I have witnessed many times how easily the attitudes, either right or wrong, are easily adopted by understudies of pastors. Without discerning elders/peers/overseers, pastors can convey from their pulpits whatever they wish to their unsuspecting people, including error, bitterness and intemperance. I know this personally, as I was once a victim of such a system.
These situations are more easily borne when pastors are isolated from accountability. The sinful pastor, especially when his unjudged messages dominate, desire to remain private and secret. But God wants the sin exposed and dealt with in the loving fellowship of other mature believers.
It truly is a fault in Christians not to disclose themselves and be more open with their spiritual peers when they are not able to extricate themselves out of their sins, doubts and troubles. For some reason, they tend to cling to and cover up their errors and sins.
Consider, for instance, the pedophilia that for so long overran Catholic asemblies. Rather than reprove the sin, the overseers chose secrecy. Such has been the case with WOF leadership who build their own kingdoms upon error, promises that never come to pass, and the siphoning of funds from the innocent. It took many years for enough beguiled people to rise up against them in large numbers, and yet there remains a staggering number of believers still clinging to those false teachings.
It is useful for a pastor to uncover his sins to those above him, even, in some cases to ask for pardon and intercession from his flock for his poor choices. When sin is left alone, the wrong sort of fruit is grown, hatreds and bitterness take root, and relationships become irreconcilable, because, in many instances, wayward pastors will perniciously conceal their sin year after year.
From those to whom a pastor's sinfulness is unknown, there isn't a confrontation until it is very late, and even if their concerns were late in getting to him, the pastor must be willing to admit to his fault and repent in order for the end to come of his waywardness. This is why mature overseers are necessary to provide accountability.
