Top 13 Traits Of Trustworthy Church Leaders

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood. (Acts 20:28)

I frequently talk with people in other cities, states, and countries who are struggling to find a good church. While this, unfortunately, seems to be the norm these days, it brings up a vital question:

What, exactly, makes a church good?

The same question also applies to ministries, pastors, and other church leaders. Put another way, while everyone claims to represent the true Jesus, what specifically tells us that they are truly loving, helpful, and Christlike, or not? Is the answer …

How much they know? No.

How they make us feel? No.

Their skillful communication? No.

How popular they are? Absolutely not.

In fact, popularity is usually (but not always) a huge warning sign, rather than a good thing (cp. Matt 7:13ff; Lk 6:26). Therefore, with the goal of being strengthened and blessed—while also avoiding error and harm—we will examine the marks of ideal churches, ministries, and Christian leaders and the thirteen best characteristics to look for.

To go even deeper, in Part 2, we’ll share a bonus list of twenty-one more traits that are also pivotal in helping us discern and decide where to go, from whom to learn, and who we might be able to trust, or not.

The Top 13 Traits Of A Good Church, Ministry, Or Christian Leader

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

As you read the following traits, assess whatever pastor, church, ministry, or leader you have in mind on a scale of 0 to 10 in each area. Please make sure you are objective in your assessment, especially when it comes to those you might know personally, or already like or dislike. Also, to enhance your personal equipping and discernment, look up the various Scriptures that support these indispensable realities of life and true Christianity.

1. GOD

How well and how accurately they understand and teach concerning God and everything that comes with Him. And how well they personally know God (not just intellectually)—and how well they live with Him and for Him—according to faith, grace, and His Word of truth. This also includes warning others about false “Gods” and false Christs—and especially about the countless false teachings concerning God and His character.

(Ps 22:3; 23; 103; 145; Matt 15:1-9; 24:4-5, 23-25; Jn 1:1-5, 14-17; 3:16, 36; 14:6, 15-17; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor 3:5ff; 5:15; Heb 1:3; 2 Pet 3:9; 1 Jn 4:8; Rev 4:8; 19:13)

*For more, see our Resources

2. LOVE

How well they revere, glorify, and love God—and how well they live in His love, and love others, all according to the truth. More specifically, how accurately they teach biblical love, and how well they actually love—not only when things are easy, not merely with their words or intellectual knowledge, and not just with good intentions or noble goals—and not with world-approved counterfeit “love.” Rather, how well they love with the right heart—and “with actions and in truth”—according to God’s Word of truth—all of which consistently clashes with the world’s “love.”

(Ps 51:12-13; Prov 24:11-12; Matt 5:43-47; Mk 12:30-31; Jn 14:15; Acts 26:18; Rom 5:5; 1 Cor 13:1-7; 16:14; Eph 4:15; 5:1-2; Col 3:14; 2 Tim 2:22-26; 3:15-4:5; Jas 5:19-20; 1 Pet 4:8; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 3:1-3, 16-19; 4:1-5:5)

3. VALUE GOD’S WORD

How well they value God’s written Word, as revealed in a high view of His Word, as opposed to a low view, or an adversarial view. We also gain great insight by how they treat those who have a high view of God’s Word.

(Deut 6:6-7; 32:47; Ps 1:1-3; 18:30; 19:7-11; 56:10-11; 119:20; 138:2; Is 66:2; Jn 17:17; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16-17; Heb 4:12; 2 Pet 1:3-4)

*For more, see: How To Increase Your View of Scripture

4. HANDLING OF GOD’S WORD

How well they “rightly divide” the Word of God. This is revealed by: how accurately and how well they understand and teach His Word; how well they teach others to apply God’s Word to their hearts and to everyday life; how well they apply the Word to their own lives; how well they support their teachings with Scripture; and whether they (wrongly) mix any ideologies in with God’s pure Word.

(Ps 119:11; Col 2:8 Ti 1:9; 1 Tim 6:20-21; 2 Tim 2:15; 3:15-4:5; cp. 2 Jn 1:7-11; Gen 3:1ff; Jer 8:8-9; Acts 17:11)

5. LEADERSHIP

How well they shepherd and lead—especially when times are difficult, and when much of the Church is weak, particularly in leading, in the Word, and in commonly conforming to the world. This trait is even more important when God, His Word of truth, the true gospel, and all of humanity are under great attack—as is the case today.

Leading well always involves: keen discernment; great courage; consistently and appropriately confronting error and sin, and turning people away from these; protecting others; walking in, accurately teaching, and applying the truth of God’s Word; and seeking to strengthen and equip others with the Word of God.

(Josh 1:6-9; 23:6; 1 Kgs 3:9; Neh 9; 13:4-31; Dan 9:1-13; 12:3; Acts 26:17-18; Gal 2:4-5, 11-14; Phil 1:9-11; 1 Tim 4:12-16; 2 Tim 2:22-26; 3:15-4:1-5; Heb 5:12-14; Jas 5:19-20; cp. 1 Kgs 18:17-18; 22; Jer 23:11-22)

*For more on leading, especially when under attack:

6. THE GOSPEL

How much and how well they teach, defend, and spread the true gospel—and exhort, support, and equip others to do so.

