DOES

ANYMORE
IN MINISTRY?
BY SHAWN NELSON
DOES CHARACTER MATTER ANYMORE IN
MINISTRY?

By Shawn Nelson
Published by Geeky Christian
Solana Beach, CA
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2
Contents
Erosion of Morals in the Ministry.............................................4
High-Profile Examples ............................................................5
Types of Scandals .................................................................8
Biblical Criteria .................................................................... 11
Widespread Disagreement over Requirements ...................... 13
What is Clear: Godly Character............................................. 15
Importance of Modeling Character........................................ 16
The Lack of Modeling/Discipleship Today .............................. 18
Obsessed with the Wrong Results ........................................ 20
How Far the Church Has Fallen ............................................ 21
First Cultural Shift: Pragmatism (19th Century+) .................... 21
Second Cultural Shift: Postmodernism (20th Century+) .......... 23
Third Cultural Shift: Purpose of Marriage (1960s+)................ 26
Fourth Cultural Shift: Technological Revolution (1995+) ........ 28
Treasures in Jars of Clay ...................................................... 31
Example of Practical, Preventative Steps: How to Avoid Adultery
.......................................................................................... 34
Returning to Ministry after Moral Failure?.............................. 38
Proper Concern for the Pastor .............................................. 40
Determining if a Return is Possible ....................................... 41
The Road Ahead ................................................................. 43
Bibliography ........................................................................ 45

3
Erosion of Morals in the Ministry
Something is very wrong with the 21st century church:
there is a lapse of morals within her walls today and every
denomination seems to be affected:

“Two of the greatest blots on the church are clergy

misconduct and the failure to hold abusive ministers
accountable… No denominations or theological
perspectives are immune to misconduct or the failure of
accountability. The issue crosses all lines of age, wealth,
1
ethnicity, and even gender.”

Ministry scandal has seemingly become the hallmark of our

2
day. Some now say today‟s church is worldlier than the world.
Each month brings a fresh round of fallen pastors. In a recent
survey of 1,000 protestant pastors, half said they know a fellow
peer who should step down from the pulpit while their church
3
investigates misconduct. Historically the church has long faced

1
Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner, The Pastor as Moral
Guide (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1999), 103, 104.
2
Eugene H. Peterson, The Contemplative Pastor: Returning to the
Art of Spiritual Direction (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1993), 45.
3
According to data from a telephone survey released by Nashville-
based LifeWay Research in Emily Mcfarlan Miller, “Can Pastors Make a
Comeback After Scandal?,” The Gazette, May 15, 2016, accessed
November 21, 2016, http://gazette.com/can-pastors-make-a-comeback-
after-scandal/article/1575987.

4
scandals but today‟s church seems to be facing a moral
4
epidemic. Just how bad have things become? Consider just a
handful of high-profile examples over the past decade.

High-Profile Examples
Ted Haggard was the president of the National
Association of Evangelicals and founding pastor of New Life
Church. Haggard‟s 15,000-member church was considered by
5
some as the “nation's most powerful megachurch.” However,
Haggard resigned from both in 2006 after admitting to
involvement with a male prostitute and use of
6
methamphetamine.

David Loveless was the founding pastor of Discovery

Church in Orlando.

“Discovery has been recognized as „one of the 10

healthiest churches in America‟ and „one of the fastest-

4
The Church‟s first scandal is mentioned in Acts 5:1-11 (Ananias
and Sapphira).
5
Patton Dodd, “New Life After the Fall of Ted Haggard: How the
Megachurch Healed—by Remembering What It Means to Be the Local
Church,” Christianity Today, November 22, 2013, accessed November 21,
2016, http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/december/new-life-after-
fall-ted-haggard.html.
6
Ibid.

5
 growing churches in the US during the 21st Century,‟
according to Loveless' website. The website says
Discovery also was featured in the book „America's Most
Influential Churches‟ and Loveless was recognized as „one
7
of the top 20 Christian leaders in the US to watch.‟”

However, Loveless resigned in 2013 from the 4,000-member

church after admitting to an extramarital affair which spanned
multiple years.

Bob Coy was the senior pastor Calvary Chapel Fort

Lauderdale. In 2005 the burgeoning church was described as
one of the largest in the nation:

“On an average weekend, 18,000 adults and children

throng four services. It is the largest church crowd in
Florida and one of the largest 10 in the nation. The
church has a $40-million annual budget and employs 550
8
people.”

7
Jeff Kunerth, “Discovery Church Pastor Resigns After Admitting to
Affair,” Orlando Sentinel, May 6, 2013, accessed November 21,
2016, http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/religion/os-discovery-
church-pastor-admits-affair-20130506-story.html.
8
Mike Vogel, “Big Box Worship: Florida's Biggest Church Is a $40-
million-a-year, 550-Employee Enterprise — One of 80 Megachurches in
the State That Are Succeeding at Mass-Marketing Faith.,” Florida Trend,
December 1, 2005, accessed November 21,
2016, http://www.floridatrend.com/article/11417/big-box-worship.

6
Yet, Coy admitted to an ongoing extramarital affair. He
resigned from the church in 2014 and his media ministry was
9
immediately suspended.

