Character Still Counts by James Merritt is timely and relevant. It talks about aspects of character that we tend to ignore when we are in support of one person over another.

While reading Character Still Counts however, in the chapter on loyalty, Merritt misattributes Tamar with incest as he talks about the four women referenced in Jesus' lineage. Tamar was not part of Judah's bloodline, she was married to two of Judah's sons and was supposed to be given to Judah's youngest son but wasn't.

This was a small critique and doesn't overall ruin Character Still Counts, but it is something that should maybe be fixed in future reprints.

4/5 stars

This was my first book I have read since starting my own spiritual journey last year.

I have to admit I was sceptical in starting any Christian book at all but James really gave me a whole new insight in how the bible and Jesus are connected to everything we do now.

James starts with each part of our character and writes wonderfully, developing each idea with parables and teachings from the bible and from Jesus. It almost felt as if the book was a diary of inner thoughts, with perspectives on how our current life is.

I enjoyed this book immensely. A book to keep throughout your journey to better spiritual health.

Some might think character no longer matters to evangelical Christians. And Merritt provides some evidence that indicates it might very well be the case. He notes that for the 1992 presidential election of Bush/Clinton, Republicans were concerned about Clinton's morality. Christians criticized the candidate for being a draft dodger and his lack of marital fidelity yet in 2016 overwhelmingly voted for just such a man. In 2011, only 30 percent of evangelicals believed an immoral man could be an effective and good leader. In 2016, that number had jumped to 72 percent. (Loc 144/3042) It would seem evangelicals no longer value upstanding character.

Losing the value of character comes at a high price, Merritt says. Are we personally maintaining a high standard of character? Are we training our children in godly character traits? He reminds us character does not develop by accident. He has written this book to remind us of godly character traits and encourage us to develop them. He writes about integrity, honesty, humility, loyalty, honor, respect, authenticity, generosity, courage, perseverance, self control, forgiveness, and faithfulness.

I like how Merritt has structured his writing. He tells stories as illustrations, including some of his own, ones from the Bible and the example of Jesus. He even includes some funny stories. He has thoughtful commentary on each of the character traits and provides some practical suggestions for developing them.

I recommend this book to evangelical Christians. It is a penetrating reminder that character matters and ignoring godly character has serious consequences.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Dr. James Merritt writes about values that endure across time and space, not only as Christians, but as ethical human beings living in the world. Each chapter focuses on a different character trait including: integrity, honesty, humility, loyalty, respect, authenticity, generosity, courage, perseverance, self-control, forgiveness, and faithfulness. He gives biblical, historical, and current examples.

Recommended for public libraries, church libraries, and small group discussions.

This is such a wonderful book. I have highlighted more in this book than I have in such a long time. It is so relevant to the culture today and there are so many amazing takeaways.. I’m looking forward to it being published so I can grab a hard copy and have my teenage boys read it.

Nuanced Fire. This book is typical of Merritt the Elder's style of truly nuanced fire - he will not back down on what he believes, but he absolutely understands nuance where applicable. In this discussion of character, he does not negate his own integrity by taking partisan sides, yet speaks to character as the Bible describes it. And when that means mentioning a certain 1990s era US President's affairs, Merritt the Elder in the very same breath also mentions the sitting US President's affairs. Full of jokes and various stories - as well as Scripture references - this is as easy to read as listening to one of his sermons either live or (as I often did growing up) on TV. While I don't agree politically or theologically with absolutely everything here, really the main reason for the 4* rating is the constant use of prooftexting - citing Bible verses out of context. Were it not for my personal crusade against the practice, this would easily be a 5* read. Very much recommended, whether or not you normally agree with Merritt the Elder's own conservative evangelical American Christian mindset.

*A note on "Merritt the Elder": One of Dr. Merritt's sons, Jonathan, is also a Christian Living writer now and has written nearly a handful of books over the last decade or so - and serves as his father's agent and editor on this project. I grew up outside Atlanta listening to Dr. Merritt's sermons on TV as we got ready for church, and began reading Jonathan's books with his 2012 release A Faith Of Our Own. To separate the two and as an homage to the Pliny's, I use "the Elder" or "the Younger" and have since I first read Jonathan's works.

This book is needed now more than ever before to call us back to the fact that “Character Still Counts”. The author concentrates on 12 individual character qualities that are found in Scripture. He uses both positive and negative Biblical examples; examples from history; and from current events. There’s quite a bit of good encouragement, admonition, and inspiration in this book. It’s one that you’ll find yourself highlighting sections for further thought. The author’s writing style is personable and that makes reading the book enjoyable.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

In a world where character often seems to be lacking, I really appreciated this book. This book was affirming and challenging at the same time. I believe that the author speaks with truth and he relays all of these character traits back to Jesus. It was nice to read Biblical examples as well as modern examples. I have already recommended this book to a few of my friends.

I love this book. It's timely given how now more people care about the end result but never the means- and we are constantly comparing ourselves to versions of others online.
The author draws from experiences of various leaders and the Bible to highlight why Character still counts and it's an inspirational read.
What I do know is that if you are reading this book; you'll need a pen and notebook to jot down insights that leap off the page.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.