Grace - a blanket for sin
Sin. What an ugly thing.
Last night, I discovered that an old pastor of ours was removed from his position as pastor. He was having an "emotional affair" with another woman. Now, I don't know exactly what that means ... and I was under the impression that it was not a physical relationship, only emotional. Nevertheless, he had been warned about this relationship and challenged to step away from it. He continued in it and has now been disciplined for it.
This man has been a pastor for nearly 20 years! He has an international and local radio program. He became head pastor of a different church about a year ago.
Although he has admitted to his sin, repented and his wife has agreed to work on restoration, in the blink of an eye ... all of his years of ministry are stripped away from him! The church leaders decided to ask him to step down from his position as pastor. Along with him, his wife has been asked to step down from director of women's ministry. The radio program is no more ... internationally or locally. AND all of his teaching CDs past and present have been removed from our church bookstore. The denomination is no longer endorsing anything he has ever done during his 20 years of ministry.
Yuk! Uggg! Now I realize that this guy let himself get emotionally involved with another woman ... and there's no denying it was a wrong choice ... plain 'ole sinful behavior. But to take away everything?? Absolutely everything? I'm not sure what I think of that course of action ... in fact, I found myself in tears for him and his family. The tears were for his sin, but even more for the punishment that he is enduring!!!
Every one of us lives in sin. We make wrong choices and sin against God and each other. I don't know that I need say more, but I will end saying - grace, grace, grace ... we must be quick to extend grace, slow to judge and ready to forgive!
Last night, I discovered that an old pastor of ours was removed from his position as pastor. He was having an "emotional affair" with another woman. Now, I don't know exactly what that means ... and I was under the impression that it was not a physical relationship, only emotional. Nevertheless, he had been warned about this relationship and challenged to step away from it. He continued in it and has now been disciplined for it.
This man has been a pastor for nearly 20 years! He has an international and local radio program. He became head pastor of a different church about a year ago.
Although he has admitted to his sin, repented and his wife has agreed to work on restoration, in the blink of an eye ... all of his years of ministry are stripped away from him! The church leaders decided to ask him to step down from his position as pastor. Along with him, his wife has been asked to step down from director of women's ministry. The radio program is no more ... internationally or locally. AND all of his teaching CDs past and present have been removed from our church bookstore. The denomination is no longer endorsing anything he has ever done during his 20 years of ministry.
Yuk! Uggg! Now I realize that this guy let himself get emotionally involved with another woman ... and there's no denying it was a wrong choice ... plain 'ole sinful behavior. But to take away everything?? Absolutely everything? I'm not sure what I think of that course of action ... in fact, I found myself in tears for him and his family. The tears were for his sin, but even more for the punishment that he is enduring!!!
Every one of us lives in sin. We make wrong choices and sin against God and each other. I don't know that I need say more, but I will end saying - grace, grace, grace ... we must be quick to extend grace, slow to judge and ready to forgive!
posted by Lisa Stucky at 2:59 PM
4 Comments:
That is so SAD! I just ran across a book from a former pastor, also removed from his position but not repentant. The things he wrote are about God and His character so they are still true. It's scary but those in leadership are held more accountable. I don't know how I feel about the whole thing either. It's ugly and satan won a battle there no matter how you slice it.
if we removed everything written or produced by people who had fallen into sin, our shelves would be empty. that makes me sad and a bit mad too.
Beth Moore has a great book about "When Godly People Do Ungodly Things."--it is worth a read.
I am very sad to hear about this also. But we have to remember that God works through all of us sinners. I will always be thankful for what he taught me, and how his teaching caused me to desire to learn more about God's word than I ever wanted to before. I am glad my own sins are not so public....
Jody, you're so right! I can't imagine how many authors I have read who have fallen into sin - maybe all! =( And my life if more rich b/c of those books!
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