Fallen Pastor

“Another one bites the dust,” to quote Queen’s late Freddie Mercury. The song says, “And another one gone, and another one gone.” Yet another mega-church pastor has fallen from grace, or at least his wife has. I’ll not name the church because this isn’t about personalities. It’s about how this happens, and what the body of Christ does about it. Last Sunday this hugely successful church leader (15,000 member church) stood before his congregation and confessed that his wife had been unfaithful for at least a decade and engaged in multiple affairs, even while they were seeking reconciliation.  He professed love for his wife, but declared the marriage was irretrievably ended. He also said he would soldier-on and had no intentions of a sabbatical or taking any time off. “I’ve done nothing wrong,” was his explanation.  The congregation was assured that his wife would have access to the best therapists and psychiatrists possible while at an undisclosed treatment location.

Disclosure: I don’t personally know this man or his wife; I certainly know nothing about what really went on behind closed doors. But because this pastor so publically aired his dirty laundry before thousands, how it was handled does deserve scrutiny.  My thoughts are not critical but observational. The Christian church must end the lament of 2 Samuel 1:25: How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Indeed, how? Some suggestions.