A horrible thing happened here in the Heart of America recently.
A well-known and well-loved pastor of a major area church resigned virtually instantly because he had an affair with a married woman. She held administrative responsibilities in the church and she resigned as well.
This has shaken me deep into my bones. The pastor and the woman are both people with great integrity; people with whom I have done church business; people with whom I have worshipped and praised and prayed; people who I consider friends. They are fine, fine Christian people who were bushwhacked by the devil. I feel like a drunken sailor right now.
Please be reminded that when you pray, pray for your pastor, his wife, his family, his ministry and his church. Even if you don’t like the pastor, even if you wish he’d leave—even if you gossip about him all the time—pray for your pastor. If you have a priest who is not married, pray for your priest, his ministry and his parish.
1 Thess 5:15 – 18: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
James 4:7 “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
2 comments:
I am sorry to hear that this happened. My parents were part of a cult and as a result of their choice, I grew up in a religious cult.
With that said, I have lost all of my trust in people, and expect leaders, especially religious ones to be the most sinful.
Unfortunately, what happened to you does not surprise me in the least and is very common.
I hope you will be able to find a better role model down the road.
The same thing happened to a well respected Pastor at my parents' church a few years ago. He and his wife often stayed with my parents while they were in town (they ahd opened several churches here, in Texas and Californa). Unfortunately, he left his wife for another woman, also from the church. Sad. He was one of the better guys I met. Like Senorita, many things have discouraged me and shaken my faith (not in God but in organized religion).
Obviously, what you describe is not what God wanted and we know that ANYONE can fall. Prayer is so important...I'm learning that more and more these days, but thank you for the reminder!
Hugs, Ily
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