There was the Ashley Madison scandal of 2015. Ashley

Madison is a dating website for people desiring to have
extramarital affairs. The user database was hacked and then
leaked to the public. It was claimed that many names of
pastors were found in the system. At the time, popular writer
Ed Stetzer said, “I estimate that at least 400 church leaders
(pastors, elders, staff, deacons, etc.) will be resigning
10
Sunday.” It is difficult to measure whether Stetzer was
correct. However, one name on the list was Pastor John

9
Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, “Popular Pastor Resigns After 'Moral
Failure,' but Followers Still Want His Sermons,” Christianity Today, April 7,
2014, accessed November 21,
2016, http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2014/april/popular-
pastor-resigns-moral-failure-bob-coy-calvary-chapel.html.
10
Ed Stetzer, “My Pastor Is On the Ashley Madison List: Too Many
Christians Have Been Caught Using Ashley Madison, Many of Them
Pastors and Church Leaders. What Now?,” Christianity Today, August 27,
2015, accessed November 21,
2016, http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2015/august/my-
pastor-is-on-ashley-madison-list.html.

7
Gibson. The “seminary professor with a sense of humor”
11
committed suicide six days after the data was made public.

Types of Scandals
The scandals just mentioned involve adultery; but there
are many other types of scandals that have garnered much
public attention. They include fraud, larceny, narcotic and/or
alcohol abuse, homosexuality, spiritual abuse, sexual abuse and
child molestation.

Consider fraud. $37 billion worth of “ecclesiastical crime”

was reported to have occurred in 2014 alone. This represents
12
6% of money given to churches that year. It is as easy to
find examples of fraud inside the church as adultery. Just six
months ago, a popular pastor in Georgia was caught stealing
over $250,000 from tithes and offerings. He took the money

11
Laurie Segall, “Pastor Outed On Ashley Madison Commits
Suicide,” CNN Tech, September 8, 2015, accessed November 21,
2016, http://money.cnn.com/2015/09/08/technology/ashley-madison-
suicide/.
12
Walter Pavlo, “Fraud Thriving in U.s. Churches, but You Wouldn't
Know It,” Forbes, November 18, 2013, accessed November 21,
2016, http://www.forbes.com/sites/walterpavlo/2013/11/18/fraud-
thriving-in-u-s-churches-but-you-wouldnt-know-it/#233ccb056fea.

8
over a ten year period, spending it at retail stores like Victoria‟s
Secret, and currently faces eighty-five counts of wire fraud and
13
twelve counts of mail fraud. Six months before that, the
founding pastor of one of the largest churches in Asia was
found guilty of $35-million in fraud. He was sentenced to eight
years in prison. Five other leaders at his church were given
prison terms as well. They were all found guilty of selling fake
bonds to help launch a music career for the senior pastor‟s
14
wife. There is also fraud outside the church. Three months
ago, a Long Beach pastor pleaded guilty to bankruptcy fraud
after he was caught collecting $3 million in fees from property
15
owners facing foreclosure.

13
Associated Press, “Georgia Pastor Stole $250,000 in Donations
from His Church and Spent It at Stores Like Victoria‟s Secret,” Daily News,
May 5, 2016, accessed November 21,
2016, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/georgia-pastor-stole-
250-000-donations-church-article-1.2626623.
14
Anugrah Kumar, “Megachurch Pastor Kong Hee Jailed for 8 Years
for $35-Million Fraud,” The Christian Post, November 21, 2015, accessed
November 21, 2016, http://www.christianpost.com/news/megachurch-
pastor-kong-hee-jailed-for-8-years-for-35-million-fraud-150601/.
15
Jeremiah Dobruck, “Long Beach Pastor Admits to Running $3
Million Mortgage Scam,” Long Beach Press Telegram, August 25, 2016,
accessed November 21, 2016, http://www.presstelegram.com/general-
news/20160825/long-beach-pastor-admits-to-running-3-million-mortgage-
scam.

9
 Consider drug and alcohol abuse. Four month ago, Perry
Noble, a highly popular author, founding and senior pastor of
16
NewSpring Church, was fired over alcohol abuse. Two
months ago a Connecticut pastor was arrested with bags of
17
cocaine during a sting operation.

Or consider arguably one of the worst scandals of all:

sexual abuse. Many are aware of the modern sexual abuse
problem within the Catholic Church. But it has recently been
18
revealed to be even worse within Protestant churches. It is
astounding: three insurance companies reported receiving
upwards of 260 reports each year of young people under 18
19
being sexually abused by Protestant clergy. This is equivalent

16
Taylor Berglund, “Pastor Perry Noble Fired After 16 Years at
NewSpring Church,” Charisma News, July 10, 2016, accessed November
21, 2016, http://www.charismanews.com/us/58283-pastor-perry-noble-
fired-after-16-years-at-newspring-church.
17
Jessilyn Justice, “Pastor Caught with Cocaine in His Car: The
Devil Is a Liar,” Charisma News, September 14, 2016, accessed November
21, 2016, http://www.charismanews.com/us/59889-pastor-caught-with-
cocaine-in-his-car-the-devil-is-a-liar.
18
Walid Shoebat, “There Is More Sexual Abuse in the Protestant
Churches Than Catholic,” Shoebat Foundation, May 6, 2014, accessed
November 21, 2016, http://shoebat.com/2014/05/06/sexual-abuse-
protestant-churches-catholic/.
19
This can be compared to the annual average of 228 “credible
accusations” in the Catholic Church. See Bob Allen, “Insurance Companies

10
to one child being sexually abused in a Protestant church every
1.4 days! The problem “is not one of corrupt doctrine, but of
individuals being unfaithful to the most basic precepts of their
20
own religious belief.”

Biblical Criteria
There is a growing disconnect between biblical portrait of
leadership and that portrayed by the evening news. Clearly,
moral character ranks high up the list of biblical requirements
for leadership. The Apostle Paul says 1 Timothy 3:1-7:

“This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position

of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must
be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-
minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not
given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but
gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his
own house well, having his children in submission with all
reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his
own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into
the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must

Shed Light On Extent of Sex Abuse in Protestant Churches,” Ethics Daily,

July 6, 2007, accessed November 21,
2016, http://www.ethicsdaily.com/insurance-companies-shed-light-on-
extent-of-sex-abuse-in-protestant-churches-cms-9149.
20
Ibid.

