Pastors Are Not Perfect

I just learned of another minister who was fired "immediately" for moral failure.  Does this church realize what message that this is sending to it's people and to the lost? Quite frankly, I believe it's un-Biblical for a church to fire someone because of sin if they don't first offer restoration as an option.  It's first Biblical calling should be to try and restore him back to the fold, like Christ would do.  He leaves the 99 for the 1 - always!! (Even if it is the Pastor or Worship Pastor)

Churches have no perfect people...not even one.  When churches start believing and acting like their Pastors, Ministers and staff are above it, then they are very deceived. The higher you place them on a proverbial pedestal the higher they have to fall.  If this minister says, "I deny Christ and I am turning my back on the church." Then yeah, let him walk... but that's his choice.  But, if he confesses and says, "I am sorry, I messed up and need help." Then the church needs to be the church and forgive him and restore him back to ministry.  

The only perfect person, Jesus Christ, died on the cross for this exact sin/moral failure that this guy committed.  Was His crucifixion in vain?  Was it not enough?  I would encourage this church to rally around him and minister to him.  I would encourage them to lavishly love Him back to a right relationship with Christ.  Romans 2:4 in action.  Love wins every time.  It's called, "Restoration," and this is what God has entreated all of us Christians to be, "Ministers of Reconciliation."  

2 Corinthians 5:16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Romans 2:4 "The loving-kindness of Christ will lead them to repentance." 

At the end of the day what speaks louder to a lost and dying world?  Making this man clean out his office in haste and leave the church or lavishly loving him back to a right relationship with Christ by way of delicate church discipline?  Restoration tells the congregation that, "Hey, this guy messed up, just like I do, and the church still loves him."  This creates a safe environment for healing, honesty and confession.  

I have heard some say and use the excuse, "God holds ministers to a higher standard." The only higher standard taught in the Bible (James 3:1) is how He will hold teachers accountable for what they teach.  God expects Pastors/Preachers and Teachers to teach the entire Truth of God; to not add to it or to take away from it.  (Revelations 22)  The Bible teaches that sin is sin.  Deacons sin.  Folks in the choir sin.  Sunday school teachers sin.  Pastors sin.  Pastor's wives sin.  The beauty of God is that each and every one of us are forgiven in Christ.  Praise His Name.  It seems to me that if they are asking him to clean out his office in haste and not offering this remorseful minister, reconciliation, then they, "the church leaders" are operating in as much error and are "taking away" from what the Word of God teaches.

If we, "The Church" want to make a difference and a lasting impact for eternity, we need to begin by "Loving our own." We need to begin showing the world what the Love of God looks like.  I am praying for this church.  May God open their hearts and eyes!  In Jesus Name. 

Picking Each Other Apart - Let's say, "I Ain't Doing It." 

My soap box for today is something that has broken my heart....

It saddens me tremendously to watch Christians pick apart other Christians.

I was in the audience of a Facebook feed when one of my friends posted about a high profile, female speaker who was not living up to her standards, and then a ton of people began to post their disgust, dislike and disagreement with how she was living her life, and how she was acting.

Having lived in a ministerial fish bowl for 30+ years I am all too familiar with the scrutinizing, observing and magnifying glass approach people have with my life.

The Truth is, is that we're all broken.  Every single one of us is broke.  Romans tells us that "all have fallen short..." When you study Jesus' ministry on earth you see him rubbing shoulders with folks that this group above would have lit up a Facebook feed longer than a giraffe's neck.  He came for the sin-sick, not the well.

It's refreshing to know that Jesus has the last word on my life.

We need to remember that God is our judge.  He is the only one who can see a person's heart, motives, and thoughts.

A very important Truth is that our attacking each other publicly, on social media, etc. is a turn off to believers and non-believers.  It could even be a stumbling block. They would be right to say, "If that's how they treat each other, then why should I darken the doors of a church?"

May God help us be tight lipped accountable for the things we say, and the things we don't say.  Somebody's eternity maybe dependent on it.  Before you post, ask yourself this question, "Does it edify or encourage?" 

Be Still

Life is so hard!  It's like the unexpected hits you almost every day.  For instance, like losing your job.  This is more common than you think, unfortunately.  Companies downsize to stay afloat, or implement more AI (Computer driven methods).  Last year when my husband was let go from his position at a church.  I lost my breathe.  The painful weave of this circumstance was that I was having to leave all of my closest friends.  How would we financially make it?  My heart was aching and breaking.  But God....

Hindsight is always 20/20.  I am able to see clearly now.  God had to step in and pull us away.  Our season was over there.  In our humanness we want to fight.  While those reactions maybe human, they're not Christ-like.  The Lord wants us to be still.  He wants to fight for us.  Exodus 14:14.  His ways are not our ways.  His thoughts are not our thoughts.  He has our tomorrow in mind.  He has our next week in mind.  He has our next year in mind as He is prepping us for our future and next adventure with Him. 

It doesn't always look like we want it to look.  Quite frankly, God is not interested in having it look the way we want it.  He has a master plan that His Mighty hand directs and orchestrates to make something beautiful out of our lives, if we allow Him. 

I've watched my husband discover all kinds of things about himself.  He is a fabulous teacher.  He is full of tenderness and grace.  I've discovered that life without my bosom buddies has been different but not impossible.  God has become "bigger" in my life.  I've grown to know Him more intimately in so many ways.  I've learned how to be still.  I've learned how to enjoy just sitting in His presence.  It makes my heart sing! 

New Season of Life

We've had the privilege of watching a mamma bird tend to her chicks.  She built a nest in a wreath on our front door.  Every day we'd peer thru the window as mamma would build the nest, to get it just so.  And then one day we saw 1 egg, and then 2 eggs and then 4 eggs.  As the eggs hatched, we had a first row seat of her taking care of them, as they "cried" for food she would tend to them.   And then one day, as they got a little older, watching them all "outgrow" the nest.  Literally!  They got so big that they couldn't even fit into the nicely built home that mamma bird created.  And so... the next chapter of their lives begin as they flew off.  We're getting ready to do the same thing with our youngest child.  He's graduated high school and is about to embark on the adventure of college life.  I've been all over the place with my emotions.  I have finally come to terms with it and I am embracing not only his new adventure but my own.  Our entire married life we've had a baby underfoot.  We've never had the pleasure of it just being the two of us. It will be a new found adventure for my husband and myself as we learn our "new normal" for just us two.  I am thankful that we not only love each deeply, but we also like each other.