Integrity in the public sphere

It is a huge privilege for European Evangelical Alliance’s socio-political representative to spend 3 years mentoring and learning together with the IFES Cross Current Politics Group.

The calibre of the participants is outstanding. They come from countries as varied as Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Moldova, Albania and Romania, plus several others work in Brussels.

They serve God in political institutions, parties, embassies, businesses and NGOs. Most wear office clothes to work, one dons a bullet proof vest and helmet. All courageously pray that their nations and institutions will be transformed by Kingdom values.

One of the recent study focuses was integrity. Surveys show that integrity is highly sought after in many workplaces but few can confidently define it. A common definition is that it means being honest, “true to yourself”, doing what you say you will do. But, if this is all it is, a suicide bomber has amazing integrity.

Basing our reflections on the first chapters of Genesis, we saw how human beings were meant to relate to God, to one another and to Creation. Love, honour, obedience, trust, interdependence and care were how the Lord designed these relationships to be. These were all reliant on a close and trusting relationship with the Lord.

But then the Fall replaced these qualities with disobedience, blame, exploitation, fear, insecurity and death. However, everything changes again with the victory that Jesus won and the salvation and sonship which is on offer to those who repent. We can then be “true to ourselves” again, defined as being how God designed us to be, as we live in relationships of love, honour, obedience, trust, independence and care. We agreed that this is what true integrity is. It defines how we relate to the Lord, to human beings and to Creation. It has immense spiritual, moral, relational, political and economic consequences for all of our lives as individuals, families, organisations and societies.

IFES is expanding the number of its Cross Current groups, focusing on an increasing number of professions and also setting up city groups for those working in a variety of jobs. We do hope you will promote these discipleship opportunities and pray for those who the Lord is preparing to have great impact for Him in public life.

Julia Doxat-Purser, Socio-political representative of the European Evangelical Alliance.