Authenticity prevents hypocrisy . One great temptation of ministry is taking the assessment of others as the truth about our life. People often award us with a high level of spirituality when they have no idea whether we've had a quiet time in two weeks, treat our spouses with dignity, or avoid pornography when we go online. A commitment to authenticity helps us refuse the false image some project onto us. Authenticity lowers the mask of hypocrisy.
Authenticity builds credibility .
Many of us were taught to withhold our true selves from those we serve. The idea was that if the realities of our life became known, we would lose our moral influence and ability to provide spiritual leadership. In reality, the opposite is true. Speakers gain credibility if they share where they have struggled and how these struggles have been addressed. In fact, the struggle is the credibility.