A Letter to Those Discouraged By Fallen Pastors
Where do we go?
Beloved,
It happened again.
Another Christian leader has fallen. A man many of us listened to and trusted and respected. A man who chose the hard way of Christ over the easy joys of this world. We saw his character and admired it. We heard his wisdom and received it gladly. This brother impacted many of us in significant ways through his teaching and ministry. The times that we live in, the cultural waters that we swim in, are so difficult to navigate. So confusing. So disorienting. And he helped us aim our sails to catch the wind of the Spirit.
And now he’s fallen.
The collective weight of these moments weighs on me, as I’m sure it does you, beloved. First Hymenaeus. Then Alexander! Oh, what a blow it was when we heard these brothers fell away and turned against Paul. The sorrow seemed more than we can bear. And now, after all this, Demas has fallen as well. The man who once pointed us to Christ now takes more pleasure in this world than in the Savior who loved him and gave himself up for him.
Perhaps you are discouraged, dear brother or sister. You look at these men and you wonder to yourself, “If they fell, what hope is there for me?” That question is a consequence of their unfaithfulness. They have sinned against not only against their Savior but against you. Their compromise has created a category of doubt in your mind. My heart aches for you. The church has not yet been waiting even fifty years for our Lord to return and already you’ve witnessed desertion and scandal and betrayal by shepherds who should have anchored your faith, not dealt it a blow of doubt. They should have pointed you to the treasure of Christ (as they once did), not made you ask whether walking in the Way is worth it.
Beloved Christian. If doubts assail you, let me remind you…
First, the story of these brothers is not over. We do not know what shore their faith will finally rest upon. Remember that the Apostle Paul handed Alexander and Hymenaeus over to Satan that they might learn not to blaspheme. While they still have breath, they may still learn! Perhaps they shall be saved from the shipwreck. And with Demas, who served you all so well, the same is true. We do not know what the Lord might do in his heart. We do not know if our King may graciously call him back and wake him up to his error. Pray for him - for all three of these brothers - that it would be so.
Second, let these brothers be an example to you of the sin that clings so closely. Guard your hearts. Our Lord told us that out of the heart come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. Our brother James, who finished his race faithfully, warned us of the desires within that lure us, entice us, and give birth to sin. Tend to your heart’s desires, beloved. Go daily before the throne and find grace to help you in your time of need. Let he who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall.
Lastly, remember the promise of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. Heaven and earth will pass away, but his words will not. And his words bear witness that he will not allow the enemy to vanquish the bride he bled and died for. When it feels as though the church is assaulted on all sides, remember our King’s promise. He is with us always, to the end of the age. And until he returns, he will preserve his church.
Cling to Christ, brothers and sisters. Fix your eyes on him. Until our Lord Jesus returns, there will be no perfect leaders. Even our brother Simon Peter once abandoned the Lord in his darkest hour (and in his grace, Christ restored him). This is not new. It is not the first time a trusted brother has fallen. Remember that your faith is not in Hymenaeus, or Alexander, or in Demas. Your faith is in Christ. When doubts haunt you, trust in the Lord. He will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
To him be the dominion forever and ever.
Anonymous letter from Ephesus
63 AD
I realize this piece is very different from anything I’ve posted here before. My hope is to encourage you with a reminder that compromised ministry leaders, though tragic, is not a new phenomenon in the church. This has been happening from the beginning. There are always things we can learn when a ministry leader is disqualified. But there is no magic bullet. Sin is real, and until the New Heavens and the New Earth, we will see more leaders fall. We will also see some fallen leaders restored. And others we will see endure faithfully through decades of shepherding, sustained by the grace of the Spirit.
Pray for your leaders, friends. The enemy prowls around like a roaring lion seeking shepherds to devour. Fight for your shepherds with prayer. Oh, how we need it.
I love a timeless way of addressing a current issue! Brilliant.
Thank you. As one whose family has been torched by sexual sin, I had taken great encouragement in our brother's courageous stand. So when I heard of the fall yesterday I was devastated and indeed mouthed the words, "Who can stand?" Thank you for what you wrote and the reminder of the hope that Jesus is not done with any of us yet.