t feel ready, yet.
Either our gifts take us where our character can’t keep us, or our insecurity convinces us we’re not competent enough to step in at all. This is why the order matters:
👉 Character, then competence.
A Platform That Lasts (and One That Doesn’t)
Saint Simeon Stylites was a fifth-century ascetic monk who wanted to make a point.
Christianity had shifted – from a Spirit-filled movement on the margins to something more institutional under Constantine. Commitment declined. As historian Kenneth Scott Latourette observed, “The level of the morality of the average Christian was sinking.” So Simeon did something extreme.
He built a sixty-foot pillar near Antioch and lived on top of it for 36 years. People travelled from everywhere to see him.
Now – I’m not suggesting we do that, ‘where’s the bathroom?’ being my number one question about such a ministry. But it raises a question about what we are building in ministry and so…
👉 What kind of platform are you building your life and leadership on?
Because everyone builds one, but many of the platforms are shaky.
The Shaky Platforms We Rely On
Some platforms look impressive – but they won’t hold your weight.
1. Charisma (Your Gifts)
Your gifting can open doors fast.
But as RT Kendall once warned me when I was one – it’s dangerous for a young person to succeed too soon. If your gifts take you somewhere your character can’t sustain, the fall is inevitable… and often public. That’s when you become what RT called ‘Yesterday’s Man.’
2. Charm (Your Personality)
Some people naturally attract others. You can smooze people and use people through personal charm. It’s all about looking good and maybe you can fool the people. But God is not fooled. But leadership for Jesus is not a beauty contest – and it’s not a popularity contest either…
3. Crowd-Pleasing
Trying to keep everyone happy will tear you apart. If I get as many people on side as possible by doing what they want. Giving them what they want. Wanting to be liked by the majority is the way of most politicians these days but it always leads to trouble because you can’t lead from your convictions if you also want to please everyone.
📖 Galatians 1:10 is a great motive checker for decisions:
“Am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?”
There are moments in leadership where it’s not both/and – it’s either/or.
Trying to please everyone is like a slow-motion, self inflicted version of being drawn and quartered. You’ll be pulled in every direction until eventually something gives.
4. Causes
Some people build a platform by trying to recruit others to their latest cause. Abortion, arguments around sexuality or various social issues can all come out of what we do for Jesus but they should never be the centre. There’s no competition for Christian leaders here:
👉 Jesus is the centre.
When a cause becomes central, we wobble – off balance and out of kilter.
5. Control
Leading by title or position on the org chart creates insecurity, competition, and can lead to bullying or burnout.
Climbing the greasy pole, you end up building your platform by tearing someone else down. Self promotion does not bring us unto the place God wants for us so it has little real impact – it’s ineffective to build what will last.
6. Credentials
Degrees. Training. Certificates – can be helpful, but not ultimate, or even necessary for supernatural ministry. You can easily be more qualified than Jesus – his background was dismissed by the scholars and he only did an apprenticeship in woodwork.
So what? The miracles were the credentials.
The early disciples were described as:
📖 Acts 4:13
“Ordinary, unschooled men… who had been with Jesus.”
That’s the difference.
It’s not what you know.
👉 Who you’ve been with.
Don’t try to impress me by all the years you’ve been at Theological Collegel. Have you been with Jesus?
Rick Warren said:
If I’ve not had a quiet time in the morning I notice that day
If I go a few days my wife notices
If I go a week or two – my church notices.
The Only Platform That Holds: CHARACTER
There is only one ‘platform’ that lasts. Above all else Lord, help me build this:
👉 Character.
Joseph Stowell said if we are aiming to build that platform, the material it’s built with is respect.
You can’t rush that because you don’t supply the materials. Other people do.
They give you trust.
They give you credibility.
They decide if you’re worth following, based on what they see and hear of your character.
It’s slow to build.
But easy and quick to destroy.
The Standard: Be an “Example-Believer”
I keep returning to what Paul wrotes to Timothy:
📖 1 Timothy 4:12-16
“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
Notice – “Set the believers an example…” Literally: be an example-believer.
That’s a high bar isn’t it?
But notice he also says ‘Let your PROGRESS be evident to all.’
👉 Progress
Phew! No one is there yet.
God isn’t asking for perfection, He is expecting progress. That’s how we set the example.
What Character Looks Like (Practically)
Paul gets specific:
- Speech – watch your mouth
- Conduct – what you do (and don’t do)
- Love, faith, purity – inner life trumps outer gifting
Then he says,
👉 Devote yourself
In Ivy’s Discipleship Pathway training we always stress that no one can do that for you.
Not your church.
Not your leader.
Not your environment.
Only you get to decide what you will devote yourself to, and how much. Paul tells us what we must devote ourselves to if we are to be that example believer:
The Non-Negotiable: The Word
Example believers will give God:
- the first word in your day
- the final word on every subject
Read Scripture daily – not just to study it, but to obey it and put it into practice.
We spend too much time analysing the Word…
and not enough time applying it by living as if we are still in the time when the Holy Spirit still Acts through the apostolic church.
Don’t Just Teach It – Live It
Exhortation means:
👉 I encourage others to do what I’m already doing.
John Ortberg once asked some of us international leaders in a small group setting I was invited into at Willow Creek, ‘Is the life you are inviting others to live the life you yourself are living?’ The next session was by the leader I looked up to then more than any other, Bill Hybels. That’s why this matters.
📖 James 3:1 says
“Those who teach will be judged more strictly.”
Uh oh. That’s sobering, kind of scary if I’m honest.
But grace changes the lens and enables the life because God helps us run the race, He isn’t looking to condemn – He wants to reward us.
I strongly believe God is cleaning house right now and we must learn the lessons rather than repeat the problems – but my heart breaks when I think about better people than me who have fallen when private character issues overtook them publicly eventually. I also believe it’s very hard to actually ‘fall from grace,’ because God’s grace catches us – and I just got overwhelmed again as I wrote by the truth. Amazed that He really would still use a loser like me, taking me to make me more than a conqueror, an overcomer, if I keep on fighting, repenting when I get it wrong, not perfect but making progress.
Don’t Drown While Trying to Save Others
I recall when I was in the Police a tragic story of a colleague who died while trying to rescue someone drowning …and going under themselves.
Paul’s warning to Timothy then is clear:
👉 Watch your life AND
👉 Watch your doctrine.
So that:
- you save your hearers
- and yourself
The Heart of It All
What calls you into ministry?
👉 Grace.
What keeps you there? That same grace if you let it develop…
👉 Character.
Because:
👉 You will always lead out of who you are.
God sees it now. People will see it eventually. Pray for me, as I pray for you now – Keep Going!
Ready to go further in this area? Click here.
Discover more from Anthony Delaney
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.