Let’s begin with a simple fact: I am a sinful man. As Joseph de Maistre once said, “I do not know what the heart of a rascal may be; I know what is in the heart of an honest man; it is horrible.” Because of this shared human nature, it is vital to understand the five reasons pastors fall. These principles apply not only to those in ministry but to anyone serving in a leadership capacity.
I have no intention of throwing rocks at leaders who stumble, for I recognize that but for the grace of God, I could be in the same position. Instead, my desire is to help others avoid these pitfalls. With nearly four decades of experience in pastoral ministry, I have observed the temptations inherent in the role and witnessed the personal tragedies that have befallen others. Previously, I have analyzed the long-term pastoral fall reasons that impact veteran leaders.
In addition to identifying these causes, I have shared strategies for preventing leadership fall patterns. By recognizing these behavioral trends early, leaders can implement safeguards to protect their integrity and finish their ministry strong.
So here are five reasons pastors fall. And not just pastors, as these apply to anyone in leadership.
1. They Had the Space.
If your spouse is not a part of your workplace, if they are not invited into work relationships, if you travel extensively and almost always apart, then you have significant unshared life territory. The more divorced your spouse is from your “world,” the more vulnerable you are to having a shadow life emerge in that divorced space. When there isn’t the “space” for moral failure to take root, it seldom does.
2. They Believed Their Press Reports.
Pastors are often afforded a high degree of spirituality, as if they are the fourth member of the Trinity. Yet, in truth, the average attender has no idea what their pastor views online, whether they treat their spouse with dignity, or if they have had any significant devotional time over the last six weeks. What becomes toxic is when a pastor begins to believe in their own press reports, meaning they take the estimation of others as the truth about their lives and consider themselves healthier spiritually than they are. But when public demonstrations of faith become substitutes for private disciplines of faith, when what you teach becomes confused with how you actually live, you become like a cut flower—looking good on the outside, but slowly dying on the inside. Soon, even cut flowers show their true state as they begin to wither and die.
3. They Felt Above the Law.
Leaders of any kind, including pastors, can fall prey to feeling they are somehow above the law; that the rules apply to everyone but them. I don’t know whether this is because they are often the rule-enforcers and, as such, stand above the rules, or they simply let being in a position of authority go to their heads. Regardless, the path to moral failure is paved with those who held others to certain standards and safeguards, but played fast and loose with those same principles themselves.
4. They Felt Entitled.
It’s a strange psychology, but some pastors believe that because they are doing so much good, are being used by God in such wonderful ways, that they deserve to pursue certain sins in return. They probably wouldn’t use the word “sin,” though, as much as “taking a few liberties.” They might justify it because they aren’t in a good marriage, or aren’t being paid what they deserve, or because they are working so hard for God; whatever the reason they tell themselves, it results in feeling entitled.
5. They Were Seduced by Power and Authority.
Pastors, or all leaders for that matter, are often vested with a certain degree of power and authority that can obviously be misused. A growing number of cases where pastors fell revolved around the abuse of their leadership. Rather than manifesting a servant-hearted spirit, they became dictatorial and autocratic, even to the point of emotionally and verbally abusing those around them. Another well-known leader was removed from his position of leadership this past week for just such a pattern.
There are, of course, many more than these five that can destroy a leader’s life. To guard against these and more demands humility and a proactive approach to personal accountability. But it’s worth it. Because if there is one overarching goal for anyone in leadership,
… it’s finishing well.
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This article originally appeared at ChurchAndCulture.org and is reposted here by permission.
Source
Kate Shellnutt, “Acts 29 CEO Removed Amid ‘Accusations of Abusive Leadership,’” Christianity Today, February 7, 2020, read online.