{"id":26455,"date":"2024-12-10T15:09:48","date_gmt":"2024-12-10T20:09:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/?post_type=resource&#038;p=26455"},"modified":"2025-11-24T11:17:44","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T16:17:44","slug":"character","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/character\/","title":{"rendered":"Character &#8211; Tony Merida"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Send\u00a0Network is a vibrant and diverse family of churches, engaging their cities with the gospel, making disciples of Jesus Christ,\u00a0and planting multiplying churches everywhere, for everyone.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">We partner with sending churches to train and equip church planters by developing them in nine essential qualities for faithful and effective ministry.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Our first essential considers a church planter&#8217;s character:\u00a0is he marked by godly character?\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">A church planter should live a life that embodies the pastoral qualifications found in the New Testament, being marked by personal holiness, a Christ-honoring home life, godly relationships, and\u00a0a\u00a0respectable and hospitable social life.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">So,\u00a0how does a church planter\u00a0exhibit\u00a0a godly character in his daily life?\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202fHe pursues Christlikeness.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\"> He has a strong marriage, if applicable,and manages his household well.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\">He is humble and peaceable in relationships.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-contrast=\"none\"> Hehas an exemplary social life.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The older I get, the less impressed I am with how someone starts.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">What really stirs me now and what glorifies God is finishing well,\u00a0being a person of\u00a0godly character over a lifetime.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">When John Stott, one of the most influential pastors and theologians of the 20th century, was near the end of his life, a friend came to visit.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Stott\u00a0was frail and close to death.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">When asked how he could be prayed for,\u00a0Stott\u00a0whispered,\u00a0\u201cPray that I&#8217;ll be faithful to Jesus until my last breath.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">After decades of preaching and writing and serving the global church, his concern was simply to finish faithfully.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">As another seasoned\u00a0leader once quipped, \u201cPray that I get home before dark.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">A few years ago, I was talking with my friend Matt Carter about the next hill to take in ministry.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">And after\u00a0a long conversation, he simply said,\u00a0\u201cFaithfulness is the hill.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">And that stuck with me.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Church planter, the goal is not fame or flashiness, but faithfulness.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Faithfulness to Jesus, your spouse, your calling,\u00a0all the way until you see\u00a0Him face to face,\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0the hill worth taking.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">And in an age that celebrates charisma, platform,\u00a0and innovation,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0tempting to believe that the success of a church plant hinges on the planter\u2019s gifts.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">And while God certainly uses our talents,\u00a0He does not depend on them.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">God is not constrained by the limitations of our abilities.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Instead,\u00a0He delights to display\u00a0His glory through the humble and the holy, those who walk closely with\u00a0Him and resemble Jesus.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">So be relentless in your pursuit of Godly character.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559738&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Send\u00a0Network is a vibrant and diverse family of churches, engaging their cities with the gospel, making &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/character\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Character &#8211; Tony Merida<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":28948,"template":"","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"content-type":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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