Character Still Counts

James Merritt

Description

';I don't know of a more important topic now than this, and I don't know anyone more qualified to speak on it than James Merritt.' Rick Warren, New York Times bestselling author, The Purpose Driven LifeStop Protecting Your Reputation. Start Building Your Character. In a world of social media snapshots and cable news sound bites, we're often more concerned with our outer image than we are with our inner make up. But in the end, integrity trumps image. You can look good on the outside without being good on the inside. If you long to commit yourself to what matters mostthe content of your characterjoin bestselling author James Merritt as he explores 13 overlooked traits that form the bedrock of a godly life and a good society. Along the way, you'll encounter surprising role modelsflawed people who failed spectacularly, overcame adversity, and went on to live lives worth imitating. In a world that has abandoned the virtues and values that matter, this book offers a clarion call to return to a simple message: Character still counts. It always has, and it always will.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Harvest House Publishers
• Date de parution: 04 février 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780736969451
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Endorsements
Not only does James Merritt offer fresh insights into what it means to be a person of character-and why it matters more today than ever-but he is a leader and visionary with exemplary character. The lessons you ll gain from these pages will challenge and change you in all the best ways. You can t afford not to read this book.
Margaret Feinberg, author of Taste and See
One of my consistent prayers is that my gifts would never take me further than my character can sustain me. I m so grateful for a book that not only emphasizes the importance of character, but helps cultivate it. This book will inspire you, convict you, and challenge you toward the character of Christ, our highest calling.
Mark Batterson New York Times bestselling author of The Circle Maker Lead pastor of National Community Church
I don t know of a more important topic now than this, and I don t know anyone more qualified to speak on it than James Merritt.
Rick Warren New York Times bestselling author, The Purpose Driven Life
An important leadership book about leadership s most important topic: character . Merritt s insights into the human spirit, the nature of leadership, and the mores of contemporary society are always insightful, at times breathtaking. Not only does Merritt give us a clear picture of Christlike character, he shows where that character goes against the grain of society. This book glorifies Jesus and will strengthen you.
J.D. Greear, PhD Pastor, The Summit Church, Raleigh-Durham, NC
This is a must-read book for all aspiring leaders, parents, and educators. It gets to the heart of the most fundamentally important aspects of life-that is, the cost of poorly made decisions. Dr. Merritt talks about those decisions, how to make them, and the price one pays when you get them wrong. This book is full of real-life examples of what happens when priorities are misplaced and reputations are ruined. More importantly, it paints a crystal-clear picture of how to prevent that from happening. Read it-it could change your life.
Vice Admiral Wm. Dean Lee, USCG (ret)
Character Still Counts is a necessary chalice of cool water in the desert of our anything-goes era. Honest, compassionate, biblically astute and conversational, this book paints a redemptive picture of how the kingdom of God should work its way into our hearts and practices. There is always hope.
Mary DeMuth, author of We Too: How the Church Can Respond Redemptively to the Sexual Abuse Crisis
HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE , OREGON
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version , NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Verses marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Verses marked ESV are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Published in association with the Christopher Ferebee Agency.
Cover design by Studio Gearbox
Character Still Counts
Copyright 2019 by James Merritt
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97408
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
ISBN 978-0-7369-6944-4 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-7369-6945-1 (eBook)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Merritt, James Gregory, author.
Title: Character still counts / James Merritt.
Description: Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 2019. | Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019014893 (print) | LCCN 2019019020 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736969451 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736969444 (pbk.)
Subjects: LCSH: Character.
Classification: LCC BJ1521 (ebook) | LCC BJ1521 .M56 2019 (print) | DDC 179/.9-dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019014893
All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other-without the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a nontransferable, nonexclusive, and noncommercial right to access and view this electronic publication, and purchaser agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of author s and publisher s rights is strictly prohibited.
