Christianity Today has a brief article talking about how families in New Life Church in Colorado are responding to the revelations regarding the sins of Ted Haggard their pastor. The article is at: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/january/3.52.html
I find myself a bit ambivalent about the article.
The couple interviewed went to the church looking for the anonymity of the large church, yet they are devastated by the fall of the pastor. What sort of emotional weight have they put on the man? Have they turned the pastor or the church into some kind of idol? It's interesting that the article does not mention God or Jesus.
I find myself thinking that I hope nobody puts that kind of investment in me. I am weak, fallible and human. I can never live up to the expectations that many people have of the perfect pastor.
On the other hand, all of our teaching about father and son relationships means that it is inevitable that people are upset, even devastated, by the sins of their spiritual father.
The big thing though is that if every father is a son then the pastors are also in a nurturing, accountable environment that should prevent such massive meltdowns of integrity.
We put far too much onto pastors. Pastors are meant to be a part of a team that includes the other 5-fold ministries- apostles, prophets, teachers and evangelists. By letting pastors (or any other single ministry gift) reign over large congregations we almost set them up to fall. It's not fair to let a single person be in control like that- not to the pastor, the congregation or to the church.
Blessings
Keith
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