A Pastor in North Western South Carolina was arrested for embezzling Hundreds of THOUSANDS of dollars in a pyramid scheme. He was arrested and found GUILTY of his crime. Did he resign from the pulpit? NO! Even worse, he remained the pastor while locked up (still is- last I heard) and PREACHED OVER THE PHONE WHILE IN PRISION! WHY wasn’t he removed from the pastorate? Why would the church standby and allow such foolishness? Oh, because he is a soul winner and the man of God. The money was not found, however, his family NEVER lacked. In fact, they own a BIG house, fancy cars, and stylish clothes without missing a beat – on a PASTOR’s SALARY?
One other illustration and I will move on, there is a man who married the daughter of a pastor in New York. He forged his wife’s name on credit cards, used her social security number and information and opened several charge accounts. He opened a PO Box to which the bills were sent. He ran up close to $100,000 in debt on his wife’s perfect credit. When the wife attempted to open a charge account at the local department store, she was turned down due to bad credit. A credit report was soon sought and she learned of her plight. Soon after, the Post Office called and asked her to empty her box. She never knew she had one. After opening the countless monthly records, she broke down and informed her father/pastor of the crime. The man apologized and vowed to do his part to pay off the debt. The pastor generously assisted in the payments. A few months later, the husband bailed out of the arrangement and began spreading the lie that the pastor was ruining his marriage. He split the church and went to a church across town where he was lauded as a HERO because he was a good bus captain and soul winner. Soul winning negates blatant criminal misconduct? He soon did the same to another woman whom he lived in a sinful lifestyle with.
A pastor who cheats on his wife, thus breaking the solemn marriage vow to his bride, the congregation of witnesses and even to God himself is no more worthy to stand before a gathering of corpses much less a multitude of the saints to proclaim the things of God. Yet, within months of the gross immorality, he stands and speaks often to a group of believers having “proven himself worthy of his calling.” Meanwhile the destruction of his selfish actions cause ripple effects in the church where he was forced to step down from office yet requiring for financial assistance due to his “tenure” of service. I don ‘t need to know this man’s side of the story. He has disqualified himself from the ministry and is no more fit to be in office of a church. He has joined himself to that other woman whom he purposefully violated and deceived for a moment of sinful adulterous pleasure, and never again can he be a candidate for the pastorate. II Timothy 3 describes this character as one who deceives and is yet being deceived. Truly a man without discernment is not leadership material.
The pastor who “restored” such a one by a quick paint job and new tires has failed to push out the dents, and repair the bent frame. Sooner or later, the rust will eat through the new coat of paint and the ugly deteriorating condition will be manifested again. A Shameful Shepherd does not regard the Biblical counsel of Discipline, Repentance, Restitution and Restoration.
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