Core Quality 01 / Character

Character.

Reflecting the attitude, mindset, conduct, and passion of Christ.

NAD / Georgia-Cumberland Conference core quality. This page is intentionally built as a living template and will grow with reflections, stories, feedback, and ministry evidence over time.

The Story

Character before platform.

Opening reflection

Tell the story of how your understanding of pastoral character has changed since entering ministry. Start with a concrete moment rather than a definition.

Tension & growth

Name a season, challenge, mentor, failure, discipline, or ministry responsibility that exposed an area where Christ was still shaping you.

What I believe now

Describe the convictions you carry today about integrity, humility, spiritual discipline, resilience, ethics, and following God's leading.

Growth Over Time

Formation has
a direction.

The handbook frames development across four movements: learning the core values, living them, loving them, and ultimately leading others in them. This section gives the story room to show that progression rather than simply claiming it.

01

Learning

Level 1

Foundational convictions, early lessons, formative reading, mentors, and first experiences that shaped your understanding of character.

02

Living

Level 2

Where those convictions moved from theory into daily habits, decisions, relationships, spiritual practices, and ministry life.

03

Loving

Level 3

Experiences where Christlike character became more instinctive, visible, and integrated into the way you lead and serve.

04

Leading

Level 4

Examples of how you now help others cultivate these values through mentoring, teaching, modeling, feedback, and leadership.

Character in Practice

What formation
looks like.

These seven descriptors come directly from the NAD core quality framework. Over time, each one can be supported by a story, reflection, feedback, and selected evidence rather than treated as a checklist.

A

Discerns and Follows the Leading of God

Future story or evidence: a decision, call, transition, or season where discernment and counsel shaped the path forward.

B

Passionate for God and Compassionate toward Others

Future story or evidence: ministry that shows devotion to Christ expressed through concrete care for people.

C

Loyal to Christ and the Mission and Beliefs of His Church

Future story or evidence: teaching, leadership, or decision-making rooted in loyalty to Christ and the mission of the church.

D

Faithful to Biblical, Moral, and Ethical Principles

Future story or evidence: a pastoral situation that required principled judgment, integrity, confidentiality, or ethical clarity.

E

Humble, Trustworthy, and Honest

Future story or evidence: feedback, accountability, team leadership, or a moment when humility changed the outcome.

F

Discerning, Open, and Impartial

Future story or evidence: listening across differences, receiving counsel, or making a fair decision in a complex setting.

G

Motivated, Disciplined, and Resilient

Future story or evidence: sustained ministry through difficulty, disciplined preparation, healthy perseverance, or recovery after setback.

Selected Evidence

Stories with
receipts.

The handbook allows visual, oral, written, and project evidence. These cards are placeholders for the strongest examples rather than every artifact you collect.

Featured Character Story

Add a defining ministry experience.

A concise narrative will eventually explain the situation, your role, what it revealed about character, what changed in you, and why this evidence matters.

VisualWrittenReflection
Evidence Story 02

Add a second experience.

Use a different kind of moment—perhaps mentoring, crisis, service, spiritual discipline, or feedback from others.

OralTestimonial
Evidence Story 03

Add a third experience.

Choose evidence that demonstrates growth or leadership in character rather than repeating the same type of story.

ProjectFeedback
Official Framework

The rubric is here.
It just doesn't lead the story.

View Character descriptors and Level 1–4 outcomes＋

A. Discerns and Follows the Leading of God

Level 1

Articulates the ways in which God has spoken to and led His people throughout biblical and church history.

Level 2

Demonstrates growing ability to discern and follow the leading of God.

Level 3

Receives guidance from local church and conference leadership.

Level 4

Effectively teaches others how to discern and follow the leading of God.

B. Passionate for God and Compassionate toward Others

Level 1

Articulates biblical teachings on the relationship between passion for God and compassion for others.

Level 2

Demonstrates growing passion for God and compassion for others.

Level 3

Models passion for God and compassion for others and helps others to discover and share their passion for God and compassion for others.

Level 4

Effectively leads others in the congregation toward growing passion for God and compassion for others.

C. Loyal to Christ and the Mission and Beliefs of His Church

Level 1

Articulates personal loyalty to Christ and His church.

Level 2

Demonstrates growing personal loyalty to Christ and His church.

Level 3

Models and effectively leads others toward loyalty to Christ and His church.

Level 4

Effectively leads congregational leadership and membership toward a deeper understanding of loyalty to Christ and His church.

D. Faithful to Biblical, Moral, and Ethical Principles

Level 1

Recognizes that morality and ethics are based on biblical principles.

Level 2

Articulates the biblical principles that form the foundation for contemporary morality and ethics.

Level 3

Models a principle-based approach to morality/ethics and effectively teaches faithfulness to biblical, moral, and ethical principles.

Level 4

Equips congregational leadership and membership to live and teach a principle-based approach to morality and ethics.

E. Humble, Trustworthy, and Honest

Level 1

Articulates biblical teachings on humility, honesty, and trustworthiness and their role in the Christian life.

Level 2

Demonstrates personal growth in humility, honesty, and trustworthiness.

Level 3

Models humility, honesty, and trustworthiness and effectively teaches their role in the Christian life.

Level 4

Models and effectively leads others toward growth in humility, honesty, and trustworthiness.

F. Discerning, Open, and Impartial

Level 1

Articulates biblical teachings on discernment, openness, and impartiality and their role in the Christian life.

Level 2

Demonstrates personal growth in discernment, openness, and impartiality.

Level 3

Models discernment, openness, and impartiality and effectively teaches their role in the Christian life.

Level 4

Models and effectively leads others in the congregation toward growth in discernment, openness, and impartiality.

G. Motivated, Disciplined, and Resilient

Level 1

Official handbook language to be reviewed before final submission.

Level 2

Demonstrates personal growth in godly motivation, discipline, and resilience.

Level 3

Models godly motivation, self-discipline, and resilience and effectively teaches their role in the Christian life.

Level 4

Models and effectively leads others in the congregation toward growth in godly motivation, self-discipline, and resilience.

Looking Forward

Still being
formed.

Future reflection: name the character qualities you want Christ to deepen next, the practices that will help cultivate them, and the people who will help keep you accountable.

Back
All Core Qualities
Next
Relationship — coming next