11
 have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest
he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

21
Titus 1:5-9 contains a similar list of qualifications from Paul:

“…appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—if

a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having
faithful children not accused of dissipation or
insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a
steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not
given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but
hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just,
holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he
has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine,
both to exhort and convict those who contradict.”

However, one of the most disturbing trends in the church

today is the disregard of biblical qualifications for pastoral
22
leadership. Why is this the case? One reason could be
widespread disagreement over what these requirements
actually are.

21
1 Tim 3:8-10 are the requirements for deacons which logically
apply to pastors as well.
22
John MacArthur and The Master's Seminary faculty, Pastoral
Ministry: How to Shepherd Biblically (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson,
2005), 67.

12
Widespread Disagreement over
Requirements
There seems to be much confusion over biblical
requirements for leadership. Take Paul‟s use of the word
“blameless” at the beginning of the list (1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:6).
What could it mean that one must be “blameless?” Concerning
its use in 1 Tim. 3:2, most major translations translate it “above
23
reproach.” However, it can also mean “beyond reproach,
24
above criticism,” or simply “without fault.” Did Paul really
mean to say that a pastor must be absolutely perfect? Chuck
Smith (the founder of my denomination) considers this
problematic:

“As Paul lists these qualifications, it seems as if he

pretty much eliminates everybody, even with the very
first requirement alone: „blameless.‟ … Paul's list isn't a
legalistic sieve through which we strain out all
transgressors. If it were, none of us would make it
through the net, and the church would have no
25
leaders.”

23
Richard C. Blight, An Exegetical Summary of 1 Timothy
(Exegetical Summaries)(Dallas, TX: SIL International, 2009), 159.
24
Ibid.
25
Chuck Smith, Living Water: the Power of the Holy Spirit in Your
Life (Costa Mesa, CA: The Word for Today, 2007), 255-256.
13
John MacArthur‟s camp concurs: “„Above reproach‟ cannot
refer to sinless perfection, because no human being could ever
26
qualify for the office in that case.” So then why did Paul use
this word in his list of requirements? It remains debated.

There is also the requirement that a pastor is required to

be the “husband on one wife” (1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:6). There are
four general views of this phrase: it either (1) prohibits
adultery; (2) prohibits remarriage after a wife‟s death; (3)
27
prohibits remarriage after divorce; or (4) prohibits polygamy.
Practically speaking, can a divorced man become a pastor or
not? Or, can a pastor divorce, remarry, and all the while
remain working in the ministry? The answer one gives depends
on which of the four interpretations one holds. There are
arguments and supporting scripture for each view.

What about Paul mention of a candidate‟s children? In

Timothy he says they need to be “in submission with all
reverence” (1 Tim. 3:4) and in Titus “faithful children not
accused of dissipation or insubordination” (1 Tim. 5:6). For

26
MacArthur, Pastoral Ministry, 68.
27
Harold Greenlee, An Exegetical Summary of Titus and Philemon,
Second Edition (Exegetical Summaries), 2 ed. (Dallas, TX: SIL
International, 2008), 26.

14
those with children, is it realistic to say that any of our children
have been completely faithful at all times? What exactly is the
objective standard for determining whether a child is “faithful?”
Is the requirement that children need to “full of faith” in the
Lord (i.e., they must be regenerate believers) or is Paul saying
they need to be “faithful” (i.e., obedient) to their parents?
Again, there are different interpretations.

Should these biblical requirements be set aside for our

lack of clarity? Certainly not! There is still much that can be
gleaned with certainty.

What is Clear: Godly Character

We should all be able to agree from 1 Timothy 3 and
Titus 1 that godliness matters. Simply put, the biblical
requirements say that a godly leader will have moral character,
a healthy marriage and children that are likely believers
themselves (or at least respectful to their father). Or, stated
negatively: bad character, an unhealthy marriage and an
unhealthy family are signs that a person should not be a leader
in the church. Smith agrees with this assessment: Paul

“gives a general picture of the kind of man whom God

calls into leadership; not a perfect man, by any means,
but one who is committed to His Lord and who is growing

15
 in grace through the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul isn't
looking for perfection; he's looking for maturity.”

These are things we should all agree on: there should be

requirements for those desiring leadership roles in the church
and those requirements can be summed up as spiritual maturity
and godly character.

Importance of Modeling Character

Why is moral character so important? One answer is that
the modeling of godly character is an important part of God‟s
plan.

Jesus modeled. At the beginning of Jesus‟ ministry he

selected twelve disciples “that they might be with him” (Mark
3:14). Central to Jesus‟ plan was the fact that “the disciples
28
were apprentices, not mere learners.” Jesus was what he
taught: “His lifestyle was no put-on, conceived to reinforce His
words. Jesus simply lived what He taught. What He taught
29
flowed out of who He was.” Jesus embodied what true

28
William Yount, The Teaching Ministry of the Church, 2nd ed., ed.
William R. Yount (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2008), 50.
29
Ibid., 51.

16
ministry was: true ministry is an overflow of a godly life, a life
30
dependent upon the Father. This kind of ministry—and only
this kind— is powerful and effective.

The apostles would eventually learn their teacher‟s

lesson. Peter said to his fellow pastor/elders: “Shepherd the
flock of God... being examples to the flock” (1 Pet. 5:2,3;
emphasis mine).

