Posted on 02/25/2021 7:24:10 AM PST by SeekAndFind
As a former Muslim, one of the most appealing aspects of Christianity is that God commands monogamy. So it especially pains me seeing the numerous sex scandals pouring out of the evangelical church recently.
In an article in The Christian Post, many well-known pastors and leaders have come out strongly against the despicable abuse committed by the late Ravi Zacharias, ranging from rape, spiritual abuse, and unwanted touching of numerous women. They encourage not only repentance of any leaders still engaging in illicit sexual behavior, but they also advocate for accountability of all church leaders who are in a position to manipulate the spiritual and emotional needs of their members. Though first accused in 2017 of unwanted sexual advances, Zacharias's conduct went unchallenged and was only revealed upon his death.
And this past November, news broke that former Hillsong Church Pastor Carl Lentz was fired for "leadership issues and moral failures" after one of several extramarital affairs became public. Though Lentz is now removed from his leadership position at Hillsong, a staff member also reported his inappropriate conduct as far back as 2017, but it was vehemently denied.
In both cases, action is only taken once the behavior becomes publicly undeniable and many lives are irreparably harmed. As Southern Baptist leader Russell Moore so aptly put it regarding the Zacharias sex abuse reveal, "This awful report — coming on the heels of so many other situations detailed before — should rouse the conscience to ask not just how sadists can get into places of Christian leadership, but whether we have created a situation where the very presence of a conscience is an impediment to advancement in…. some sectors of American Christianity."
I was a devoted Muslim for over 20 years and can attest to the abuse that many Muslim women endure – the worse of which is being forced into illegal, polygamous relationships where both the women and children have no legal rights and are subject to constant mistreatment and ridicule in the community. Though many Muslim men do not engage in polygamy, the practice is permissible under Islamic law. That air of legitimacy causes the most harm because it gives the man a religious justification to force a woman's acceptance. For myself and other former Muslim women, one of the most attractive teachings of Christianity is about marriage. A husband and wife become one flesh[1] and have a responsibility to one another of honor and love.[2] Adultery and other forms of sexual depravity are repeatedly condemned throughout the Bible. The Apostle Paul explicitly warns believers that God's wrath will come on the "sons of disobedience" who engage in sexual sin.[3] Jesus said even lusting after a woman was committing adultery in the heart.[4] With such stern warnings, how can we allow such behavior to go unchecked in the Church?
Simply apologizing after the fact that Christian leaders are caught and wishing them well in their future endeavors is not solving the problem, nor is it creating a sense of accountability. For the rest of the Church, who has to face the ridicule of outsiders who accuse us of hypocrisy and corruption, such an approach is offensive. Church members, elders, and leaders must demand stricter policies for investigating claims of misconduct if they want to demonstrate their commitment to the Gospel of Christ.
The Lord warns, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves."[5] Being aware means the onus is on us to safeguard the community against people who could harm the body of believers with false doctrine. Whether it is outright misstatements of God's word or actions that implicitly condone conduct against Biblical doctrine, allowing such behavior to go unchecked can have far-reaching consequences. It not only damages the reputation of Christians as a whole but causes irreparable harm to the many who suffer at the hands of these individuals.
In contrast, the Lord tells us, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged."[6] Though tension exists between these two concepts, many other tenets of the Gospel warn that teachers will be held to a higher standard and encourage the body of believers to confess their sins to one another and to admonish fellow believers who are stuck in sin.
