Cheating Grace
Another pastor has come out with a confession that he cheated on his wife. This follows a number of high profile admissions including one pastor who had threesome including his wife and another who came out of the closet as a homosexual. It is good that people are being honest but I have noticed a major change in the last few decades. I remember back when Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart had been caught cheating on their wives. People were outraged. It was expected that pastors or evangelists would have to step down from their ministries and go through heavy duty counseling (whether or not they did it, it was still expected).
It seems now that high profile pastors are making confessions and they are treated almost as heroes. Their congregations cheer them on and praise them for their courage. Do not get me wrong, I am glad that congregations are treating their pastors with grace. That is a very good thing. But as I hear more and more of these incidents, the shock is gone. If anything, it makes the pastors short-term celebrities rather than fallen servants. I fear that the church has become comfortable with pastors falling into sexual sin. We need to be awakened to what God really expects from Christian leaders.
“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” (James 3:1 ESV)
Stephen, a few weeks ago I was talking with someone, a believer that attends a different church than I do, about divorce in ministry. I told this person that in my denomination if a pastor divorces he must step out of ministry for a period of time before applying for re-acceptance. Also, that just because one applies for re-acceptance, that does not mean he will always be allowed to serve as a pastor again.
This person seemed horrified at the thought of stepping down after a moral failure, which is what divorce is I explained. She said, why can’t the congregation be allowed to make that decision and love/support the pastor as he serves them?
I didn’t have an adequate answer, other than, “that’s the way we do it.” But later went back and told her that God’s plan had been broken by divorce, and there must repentance and a time of counseling if need be. And a time to heal, and a person in that level of ministry cannot effectively serve when dealing that level of personal healing.
So, I believe that my friend gives a glimpse into the psyche of the modern church-goer. One who views the pastor as one who is under a lot of stress, is a human (like you and me, she said), and has failures (sin). If he confesses and truly repents then allow him to continue to serve. I believe her logic is flawed, I told her as much. But I think that is what we are experiencing with the lack of outrage.
At least that’s one man’s thoughts. God bless, brother!
Glenn
Thanks Glenn. Those are good thoughts. There needs to be a balance of grace and understanding with acknowledgment that something serious has taken place and that there is a need for healing for the pastor, the family and the congregation.
This makes me think of the story of Ted Haggard. There did seem to be more outrage and shock on that occasion. And he did leave his church and ministry. Though some of the follow-up stories I heard revealed that Haggard did end up going back into ministry, and in his home town, against counseling advice.