Other leaders in the early church placed a premium on

modeling. Paul exhorted young Pastor Timothy to “be an
example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit,
in faith, in purity.” (1 Tim. 4:12; emphasis mine) He
encouraged Pastor Titus “in all things showing yourself to be a
pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence,
incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that
one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil
to say of you.” (Titus 2:7-8; emphasis mine) Paul championed
Christ-modeling to the point where he could say without
hesitation: “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” (1 Cor.
11:1)

30
MacArthur, Pastoral Ministry, 94.

17
 The Bible is clear that God is in the business of character
building. With God, character certainly counts. “Growth should
characterize all His „saints,‟ but the New Testament holds those
recognized as church leaders especially responsible to be
examples. They are visible and derived moral models for the
31
Exemplar‟s ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia, „church‟).”

The Lack of Modeling/Discipleship

Today
Modeling is best done within the context of a one-on-one
discipleship relationship like the one Jesus had with his
disciples. One-on-one discipleship involves a mature Christian
spending time with a younger believer in the faith, modeling
godly character traits, and teaching practices that will promote
character in the follower. However, this type of discipleship is
becoming non-existent in the context of today‟s mega
churches. It is quite a marvelous thing how discipleship has
taken a back seat in many churches considering how much
emphasis it is given in the New Testament. The modern
church‟s blatant lack of discipleship has been called “the

31
Ibid., 217.

18
 32
elephant in the church.” Many churches today do not have a
33
simple, straightforward system in place for discipleship. “The
latest evidence is overwhelmingly disappointing… according to
the latest research, the state of discipleship… is at an all-time
34
low in America.”

“And no one denomination appears to be excelling

above any of the rest. Regardless of religious affiliation,
“most church leaders would agree that many American
Christians are weak in their commitment to spiritual
disciplines, lack boldness in their witness of Christ, and
have lifestyles almost undistinguishable from
35
unbelievers.”

32
Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden
Life in God (San Francisco: Harper, 1998), 301.
33
Jeffrey Howell Lynn, “Making Disciples of Jesus Christ:
Investigating, Identifying, and Implementing an Effective Discipleship
System” (PhD diss., Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, 2014), 48-49,
accessed November 21,
2016, http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1923
&context=doctoral.
34
Ibid.
35
Charles Crabtree, “The Crisis of Discipleship in the American
Church,” Enrichment Journal,
http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/200801/200801_022_Discipleship.cfm
(accessed February 6, 2014) quoted in Lynn, “Making Disciples of Jesus
Christ,” emphasis mine.

19
Obsessed with the Wrong Results
If pastors are not concerned about discipleship—if they
are not making the modeling of godliness and character a high
priority—then what are they concerned about? Many churches
today have substituted something else for spiritual maturity:
people-units, dollars and buildings. Sadly, a pastor‟s
performance can even be directly evaluated by these three
criteria alone. “The more of each, the more successful is the
36
pastor.” There has been a fundamental shift in the role of
“the pastor” in our culture.

“Gone is the older model of the scholar-saint, one who

was as comfortable with books and learning as with the
aches of the soul. This was the shepherd who knew the
flock, knew how to tend it, and Sunday by Sunday took
that flock into the treasures of God‟s Word. This has
changed. In its place is the new „celebrity‟ style. What we
typically see now, Nancy Pearcey suggests, is the leader
who works by manipulating the feelings of the audience,
enhancing his own image with personal anecdotes,
modeling himself after the CEO, and adopting a
domineering management style. He (usually) is
completely results-oriented, pragmatic, happy to employ

36
Henry & Richard Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership: Moving People
On to God's Agenda, rev. ed. (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2011), 19.
20
 any technique from the secular world that will produce
37
the desired results.”

How Far the Church Has Fallen

The emphasis of the 21st century church is not on
godliness. Discipleship is near non-existent. Pastors are not
lining up with the biblical criteria. And the church is plagued
with ongoing scandals. How did we get here? Four cultural
shifts that are to blame: (1) the pragmatism of the 19th
century; (2) the Postmodernism of the 20th century; (3) the
changing view of marriage from the 1960s on upward; (4) and
the technological revolution of our modern day.

First Cultural Shift: Pragmatism (19th

Century+)
Pragmatism is a philosophy that originated in the United
States under William James in the late 19th century. One of
James‟ beliefs was “Whatever works is true. Whatever works is

37
Cited in David Wells, The Courage to Be Protestant: Truth-
Lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World (Grand
Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2008), 40, emphasis mine.

21
 38
right.” Philosophers before James debated what reality was;
then they debated what our limitations might be in knowing
this reality. However, James was not as concerned about what
reality was or with our limitations in knowing it. His concern
was with the tangible difference one‟s belief actually made in
one‟s life. For James, each person should find out what works
39
best for him or her. The worldview that produced the best
results was true. This came to be known as pragmatism.

This “whatever-it-takes-to-get-the-job-done” mentality

permeates our business culture today. It is also having a
strong impact on our churches. The result is that today‟s
churches are being run like businesses with the pastor being
seen as the CEO. With each expansion project, pastors look
less like humble and meek Jesus and more like the capable and
aspiring Steve Jobs. Wildly successful ones write leadership

38
Norman L. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian
Apologetics (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1999), 375.
39
Ibid.

22
books for younger church planters who secretly dream of
40
becoming the next well-oiled production.

Results—not godliness—have become the new target of

the church work effort. “In an age of pragmatism in the
secular world, where the end justifies the means, the
temptation is for leadership to prostitute Christian character for
41
the sake of success.”

