Posted on 12/31/2009 10:16:01 AM PST by truthandlife
Pastor Paul Sheppard, senior pastor of the large Bay Area Church, Abundant Life Christian Fellowship, abruptly resigned this past weekend. Sheppard who is widely credited for growing the church from 300 members to well over 6,000 resigned due to a "moral crisis" in statement read to the congregation on Sunday.
According to sources who were in attendance at the church on Sunday, an associate pastor stood up for the morning announcments and read a letter from Pastor Paul Sheppard to the church. In the letter, Sheppard admitted having an extra marital affair. In addition, he asked forgiveness from his wife, Meredith, and from the members of Abundant Life Christian Fellowship. According to church members that The Church Report spoke with, all were shocked and saddened by the news.
Paul Sheppard had been the senior pastor of Abundant Life Christian church since 1989.Sheppard is also a board member of the National Religious Broadcasters and has served as a speaker at many large Christian conferences across the country including Promise Keepers, Family Life and others, according to his website.
Interim pastor, Wayne Jackson, released a statement, saying, "It is with great sadness that we announced this past weekend (December 19-20) the resignation of Pastor Paul Sheppard from our church. Pastor Paul had been the Senior Pastor of Abundant Life for the past 20 years, and his ministry touched countless lives. We honor God for Pastor Paul’s service and the good fruit borne of his ministry, even as we regret the circumstances of his resignation. Please join us in keeping Pastor Paul, Sister Meredith, and their family in prayer."
Calls to the church for comment were not returned.
It happens to the best of people. He’s being forthright and contrite, so he’s on the right road.
I agree with both of your statements.
The only complete and perfect Christian is sitting at the right hand of the Father right now.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. I hope & pray he really genuinely is seeking repentance.
It would be interesting to see the statistics on
% of infidelity among the public at large vs % infidelity among pastors of mega churches. I think the % would be disappointing.
I think one can be a committed, Bible believing, God fearing, evangelical Christian and question the feel good doctrine coming out of the mega churches and which dominates televangelism; about how simply turning all your problems over to God will result in financial and marital success.
It happens? As if the Devil made him do it? As if he had no choice? Is that how you explain your transgressions? They just "happen?"
This is so sad! I enjoyed his ministry. He no doubt, fell into the trap set by the enemy, satan. May God restore healing to him and his family as he did to King David in the Old Testament.
” happens” as in the story of David and Bethsheba!! We succumb to satan’s pull when we fail to resist the enemy.
Yes it happens to us all....”All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”....
some not in the area of sexual sin, but all have sinned!!
How about praying for the man’s wife that her heart not be crushed to dust, as it surely must be. The pastor can get run over by a truck as far as I’m concerned... think of the betrayal of trust this man has thrust upon his family and perishers. Burns me up, these mega church gurus, pocketing profits and living big in the dark. Ya God’ll forgive him ok, if he’s truly repentant but God won’t cancel the repercussions of the man’s actions... just sorry so many others will suffer because of him, the blanking blankety blank.
7 X 70
This information is inaccurate.
You created an account today just for this? A four word declaration with absolutely no corroboration? Why waste not only my time, but your own?
My pastor says everyone brings something to the table, so I told him that I have an in depth knowledge of sin. He couldn't help but laugh, even though it's true. I make no claims of piety because I know that if anyone needs salvation, it's me.
While everyone is indeed a sinner, not everyone is equipped to lead a congregation. The Scripture is clear that teachers and pastors actually must have conquered certain areas. In the case of this pastor, he had not. I bet his access to all the females in the congregation was like shooting fish in a barrel. I’ve seen this same scenario happen over and over. The poor wronged wife is played the fool by the weeping, “contrite” fool and his equally trashy mistress.
AMEN!
“
I used to listen to him when I was on business travel in Dallas.
I listened to him on the radio.
“
Took me a bit of time to realize Sheppard is the one with the
“Enduring Truth” radio show.
I checked for some articles on him...and give him credit for coming
clean before he was to appear at the NRB (National Religious Broadcasters)
meeting in late Feb.
He’s maybe a bit high on the volume level for me...but he sure did
seem to give sermons that were direct and straightforward.
I hope he finds his way back to the moral heading he did such an able
job of expounding in the pulpit. And that his wounded spouse, family,
friends and church staff are given the strength to “hang in there” for
the long haul.
Recent articles/links:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=%22Paul+Sheppard%22+%22Abundant+Life%22+%22radio%22&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
Clearly you’ve never met Pastor Paul or sat in one of his services! His kindness, understanding, wisdom, tireless effort, and wonderful humor were the key reasons that the ALCF church grew from nothing to 6,000 members under his stewardship.
In fact if anything I view this entire affair, however shocking and unexpected, as a clear reminder from God that NONE of us - not even a great pastor like Pastor Paul, who is easily the best man that I’ve ever encountered in 48 years of life - may live on earth without sin.
ALL of us have sinned, ALL of us will sin, ALL of our sins are equally egregious in the eyes of the Lord, and we must all pray for forgiveness and learn to forgive others when our sins happen.
what... you’ve committed adultery too? Sounds like your laying the groundwork for exposing your own moral delinquency in the hopes that it will pad your landing on impact. I have no idea who this “wonderful, tender, wise, empathetic” man is, all I know is that nothing you have said shows any since of proportion for what this man has done to his wife and family... I’m sick and tired of the “important” figures of our society living big till they get caught, then they send their sycophants out to plead forgiveness on their behalf. Like I said, I could care less if he got run over by a truck, that would likely be less painful for those around him than the pain he’s inflicted. I’ll bet his mistress felt the same as you.
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