09/09/2026
Why do most Christian leaders say integrity matters most, but almost none say passion for God does?
Barna once asked a large group of Christians what a leader needs most. Sixty four percent said integrity. Only thirty one percent said passion for God. Humility landed at seven percent. Purpose came in at five percent.
Read that again. The trait most of us practise daily, staying honest, keeping our word, ranked far above the trait that's supposed to be underneath everything else.
I don't think that means Christians don't care about passion for God. I think it means most of us have learned to lead with the fruit and quietly separate it from the root.
Integrity is easier to point to in a meeting. Passion for God is harder to justify on a performance review.
But fruit without root eventually gets tired. You can hold integrity together through sheer discipline for a while. Long term, it's usually the root that keeps the fruit growing.
Which one have you been leading from more this year, the fruit or the root?