Second Cultural Shift:

Postmodernism (20th Century+)
The second cultural shift responsible for the erosion of
morals within the church is the Postmodernism of the 20th
Century. Our ability to know and understand reality has been
under attack since the 18th Century, from the time of the great
42 43
skeptic David Hume and the great agnostic Immanuel Kant.

40
See Kade Hawkins, “Parody of Our Modern Church Service”
(video), October 21, 2010, accessed November 21,
2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RJBd8zE48A.
41
MacArthur, Pastoral Ministry, 232.
42
Hume believed that “a total suspense of judgment is here our
only reasonable resource” (skepticism). Hume, Dialogues Concerning
Natural Religion, VIII.
43
Kant believed we must use our mind to understand the thing in
the real world—but our mind can never truly know the thing as it is. We

23
Since then, every possible philosophical viewpoint has been
exhausted—the mental straining in turn has completely
exhausted the intellectual mind! The Western world has
officially arrived at a “post-modern era.” Ours is a world
44
characterized by not only the “death of God” in culture but
also the death of everything else with Him: the death of
objective truth (relativism); the death of exclusive truth
(pluralism); the death of objective meaning (conventionalism);
the death of thinking (logic; i.e., anti-foundationalism); the
death of objective interpretation (deconstructionism); and the
45
death of objective values (subjectivism).

This anti-anything-concrete cultural mindset is becoming

increasingly prevalent in our churches today. There is a
growing liberalism. More churches are jettisoning a belief in
anything absolute—include moral absolutes. As a result, fewer

can only a thing as is seems to be for me. This is epistemological

agnosticism.
44
Friedrich Nietzsche was famous for exclaiming “God is Dead!”
See Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, The Portable Nietzsche, trans. Walter
Arnold Kaufmann Viking Portable Library (New York: Penguin Books,
1976), 124.
45
See the topic of “Post-Modernism in the Church: The Emergent
Church” in Norman Geisler, “History of Philosophy and Christian Thought
II” (lecture, Veritas Evangelical Seminary, Murrieta, CA, 2013), lecture 7.

24
and fewer people are concerning themselves with dubious
things like whether it is immoral for their pastors to watch porn
on Monday mornings. It is simply irrelevant.

Another effect of Postmodernism has been the erosion of

biblical inerrancy. Protestant denominations are departing from
the long-held view that the Bible alone is the rule of faith and
practice. Full inerrancy is the view that all statements and
propositions in the Bible are binding on the life of the believer
because the Bible is inspired (from God), infallible (cannot fail)
and inerrant (without error). However, as leaders continue to
accommodate neo-evangelical views of inerrancy, this deals a
46
damaging blow to the Bible‟s inspiration and infallibility. As
inerrancy is redefined or jettisoned altogether, more people in
the church are becoming willing to consider portions of Paul‟s
writings—such as the requirements he gives for ministry or his
writing against homosexuality—to be merely his opinion, and
not morally binding. When inerrancy goes, so goes the
church‟s epistemological foundation—and with it the church‟s
moral standard.

46
See Shawn Nelson, “Inerrancy: What‟s at Stake for the Next
Generation?,” Defending Inerrancy, 2014, accessed November 21,
2016, http://defendinginerrancy.com/inerrancy-next-generation/.

25
Third Cultural Shift: Purpose of
Marriage (1960s+)
Pastors who decide to divorce and remarry are following
a radical shift in the way our culture views marriage.
Sociologist Robert Bellah says we have replaced the older
“obligation” model of marriage with a newer “therapeutic”
model. “Where previous generations saw marriage as a social
relationship bringing enduring obligations, many contemporary
Americans define marriage as an expression of individual
47
freedom and a path to self-fulfillment and growth.” People
are more acutely concerned about their own levels of
satisfaction within a marriage context. When a person is no
longer happy (even pastors)—when they feel their needs are
not being met—they are more likely today to leave their
relationship in hopes of achieving a more fulfilling partnership.
Divorce and remarriage with the goal of obtaining a more
optimistic relationship has become more acceptable.

47
Robert Bellah quoted in Stevenson-Moessner, The Pastor as
Moral Guide, 80, emphasis mine.
26
There are fewer people outside the church today speaking out
against divorce because divorce has become commonplace
within our culture.

“Fifty percent of all American marriages begun in the

late „60s have already ended in divorce. We saw a 250
percent increase in divorce between 1960 and 1980.
While divorce rose sharply, marriage rates declined by 30
percent and cohabitation rose by 600 percent (Gallagher
48
1996, 5).”

More than one out of three American children are now from
49
broken homes (thirty-seven percent). Even more alarming,
this increase in divorce has actually fueled more divorce and
broken homes. Children from divorced homes divorce at higher
50 51
rates. They also marry at lower rates. The rate of children
born outside of marriage (thirty percent) has nearly tripled in
52
two decades.

48
Ibid., 79.
49
Barbara Ehrenreich, Fear of Falling: the Inner Life of the Middle
Class (New York: Pantheon, 1989), 80 quoted in Stevenson-
Moessner, The Pastor as Moral Guide, 79.
50
The Pastor as Moral Guide, 79.
51
Ibid.
52
Ibid.

27
 There are also fewer people inside the church speaking
out against divorce. “Many members of the clergy, especially
mainline Protestant pastors, stopped speaking out against
53
divorce so as not to alienate struggling congregants.” “Where
Christian texts from earlier generations were unambiguous in
their judgment of divorce and adultery, some recent books
54
offer little or no judgment.” Divorce is not as taboo of a
subject as it once was—even among the clergy.

