Character and Calling

Reflections on Character & Calling, by William Willimon

I recently read Character and Calling for an Ethics Course I'm taking, and jotted down some ideas that resonated with me that may be helpful discussion points as we look at the challenges we face leading Christian organizations and churches. These notes are not in anyway intended to be judgements or pronouncements, rather they are meant as starting points for reflection.

1. Christians learn what is good, right, and just by knowing the church and by experiencing life in that community.
   


2. How does sin in a church or Christian organization affect the character, nature, and ethics of that church or organization? Removing someone from leadership will affect operations, but will allowing them to stay affect ministry? Which is more important?
   


3. It is not the task of the pastor/leader to protect congregants/staff from the rigorous demands of discipleship. The vocation of the pastor/leader is to speak and enact the Word of God among God’s people.
   


4. Evidence that the Word is dwelling among us richly is the witness, rebuke, correction, and encouragement of the saints.
   


5. “Truth telling is a community matter in the church.”
   “Discipline and law are means of grace, not its antithesis.”
   - William Willimon
   


6. Can the church be a community without and boundaries for appropriate behaviour that define our community?
   


7. Are we more willing to tolerate a fractured community, rather than risk a test of our Christian ability to be agents of reconciliation?
   


8. Is the welfare of one individual as important as the welfare of the church/organization as a whole? Who should accept responsibility and suffer any consequences of an individual Christian's sin - the individual, or the church/organization?
   


9. Are we distorting the notion of community if we choose to ignore sin in the community, under the belief that exposing sin will harm the community?
   


10. Is good character contagious? Is bad character contagious?