In his new book, The Integrity Fix, author and Holy Trinity Clapham Rector Jago Wynne reflects on the life of William Wilberforce and his example of living with integrity across all aspects of his life. The book explores the meaning of integrity and some of the reasons for its decline in both society and the Church, while also thinking about how individuals can rediscover a more authentic and integrated way of living.
Christian Today spoke with Rev Wynne to hear his thoughts on what integrity looks like from a biblical perspective, how churches can build healthier cultures of accountability and authenticity, and why he looks to William Wilberforce for inspiration.
What inspired you to write The Integrity Fix?
First of all, my inspiration comes from the very nature of the work I’ve been doing for the past 14 years, serving at Holy Trinity Clapham, where I am the Rector - the church is known for its historic significance as the place where William Wilberforce and the Clapham Sect worshipped.
A second source of inspiration came from two recent events. One was the storming of the Capitol building in the United States. On that day, a friend of mine, a former speechwriter for George W Bush and contributor to the 2007 Amazing Grace film, sent me a message saying it was a “broken time” for his nation. Shortly after, he sent another message asking a simple but profound question: “Can Wilberforce be a model for the church to lead us out of this mess?”
That question stayed with me. It led me to reflect on how Wilberforce’s life might speak into both societal brokenness and our own personal struggles.
Around this time, I was also connected to an academic, Michael McMullen, Professor of Church History at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Kansas City, who had been studying Wilberforce’s prayer journals. These journals had originally been written in shorthand and required significant effort to decode. When I had the opportunity to read them, I gained a remarkable insight, not just into Wilberforce the public figure, but into his private life behind the public achievements. And as I explored Wilberforce’s life, I became increasingly aware of his integrity.
How would you define integrity from a biblical perspective?
At its core, integrity means being whole or undivided. Applied to our lives, integrity is about coherence, when every part of who we are aligns. The opposite of integrity is hypocrisy, something the Bible frequently warns against - appearing one way outwardly while being different inwardly.
In Isaiah 6, when Isaiah encounters God’s holiness, he says, “Woe to me … I am ruined.” The word ‘ruined’ literally means “disintegrated”, falling apart under the weight of sin. Integrity is the opposite: a life made whole and all the parts integrated together.
John Stott, the former Rector of All Souls, Langham Place, one of my heroes, described integrity as having no division between public and private life, between profession and practice, or between word and deed. That is a powerful and practical definition.
Why do we seem to be facing a crisis of integrity in society and the Church?
In one sense, this is nothing new. Since humanity’s fall, there has always been a tendency towards hypocrisy. However, something has shifted in our culture. Increasingly, people are turning inward to find authority, rather than looking to God or Scripture. There is a strong current of individualism, the idea that we each define our own truth and live as we please.
We also see examples of compromised integrity in public life. For instance, during the pandemic in the UK, there were well-publicised cases of leaders failing to follow the rules they imposed on others. This highlighted a gap between public messaging and private behaviour.
Sadly, this issue is not limited to politics. Within the Church, we have also seen leaders fall because of a mismatch between who they appeared to be and who they truly were. This challenge affects all of us, not just leaders, as we wrestle with aligning our public and private lives.
What are some subtle ways Christians can compromise integrity without realising it?
In the book, I describe different “circles” of integrity, including life, discipleship, mission, and vision. One common issue is a disconnect between what others see and what happens “off-screen” in hidden areas of life. Wilberforce is a striking contrast here. While he is famous for leading the abolition of the slave trade, his private prayer life reveals the same depth of integrity.
For example, as a single man, he carefully prayed about relationships. In his journals, he writes about a woman he refers to as “Miss H”. Although he was deeply interested in her, he ultimately chose not to pursue the relationship because she did not share his passion for Christ.
As a husband and father, he also lived counter-culturally. At a time when men of his status often distanced themselves from family life, he was intentionally present, spending time with his children, eating meals together, and engaging in their lives.
Whether it was relationships, family life, finances, or prayer, Wilberforce demonstrated consistency across all areas.
How can churches and leaders foster healthier cultures of accountability and authenticity?
A biographer, John Pollock, once wrote: “William Wilberforce is proof that man can change his time, though he cannot do it alone.”
Wilberforce was part of a close-knit group known as the Clapham Sect. They met regularly, studied scripture, prayed together, and spoke honestly about both personal struggles and public issues. They held one another accountable.
This model is still highly relevant today. Leaders should not operate in isolation but should be part of trusted communities where they can be supported, challenged, and encouraged in honesty and humility.
The book title includes the word “fix”. What does restoration look like when integrity has been lost?
The word fix is interesting. It can describe both being in difficulty (“in a fix”) and the act of restoration. We chose the word because it echoes a phrase used about Wilberforce, that through his Christian faith, he “fixed the character of his time.” He had a positive and lasting influence on the world around him.
While most of us will not replicate his specific achievements, each of us can live with integrity in our own sphere of influence. Whether in family, work, or community, living faithfully can bring healing and restoration to broken situations.
What conversations do you hope will come from the book?
Many people admire Wilberforce for his role in abolishing the slave trade, and rightly so. However, I hope this book broadens that perspective.
Wilberforce’s influence was rooted in his faith in Jesus, which shaped every aspect of his life. I sometimes sum it up like this: he had deep roots in Jesus, which produced real fruit in life.
I hope readers will reflect on what “real Christianity” looks like for them - not just a Sunday faith, but a faith that transforms everyday life. My prayer is that people will be inspired to live with integrity, allowing their lives to make a meaningful difference wherever they are.