Fourth Cultural Shift: Technological

Revolution (1995+)
A fourth major factor is the recent technological
revolution. Modern media has increased temptation and many
in the church are its victims. “We live in a world where
stimulation confronts us from every angle. The messages and

53
Julie Zauzmer, “How Decades of Divorce Helped Erode Religion,”
The Washington Post, September 27, 2016, accessed November 21,
2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-
faith/wp/2016/09/27/how-decades-of-divorce-helped-erode-
religion/?utm_term=.1773d1b73933.
54
The Pastor as Moral Guide, 81.

28
 55
images in the media elevate the probability of failure.” It is
very easy today for a pastor to be involved in secret sin. Smart
phones can access anything computers can access, yet they are
mobile and activity can be easily hidden from others. Nearly
any type of content can be streamed on-demand.

“Pornography is everywhere, and it isn‟t going away

anytime soon. The horizon is dark with porn‟s presence.
The age of mobile devices has increased accessibility to
porn at nearly all times in nearly every place. With
technology advancing, the presence of Virtual Reality
equipment only makes the offerings of sin more enticing.
Jesus promised temptation will come, and he was not
56
lying (Luke 17:1).”

Cultural attitudes about pornography are changing as

well. It used to be taboo to talk about the subject in the past.
Today, according to data collected from the Barna Group, it is
clear that pornography does not have the same social taboo it
57
once did. While most Americans still believe porn is “bad for

55
Ray Carroll, Fallen Pastor: Finding Restoration in a Broken
World (Folsom, CA: Civitas Press, 2011), 12.
56
Garrett Kell, “12 Observations After Reading the Porn
Phenomenon,” Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, August 3, 2016,
accessed November 21, 2016, http://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/12-
observations-after-reading-the-porn-phenomenon.
57
David Kinnaman, “The Porn Phenomenon,” Barna, February 5,
2016, accessed November 21, 2016, https://www.barna.com/the-porn-
phenomenon/.

29
society,” this trend is changing. “Attitudes are shifting toward
58
neutrality or „good for society‟ among younger generations.”

“When they talk about porn with friends, 89% of

teens, and 95% of young adults say they do so in a
neutral, accepting, or encouraging way. That is, only one
in 20 young adults and one in 10 teens say their friends
59
think viewing pornography is a bad thing.”

The Barna data also shows that slightly more than half of
pastors (53%) do not think pornography is a problem at their
60
church. Yet 68% of church going men regularly view
pornography. Three-quarters of young Christian adults (76%)
in church are actively involved in it. Nearly half (49%) believe
61
“all or most of their friends” view it.

Pastors themselves are not immune to this increase in

tempting media. Josh McDowell recently commissioned a

58
Ibid.
59
Ibid.
60
Emily McFarlan Miller, “Summit Hopes to „Set Free‟ Christians
from Porn,” Crosswalk.com, April 6, 2016, accessed November 21,
2016, http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/summit-hopes-to-set-
free-christians-from-porn.html.
61
“Porn Use in Church Continues to Escalate,” Charisma News,
September 1, 2016, accessed November 21,
2016, http://www.charismanews.com/sponsored-content/59612-porn-use-
in-church-continues-to-escalate.

30
survey through the Barna Group to see how devastating
pornography has been to the church.

“Most pastors (57%) and youth pastors (64%) admit

they have struggled with porn, either currently or in the
past. Overall, 21% of youth pastors and 14% of pastors
admit they currently struggle with using porn. About 12%
of youth pastors and 5% of pastors say they are addicted
62
to porn.”

It is alarming to think that most pastors in across America have

struggled with pornography. What was the condition of their
family, marriage and ministry life like during their time of
struggle? And what about the one out of twenty pastors (5%)
who admitted they are currently outright addicted to
pornography? How can these things be?

Treasures in Jars of Clay

It‟s a well-known adage: “There is no perfect church
because churches are made of people and people aren‟t
perfect.” Evangelicals firmly believe that effective ministry
comes from the filling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has a
central role in building Christ‟s church. This can be seen in
Luke 24:49 when Jesus told his disciples to “tarry in the city of

62
Miller, “Summit Hopes to „Set Free‟ Christians from Porn.”

31
Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
Christian ministers are merely instruments through whom God
produces kingdom-building results on earth. Yet no instrument
on this side of heaven is perfect. Not even Paul (who gave the
list of pastoral requirements above) claimed to be perfect. He
flatly denied that he had “already attained, or am already
perfected.” (Phil. 3:12). While Christians have all sins forgiven
they still retain a fallen, sinful nature. Paul himself described a
struggle coming from his sinful nature this way:

“For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal,

sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not
understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice;
but what I hate, that I do… But now, it is no longer I who
do it, but sin that dwells in me.” (Rom. 7:14-15, 17)

The biblical promise is that those who “walk in the Spirit”

are the victors who “shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Gal
5:16; Jn. 15:1-8). But the challenge is that the Christian
minister, like any Christian, lives in a world of tension between
wanting the leading of the Holy Spirit and following the
promptings of the flesh (Mt. 26:41; Mk. 14:38).

Because of this tension, Rebekah Miles, a Professor of

Ethics and Practical Theology, says that we need both a higher

32
 63
and lower view of ministry. Pastors are idealists but they also
need to be realists. They are idealists in that they strive to be
like Christ and carry on the Great Commission in the power of
God but they also need to be practical. On one hand, their job
consists of kingdom work; on the other hand, their job consists
of bane duties like any other non-clergy related job.

“Pastors and parishioners expect too much of ordained

ministers, romanticizing both the role and person. A more
realistic view of pastors and ministry would plan for sin,
prompting Christians to set up procedures to protect
pastors and parishioners from pastors and parishioners…
Ordained ministry is no more free from toil, sin, or
64
impermanence than other jobs.”

