Pray for pastors - me included!

Lately, I have noticed a number of high profile pastor have found themselves responding to accusations of sin, resigning for disqualifying sins, or even being fired for such things. In some cases I am not surprised, as the church models the pastors are operating under put too much emphasis on their high profile pastors, and don't seem to provide enough biblical accountability through other Elders.

If a church, or even multiple sites calling themselves one church, are all known predominately through the fame of their pastor, it may be very scary for that organization to consider disciplining or removing that pastor. However, sin must be addressed, and I hope lessons will be learned by the mega churches and smaller churches as well. It gets proven over and over that bilbical accountability is essential for pastors, and you can't let fear of the fallout, keep you from addressing sin when you see it, even when it involves your famous or just very popular pastor.

With that said, but for the grace of God go I!

Gal. 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. ² Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ³ For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. ⁵ For each one shall bear his own load.

I know my load is far less than many of these high profile leaders, so I need to examine my faithfulness in the areas where God has called me. I also need to help others who are overtaken in sin, and be careful, lest I find myself in sin as well!

We know pride comes before the fall, so I need to thank God, as He is the power for any faithfulness I have.

I need to continue to seek His help to be faithful, and to be open to accountability from my Elders, and church as a whole.

Finally, I ask that that you pray for me, and other pastors, if you don't wish to see more pastors disqualified through sin.

Blessings!

 "Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."

Is "The Sinners Prayer" Biblical?

If you have never considered the pros and cons of The Sinners Prayer, or if it is biblical, follow the link below for a good discussion of the issue.

Sean E. Harris discusses The Sinners Prayer

R. C. Sproul and a very thought provoking teaching on Pentacost!

Shocking headlines!

U.S. President resigns!

England's Queen abdicates!

Duke's coach K quits!

Each of these headlines would be shocking to most people. The last one would be the most shocking if you happen to live in North Carolina.

Why would these be shocking headlines?

Well the president takes an oath of office and we don't consider it proper for him to break that oath.

For the queen, fulfilling her duties it is a matter of birthright and an obligation to her people. Even though the queen's role in largely symbolic, the world would be shocked and disappointed if she decided to step down prematurely.

And Duke's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski is so loved and respected in North Carolina, that if he left it might be seen as an act of treason.

However, there is a far more serious type of commitment that is being broken, it's importance goes far beyond the resignation of a president, the abdication of a monarch, or the quiting of a beloved coach.

Yes, a most significant breach of commitment is happening in our world, and it is happening at an an alarming rate, yet it seldom makes the news!

Matt. 19:4 And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?  ⁶ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

A president makes a commitment to lead our country for a set time, and a monarch is expected to rule their people for as long as they are physically capable, and a coach might be expected to be loyal to his team, but only the marriage is a bond made before God and by God!

I would hope we would be slow to break any commitment or promise, but we must put the marriage covenant above all these other things when it comes to the seriousness and permanence of it.

Wouldn't it be good if divorces were so uncommon, that they were as big of a headline as a president resigning?

Better that God be in control!

Isaiah 45:5 I am the Lord, and there is no other;
There is no God besides Me.
I will gird you, though you have not known Me,
⁶ That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting
That there is none besides Me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other;
⁷ I form the light and create darkness,
I make peace and create calamity;
I, the Lord, do all these things.’

If God was not in control of those things we call calamities, who or what would be?

Satan?

Chance?

Us?

Them?

I know it is tempting to credit God with all things that seem good to us, and then to place the blame for those things we count as calamitous elsewhere. However, it is far better, biblical, and very comforting to know that the God who created the universe, who is perfectly wise, who is all powerful, and who loves me for Jesus' sake, chooses to send good things or calamity into my life for reasons that make sense to Him, than to think Satan, other people, me, or random chance are responsible!

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.