A Serious Question About Moral Failure and Ministry
If Bentley had not been a prolific, nationally known minister...say a missions pastor or an executive pastor of a medium sized subarban church...and he had ministered faithfully for many years before hand...and had a moral failure (affair)...let's say it went on for a couple of months then he was confronted by friends, the sin was made known to the congregation, he admitted his wrong, ended the affair for good, asked for forgiveness and made restitution as best he could, reconciled with his wife. His wife fully forgave him and supported him he did not try to hide it in any future ministry...how long do you feel he should wait before he returned to ministry?
Please...I want some serious, thoughtful answers on this one. Don't be hasty and judgemental, but also be honest how you would feel about it and if you attended the church where this person was a pastor how you would feel about it.
If you found out your pastor had had a moral failure, how much time would have to have elapsed for you to feel comfortable with him as your pastor?
Would it make a difference if it was a different church? Why?
How long would be long enough?
When would you feel comfortable with them as a minister?
Do you think a moral failure makes someone unfit for ministry?
Do you think a moral failure in the past makes a person less capable to be a minister or does failure make them more compassionate and possibly a better person and minister for it?
I like what Jesus said myself. "Who told you,that you were naked?" seems to me man still doesn't understand what God see. fig leaves is all man see's. Look out here comes another stone!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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If the minister has someone within his denomination with sufficient leadership skills and experience to work through the process with the fallen pastor and if the pastor submits to that discipline, then returning to the pulpit should not be a problem.
Otherwise no. Sounds like he was more sorry he got caught than heartbroken over the adultery.
__________________
...the Prince of Peace shall soon crush Satan under my feet.
Romans 16:20 (old NASB) Inspired by the Holy Spirit: Written by Paul: Claimed by Debra
If the minister has someone within his denomination with sufficient leadership skills and experience to work through the process with the fallen pastor and if the pastor submits to that discipline, then returning to the pulpit should not be a problem.
Otherwise no. Sounds like he was more sorry he got caught than heartbroken over the adultery.
Ok let's say he submits to the discipline...how long does the discipline last, when do you feel is it OK for him to return to the pulpit?
I heard a sermon by Danny Silk entitled "Unpunishable". The entire sermon is excellent, and he talks about a real life situation very similar to what you've described in your OP. I'll have to see if I can find the full audio, but take a look at this short 5-minute compilation of clips in the meantime;
If Bentley had not been a prolific, nationally known minister...say a missions pastor or an executive pastor of a medium sized subarban church...and he had ministered faithfully for many years before hand...and had a moral failure (affair)...let's say it went on for a couple of months then he was confronted by friends, the sin was made known to the congregation, he admitted his wrong, ended the affair for good, asked for forgiveness and made restitution as best he could, reconciled with his wife. His wife fully forgave him and supported him he did not try to hide it in any future ministry...how long do you feel he should wait before he returned to ministry?
Please...I want some serious, thoughtful answers on this one. Don't be hasty and judgemental, but also be honest how you would feel about it and if you attended the church where this person was a pastor how you would feel about it.
Ok...
If you found out your pastor had had a moral failure, how much time would have to have elapsed for you to feel comfortable with him as your pastor?
If I were without moral failures on a daily basis I could probably give a set number of days. But since Christ already atoned for all of my moral failures, and presumably the same is true of any saved person including pastors I'd have to say however long it took him to confess to God and repent
Would it make a difference if it was a different church? Why?
A man of God is a man of God without regard to what church he shepherds.
How long would be long enough?
However long it takes him to confess and repent.
When would you feel comfortable with them as a minister?
See above.
Do you think a moral failure makes someone unfit for ministry?
No and if anyone actually believes this to be true then they should consider that there would never be any ministry if moral failure made anyone unfit.
Do you think a moral failure in the past makes a person less capable to be a minister or does failure make them more compassionate and possibly a better person and minister for it?
I believe a moral failure that someone is able to overcome makes them a better minister for that particular issue. For example someone who has overcome alcoholism is a better minister to alcoholics than a teetotaler.
Ok let's say he submits to the discipline...how long does the discipline last, when do you feel is it OK for him to return to the pulpit?
That would have to be determined by the leadership. If based only on MY feelings it would be never. My trust and confidence of his ability to return to the pulpit would be in the leadership over him.
__________________
...the Prince of Peace shall soon crush Satan under my feet.
Romans 16:20 (old NASB) Inspired by the Holy Spirit: Written by Paul: Claimed by Debra
I heard a sermon by Danny Silk entitled "Unpunishable". The entire sermon is excellent, and he talks about a real life situation very similar to what you've described in your OP. I'll have to see if I can find the full audio, but take a look at this short 5-minute compilation of clips in the meantime;
You know, given those circumstances, I could see the excitement in any minister's eyes about restoring their fallen brother or sister. At least I would be. I've never been in a position to make that kind of decision.
I would probably say it depends. I would probably give a minimal amount of time that should be spent away from the pulpit.. say, nine months to a year. The reason being, I think that's just a reasonable amount of time for the fallen minister to push to make things right in his life, to reconcile and spend extra time with his family to make it right. For the sake of conservatism too, the leaders should have enough time to not only stand with him, but carefully weigh everything that they see happening. What you would probably also want to do is make sure to properly communicate with the congregation as well. There's going to be some resentment to the man and maybe even to his family, and so the leadership will need to work through those issues as well. Some will be perfectly fine and perfectly forgiving. For such circumstances, it's probably better to put him back in too late rather than too early. The end goal is that restoration has been done as well as possible, that the family is again functioning, and that he can be trusted with his position again. Of course, I wouldn't know how to properly evaluate that, because there is always going to be some hurt from it, even years afterwards... So I would hope that it's very Godly men who are doing it.
I would bring Todd Bentley through that process for the sake of his family, definitely, and I'd be overjoyed to see them restored!
Would I put him back on the pulpit? Well if it's full honesty you want, then adultery or none, I'd probably question whether or not he should even be up there just on his teachings alone. The adultery bugged me, but so did everything else.
__________________ "If Jesus had preached the way many pastors preach today, He wouldn't have ended up being crucified." - Leonard Ravenhill
"If you are unsaved, get saved; if you are saved, reach the unsaved." -Purpose-Driven Statement
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On today's discernment:
Jeremiah 6:29 (NIV) - "The bellows blow fiercely to burn away the lead with fire, but the refining goes on in vain; the wicked are not purged out."
I heard a sermon by Danny Silk entitled "Unpunishable". The entire sermon is excellent, and he talks about a real life situation very similar to what you've described in your OP. I'll have to see if I can find the full audio, but take a look at this short 5-minute compilation of clips in the meantime;
__________________ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
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