The cold, hard reality is that pastors will sin. It is

precisely for this reason that books such as Sexual Temptation:
Establishing Guardrails and Winning the Battle and Dangers,
Toils, and Snares: Mastering Ministry openly talk about the
65
need for setting up an accountability for moral protection.
“Given the right circumstances, the best among us is capable of

63
The Pastor as Moral Guide, 121.
64
Ibid.
65
Randy Alcorn, Sexual Temptation: Establishing Guardrails and
Winning the Battle (Sandy, OR: Eternal Perspective Ministries Publishing,
2011).

33
 66
the most unimaginable sins.” As such, we need a hopeful
realism but a chastened idealism. Pastors are sinners with
67
greater responsibility. We need to expect the best but plan
68
for the worst. Planning for the worst involves taking proactive
steps to ensure that a pastor does not “suffer shipwreck with
regard to the faith.” (1 Tim. 1:19)

Example of Practical, Preventative

Steps: How to Avoid Adultery
How can preventative steps be taken to avoid moral
failure in ministry? Consider the scandal at the topic of the list:
adultery. The Pastor as Moral Guide suggests that adultery can
be avoided if a pastor is aware of three job-related risk factors
unique to the parish.

The first risk a pastor factor is the nature of the pastor‟s

counseling relationship. It is the pastor‟s job to meet with
vulnerable churchgoers experiencing crisis. In most cases the

66
Richard Exley, Mark Galli, and John Ortberg, Dangers, Toils and
Snares: Resisting the Hidden Temptations of Ministry (Sisters, OR:
Multnomah Books, 1994), 113.
67
The Pastor as Moral Guide, 121.
68
Ibid., 122.

34
parishioner has unmet needs and a desire to be heard.
Through counseling, a deep and emotional intimacy is formed
between the counselee and counselor. This intimacy, if not
bridled, can become the forerunner of sexual intimacy between
69
the two through ever escalading advances.

The second risk factor is the role between pastor and

friend is blurred. People going to a professional counselor or
therapist normally do not see each other outside the
counselor‟s office. They meet for a fixed time and keep the
discussion on topic. However, the pastor is more than a
counselor—and is expected to continually interact with and
70
work alongside the very people he counsels.

The third risk factor given is clerical bad habits:

“Pastors work longer hours and have greater job stress

than most professionals. They isolate themselves, not
seeking support from colleagues or intimacy with friends.
Many pastors have high needs for praise and approval.
They like to be needed. All of these factors can raise a
pastor‟s risk… The problem could be depression, work
burnout, trouble with marriage or other significant

69
Ibid., 108.
70
Ibid., 110.

35
 relationships, or any other factor that leaves the pastor
71
more vulnerable and needy.”

By proactively watching for danger signs and setting up

procedures for accountability pastors can avoid wandering
72
down the wrong path. Examples of practical prevention
include exhortations to: “Watch for signs that you are attracted
73
to a parishioner.” “Watch for signs that a parishioner might
74
be attracted to you.” “Be especially vigilant in times of
75
vulnerability.” “Be particularly attentive if the parishioner is
76
having marital problems.” “Counsel in your office only when
other people are in the building. Leave your door unlocked.
Consider getting rid of blinds or curtains. Have a window put in
the office door and position your chair where you (but not the
77
parishioner) can be seen at any time.” “If you need to meet a
78
parishioner outside the office, find a public place.” “If you are

71
Ibid.
72
Ibid., 107.
73
Ibid., 111.
74
Ibid., 112.
75
Ibid.
76
Ibid.
77
Ibid., 113.
78
Ibid.

36
uncomfortable or sense that the other person is uncomfortable,
79
refrain from touch.” On the positive note, there are many
pastors who are successful in avoiding adultery by mitigating
the risks. “For every pastor who has wandered into
misconduct, there are twice as many who narrowly avoided
80
it.”

Practical preventative steps can be done to curtail sexual

abuse as well. Churches can and should conduct background
checks, install windows in nurseries and play areas, and require
81
at least two adults in a room with a child. Preventative steps
can be taken to help with pornography abuse: such as requiring
staff to have filters installed on computers, giving spouses
passwords and passphrases to phones, having periodic
accountability meetings where tough, direct questions are
asked about the usage of pornography. The same meetings
could include discussion of other temptations, such as
drug/alcohol abuse or whether any financial compromises
where made since the last meeting.

79
Ibid.
80
Ibid., 108.
81
Allen, “Insurance Companies Shed Light On Extent of Sex Abuse
in Protestant Churches.”

37
Returning to Ministry after Moral
Failure?
What about the possible return to ministry after moral
failure? These types of discussions typically surface with moral
failures such as adultery, pornography, narcotics and/or alcohol
abuse and extortion. What if a pastor is involved in one of
these areas but then restored over time to a Christ-like walk?
Is the pulpit an appropriate place for a pastor who has had a
catastrophic moral failure?

In the case of adultery there are scholars on both sides.

John MacArthur adamantly says no return is possible after
adultery: “We believe the Bible clearly teaches that once a man
fails in the area of sexual morality, he is unqualified for pastoral
82
ministry any longer.” Others find room for restoration, albeit
with proper caution. Focus on the Family says that a return
should be rare: “Restoration to the pulpit after a moral failure
should happen on very rare occasions and only after much

82
MacArthur, Pastoral Ministry, 68.

38
prayer and firm assurance that the fallen pastor has truly found
83
healing and forgiveness from God.”

