No one ever expects or desires our spiritual leaders to fall, especially not succumbing to moral failures such as those of a sexual nature. As a pastor, my heart breaks to see so many celebrate the fall of leaders, even the ones who have been exposed for doing the most unthinkable acts. Although bad leaders who practice nefarious acts or minister with impure motives need to be exposed, exposure, especially of leaders, needs to be done correctly to avoid harming their congregation more. Where there is exposure, there will always be faithful followers who have been spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically hurt. The exposure should be done in a way that helps those who have been hurt to receive the closure and the counseling they need to heal. The victims must be handled with love and care, whether directly or indirectly affected. Any exposure must be done with the victims in mind at every step. I believe that the exposure of any leader needs to be done with the hope of guiding the fallen leader toward true repentance and reconciliation with God and not to destroy or discredit them. Good, bad, or indifferent, to celebrate the moral failures of another, is to position yourself up to stumble or fall.
Although the exposure of evil, mixture, and darkness is needed within the body, we must embrace the exposure of evil and darkness while also praying for the fallen, lost, and victimized, even if we discern that a leader’s motives were never purely about Jesus.
With that said, amidst all the scandals and alleged scandals being exposed in churches and famous ministers worldwide, it’s time that the church wakes up and learns from all the failures and mistakes of these individuals and institutions.
THE CHURCH, THE BRIDE
Here’s some truth. The church was never meant to be a place where we gather to celebrate and worship the mighty man or woman of God (pastor, apostle, prophet) or a group of “elect” leaders. To me, the church is a hospital (Mark 2:17), a family (Galatians 4:7), an equipping and training center (Ephesians 4:11-16), and a place for people to gather to pray and worship (Hebrews 10:25). The church is the Bride to whom Jesus is soon to return for. She is a sanctuary, a place for God’s people to gather safely, to be nurtured, and to encounter her Bridegroom.
I believe that many of the issues being exposed in churches, ministries, and ministers are happening because of a lack of accountability, integrity, and character in leadership, as well as embracing modern church culture that shuns biblical correction mixed with the worship of man and the pursuit of platform, position, and spotlight. Most churches have lost their reverence for God and their fear of Him. Today, the church, meant to be a light in a dark world, has transformed into a place for entertainment, with everyone fighting for the spotlight. Many churches and Christians have fallen asleep on their watch, become lazy, and apathetic, expecting the church and its leaders to provide all the substance and spiritual food they need to grow and mature.
PRAYER & MATURITY
In regards to leaders falling from grace, I believe that it is our role as the Body of Christ to fervently pray for them (1 Timothy 2:1-3), study the Bible on our own (2 Timothy 2:15), and lean on the Holy Spirit to discern people and doctrines correctly and to rightly divide the Word of God by the Holy Spirit and with wisdom (Hebrews 4:12). If the moral failure and actions of men or institution cause you to run from or question the goodness of God, you may have replaced the God with a man on the throne (Matthew 6:24). And you’ve been worshiping a man or woman in place of God (Matthew 4:10).
Acts 10:25-26 NASB
When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.”
IT’S PERSONAL
Following Christ is a personal decision (Romans 10:9), stewarded by each individual’s personal pursuit of Jesus through studying the Bible, cultivating a strong prayer life, living a life of worship, praying regularly in the Holy Spirit, surrounding ourselves with wise counsel, not forsaking the gathering of the saints, and seeking the presence and voice of God through the Holy Spirit and following the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Too many blame the church and its leaders for not providing them with the fruit of the work that Jesus commissioned them to do for themselves.
CALLING ALL LEADERS
As leaders, we must be transparent about our successes, strengths, victories, failures, and weaknesses. I have learned that transparent, vulnerable leaders raise humble leaders. We are raising them to recognize Christ above all others while leaning on His counsel through the Holy Spirit for all things. Leaders, we must surround ourselves with wise counsel who are unafraid to hold us accountable for everything, and we must be humble enough to listen to them. Remember, while leading, resist self-promotion by pointing all things back to Jesus, never allowing men to put us on a pedestal built on an inferior foundation.
Acts 12:21-23 NASB
On an appointed day, Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. The people kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.
DOING BETTER
Leaders, churches, and ministries, we must do better. We must do better at dividing good from evil without dividing the flock from one another. We must stand for righteousness and truth, even if it means lovingly correcting those we love at the risk of losing fellowship. Yes, the church has been invaded by goats and wolves, but we must not forget that the church is also still full of sheep of all maturity levels. We must love and love well and shine and shine bright.
Jonnathan Zin Truong
Pastor, God Manifest
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