As most of you probably read or heard today Ted Haggard and his Wife are starting a new ministry called St. James Church where his mission statement is “Helping people go through the most difficult time of their lives.” One particular statement that Haggard made was,
“Some people believe that I am not qualified, nor will I ever be qualified to be a Pastor. But because of what we’ve been through I may be qualified to help other people in need.”
Haggard’s wife Gayle, stuck with him through the past 3/12 years and wrote a book called “Why I Stayed.”
But as most of your probably didn’t hear in January of this year a Pastor in Georgia named Gary Lamb decided that 8 months after having an affair that “cost me everything” was the perfect time to start a new church. He also knew that there would be an understandable backlash to his decision and wrote,
“I understand that so many people will disagree with this decision and I respect those thoughts. However, confirmation through friends, pastor’s, and the many doors that God is opening, I truly believe that it’s time to start moving through those doors.”
Lamb is currently going through a divorce with his wife.
So here’s what I’m thinking through…
What sins disqualify a Pastor for a time and which ones disqualify him permanently from being in ministry permanently?
Should either of these guys be starting a new church?
What about the fact that they are starting churches in the same area as their former church… is that the best for the sheep at their former churches?
If they shouldn’t be Pastor’s then what should their role in a church be? Pew potato? Usher, Deacon, Janitor?
Should Divorce disqualify you period, end of story? Isn’t Divorce only permissible if the unfaithfulness is ongoing and the person unrepentant?
What about a couple that survives the infidelity and remians married? Does that mean they are more repentant?
I want to hear your thoughts. Email me or leave a comment here on the blog.
I guess I think that’s for God, his congregation, and his peers to decide.
Paul oversaw the murder of Christians and then became one of, if not the, most influential leader in the church.
Chuck Colson is a convicted felon.
I think no one should ever be excluded from ministry. From serving the body or others. Leadership is tricky though. . . Paul at least had an encounter with God that was undeniable.
Colson became a Christian, I believe, after he did the stuff that landed him in prison.
I think cheating on your wife may need more than 8 months of time off, though. Haggard at least has had nearly 4 years since his scandal.
Interesting perspective on Haggard:
http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/the-comeback-kid
I’ve heard Gary speak many of times…listened to his CD’s on set up and breakdown in the Church (Church planting). Paul wasn’t a follower of Christ before he encountered God..Gary is. As a pastor I think the Bible teaches (I wouldn’t have time to unpack this on paper) that a pastor needs to be wise since “it” is leading and taking care of God’s flock…His bride. I could be under Gary’s teaching as an unwise guy. If he repented that is cool…he can serve in a church as a volunteer or even in time share his story of being an idiot…this would serve many men’s hearts good. As a pastor…I don’t think so. In his latest blog post I think (about wolves) he is talking about himself. Praying that something good comes out of this.
If I may be so bold to speak my humble thoughts here, I would like to remind us that James 3:1 says, “1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” Clearly, Mr. Lamb’s choices are ones that, were it not for the grace of God, we are all capable of doing. I do not therefore put myself above Mr. Lamb but I would hope He would have seen his unwise choice was due to many factors, many of which he listed in his blog and some I do believe he has yet to see contributed to his fall. He was not ready to lead. I wonder if there was a “glory deficit” in him that cried out more for the praise of men, the lure of a woman than it did for the saturation of His Saviour? Each of us struggle with idolatry in our heart and if we don’t recognize it and ask God to help us to abandon the impotent god(s), we are no different. Ours just may not be publicized like Mr. Lamb’s.
oops….pushed enter before I was ready to end. Regarding him beginning another church and pastoring again, I must say I felt he was doing a disservice to his community. He should have repented to his wife and family and done all he could to make things right. He should have done the same with the woman in the affair and her husband. Great healing could have occurred among those in his congregation had he publically gone to them and to all of his followers on the web and confessed his sin and sought their forgiveness. He should have never married the other woman. He did not have Biblical grounds to remarry. I am sure Mr. Lamb probably has many that follow him as a man of second chances. I Timothy 3 makes it quite clear who is to be an elder in the church of Christ. It is not a legalistic list, but it is there because these men are to be held to a higher standard. I think it would have benefited Mr. Lamb quite well to have resigned from the formal pastorate, worked in the private sector and shown to those around him whom he had wounded by his example what living repentance looks like. If Pastors can’t be men of the Word and live lives of repentance then how in the world do they expect to show this to others? I must say however I did appreciate his effort in taking responsibility for the blame in having his affair and what led up to it. I just personally think he should have taken it seriously enough to realize him continuing on in ministry will be like causing little children to stumble and there is a pretty harsh warning regarding that and a millstone.