Those advocating a return to ministry emphasize using

caution because the immoral pastor is used to being a liar and
hiding the activity. It is easy for an immoral pastor to deceive
both others and himself. “He has grown accustomed to living
with self-deceit. He has developed an elaborate system to
84
rationalize his inexplicable behavior.” He will often rationalize
85
or minimize his behavior. The prospect of losing wife, family
and career (i.e., income) can further pressure the fallen pastor
86
to minimize and dismiss sin.

83
Chris Fabry, Pastoral Restoration: The Path to
Recovery (Colorado Springs, CO: Focus on the Family, 2007), 11,
accessed November 21, 2016,
http://media.focusonthefamily.com/pastoral/pdf/PAS_PastoralRestoration.
pdf.
84
Exley, Dangers, Toils and Snares, 146.
85
Stevenson-Moessner, The Pastor as Moral Guide, 116.
86
Earl D. Wilson, Restoring the Fallen: A Team Approach to Caring,
Confronting and Reconciling (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press,
1997), 19.

39
Proper Concern for the Pastor
The author of Restoring the Fallen gives three general
responses churches have to fallen leaders: (1) “Cheap grace”
proponents advocate immediate forgiveness and restoration of
responsibilities upon confession without any long-term evidence
of repentance and correction. (2) “Banish” proponents follow a
legalistic approach which “cast[s] the sinner out” swiftly so
church life can continue with as little interruption as possible;
(3) “Ignore” proponents simply ignore the problem pretending
87
it never happened. However, “The missing component in
each of these commonly applied methods is true restoration;
88
bringing a person back.” While the Lord is very concerned
about His church, he surely is also concerned about the fallen
pastor‟s heart and the broken lives of those in his immediate
circle who are feeling the pain. The church must not only be
concerned about its health but also the welfare of the pastor‟s
heart.

87
Ibid., 13-16 and 126.
88
Ibid. 15

40
Determining if a Return is Possible
The following counsel is given to help determine if a
return to ministry is possible. Was the fall a one-time event or
was there a pattern? Consider adultery again. If there was an
ongoing pattern of immoral conduct this is a good indication of
deeper rooted addictive behavior. The pastor who has a
pattern of ongoing failure is likely to commit it again if nothing
89
changes. Extra caution should be given. “There is a
difference between the minister who falls once, voluntarily
confesses his sinful failure, and submits to a restoration
90
process, and the minister trapped in an immoral lifestyle.”
Ongoing adultery, for example, is a complex set of issues.

“The way the man relates to his spouse, his self-image

and sexual identity, his lifestyle and work habits. These
cannot be worked through in a brief encounter or in a few
days away in retreat. Nor can they be adequately
addressed while the minister is still enmeshed in ministry.
The pressures are simply too great, the temptation to

89
D.A. Carson, “The SBJT Forum: Do You Think That a Fallen
Christian Leader Can Ever Be Restored? If Not, Why Not? But If So, under
What Conditions?,” Gospel Translations, June 9, 2010, accessed
November 21,
2016, http://gospeltranslations.org/wiki/The_SBJT_Forum:_Do_you_think
_that_a_fallen_Christian_leader_can_ever_be_restored%3F_If_not,_why_
not%3F_But_if_so,_under_what_conditions%3F.
90
Exley, Dangers, Toils and Snares, 143.

41
 return to the familiar routine too compelling—a routine
that originally contributed to the problem. Therefore the
fallen minister must be removed from active ministry if he
91
is going to be restored both spiritually and vocationally.”

Another question is whether the fallen pastor‟s witness

and credibility has been destroyed. D.A. Carson puts it this
way:

“Sometimes a church is so sentimentally attached to its

pastor that even when he falls into grievous sin, many in
the church, perhaps even the majority, will be happy to
let him remain in pastoral office, provided he shows
adequate signs of repentance. But what about the
outsiders? Do they look at his adultery, nod knowingly,
and smirk? Is Christ‟s name debased, not only because
the pastor has committed adultery but also because the
church has indicated it does not mind being led by a man
who cannot keep his zipper up? Has this pastor so lost his
credibility that when he preaches on anything to do with
morality and integrity, a surfeit of polite sighs will escape
from either the believers or the unbelievers or from
92
both?”

There is also the question of time: how much time should

a pastor wait before reentering ministry? Overnight restoration
cannot be healthy. D.A. Carson stated, “We too are appalled

91
Ibid., 143-144.
92
Carson, “The SBJT Forum: Do You Think That a Fallen Christian
Leader Can Ever Be Restored?”

42
by the „quick and simple‟ restoration to leadership we often see
93
today. Restoration is a process, not an instantaneous event.”
But is three months enough time? It is likely not enough.
Carson added, “I am quite certain that the kind of three month,
self- imposed withdrawal of Jimmy Swaggart, followed by his
self-declared fitness for return to pastoral office, is a sad
94
joke.” What about twelve months—or two, three, even five
years? Those who advocate a return to ministry is possible are
not as concerned about time requirements as whether a true
restoration has actually taken place. In one case, a team of
people involved in the restoration of a fallen pastor allowed a
return to very limited formal ministry involvement at the end of
95
his third year of structured restoration process. But each case
needs to be evaluated on its own.

The Road Ahead

No church wants to go through a fallen pastor restoration
process. But the truth is that pastors do fall—and they are
falling at an alarming rate. The decline of moral character has

93
Ibid.
94
Ibid.
95
Wilson, Restoring the Fallen, 167.

43
put the church in a precarious position today. While we agree
with the idea that morals matter in the church, our practice
often denies this. The first step to any serious change is to be
become aware that an issue exists. It is my sincerest desire
that this short book has served to make the issue aware to
more people within the modern church. May the Lord have
mercy upon the 21st century church and help us to make
godliness, holiness and moral character the center of our
activity once again. Amen!

44
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