Find the lost shepherd
Interview/Lin Minwen
From the description of David in the Psalms, the teachings of Paul’s letters, and even the parables of the Lord Jesus, we can know that one of the important duties of a shepherd is to guide and protect the sheep. Pastor in the hearts of believers, also plays the role of guide and protector of spiritual life and life. What should we do if one day the pastor himself gets lost and falls?
What about the sheep? The panic of the sheep can be imagined. What should happen next? Can this lost shepherd be found, pick up the staff of guidance, the staff of protection, and become the leader of the flock again?
There are reports of pastors falling. In the United States, there was an extramarital affair with Pastor Gordon McDonald, the former director general of InterVarsity, and Pastor Ted Haggard, the former chairman of the American Evangelical Church, solicited male prostitutes; there were reports of pastors in Chinese churches misappropriating donations. , being accused of sexual harassment by co-workers of the opposite sex, and manipulating power caused a split in the church...
Regardless of whether the actions of these pastors violate the law, they are clearly contrary to biblical teachings and insult the calling of God's servants. So how should the church face and deal with it? Fire the pastor because he has lost his ability to pastor? Forgive the pastor and give him a chance to repent? Can a balance be achieved between punishment and mercy, justice and grace?
This article interviews three pastors: Su Wenlong, a professor at Zhengdao Theological Seminary, Qiu Maosong, director-general of the Greater Los Angeles Chinese Church Co-workers Association (hereinafter referred to as the Co-workers Association), and Ye Gaofang, president of the International True Love Family Association (hereinafter referred to as the True Love Association). Their experience and expertise in pastoral care, counseling, teaching, and coordination invite readers to take a closer look at:
Is it possible for a pastor to get up again after he falls? After a pastor sins, can he be forgiven, healed, and return to pastoral service?
Priest's "Crime" Shock Bomb
No matter how deep the relationship between an individual and a pastor is, ordinary believers always have a respect for God’s servants and hold higher moral requirements for them. Some people say that sin is the misuse and abuse of God’s gifts. Pastors are in a respected position, receive resources and power from God, and enjoy a happy marital relationship. If they do not draw clear boundaries, they will inevitably encounter temptations.
Due to church institutional relationships, some pastors are not responsible for their co-workers, and they do not have close spiritual partners who can share the struggles of encountering temptations. Pastors are also human beings, and there are times when they cannot win. They may fall due to different circumstances such as extramarital affairs, greed for money, cliques and disputes, etc.
Once it is reported that a pastor has committed a crime, believers usually react violently, and their emotions will develop through several stages. Pastor Ye Gaofang of the True Love Association analyzed this:
1. Surprise: The members could not believe that such a "highly respected" pastor would do such a thing. He usually accepted the pastor's teachings and advice, but his words and deeds were inconsistent.
2. Anger: Excessive expectations lead to excessive disappointment, which turns from disappointment to anger, feeling that the pastor has betrayed his own faith and betrayed the trust of his members.
3. Question: The shepherd who originally led the way lost his way, and the believers began to doubt the authenticity of the shepherd's faith - the pastor was so close to God, how could he fall? I even doubt the authenticity of my faith - if even the pastor can't do it, how can I believe in what he preaches?
4. Depression: If doubts about pastors and beliefs are not properly dealt with, believers will begin to refuse service, have cold faith, and even have a negative attitude toward pastors, like "the world is as black as crows." Some members choose to leave church life, and even if some stay, they still harbor knots of heart.
Because of such complex emotions, many churches ask their pastors to leave when they experience stage one or stage two reactions. This is either decided by the deacon board or voted by the general meeting. Some churches even require the pastor to move out of the vicarage overnight, and he is not allowed to have any further contact with the brothers and sisters. This is because the church believes that the pastor has made too many mistakes and has lost his responsibility to teach and shepherd.
An American church in the southeastern United States fired its new pastor within two months of taking office because it was discovered that the pastor had lied about his academic qualifications and had not received a doctorate. Many deacons involved in the decision believe that if pastors cannot be candid about their resumes, they may also be hiding other things. How can a pastor who has lost the trust of his church members convince others of his preaching?
▲If a fallen pastor undergoes deep introspection and receives emotional and spiritual support from believers, he can still exert great influence after resuming his ministry.
The damage of firing a priest
Pastor Ye Gaofang pointed out that it is human nature for believers to drive away pastors out of surprise and anger, and such a decision seems natural. In particular, pastors are people who "shouldn't" make mistakes. Losing their position, income, reputation, and credibility is a necessary consequence. Some believers believe that allowing the pastor to remain in office is tantamount to acknowledging his wrong behavior and will undermine the holiness of the church.
To take a step back, does this also punish the pastor’s family? They suffer shame, face financial difficulties, and are even disappointed with their faith. After they leave the church, will they also leave God?
