Scandals in the Church.

Posted bySteven WalesPosted inChurch Polity, Preacher's Life/Ministry/Goldfish Bowl, Scandal in the ChurchTags:, , , , ,

Every week I read about ministers embroiled in scandals, usually involving sex, money, or an abusive leadership style.

Imagine:  God chose YOU.  He gave you preaching gifts, leadership, the ability to tell a great story, and He put a fire in your belly to share His Good News.  In the beginning, it was great.  People showered you with praise.  They joined your church, brought their friends, and never stopped telling you how special you were …  and one day you looked at yourself in the mirror and smiled: 

Yeah.  I AM handsome.  I look great in these clothes.  I AM funny and charming.  I could have any woman in this church.  They’d be lucky to have me. 

You committed the sin of Lucifer—staring in the mirror admiring your gifts when you should be kneeling before the Throne praising the God Who gave you EVERYTHING!  You are nothing without Him.  But who wants to think about that?  You picked up your pride and stroked it like a little lapdog every day, until it grew so large it devoured you. 

I support a simple rule for Christian leaders who receive criminal convictions involving sex or fraud: love them but bar them from the ministry for life.  My real concern is for those who will never come to Christ because they were hurt by that leader’s sins.  Wasn’t your whole life dedicated to lifting up the Name of Christ?  And now you buried His Name under the mud so severely, even those who never go to church struggle to comprehend your actions?  (Imagine: the preacher did things so heinous, the lost can’t even relate.)

Dear God, may my life—my WHOLE life—bring You Glory and Honor.  NEVER let me bring shame to the cause of Christ. 

If you’re in ministry, frame this prayer of David and PRAY THESE WORDS DAILY:

“Do not let those who put their hope in You be disgraced because of me, Lord God of hosts.  Do not let those who seek You be humiliated because of me” Psalm 69:6.

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Published by Steven Wales

Dad's Daily Devotional began as text messages to my family. I wanted my teenagers to know their father was reading the Bible. But they were at school by then. Initially, I sent them a favorite verse or an insight based on what I read each day. That grew into drafting a devotional readng which I would send them via text. I work as an attorney and an adjunct professor, and recently wrote a book called HOW TO MAKE A'S.

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