Pastors are flawed, sinful people, just like the rest of us. But those called to vocational ministry are and should be held to a high standard of personal holiness. Paul told Timothy that elders must be “above reproach” (1 Tim. 3:2). James warns, “Not many of you should become teachers . . . because you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (3:1).
This standard presents a difficult situation for pastors in dealing with their own temptations and sin. If they try to conceal their sin, they imperil their souls. If they confess their sin, they risk losing their jobs—even if what they confess doesn’t disqualify them from ministry according to Scripture. Healthy spirituality is only possible when sin can be openly confessed, but this is a tricky thing for pastors to do well.
To talk about these difficult questions, I’m joined on this podcast by Ray Ortlund.
Related Resources from TGC
- Dangerous Calling
- The Pattern Among Fallen Pastors
- Should Churches Offer Vocational Retraining for Fallen Pastors?
- When You Are No Longer a Pastor’s Wife
Related Ministries
Involved in Women’s Ministry? Add This to Your Discipleship Tool Kit.
We need one another. Yet we don’t always know how to develop deep relationships to help us grow in the Christian life. Younger believers benefit from the guidance and wisdom of more mature saints as their faith deepens. But too often, potential mentors lack clarity and training on how to engage in discipling those they can influence.
Whether you’re longing to find a spiritual mentor or hoping to serve as a guide for someone else, we have a FREE resource to encourage and equip you. In Growing Together: Taking Mentoring Beyond Small Talk and Prayer Requests, Melissa Kruger, TGC’s vice president of discipleship programming, offers encouraging lessons to guide conversations that promote spiritual growth in both the mentee and mentor.