Viewed in its totality, the Gospel teaches us accountability and holiness. "For the Scriptures say, 'You must be holy because I am Holy.'"[7] The Church is one body, and when one part is hurting, we all suffer. Each of us has a responsibility to live a life that honors one another and the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. Though all of us at times fall short, the Lord holds our leaders to an even higher standard, and the Church should do the same. Yes, judgment is for God alone, but that is not an excuse to let evil actions run rampant. If we fail to hold fast to the sacred tenets that set us apart as followers of Christ, we risk becoming the exact type of people that Christ warned us about. "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'[8]
[1] Mark 10:6–9
[2] 1 Peter 3:7
[3] Ephesians 5:3-6
[4] Mathew 5:28
[5] Mathew 7:15
[6] Mathew 7: 1
[7] 1 Peter 1:16
[8] Mathew 7:22
Hedieh Mirahmadi was a devout Muslim for two decades working in the field of national security before she experienced the redemptive power of Jesus Christ and has a new passion for sharing the Gospel. She dedicates herself full-time to Resurrect Ministry, an online resource that harnesses the power of the Internet to make salvation through Christ available to people of all nations, and her daily podcast LivingFearlessDevotional.com.
Yes and no. We as Christians have to hold leaders accountable, and earlier. Systems somehow have to be in place.
We read of the qualifications of elders/bishops/leaders in 1 Timothy and elsewhere. Presumably we need to be diligent in making sure our leaders are fulfilling those requirements. I feel like once a man elder/leader is installed it’s too hard to question his words/actions. We are supposed to honor our leaders and assume the best of everyone but it seems we take that too far. We need accountability checks and so forth.
Good points. We need to keep pointing people to the God’s Word and disciple children and new believers to hold fast to that foundation rather than trusting in men. If anyone sees that the Bible is not the foundation of a church, house church or any other “Christian” gathering, but rather that it is based on the charisma and popularity of a pastor or other leader, they need to warn others and get out.
(Ideally talk to the leader first and try to get them on the right side, but if they make light of the issue or refuse to point to the Bible instead of themselves in all that they teach, they need to be exposed, confronted and rejected before a crisis occurs.)
The problem is that us “protestants” are not really “organized” like the Catholics. I was not a follower of this guy, so it doesn’t have the impact on me that it would if he were the pastor of my church. It also means I have no control of it.
But people really don’t surprise me. I just keep falling back on the King David example. Heck, I was cleaning up one of my church’s elders computer for him about 25 years ago and found a bunch of x-rated jpg’s. And truth be told, I even had a problem with it.
As far as I’m concerned, the Lord can’t come too soon. We disgust me.
Yeah and any system only works if implemented.
Presbyterian church government is pretty biblical and good. But I don’t always see it IMPLEMENTED. I have seen two elders demit the ministry but it took too long and they were not publicly denounced and they should have been, according to scripture.
I mean what did we learn? That if we sin egregiously and unrepentantly we will be quietly set aside, maybe an email sent with decorous language. Not much fear put into anyone with that.
I fully agree with that church. When it comes to abuse, there is absolutely no room for internal investigations.
I know of one large church. An abuse allegation came forward from a couple boys. Within minutes the police were called.
As a senior volunteer with a national Christian youth organization, protection of our youth is a huge priority. We strive for better than world class
Can we quit with the passive voice when Christians do wrong? Nothing happened to Zacharias et. al
They did it to others, it was a sin, they threw out stumbling blocks, and conservatives need to be as honest and demanding of our own as we are of liberals. Hypocrisy reeks regardless of who is being hypocritical.
Don’t see ANY sign a church of 50 is more likely to fall into a cult of personality. It is just too hard to HIDE what that personality is. And if it DID happen, far fewer would be affected.
I’m not sure what this author contributed to the conversation that is of actual value.
PS. If this author is legitimizing Russell Moore by quoting him, then I venture to say this author will likely not be a part of the solution, but is actually part of the problem.
First off you are reading the Christian Post, which it isn’t. It is a rag sheet that is only trying to undermine the faith of Christian. Truly a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
RE: First off you are reading the Christian Post
Can you please comment on the author’s article. I don’t deal with ad hominems.
Well said!
I've been in good ones and a couple of bad ones. I strongly recommend:
1) A mission statement
2) A policy document, with rules or expectations clearly hashed out
3) Rotating leadership, or at least rotating devotions.
Is your group going to be denomination-based, or ecumenical? Are you going to discuss theology, or stick to textual study of the Bible? Are your members strong enough to say "no" to infractions of rules?
