Two weeks ago, another lead pastor made headlines on national news for allegations of sexual misconduct. This time, it was someone I highly esteem and respect.
Since that day, I have seen more news articles, read several “Open Letters to the Church” on Facebook and received personal phone calls from friends whose hearts are broken and angry over this seemly endless list of fallen pastors.
I have felt the same disbelief, anger and heart break expressed by these writers and friends. I love the Church and have dedicated my life to it’s people. The grief is real.
Church attendance, as a whole, is on a rapid decline and it would be foolish to believe fallen leaders of churches (no matter what the size) don’t contribute to this mass exodus. Statistics prove that the pattern of adultery and sexual misconduct is no different for Christian leaders than for leaders in non-ministry roles.
It would be easy to talk about the heartache I feel when leaders fall. It would be easy to pound my fist and demand change. but today, I want to talk about something different.
First, this statement: Pastors are the face of the church.
How did this become a reality?
The face of the church (God’s people) should be every person who considers themselves a Christian.
It reminds me a talk by Father Boyle (Homeboy Industries), “Elevating one person above another is the beginning of evil.”
Tweet ThisThink for a moment about the biblical model for church.
The Apostle Paul uses the metaphor of the human body to describe the nature and function of the body of Christ, the Church.
Romans 10:5 says, “So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
Here is how Paul explains the interdependence of God’s people.
1 Corinthians 12
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
As Paul wrote: But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.
Think about your own body. If you break your arm, or worse yet, amputate it, the only think you can feel or focus on is the loss of your arm. It is the same with the body of Christ.
Not only do we isolate that individual, leaving them to flail alone on the fringe, we leave ourselves on the sidelines as amputees waiting for the leader to solve all our problems. This was never God’s plan for His people.
A pastor does not play a more important role than any other person in the body, they play a different role, with equally high moral standards as anyone else in the church. God created the body of Christ, His Church to take care of one another as equal recipients of God love and equal partners in God’s mission. Therefore, Every Christian is the face of the Church.
1 Corinthians 12:26
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
Secondly, I want to recognize that the current headlines in the news do not speak of the whole of Christian leaders. Leaders of integrity and accountability simply don’t make the front page. I want to end this writing as one who has hope in the future of the Church. I am surrounded by pastors and leaders who have not fallen; people who have dedicated their lives to serving and loving people the way Jesus did.
I am with you!
Mark Craig
Don Ross
Brenda Ross
Don Detrick
Jodi Detrick
Dave Cole
Debbie Cole
Beth Backes
Greg Stern
Amy Stern
Steve Jamison
Cheryl Jamison
Kim Martinez
Janet Richards
Andy Rosas
Suzanne Glennon
Gail Johnson
Darrel Johnson
Brent Colby
Micah Cruger
Angela Howard
Cyndi Pollard
Craig Dockstader
Denise Vaughan
Kellyann Bowman
Wayne Sommers
Jenny Sommers
Rita Flanagan
John Flanagan
Ron Simbwa
Emily Klever
Britt Olson
Anh Johnson
Kent Melton
Damaris Melton
There are so many more…Who do you want to add?
Angela Howard
July 12, 2018Such a great perspective Angela and thank you for standing up with those who have not fallen. I’ll add Stacy and Mark Newell, Chris Harold, Kris Gray, Demetrius and Audrey Rogers, Vern and Linda Waterud, and many more!