(Prov 11:30; Dan 12:3; Mk 1:15; 16:15; Rom 1:16-17; Phil 1:16; 2 Tim 4:1-5; Ti 1:9; 1 Pet 3:15; Jude 1:3ff; cp. Gal 1:6-9)

*For more: The Good News

7. HANDLING SIN

How much and how well they teach the critical reality of sin and its destructive and deadly consequences—and how well they teach and apply God’s solutions. While this certainly includes the gospel, there is much more included in the problems and remedies to sin.

(Ps 1; 51:13; 119:11; Prov 28:13; Jer 23:14, 22; Acts 3:26; 26:18; Rom 3:23; 6:23; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 1:7; Jas 5:19-20; 1 Jn 1:5-2:2)

*For more on this topic:

8. THE WORLD

How much their beliefs and values are distinct from and disdained by the world—or, in contrast, are similar to and approved by the world. Generally speaking, the world has rejected God and His Word—and many hate God, God’s Word, and those who rightly esteem the true God and His Word of truth. That makes perfect sense because, as Scripture says: “the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 Jn 5:19) and, “Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (Jas 4:4).

Therefore, the similarities or differences with the world—and its ways and “wisdom”—are often helpful measures for true believers to discern in themselves, and in churches and church leaders. Nevertheless, there are many who claim Christ yet also conform to the the world.

(Jn 15:18-19; 17:14; Rom 12:2; 1 Cor 2:14; 3:18-20; 2 Cor 2:15-16; Jas 1:27; 4:4; 1 Jn 2:15-17; 4:5-6)

*For more, see:

9. DISCERNMENT

How much and how well they emphasize personal biblical discernment. They do not merely say, “discernment is really important”—they actively exhort, teach, and equip others to prayerfully, lovingly, and ardently discern everything according to God’s written Word. Biblically discerning is a prime way we love—as we help others walk in truth and true grace, while also avoiding error and harm. Therefore, a failure to discern can be considered a failure to love (cp. Phil 1:9-11; Jas 5:19-20).

A good sign here is when they tell you to not take their word for something—and a bad sign is when they say things like, “just trust your leaders.” In contrast, they encourage you to objectively research and examine Scripture for yourself—just like the Bereans in Acts 17—and to vet and support all your beliefs according to God’s Word.

In addition, they not only spot and openly warn others about specific counterfeits, they frequently and clearly explain why these are deceitful and deadly imitations.

(1 Kgs 3:9; Is 8:19-20; Acts 17:11; Phil 1:9-11; 1 Thess 5:21-22; Heb 5:14)

*For more on discernment:

10. THE NEW COVENANT

How much and how well they teach, equip, and model living in the New Covenant—and the unlimited power, freedom, hope, life, love, and grace therein—while also warning about and teaching others to avoid a legalistic, guilt-based, and works-based Old Covenant type thinking, teaching, and living.

(2 Cor 3:5-18; Rom 3-8; Gal 3-5; Heb 6-10)

11. COUNSELING

How well they pray with and counsel others according to God’s Word of truth—which came from the Counselor, the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, and our Creator who intimately knows us, and precisely knows all of our problems and solutions. Therefore, He has abundantly and sufficiently given us these remedies in His Word of life, and in Himself.

They do all this while also necessarily and ardently avoiding and specifically warning others about the harmful counsel and wisdom of the world.

(Ps 1:1-3; 18:30; 19:7-11; Jn 14:15-18, 25-27; Eph 4:22-5:2; Col 1:27-29; 2:8; 1 Tim 6:20-21; 2 Tim 1:7; 3:15-17; 2 Pet 1:3-4; Eph 5:6-11; Ti 1:9ff)

12. EQUIPPING AND MAKING DISCIPLES

How well they make disciples and biblically equip others for life, love, the kingdom of God, spreading the gospel, and to make even more godly disciples—and how well they are equipped themselves, all according to the Word of God.

(Matt 28:18-20; Jn 8:31ff; Acts 1:8; Eph 4:11ff; Col 1:27-28; 2 Tim 2:2; 3:15-4:5; Heb 13:20-21)

13. THINKING BIBLICALLY

How well they emphasize, encourage, and equip others to think biblically about everything—and how well they do this themselves. In this they increasingly know, understand, and treasure God’s Word in their heart—and they examine all that they read and hear by His Word of truth—and they seek to make sense of this through God’s Word of life.

(Deut 11:18-21; Josh 1:8; Ps 1; 19:7-11; 119:9-11, 130; 138:2; Is 8:19-20; 66:2; Lk 8:15; Jn 15:7-8; Acts 17:11; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:15-17; 2 Pet 1:3-4)

*For an example: Thinking Biblically About Narcissism

QUESTIONS TO ASK

When it comes to any church, ministry, or Church leader you have in mind, what are their strongest characteristics that you see when measured by the above?
Which areas are the most concerning?
Which of the above are the biggest problems in the church and church leadership today? Why those things?
Which ones are the biggest strengths? Why those things?
Speaking of discernment, in what ways might you discern how the person or group gives lip service to one or more of the things above, but they are actually very weak in them? (cp. Mk 7:6-7; 2 Tim 3:7; Ti 1:16) In other words, when it comes to certain traits, can you see how the impression they give outwardly, including what they might say about themselves, is very different from reality?

On another note here, after spending some time examining a church, ministry, or leader, these aspects should be fairly known and observable. If not, or if we cannot really tell, then that is likely a significant red flag.

[ Part 2 Coming Soon ]

Update: Mark was recently interviewed regarding how to respond biblically to the shock and emotions of dealing with a pastor or leader’s serious sin or failure. > WATCH OR LISTEN HERE

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