This is the final post in a series of seven explaining and applying GFA's core values. See posts on biblical, conservative, expectant, prayerful, gracious, and joyful.

Our final core value calls us to live with integrity.

Core Value #7—Integrity: We pursue the highest standards of excellence and appropriate accountability in financial stewardship, work ethic, moral purity, and spiritual faithfulness.

The Old Testament words often translated integrity refer to something that is complete or whole. A person with integrity does not have a divided, hypocritical heart that projects a certain image while hiding traits or practices that are antithetical to that image. A heart that is whole or complete does not need to hide certain areas of life. Other biblical terms that undergird this core value include blameless or above reproach (Philippians 2:15, 1 Timothy 3:2¹).

Imagine if life were a large board made up of 100 squares, each covered by an individual panel. We want to be able to say, “You can look under any square, and you will find the same commitment to godliness in every area of my life.” If I reserve even one of those squares as “off limits,” then my heart is not whole toward the Lord. Of course, to have integrity is not to claim sinless perfection. We still need the Spirit’s sanctifying work under all 100 squares! But we must give ourselves to the same wholehearted, sincere pursuit of Christlike character in every area of life. That is integrity.

GFA’s statement identifies four specific areas where integrity is especially important for us as missionaries and as an organization.

• Financial stewardship: In our management of the resources God entrusts to us, we desire to “have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men” (2 Corinthians 8:21). The love of money has ensnared multitudes in all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10), and Christian ministers and organizations have not been exempted. Good financial stewardship protects against greed but also requires planning and careful management of funds. The Book of Proverbs is filled with instruction regarding the wise and upright use of money. By God’s grace, we want to be blameless in our financial management.
• Work ethic: Missionaries, along with many others in vocational ministry, generally do not “punch a clock” and work under hourly or daily supervision. Their support network in the USA cannot see what they do with their time. As we proclaim Christ, we desire to be like the Apostle Paul: “For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me” (Colossians 1:29). As God Himself strengthens us by His grace, we toil and agonize to see God’s purposes accomplished on our fields. While we must wisely steward our strength and take appropriate time for rest and refreshment of body and soul, we must not lazily let the hours slip by. Let us earnestly and faithfully use every moment for Christ! We ought to be able to let people turn over that “square” and find no cause to reproach us!
• Moral purity: Far too many once-faithful ministers have disqualified themselves through immorality. They have not been whole in their hearts but have cherished and pursued secret sins of the flesh. A lack of integrity can lead someone to develop inappropriate emotional connections, carry on a hidden sexual relationship, or live enslaved to lustful thoughts or pornography. It is possible to keep up the appearance of godliness and faithful ministry while maintaining an off-limits square where no human eyes can see. We need emblazoned on our minds and consciences the final words of 2 Samuel 11:27. “But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.” Up until those words, even through the first half of verse 27, it looks like David had successfully covered his sin. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord. Integrity lives fully under the only sight that ultimately matters. Then we will be blameless, by the grace of God.
• Spiritual faithfulness: We are all in danger of falling into external-only religious practice. Externals do matter, but we must not be satisfied with the right externals unless they flow out of a heart that is truly given to Christ and living in communion with Him. We all should develop healthy life habits and ministry routines, but we must vigilantly guard against merely going through the motions without nursing life in the soul! Sitting at the feet of Jesus is the “one necessary thing” that cannot be taken away from us (Luke 10:38–42). The “nearness of God” is our good (Psalm 73:28). Yes, our spiritual vitality has its ups and downs. Yes, often we must do the right thing even when we don’t “feel it.” But we should not be satisfied with those occasions as the norm. We want to be whole toward the Lord, and that integrity includes the pursuit of real, spiritual fellowship with Him.

In these four and in other areas, we pursue the highest standards of excellence. In other words, we do not want to settle or relax or just scrape by with the minimum. We are to pursue (because we have not yet arrived to perfection) the highest standards. We long to “maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men” (Acts 24:16). If you lift up any square, you find the same thing underneath. No reproach!

There is one final expression in GFA’s statement regarding integrity. We mention “appropriate accountability” as part of our pursuit. That means we actually want people lifting up all these squares to help us pursue integrity. We take seriously the teaching of Scripture regarding our need for other members of the body. Distance and isolation are spiritually dangerous and can be deadly. Living independently of other believers makes it far easier to hide certain sections of life, but it is perilous to the soul.

So, we are willing to open our books to auditors and report on our finances regularly (individually and as an organization) as we pursue financial integrity. We invite trustworthy brothers or sisters to examine us and help watch over our souls. We give someone access to our phones, passwords, apps, and history. We have regular, honest conversations with people who can pull us forward for Christ and whom we can pull forward. “How is your walk with Christ? How is your thought life? How is your contentment in life and ministry? Are you faithful with your time? How is your relationship with your spouse? Your children? Are you prudent with your finances?”

We want to be whole, sincere, and beyond reproach before the Lord and before others. May God grant us grace to have this kind of integrity at the core of our hearts!