Authentic

Jeremiah 23:1-4 "Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord."

A credible witness is one whose testimony is trustworthy. His life and his words line up together. The word "authentic" goes from English back to French back to Latin and ultimately to the Greek "authentikos". It means “conforming to the original” or “reproducing the essential features” of something.

If something is authentic, it is not a fake or an imitation.  Another definition says that authentic means “being actually and exactly what is claimed.” Therefore to be credible means that you are believable and to be authentic means that you are genuine and real, not a fake or phony. Put the words together and a credible, authentic leader is someone who can be trusted because he is what he professes to be. He is the real deal, what you see is what you get.

Confidence in religious leaders has declined in the last twenty years. With all the scandals involving pastors, it’s not surprising that people look at us with jaundiced eyes. When I was serving at one of my former churches a good friend, who has since passed on, had access to several major ministry personalities in radio and television. He told me he was shocked by the carnality that existed in their lives when they walked away from the microphone and that many people would turn the dial if they knew how these men talked and conducted themselves in private away from the cameras. He told me also that very few of them exercised humility in their lifestyle. That's why it's important for any pastor to be authentic.

Authenticity breeds credibility. Credibility is earned over a long period of time, and is not about what you do or what you say. It’s about who you are on the inside. You cannot fool the people closest to you forever. Your ministry will have lasting impact in direct proportion to the authenticity of your own life. The great enemies of credibility are pride, arrogance, isolation, and excessive self-confidence. Ironically the more gifted you are and the more successful you are, the easier it becomes to fake your way through life. Credibility once lost is very difficult to regain.

So what qualities does God use to mark a person as credible and authentic?

-Honesty.
-Willingness to admit your faults.
-Consistency.
-Kindness under pressure.
-Accountability in the small areas of life.
-Willingness to answer hard questions.
-Quick to take blame, quick to praise others.
-Not taking yourself too seriously.
-Knowing your own limitations.

-Not blaming others for your own problems.
-Confrontable.
-Approachable.
-Handling anger appropriately.
-Not offended when others get the credit you deserve (no need to brag).
-Keeping your word.

Our challenge as ministers and laity is to live what we preach and preach what we live. We don't need an imitation in the pulpit or pew, but the genuine article.