When a pastor falls

In the world of the church it is always sad when a pastor has a moral failure. This happen recently near where I live. A very good preacher and pastor fell into the waiting arms of a woman other than his wife. I not only destroys the effectiveness of the church, that pastors ministry but also destroys the life of the wife and the children. WHAT HAPPENS IN THE MIND OF THAT PASTOR? In the process of the act or acts does he ever stop to think what he is doing to so many people especcially his family.



The wife: Where this wife was in the limelight of a great number of people (in this case several thousand) now she only wants to hide, not be seen or answer a phone. She has to tell the children something as to why their father is no longer at home. Why they are not attending church where they always have and having people pouring love into their lives. The income is stopped in most cases so how does she put food on the table and take care of all the other things that a loving husband once helped with. Where she was once the FIRST LADY of the church she is now the last. Her mind is going in a million different directions. Did her husband, the pastor, ever think of what he was causing as he enjoyed his moments of indiscreations in a hotel or an apartment somewhere?



The Church: Here are thousands of people who put all their hopes and dreams into every word, demostration, and act of faith that this man preached. Do they look for another church? Do they just quit church in doubt and unbelief? Do they hang in there hoping that it will all work out in the long run? Or is their faith crushed to the point that they stop praying and doing all the other things that would help them dig their way out of the doubt and dissappointment.



The mom and dad: Our boy was reaching the top ranks of noteability of preachers. He had his own television program, billboards everywhere, spoke in national conferences, spoke and hosted on the largest Christian Television networks in the world. Surely our boy did not lose all he had going for a trist with another woman? Our hearts are broken into a million pieces.



Yes, he has gone to a counseling center for restorestation but what about all the rest of us. Who is going to help us recover from such a far reaching hurt. The answer is simple but it is also very hard. Just trust in God to lead you through and out of all the hurt. It is very hard but it can be accomplished with much prayer and talking it out with people of like faith. Try not to hate the pastor or his wife. That is the wrong direction. Let the love of Christ be you main place of release from the hurt come from. Just remember this is not the first time a pastor has gone into moral failure and sad to say will probably not be the last time. So pray, love and keep yourself in church. You will come out of this with your faith in tact!