On Sunday I found out about a church planter who just resigned from his church of five years because he was having an affair with his assistant.

This is the kind of news that ruins my day.

There have been way too many godly men and church leaders in my life who have fallen into moral sin that have cost them their ministries. The lucky ones some how managed to hang on to their families. Not that these sins just pop out of nowhere or that they aren’t related to another pattern or dysfunction, but for a lot of these people, everything they’ve built and have worked for is gone in an instant. For some of these people (due to the nature of leading a community) friendships are gone forever.

Every time I hear about a pastor or leader who falls, I get a sick feeling in my stomach. The realization hits me of how weak and vulnerable I am. If these men, one’s that I’ve looked up to as rock stars of the Christian faith, who says it’s not going to happen to me. I don’t know, it’s just the way I feel. I’m an incredibly optimistic person, but when I look at the list I start to see that I really am vulnerable.

Jeff Surratt wrote an incredible response to this situation. Read it here. No seriously, read it here!

Here are the main points:

  • If you think you aren’t vulnerable, you are already toast
  • If you think you can burn the candle at both ends, you are already toast
  • If you think you can do ministry without accountability, you are already toast
  • If you think you don’t need safeguards, you are already toast
  • If you think it’s about you, you are already toast

I feel like I’ve made a lot of headway in most of these areas. However, I’ve got to keep this in front of me and not let any of these things fail, otherwise I’m headed for a fall.

My family is more important. My ministry is more important. The people I’m reaching out to are more important.