Helping Individuals Grow in Character
Helping individuals grow in good character helps them to grow in self-acceptance, self-confidence, accomplishments, fulfillment, quality of relationships, joyfulness, hope and many other ways. Individuals growing in good character can thus bring benefit to family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and others in many ways, such as helping them to become happier, healthier, closer, and more hopeful. All individuals, regardless of age, background, social status, race, or religion, can grow in character and experience many of its significant benefits [page 6].
The goal of the Faith Committee is to encourage each person in the Faith Community, based on the tenets of their faith, to practice each month the community-wide character quality of the month, and practice good character in general. The monthly character qualities follow a schedule distributed by the International Association of Character Cities, an association of more than 130 cities. In Achieving True Success, the Association has provided a definition for each monthly quality and a set of five "I Wills" or actions [c.f. Family Book]. The Committee highly encourages practicing these "I Will" actions in daily decision-making and behavior, because practice helps form the habits of that particular character quality.
The Committee directly encourages individuals through this website and through other direct means. Each month this website adds additional Bible* studies, children and family resources, testimonies, Character Helps, and other biblically-consistent Materials for the character quality of the month. It also offers ideas for growing in character, a bibliography of other references arranged by character quality, and other articles on character. These materials are accessible to EVERYONE for viewing and, if helpful, can be printed off, downloaded, revised, copied and distributed, at NO COST. (Materials for a monthly quality become available 6 weeks in advance of the quality's scheduled month on the national schedule. For materials for other months see 49 Character Qualities Resources.
* To date all materials contributed have been for the Christian Faith. Other Faiths will be added when contributors and resources become available.
Helping Ministry Leaders Encourage Their People
The Faith Committee will also encourage individuals indirectly by offering materials and support to pastors, priests, rabbis, teachers, parents, principals, directors, and other leaders of ministries in which the individuals participate--such as church, parish, synagogue, temple, faith-based school, faith-based social agency, or other faith-based ministries. The initial focus of the Committee has been on faith congregations since there are 1730+ in our character region (Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky). Most often in a "faith congregation" the plan for encouraging parishioners will "supplement" and not "supplant" normal preaching, teaching, worship, and other activities. Since character qualities (habits) develop from repetitive practice, significant results can occur through repetition of short, "supplemental" encouragements throughout the month.
For this reason, the website materials for each month include contributed supplemental items for encouraging parishioners, such as newsletters, 4-minute sermons or homilies, 1-minute testimonies from history or the community, 5-minute studies, and weekly bulletin inserts. In addition, Supporting Customizable Materials for each monthly character quality are available from the Character Council office, such as posters, "tent" cards for standing on tables or desks, and bookmarks.
An important facet of the focus of the Faith Committee is its relationships with a number of "Churches of Character." These churches are all committed to implementing the same "supplemental" plan for encouraging their parishioners, and at the Committee's request, are offering their experiences as an aid and encouragement to others. [c.f "Character Ministries" for identity of the model churches and their commitments and "Journals and Testimonies" for periodic reports of their experience.]
Faith-based schools are now beginning to become a focus also. [c.f. "Character Ministries" for identity of model schools and their commitments, as well as "Journals and Testimonies" for periodic reports of their experience--as they become available.]
Other faith-based ministries are important to the Faith Committee and will be supported and encouraged as resources become available. Similar relationships are expected with other model ministries.
[We are very grateful for all of the contributed materials received to date. The number of available materials will grow as additional contributors begin submitting their contributions and as researchers begin locating other existent, relevant materials.]
Helping other faith communities
Another role of this Faith Community portion of the website is to encourage and support the faith segment of other communities as they and their community implement their character initiatives. For this purpose the "Faith Community Strategy" section is included, offering ideas gained here in our Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky community and beyond.
Your Help Requested
1. Please contact us if you have reviewed the commitments of a "Church of Character" (or Synagogue, Temple, or other) or commitments of a "Faith-Based School of Character" and desire to explore
the possibility for your congregation or school in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
2. Please provide us with suggestions for making the Faith portion of this website more effective for
encouraging individuals to practice the monthly character qualities, and for encouraging leaders,
parents and teachers to encourage their members in practicing the monthly character qualities.
(Please forward your suggestions to:
Faith Research.)
3. Please suggest other possible supporting character materials and sources to add to this website.
(Please forward your suggestions to: Faith Research)
4. To access the Writer's Guidelines for
Supporting Materials, please click here.
