Those rascally megachurches. They should be smaller.
Posted on 10/12/2024 8:50:52 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
In the past year, several high-profile Texas megachurch pastors have either stepped down or been dismissed due to what's been labeled as “immoral behavior” or “conduct unbecoming of a pastor.” These terms may sound vague, but they point to a troubling pattern of persistent wrongdoing, ranging from sexual misconduct to financial dishonesty and abuses of power.
It can be truly overwhelming for Christians when the leaders we trust and rely on for spiritual guidance end up falling from grace. The shock of betrayal can hit us hard. However, this isn’t just about personal failures or public relations disasters. The Bible speaks clearly about sin among leaders — those called to shepherd the flock, and when those standards are compromised, the consequences ripple through the entire body of Christ.
When a pastor falls, it shakes the faith of congregants, sows division, and can lead to spiritual disillusionment. The church is left grappling with feelings of betrayal, confusion, and hurt. It’s critical to recognize that these scandals don’t just affect the leader — they affect the entire flock. Ezekiel 34 speaks of shepherds who fail to care for their sheep, leading to their scattering.
Empathy is crucial for the congregation, victims, and even fallen leaders. However, it's essential to understand that empathy doesn't mean excusing or overlooking wrongdoing. We cannot compromise the truth of God's Word and cannot sweep egregious sin under the rug, hoping it will disappear.
The Scripture provides a guide for discipline and restoration and warns us about the seriousness of leading others astray. James 3:1 reminds us, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” There are weighty consequences when a leader is discovered engaging in sinful behavior, especially if it is habitual.
Scripture sets such high standards for those entrusted with spiritual authority. In his letter to the young pastor, Timothy, Paul speaks clearly about the qualifications of church leaders.
An overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil (1 Timothy 3:2-7).
When a pastor is caught or confesses to persistent sin, the church elders must take decisive action. This may involve the individual stepping down from any leadership roles they hold, undergoing a process of discipline and restoration, and implementing measures to ensure the safety and well-being of both the individual and the congregation.
Many pastors, under the pressure of ministry and the weight of leadership, find themselves isolated — without trusted counsel or support systems. This isolation makes them vulnerable to temptation and sin. Add this to what many pastors I've counseled have openly admitted to struggling with addictions like pornography, gambling, and excessive spending.
When we hear of another pastor falling, each occurrence serves as a poignant reminder that no one is exempt from the lure of temptation. Therefore, all of us must be vigilant in guarding our hearts, remaining close to the teachings of the Word of God, and holding ourselves accountable to our fellow believers.
What we can learn from this
First, we must speak out. The Church is called to be a place of truth and righteousness, and we cannot look the other way to sin within our leadership. In Ephesians 5:11, Paul commands us to “have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ignoring or covering up moral failures only compounds the damage and harms the church’s witness.
Second, it's important to highlight the need for leaders to be accountable. Pastors should not be seen as perfect and should have oversight. Like how Jesus sent His disciples out in pairs, it's wise to have shared leadership and mutual accountability. Churches should encourage pastors to seek advice, be open about their challenges, and have close relationships with other mature believers who can help them. Leaders need a support system to be honest about their struggles before they become big problems. Also, the church should prioritize a pastor's character over their charisma. It's easy to be impressed by a pastor's powerful preaching or ability to grow a congregation, but their relationship with Christ is more important.
Finally, as believers, we need to extend grace to one another. We do not excuse sin but recognize that we all fall short of God's glory. We can call sin what it is while offering a path toward repentance and healing.
In these challenging times, we are reminded that Christ remains faithful to His Church, guiding and building it even in turbulent times. It is important for us to move forward with discernment and a renewed sense of purpose, coming together to uphold the sanctity of our church and its leadership.
Bkmk for study
What this shows me is that once pastors/humans reach a certain “mega” level; the devil goes overtime and these weak men succumb to their base desires. Jesus is the example of what a righteous leader should be. A servant. Not a big shot.
#1. RUN, from all organized religion.
All they want is your money, your FREE work, and to bugger your kids.
All you need is Jesus. Don’t put your trust in “man”. Priests, pastors, ministers, and clergy are just humans. No special powers or knowledge. Trust God and His holy book.
One of my favorite Third Day songs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgeMHHbFslk&ab_channel=Charlesc28
Mountain of God by Third Day w/lyrics.
Intentionally so!
Regards,
When I see “Megachurch’ I translate that as “personality cult5” - that of the ‘pastor’.
Many of these fall apart after the head poopah gets caught out or dies.
Case in point - the Moonies.
Those rascally megachurches. They should be smaller.
I was thinking much the same thing.
gpod morning. in short, the bible charges BOTH the pastor AND the congregants with “checks and balances”.. its all there in ‘the letters’.
Really? I'd like to see the homework on this. Nothing comes to mind that is specifically relevant to the "restoration" of a Big Cheese who's been, say, molesting the youth group kids to a position of authority.
Mega churches are nothing more than a financial scam... To finance pedophiles and extravgagant lifestyle at the expense of idiots and uneducated believers.
That’s not what God set up.
You have now made yourself a church of one.
And it’s self worship.
What God set up was small bodies of believers wherever they lived. And the pattern in the book of Acts was to meet in houses.
And Scripture names many individual churches that were not part of the Roman church that Jesus recognized and addressed, as in Revelation 2 & 3.
And Paul wrote letters to the churches in Galatia, at Ephesus, Colossae, Philippi, Laodicea, Corinth, and recognized the church in Jerusalem and Antioch.
Mega churches such as Catholicism were NOT set up and established by God. They are the creation of power hungry, corrupt and immoral men who are still in charge of them today.
And Catholics calling their religion a *church* and *holy* and *apostolic* doesn’t make it so. There is nothing holy in an organization that ordains homosexuals and protects and enables pedos as Catholicism has all these centuries and there is nothing apostolic in its form of *worship* or masses.
1) It’s about money.
2) It’s about sex.
3) It’s about whatever the third thing is.
3) Power.
4) Control.
The only real restoration disucssed in the New Testament is the man found in sexual immorality with his father’s wife in 1st Corinthians. Paul said
1Co 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
In 2nd Corinthians, the man had repented and Paul said
2Co 2:6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
2Co 2:7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
2Co 2:8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
On general Gospel principles, sinners repent, are forgiven, and are restored to fellowship. However, there’s nothing in the Bible to suggest the man living with his father’s wife was in any kind of leadership position to which he would be “restored” at any point.
Power and control.
Just had a sermon on David this morning. To prove the point. Humans at the top, who have more than everything they need, blessed by God; it still isn’t enough.
There is a difference between megachurch pastors and episcopality.
Both are equally capable of falling, but a megapastor is more like a dictator of a little country - where he/she has totalitarian control, while the bishops-priests etc. are more like the US gubernatorial-presidential system.
The megachurch pastor has utter control over every aspect, like say Nguema in Equatorial Guinea, while a bishop or archbishop or pope or archbishop of canterbury still can’t control all.
Note that Jesus did leave us with a community that even in the 130s (during the time of Justin Martyr) had unity across the Roman AND Parthian empires and into Ethiopia and Armenia and to southern India.
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