Recovering Moral Authority
What the Church Must Do
The New Testament does not leave us guessing about the importance and power of moral authority. It shows both its faithful use and its distortion—and, in doing so, encourages us to recover it in our ministries. What follows are five commitments the church must take up if moral authority is to be reclaimed as a work of formation rather than control.
- Moral authority must be understood and explained.
If it is meant to be shared and multiplied, as we see in the life of Paul, then moral authority must be clearly named and taught. It cannot be a theological concept pulled out when a moral failure arises but rather seen as part of the ordinary calling given to those made in the image of God to steward the flourishing found in God’s moral order.
This can be as simple as a short sermon series or an adult education class that introduces the creation mandate, moral order, moral authority and what it means to love and flourish well, giving the church a common language for these concepts. Philosopher Nicholas Wolterstorff has written on these topics and has posted lectures on YouTube that can help pastors connect to the arc of creation, fall and redemption. When this vision takes root in a church, it is no longer seen as coercive or alien to church life, but as a shared, formative practice.
- Moral authority must be embodied.
Moral authority will be formative in the lives of others when pastors model the moral order they uphold. This involves the humility and tearfulness of Paul in confronting brokenness, as well as public repentance when leaders themselves fall short.
Pastors are called to name the specific cultural implications of the scriptural truths they preach. They are also called to apply those truths to their own lives, modeling what hard-won and enduring faithfulness looks like and regularly demonstrating how the interpretation of Scripture leads to spiritual formation. Moral authority isn’t diminished by vulnerability or even repentance; it is reinforced by them, often through the regular acknowledgment that we aren’t fully living into the created order.
- Moral authority must be anchored in trust.
Because moral order is grounded in God’s creation, it isn’t only embodied—it also is relational. Trust builds when pastors show an authentic, caring concern for those they serve and for those who serve alongside them. Moral authority is best exercised when pastors minimize the spiritual distance between themselves and those they pastor. It shouldn’t be viewed as a privilege earned by a select few. Rather, it is best understood as a sacred calling—a work begun by God the Father, redeemed through Jesus Christ, and sustained by the Holy Spirit. We are simply its instruments.
All those called to the difficult work of pastoring are wise to guard against the four horsemen of self-deception—exhaustion, isolation, defensiveness and entitlement—by investing in trusted people who love them enough to provide brutally honest feedback. A church will only be as healthy as its individual leaders, and equally important, as the relationships among the pastoral staff.
- Moral authority must be structural.
Churches must prepare in advance for moments of failure by defining what constitutes disorder and establishing clear processes for raising concerns, investigation, and restoration. In my consulting work, I am often asked to evaluate claims of disorder in Christian organizations. That work is far more straightforward when a church has already defined what constitutes disorder, established clear processes for raising concerns, and developed pathways for investigation, judgment and restoration. Once harm is done, it is too late to create such structures with integrity.
