Someone reading this article right now is a pastor who is living a life that you don’t want anyone else to know about.
You’re having an affair. Or you’ve stolen from the church. Or you’re hiding an addiction, a sexual fetish, or some other behavior that would ruin your ministry and devastate your family if it was found out.
I’m not prophesying anything, I’m going with the probabilities.
I love pastors. They are some of the most godly, moral, and good people I know. But given the hundreds (maybe thousands) of pastors who will read this article, it is undoubtedly true that some of you are keeping a horrible secret.
If This Is You . . .
I’m not writing this as a cynic or a Pharisee (hopefully), but as someone who loves pastors and grieves for you, your family, your congregation, and anyone who has been or will be victimized by your sinful secret.
As you read this, you suddenly have a very dry mouth. Your heart rate is rising. You’ve already looked around to see if anyone else can tell what you’re reading or how it’s affecting you.
You’re trying to remain calm while everything inside you is on fire.
I’m not trying to be spooky, or shame anyone. But we can’t ignore this or talk about it in general terms, anymore.
We Have To Talk About This
We have to talk about this massive elephant in the sanctuary. We’ve heard about too many pastors lately who have been living a double life.
If this is you, you need to do four things:
- Repent of your sin to God
- Confess to those who need to know
- Step down from your position of spiritual authority
- Submit to spiritual discipline and a biblical restoration process
And you need to start doing this today.
It will be the hardest thing you’ve ever done. But doing it voluntarily instead of hoping someone else doesn’t expose you (which someone will), is your best chance at long-term health, hope, and restoration. Both for you and for those who have been and will be hurt.
No More Ignoring The Reality
The church can’t afford to keep turning a blind eye to this.
You can’t afford to keep doing something that is killing you from the inside out.
I’m not being legalistic. This is not about an occasional drink, or a too-long glance at a sexual situation on your phone late at night (although that must be dealt with too, because that’s where these problems start.) I’m talking about life-shattering immoral behavior that is hurting you, your ministry, and whoever you’re sinning with.
It. Must. Stop.
Before we set any more attendance goals, before we launch any more ten-year plans, we need to clean our own house from the inside out.
Integrity demands it.
This May Be A Permanent Goodbye To The Pulpit
In many cases, your long-term emotional and spiritual health may require that you never come back to full-time ministry again. You need to accept that possibility. The temptation of the platform may be too strong for you to resist.
Plus, the damage to others may be too deep for you to be entrusted with such a position of spiritual authority again. Yes, some failed ministers can be restored, but true repentance requires you to be willing to lay it all down, if necessary.
No back doors, no favoritism, no shortcuts.
No More Manipulation
This is not an attempt at emotional manipulation. We’ve all had enough of that.
It’s a prayer.
A prayer that the Spirit will convict us, that God will guide us, and that Jesus will heal us.
One pastor at a time, one church at a time, one secret sin at a time.
And it starts when your sin isn’t a secret any longer.
(Photo by Gregorio Puga Bailón | Flickr)
