I know the why pastors fall: weakness. Weakness of heart, conviction and integrity. WHY pastors fall is what fascinates me. The tactics are different but they all share the same goal, deception. The story I am going to share with you today is all about deception and a little weird.
How much can I get away with and for how long? Those are the two big question those who try to deceive ask.
Small church, big problems
If you’re a Christian you may pay attention to the news of pastors, but only if they are well known. Because I hav been a pastor for 35 years, I know my share of names like T.D. Jakes, Creflo Dollar and Brian Houston of Hills Song fame but for every big name story there are a dozen, or more, smaller stories of pastors who are in trouble, usually by their own hand.
Such a story crossed my e-mail the other day, Pastor charged with stealing $135K from church, using it on sports betting, food delivery
People will read this story and bring their experience and their judgement to it, just read the comments.
“That’s why I’ll never go to church”
“Pastors are just waiting to take your money”
It’s if only Pastors who do these things or lack integrity.
I Have Questions
We see a headline, reach a judgement, slam, the gavel and then we go to lunch. This is typical of most people, including Christians. Most people have other things to do besides dwell on why a small church pastor embezzled 135k and spent it on Door Dash and Sport Betting. Not me, I have questions.
How much was this pastor making a year?
Was he a Ravens fan?
Who was his accountability partner?
What was his relationship like with his board?
Why did he spend money on such “minor” things over the past 5 years?
Now, before you say, “Paul, are you trying to justify this mans’s behavior?” Absolutely not. He was wrong for stealing money from the church regardless of the circumstances that drove him to it. But there circumstances. These things don’t happen in a vacuum. I want to know the WHY. What led to this.
Your kids probably won’t see this story
But that doesn’t mean it’s not important. This pastor likely, not definitely, went to youth group in some church. He probably knew that what he was doing but for some reason he separate his theology from his actions.
One of his last messages to the church, before he was caught, was on I Thessalonians 2 which includes
You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed —God is our witness.
Yes, we can quote scripture about terrible shepherds and sheep in wolves clothing but does that fix any thing or does it just make us feel morally superior? Do we think we’ll earn favor with God because we called out the ‘bad guys?” News flash, we think we’re the good guys until we’re the bad guys.
Students may not see this story or, if they do, they will probably see a negative take on it from unbelievers and believers alike. This why it’s important to talk not just about hypocrisy but integrity and how we can build it into our own lives so we don’t become the next viral Tiktok for all the wrong reasons.
If you would like the Bible Study on integrity to go along with this story, sign up for my newsletter.