Dedication
It is with deep sincerity
that I dedicate this book to
B OB H AWKINS
More than my publisher, he has become a dear friend
and encourager, and this book is a mirror image
of the character I have seen in him from the first time I met him.
Every time I am around him, I am constantly reminded that
Character Still Counts
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Never have I worked harder on anything I have ever written (except my PhD dissertation) than this book. From the time my wonderful publishers at Harvest House suggested this book and my heart caught fire to write it, I have given it my very best effort from day one to write a work that would glorify God, edify the reader, and of course, satisfy my publisher!
I couldn t have done it without some very special people. I cannot brag enough on the great team at Harvest House, including, of course, president Bob Hawkins, editor par excellence Rod Morris, and the entire staff at Harvest House. Thanks for the honor of partnering with you!
I could not have done this without the help of my administrative assistant Kalli Overcash, whose tireless efforts in typing the manuscript was simply indispensable. My mind cannot conceive of a finer Christian lady, loyal servant, and faithful co-worker than Kalli. Thank you, Kalli, for staying sane and-yes-even staying with me!
My agent, my chief advisor on writing, and my guardian editor is my BFF and my beloved son, Jonathan. I wouldn t even be in the publishing game without him. I love him and his brothers more than life itself. Thanks, son, for all you have done and do for me!
I must also thank the love of my wife, Teresa. She is the straw that stirs the drink. I couldn t pastor, preach, or publish without her help, encouragement, and support. Sweetheart, I love you forever and for always, and you will always be still the one.
Finally, I must close by praising my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who, as the book closes with, is indeed the main character of all of history, whose personal character is still the only gold standard of what true perfect character looks like, lives like, walks like, and talks like. His presence in my life is a 24/7 reminder to me that Character Still Counts . May my character always reflect his and bring glory to him all my life.
Contents
Endorsements
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Foreword by Russell Moore
Introduction: Character-Don t Leave Home Without It
1. Integrity: Living Under the Microscope
2. Honesty: Nothing but the Truth
3. Humility: It s Not About Me
4. Loyalty: I ll Be There
5. Respect: Honor Above All
6. Authenticity: The Real Deal
7. Generosity: Give It All You ve Got
8. Courage: Go Big, Go Bold
9. Perseverance: Run the Stop Sign
10. Self-Control: Caging the Lion
11. Forgiveness: When the Doctor Heals Himself
12. Faithfulness: You Can Count on Me
13. Main Character
Notes
Other Harvest House Books by James Merritt
Foreword
BY RUSSELL MOORE
A while back, I met with the elders of a church, still reeling from learning that their longtime pastor had been involved in numerous adulterous affairs and other kinds of scandalous immorality. Sadly, this wasn t the first time I ve talked to people in this situation and won t be the last. I was impressed, though, by the wisdom and the maturity of the leaders of that church. Their first worry was not about the pastor s moral failing but about his evangelistic success. Most of the people in this church first heard the gospel from this pastor, they told me. Most of them were completely secular and disconnected from Christianity. He was the first one they ever heard preach Jesus. He was the first one they ever heard teach the Bible. He baptized all of them. He discipled all of them. We re afraid that they are going to conclude that, since everything they knew of Christianity they learned from someone they now know to have been lying to them, that Christianity must therefore be a lie.
I empathized with these people, whose names and faces were unknown to me, because I d been before somewhat where they were now. I remembered the first time a Christian leader I d admired had been revealed to have been living a double life of sexual infidelity and financial impropriety. The feeling was not so much that of anger or disappointment as it was of vertigo. If I couldn t tell that the person teaching me so confidently didn t seem to experience, or maybe even to believe, what he was saying, then how could I have confidence in my beliefs about anything, or anyone?
Sooner or later, almost everyone will have a similar moment of vertigo. We shouldn t be surprised when we see failures of character around us, and we shouldn t be surprised when we see character constantly redefined to fit whatever purpose is deemed necessary at the moment. Jesus warned us of all this ahead of time. Moreover, Scripture gives us the revelatory tension that makes sense of both the examples of shining character we sometimes see, even in people who don t know Christ, and the debacles of twisted character we sometimes see, even in people who claim very much to belong to Christ. Humanity is created in the image of God, with a conscience that points to him (Romans 2). But humanity is also fallen,