
So, as I wrap up this conversation about integrity, I want to say, aside from being someone committed to acting in a way which shows integrity because it is what God's Word tells us to do, we must do so because otherwise we hurt people and show we can not be trusted. Sadly, there are people who have been harmed by people in leadership positions in their church who did not show integrity. Some of these people who have been harmed end up leaving the church; they may not ever return. Some of these people think if they can not trust leaders in their church, they can not trust God. They do not differentiate between people who hurt them and God. These people do more than just leave the church; they "leave" God. Look at Jeremiah 23:1,2 -