Some people will try to use prayer-focused groups to pass or receive gossip, to form sidebar friendships that will cling to certain members of the group and pointedly exclude others, or to receive emotional therapy. There need to be lines drawn.
One of the rules should be keeping socializing to an absolute minimum. No coffee and cake at the meetings so that there will be no social competition for hosting or hostessing. No field trips with mixed sex singles in cars on long drives, or necessitating restaurant stops. No gift-giving, secret Santas, etc. Absolutely no drinking.
Complete misinterpretation. Judge others to a high standard and be held to the same high standard.
Agreed. It's important to be discerning and gather evidence before leaping to a conclusion; but there would be no basis for rebuking sinners in a church if there were no scriptural basis for judgement.
"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." —John 7:24 KJV
This entire episode has been confounding. How could he preach the things he preached if he did not truly believe in the whole of the Bible's message to body, mind and soul?
Your post above has made me think that perhaps he got caught up in his own intellect. Because he obviously had high intelligence and a gift for language, he never gave his heart to Jesus in total surrender. What a shame—literally.
The admonition not to eat from the tree of knowledge springs to mind. Of course it is impossible to avoid gaining some knowledge to get through life, but how he could scam others to cover his "habit" (I can't even credit him with the words "guilt" or "shame" in the absence of evidence), is disgraceful. His poor wife and daughter, his workers in his ministry, his mentees, and of course his victims.
That's like the time a grown son stops off at Dad and Mom's on the way to his own apartment from a road trip and she offers to do his laundry, and finds a condom in his pants pocket. Does she say anything? Not say anything? Throw it away? Return it but point out that she didn't put it through the dryer? Ask him if there's anything they need to discuss? Make her husband talk to him, knowing he probably will give him a high-five?
I’ve spent most of my Christian life in churches with less than 50 members. Often under 30.
A home church or ANY church without socializing is ridiculous. That is how people get to know each other. To care for each other. To get involved with each other.
Policy? Whoever owns the home gets to set the rules, for as long as they meet in that home. Otherwise the church will be kicked out and then need to meet in someone else’s home.
What I’m seeing now is for a large church to sponsor meetings in homes. COVID has made listening to formal teaching in a sermon ONLINE acceptable and almost normal. A hybrid of a formal church with typical church structure - which varies enormously by denomination - and with much of the ministering done in individual homes. Maybe much of the mass meeting via Internet.
Something to think about. I think actual government persecution of the church is about to begin. We need to decentralize and start learning how to meet without all going to a big building somewhere at 11 AM Sunday.
RE: How could he preach the things he preached if he did not truly believe in the whole of the Bible’s message to body, mind and soul?
Same question could be asked of the two Kings of Israel who wrote Inspired scripture - King David and King Solomon.
How could someone who wrote some of the most comforting and inspiring Psalms conspire to have one of his trusted
soldiers murdered and then steal his wife?
How could one of the wisest men in the world, who wrote the Proverbs of wisdom commit idolatry and marry hundreds of pagan women?
If a county or person overcomes forms of affliction and or adversity, the most dangerous episode in a Christian life is usually success and forms of affluence.
While the devil works to induce one to quite striving amidst troubles and challenges, attacking the believers character and the faith and his future, tempting him to give in to the temptation of escape or an easier path, the overcomer of such can face the temptation of accomplishment, of attainment, and to reward himself for a job well done.
Here the devil commends the believer for his faith assures him of a bright future, and induces him to slack off for a well-deserved rest and carnal relaxation.
And since with esteem and attainment then often there is a lack of accountability, so yielding to the temptation to indulge the flesh is easier to do. As King David found. Thus we need to always be seeking to be in the battle, resting as needed, but so that we can continue the fight.
And I need to do better as emulating Paul who so0 well exampled what I just wrote:
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted [approved] of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:8-10)
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (1 Corinthians 9:25-27)
And as I just wrote, such success has its own test, which he failed in. And to some degree we all have or could,
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