If there was Pastor who published a video explaining that he and his girlfriend “found out some time ago that she is pregnant” and that his sin “put our leadership in a really difficult place,” and if that Pastor then shut down the discussion under that video because “things were getting contentious and divisive” and then lectured the congregation that “attacking the Elders is not the answer” and “the answer is unity,” I would comment as follows:
To the hypothetical Pastor: The reason your leaders are “in a difficult place” is because you didn’t take ownership of the consequences of your sin. The leaders are being attacked because you implied that removing you from staff was THEIR decision, not yours. Rather than admit that you’re stepping down because you are no longer qualified to lead, you forced the Elders to take your ministry away from you. The congregation is angry because you are leading them to believe that the Elders are treating you unjustly.
It is not your place to shut down the comments. The divisiveness and contentiousness is YOUR fault. Sin causes division within the body. That’s the main reason Pastors are supposed to keep their hands off the single ladies in the congregation. You didn’t have the authority to silence conversations even when you were a pastor. You have made your confession. It’s now time to be quiet and let the Holy Spirit speak to the church members.
To the hypothetical Elders: Allowing your disgraced pastor to continue speaking to the congregation is foolish. He is presenting himself as a martyr. The congregation is holding you responsible for demonizing their humble preacher. You are now the bad guys. In other words, you are not actually leading anyone. One of you must start leading immediately or your pastor will be back in the pulpit very soon.
To the hypothetical church members who are super angry with me: Ask God to give you discernment. Your anger is misplaced.
What we can learn from this hypothetical scenario is the disastrous results of making ‘unity’ the primary goal of the church. Jesus told us that it is a mistake to think He came to bring peace. He told us He is ‘The Truth’. We are NEVER going to be united with untruth. Telling lies for the sake of relationships is not ‘loving people like Jesus.’ Deception is THE OPPOSITE of Jesus.
“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’”
(Matthew 10:34)
One Response
The very verse that was recently brought to mind following a disagreement between mother and son.
As to the hypothetical situation…been there, watched that. It took a long time to heal afterwards but it did happen after it was done correctly.