So where will the fired pastor go from here? Change career, or change ministry?From what several interviewed pastors have seen and heard, it is known that the influence these pastors can exert in the future is greatly limited, and they either become hospital chaplains or simply leave the priesthood. Even if you change the local pastoral church, past events may come back, and the pastor will be burdened with this shadow and unable to serve with all his strength.
A pastor was fired from his church after having an extramarital affair. When he found another church and was about to start over, he didn't expect that the previous incident would reach the ears of the deacons of the new church. They were extremely dissatisfied and believed that the pastor's "criminal record" would affect his leadership image in family and marriage ministries, so they decided to ask the pastor to leave.
Pastor Su Wenlong, who has been engaged in theological education for many years, said sincerely that training preachers is not easy. After receiving God's call and determining the direction of service, prospective preachers need to undergo years of theological education and accumulate long-term service experience before they can enter the workplace and assume the responsibilities of shepherding and teaching.
Being disqualified from serving due to a fall is like an elite soldier who has been trained for a long time and goes to the battlefield, preparing to exert his maximum combat effectiveness. However, he is injured on the battlefield and is immediately sent back to his hometown, unable to defend his family and country. After the church loses its preachers, it is easy to fall into chaos, and the development of its ministry will slow down or stagnate, causing considerable losses to the entire kingdom of Christ.
These pastors who left the church sadly had no chance to admit their mistakes, repent, or make up for the pain they caused. If there is a deeper pathology, such as misappropriation of donations due to gambling addiction, or illicit sexual behavior due to addiction to pornographic images, simply leaving the pastoral ministry will not cure the root cause, and may lead to a return to old habits.
After the pastor's fall is made public, believers will feel hurt on the one hand, and will sympathize with the pastor on the other. They will intercede on behalf of the pastor based on Jesus' treatment of the adulterous woman (refer to John 8:3-11), hoping that the church elders will forgive the pastor's mistakes and give the pastor another chance.
Pastor Qiu Maosong has served as the director-general of the Federation of Deacons for more than 20 years. He has observed that many believers are caught in the middle. On the one hand, they care about their long-term friendship with the pastor, but on the other hand, they have to accept the "just" ruling of the Deacon Board, and they are often at a loss. Those who insist on their own opinions and confront the deacons will cause disputes in the church; those who become discouraged will choose to change churches or give up their faith.
Consider recovery
Is there any other way to handle this than firing the pastor? Pastor Qiu Maosong mentioned that if the church is affiliated with a denomination, when the pastor falls, the district overseer or the general association will send someone to understand the incident and communicate with the parties, deacons, members, etc. After confirming that the pastor's behavior is contrary to biblical teachings, the pastor will either be suspended from duty or transferred from the current service field. After a period of counseling, observation, and evaluation, if the pastor sincerely repents and is recognized by spiritual elders, even if he cannot return to the original church, he may be able to engage in other pastoral ministries such as church planting.
Pastor Su Wenlong also mentioned that the decision to leave or stay a fallen pastor is a highly controversial decision. When the church is still in shock, it is difficult to deal with it calmly. Therefore, inviting spiritual leaders who are trusted by members and highly respected, or organizations that specialize in conflict resolution such as Peacemaker Ministries, can help the church weigh the different consequences of different decisions, or reduce the harm.
Pastor Su emphasized that when dealing with incidents and deciding whether to leave a pastor, if the starting point is not revenge and punishment, but restoration is the consideration, the whole process will be different. He also used the teachings on discipline in Hebrews 12:7-13 to encourage preachers who had fallen. Pastor Ye Gaofang also mentioned that discipline is not just a method of "punishment", but also how to help the person who made the mistake correct it afterwards. Pastors’ sins not only harm their families and church members, they also harm the church and the kingdom of God. However, what sin is unforgivable? As stated in 1 John 1:9, has God not promised that when a person sincerely confesses his sins, He will “forgive” and “cleanse from all unrighteousness”?
▲Pastors need believers to pray for them often and become spiritual covering.
Repentance paves the way for forgiveness
A pastor's fall will inevitably bring harm. It is indeed not easy for brothers and sisters to let go of the pain in their hearts and souls and accept the pastor again. However, in order to be forgiven by God and forgiven by others, we must first confess our sins and repent. Pastor Ye Gaofang summarizes the following recovery steps:
1. Be sincerely responsible: Don’t blame others for being tempted, don’t blame your marriage for being bad, don’t blame your brothers and sisters for not caring, don’t blame God for not giving you enough willpower, but openly take responsibility for the harm you have caused. As Pastor Hoag admitted in his public apology letter: "The responsibility lies 100% with me."
2. Sincerely repent: After admitting your mistakes to God and others, make further determination not to make them again. Not only do you feel remorseful, but you also need to prove it with changes in your actions. Make peace with your family and those injured related to the incident, and sincerely ask for forgiveness.
