"Character Matters" (Aaron Menikoff)

TITLE: Character Matters: Shepherding in the Fruit of the Spirit
AUTHOR: Aaron Menikoff
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2020, (208 pages).

A ministry not marked by the fruit of the Spirit is doomed to fail, if not sooner than later. Most people who read the Galatians 5 passage would readily apply it generally to the Christian life. For author Aaron Menikoff, he specifically applies it to ministry leaders such as pastors and church leaders. More specifically, this book is about pastoral sanctification. They should model such a process of fruit-bearing for the people they shepherd, and to be an example of abiding in Christ and becoming more Christlike. The way to do so is to work through the fruit of the Spirit one by one, which is exactly what this book is about. Character matters enough for any leader or believer to do something about it. For the sake of the kingdom. Menikoff says it well, that "abiding in Christ isn’t just about becoming a Christian; it’s about growing as a Christian. Spiritual fruit is the believer’s sanctification." When working through the nine virtues in Galatians 5:22-23, we are reminded that they are meant to lead us along a path, and are not meant to be an end in itself. The goal is holiness. Along the way we need to deal with our own blind spots. The first is the misplaced notion of self-importance that corrupts what God's love is all about. Good sermons do not replace the need to love people.
The fruit of "joy" will be present regardless of positivity or negativity in the Church. Joy is not the absence of sorrow but delight in God's presence. "Peace" is not about being rested when everything on our to-do list is done, but trusting God no matter where we are on our list. "Patience" is to learn to resist the temptation to rush things, hush people into submission, or to feel frustrated when things are not done on time. It is about learning to pace ourselves with God's timing. Menikoff presents a helpful list of five reasons to pray for "slow growth." "Kindness" is not only a spiritual gift, but something we can give to all people. It is an opportunity to let God shine through our lives. In the chapter on "Goodness," the author shows us the dark side of doing good works. When our altruistic efforts are neither appreciated nor reciprocated, we are tempted to become angry, bitter, discouraged, depressed, or any combination of negative emotions. The danger lies in seeing our good works as a means to being good, when the truth is that only God is good, and our goodness must always stem from God and in God alone. In "Faithfulness," Menikoff treats the underlying motives of our work or ministries. By asking the question, "What do you want?" we are invited to explore the reasons for why we are doing what we are doing. Is it for personal ambition? Are we trying to achieve great things for ourselves in the name of God? He urges us to go against worldly cares about reputation, fame, and glamour. In ministry, we are tempted to put success above faithfulness. Interestingly, the antidote against such temptation is failure. In fact, the author raises an interesting observation. Why isn't "success" listed as the fruit of the Spirit? For the fruit of "Gentleness," we take a look at how the world prefers ruggedness, power, forcefulness, and brute strength as a symbol of leadership. Menikoff debunks this and maintains the need for a "thick-skinned pastor" who would not let criticisms or negative feedback derail his ministry. Learning self-control with a gentle spirit reflects well the fruit of the Spirit. If all else fails, look at Jesus as one who leads gently and meekly. Finally, "self-control" is about resisting the ungoldliness of life and to direct our attention toward things of holiness. In the final chapter, Menikoff puts them all together with four important lessons.

My Thoughts
When reading books like this, it is important to make a distinction between self-centeredness and self-awareness. The former takes it upon oneself to make oneself look good, motivated insidiously by pride. The latter pits one's state with God's standard for holiness, and is motivated by humility. I find it helpful to remember Tim Keller's words: "Humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself, it is thinking of myself less." While it is good to pursue after the stated virtues and the fruit of the Spirit, we need to beware of the temptation to see them as chalking off spiritual brownie points for prideful self-fulfillment. It is interesting how Menikoff is able to take the familiar list of fruit of the Spirit and applies it for Christian leadership and pastoral ministry.

Whenever I look at the fruit of the Spirit, I am conscious of the fact that "fruit" in Galatians 5 is singular. One interpretation I have always held on to is that there is only one fruit, and that is love. The rest of the list are simply traits of love. This does justification to the grammar used for fruit as singular. Menikoff treats this with care when he refers to the attributes as "pieces of the fruit of the Spirit." Sometimes he also uses the word "virtues" to make sure that one does not confuse the other attributes as another fruit. These virtues of love are critical to the character formation of the disciples of Christ, especially the leader. I like the way the author consistently emphasizes the Word of God to be studied as well as to be modeled after. That is what Christian leadership ought to look like. Most importantly, followers should see how leaders pursue God in holiness. Once we are on that devoted path of seeking more of God, these pieces of the fruit of the Spirit will naturally fall in place.

Aaron Menikoff is senior pastor of Mt Vernon Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. He completed his Masters of Divinity in Biblical and Theological Studies and his PhD in American Church History, both from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Moody Publishers and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.