Tyler McKenzie reacts to Philip Yancey’s moral failure with grief, anger, and sobriety—then points to confession, repentance, and grace. He argues God’s power is often clearest in the humbled and desperate.
January 1, 2024
Part of the problem people suffer lies in the fact that we tend to compare “our insides” to everybody else’s “outsides.” Compiled by Justin Horey, Jim Nieman, and Shawn McMullen There’s nothing the unbelieving world loves more than to see church leaders succumb to temptation and experience a moral failing. But it’s not just the unbelieving world. The church has been known to eat its own. Christianity Today, for example, produced a popular multipart series of podcasts called “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” that focused on the spectacular collapse of a Seattle-based megachurch and its founder/leader Mark Driscoll.
August 8, 2022
Long ago the prophet Ezekiel identified several danger signs of moral failure. How can we tell if our leaders are losing their bearings? Ezekiel 22 identifies five leadership pitfalls—ways the “princes of Israel” were veering off course.
July 1, 2022
By Wes Beavis Healthy church leaders do not spiritually abuse their church staff. Abuse of staff happens all too often, and it must stop. I’ll share an example. Recently, a senior pastor called the family life pastor into a meeting. The executive pastor also attended. It was a two-against-one coalition. The family pastor felt vulnerable. This vulnerability escalated when the senior pastor relieved the family life pastor of his ministry position. This was not a response to moral failure or professional misconduct. It was simply a case of, “We don’t feel like you are the right person for this position.”
September 1, 2021
During COVID-19, church leaders experienced change, loss, and pain. Those who remained steadfast in their approach by setting goals and persevering ultimately made it through.
April 25, 2019
By Jerry Harris I’ve always been an admirer of old souls in ministry. Their simple, godly lives are inspiring to me. I’ll just go ahead and say this . . . The latest book or ministry techniques typically don’t enthrall me, nor do the youngest and brightest stars of Christianity who are at the forefront of the speaking circuit. I confess to having cynical thoughts about this new breed’s sense of fashion—the tight shirts that highlight countless hours in the gym—and their huge social media followings and what seem to be nearly perfect lives. Sometimes I battle judgmental thoughts when
July 6, 2016
By Jim Tune “I experienced success in ministry,” the speaker said, “but it wasn”t worth it.” I was attending a church planting conference. The speaker had served as pastor and as a leader of two national church planting networks. He had written books. At one point, he worked 364 days a year. (He took most of Christmas off.) This guy is, and was, a big deal. In hindsight, he said, it wasn”t worth it. He wanted us to learn from his mistakes. In the years I”ve served as pastor and leader, I”ve seen many rise to the top. They are
October 20, 2015
By Alan Ahlgrim Integrity failures come in all shapes and sizes, and usually at the most inconvenient times, in the most surprising ways, and from the most unexpected directions. Based on my experience and what I”ve learned from others, here”s my advice for a church coping with a leader”s failure. Over the course of my ministry, here”s just a sample of what I”ve been faced with and forced to lead through. “¢ Confronting the chairman of the elders with his adultery with another visible church member. “¢ Navigating the confession of molestation, as a highly respected leader simultaneously admitted his sin
November 26, 2012
By Tim Harlow It seems one can”t attend a gathering of church leaders without hearing a sad discussion about some brother or sister who has fallen. Sometimes it almost seems like having a fulfilling and successful life in the Lord is just as much about the things you DON”T do, as the things you DO. Sure, giftedness is important, and attitude, and a good team, and vision, and all of that. But you can have all of that and blow it just once and have it all come crashing down. There is always forgiveness and grace; and none of us
February 13, 2012
By Brad Neal I remember feeling the anguish surface again. The pain of dealing with a fractured ministry, and the resulting fallout, all came rushing back when it came time for public restoration. Was this the right course? Would members trust us? The easy path would have been just to leave it in the past. Take sin seriously. The restoration process takes time. In our case, two years. It takes time for the seed of repentance to bear the fruit of a changed life. It also takes time for those who are hurt to be ready to trust again
March 21, 2010
By Ken Swatman It was Monday morning and I sat at my desk feeling tired and frustrated, trying to decide if it was time for a staff change in a key position. I had been over the issues again and again in my mind, Did the staff member just not understand his leadership role or ministry expectations, or did he not have the skills necessary to be effective in his ministry position? I knew we weren”t getting what we needed and something had to change, but was firing him the right answer? As pastors and church leaders, we never want
March 22, 2009
 by Darrel Rowland It”s not weakness in the stock market or real estate sales that concerns Doug Crozier the most about whether churches can repay their loans from the Church Development Fund. It”s weakness of the flesh. “This current economic scenario scares me, but my biggest risk in making loans to churches is moral failure in the pulpit, not economic bad times,” says Crozier, CDF president. The Church Development Fund, based in California, currently has about 450 loans worth $650 million for Restoration Movement facilities in 41 states. Most are church buildings, although the list includes a handful of
November 9, 2008
By LeRoy Lawson Both of these books are written by pastors who have been to the dark side””and came back to tell their stories. Gordon MacDonald, The Life God Blesses (Thomas Nelson, 1994). Gordon MacDonald is one of evangelicalism”s most respected leaders. Chairman of this and editor of that, he frequently speaks for conferences around the globe and, when he has nothing else to do, keeps on cranking out his helpful columns and books. The Life God Blesses is not his latest and may not be rated as his best (Ordering Your Private World usually is), but when Ben Cachiaras
Chuck Sackett reflects on ordination and the call to ministry, urging churches to pair careful evaluation with long-term encouragement and accountability for those they ordain.
November 11, 2007
A sober look at sexual temptation among church leaders—why assumptions of immunity collapse, how secrecy and loose connections enable repeated harm, and why true restoration requires time, accountability, and deep character formation.
When ministers fall, the question returns: where is accountability? This reflection explores how plans can fail, why a weekly confessor matters, and how honesty—one week at a time—keeps a vulnerable heart away from the edge.
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