3. Heal with patience: The deeper the injury, the longer the healing process. Pastors, families, members, and churches need emotional and spiritual healing, and pastors also need to repair their relationships with people and God. Either receive psychological or family relationship counseling, or receive regular counseling from spiritual elders. It is absolutely necessary to put down the service and have a quiet time.
4. Start again with an open mind: When you have the opportunity to return to serving, you should also recognize that trust takes time to build and hard work to win. Stop looking back at the glorious “accomplishments” of the past, and instead be faithful in the little things. We must cherish God’s trust in preachers.
As for whether pastors should return to pastoral ministry, Pastor Ye Gaofang believes that we must first ask whether the time is right. If you don’t have the patience to go through the process of healing and recovery, it is not appropriate to rush into new ministry. He took patients who underwent heart bypass surgery as an example. After the operation, they not only need to recuperate and wait for the wound to heal, but also need to make changes in their eating habits and lifestyle, otherwise the same situation is likely to reoccur.
He also encouraged believers to use loving donations to reduce the financial pressure on pastors so that they can concentrate on receiving counseling. The church can also support the cost of counseling.
Pastor Su Wenlong hopes that pastors can humbly learn lessons, the so-called "adversity builds character." He has seen pastors who have fallen go through deep introspection, and the believers around them also provide emotional and spiritual support. After resuming his ministry, he exerted great influence.
Pastor Qiu Maosong hopes that believers will become "nursers" and, under the instructions of Jesus the Great Physician, use words of encouragement and comfort as well as practical and caring actions to bind up the wounds and relieve pain for pastors, wives, and children. He also called on pastors to not shy away from receiving counseling.
The Great Shepherd still protects and watches over
Finally, Pastor Qiu Maosong exhorted all pastoral staff to be cautious and self-restrained when facing life and ministry, because the Bible has stated:"For whatever a man sows, that will he also reap." (Refer to Galatians 6:7)
Pastor Su Wenlong mentioned that after the church experienced such a turmoil, in addition to learning to resolve conflicts, it also needed to prudently revise its charter to specify how to deal with similar incidents in the future so that the church can develop stably under a comprehensive system.
Pastor Ye Gaofang solemnly pointed out that once a pastor falls, it will be a crisis for his or her ministry career, family, church, congregation, and even the kingdom of God. However, it can also be an opportunity to witness faith and the glory of God. He hopes that believers will recognize their weaknesses, walk with the Lord every day, and their lives will become more mature.
"Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered." If the shepherd makes a mistake and falls, the sheep will be easily attacked by the evil one. Once the shepherd goes astray, the sheep will be greatly harmed. However, there is no serious crime that God cannot forgive, and there is no serious injury that God cannot repair. We sincerely hope that pastors will cherish their status and stay away from temptation; believers will also respect the pastor’s position and always pray for the pastor. Be convinced that God will not despise a broken and contrite heart. He will protect and care for both the shepherd and the sheep, and no one will be lost.
Further reading
1. "Why Do Church Leaders Fail?" "Why a Christian Leader May Fall?" written by Clyde M. Narramore, translated by Zheng Ailing, Hong Kong, Tiandao, 1992.
2. "Let's make peace!" ─The Peacemaker – A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, written by Kenneth Sande, translated by Zhu Chongen and Gao Lili, Pennsylvania, Feiying, 2006. 3. "Pastoral Heart and Leadership", Su Wenlong, Pennsylvania, Messenger, 2011.
Interviewee profile Dr. Ye Gaofang is currently the president of the International True Love Family Association. He has been engaged in family education and counseling for 39 years. He is an internationally renowned family education and counseling expert and enjoys the reputation of "Mind Catcher" and "Family Love Master". He has a doctorate in family counseling and a doctorate in psychology, and has been caring and counseling pastoral families for many years. His famous saying is that after the "Pastoral Search Committee" hires a pastor, it should be reorganized into the "Pastoral Love Committee" and should never be disbanded.
Interviewee profile
Rev. Su Wenlong, formerly the senior pastor of the Christian Church of St. Calculus and the Hetai Blessed Church, the dean of Universal Abundance Theological Seminary, and is currently the professor of practical theology at Zhengdao Evangelical Theological Seminary. He has published many books such as "The Art of Pastoral Service" and "Pastoral Heart and Leadership". Because he has been engaged in theological education and teaching in various places for a long time, he often cares and counsels many pastors and churches with special needs.
Interviewee profile
Qiu Maosong, who was called to full-time ministry in 1985, has served as the general secretary of the Los Angeles Chinese Church Co-workers Association since 1991. He has a son with his wife, Chen Aimei. The Federation of Church Workers has the purpose of connecting all churches and caring for the servants of the Lord. Due to its service duties, it often cares about and mediates conflicts between church workers, members and pastors, and pays attention to the needs of serving and retired pastors.
Author profile
Lin Minwen devotes herself to literary ministry and focuses on writing and editing.