Let’s be real: Pastors are human beings and they mess up just like the people who attend their churches, but when the person in the pulpit has problems, their flaws are broadcast to the world, while congregation members can often hide sins for as long as they feel the need.
The Mark Driscoll controversy is one with which many are familiar. Bits and pieces of the story have been shown, released and discussed among people all across the United States, as this is not the first time a pastor has been “exposed” for flaws. As Christians, there are fine lines between forgiveness and confronting sin’s consequences, and these can be confused and swayed.
Sadly, manipulation was a main factor in the controversy. Driscoll admitted to manipulating the sales of his 2012 book “Real Marriage.” He wrote that he now views his original “marketing strategy” through ResultSource as wrong. ResultSource is a San Diego-based marketing company hired by Driscoll.
So why are pastors esteemed so highly? It seems as though ordinary people are put on a high pedestal when they enter the position of “pastor.” This at first appears completely understandable – they are agreeing to a job of preaching the Word of God to believers and non-believers. They not only teach, but also care for people, counsel members, baptize them and communicate with their congregation and board members on a weekly to sometimes daily basis. They can essentially be elevated to a god-like figure.
Annelle Jno-Baptiste, freshman psychology major, describes a pastor as “the next step to talking to God,” as a reference to the years before Christ, when a priest would intervene for the people of the land. She said that glorifying God is almost like glorifying the pastor, as there are people looking for guidance and knowledge about the Lord and the Bible.
“To some people, pastors are like watered-down prophets,” Jno-Baptiste said.
Congregations seek guidance from their pastors and place their trust in them – proving how important these leaders are to the body of Christ.
In the case of the Driscoll controversy, charges against him are listed in the formal letter by Pastor Dave Kraft. According to an August article published in the New York Times, these accusations include the misuse of church funds and manipulation.
Sadly, manipulation can so easily enter the church. When a pastor preaches a message, many congregations don’t usually fact-check with the Bible. People who are searching will find replenishment in the words of a person who has authority. A pastor is ordained by God for a position. When a pastor chooses a verse, it should be checked, and the context should be read. This is not to prove a pastor wrong in the middle of his sermon, but to fulfill the growth a Christian should be obtaining while acknowledging the words the pastor is saying.
Unfortunately, no one is perfect, including pastors. Their jobs come with constant attention, whether welcomed or not, and when something unethical happens, everyone seems to have an opinion about it. Trust can be as easily broken as it is given. The Mars Hill Church experienced this brokenness on a bigger scale with the removal of its founder.
“I feel like once [the pastor] starts to corrupt things in a negative way, that is when you draw the line,” said Alexandra Ceballos, a freshman undeclared major.
Rick Cummings, senior theology major, cites Ecclesiastes 5 as a guide for how Christians in this situation should react. He explains that having humility and asking for wisdom are ways people should enter a situation of uncertainty, as sheep with a corrupted shepherd.
“Watch your step when you enter God’s house. Enter to learn. That’s far better than mindlessly offering a sacrifice, doing more harm than good,” says Ecclesiastes 5:1 (MSG).
Broadcasting the problem never makes a situation better or makes a person seem more knowledgeable or holy. Cummings made a point when he said he would like to approach with mercy, realizing that people are flawed and that the pastor is still in the body of Christ, no matter how much he or she messed up.
The decision to step down may be best for that situation but the pastor is still flawed by human nature and sin, and as Christians, we should remain unified in Christ through the storms.