Consequences

At the moment Marion Jones is on Oprah. Marion Jones, the convicted criminal. Marion Jones, the drug cheat. Marion Jones, stripped dual gold medalist. Marion Jones, publicly shamed athlete.

She has talked a lot about consequences. If she knew the ramifications of her actions at the time, she would choose differently. No surprise there.

It's a true story that is told after failure. If they knew the consequences, they would go down a different path.

In my head, if you keep the consequences in the forefront of your mind, you can avoid a stack of trouble. If you're aware of the effects that committing adultery will have, you are more likely to avoid it. If you're aware of what a public failure in ministry will have, then you won't do it.

It hurts me when i see the consequences of the above two examples. Consequences that, I’m guessing, the person never intended or thought of.

The damage adultery does to the cheated on partner. The pain and mistrust that follows them into future relationships. The effect the breakdown has on any children and their future relationships. The strain it puts on the extended families. That the, often, short-term "pleasure" is greatly outweighed by the long-term pain.

In ministry, whatever the failure (if it fits into the above category or not) the ramifications are wider than, i'm sure, assumed. You damage, to some aspect, those you nurtured under your ministry. You damage those who sat under you in leadership. You damage the trust the church placed in you. You damage the reputation the church. You damage your family life and spiritual life.

And you damage it for years to come. You damage it for the next person and the way they can effectively ministry "in your shadow."

From what I’ve seen the consequences reach to milestones as well. You don't/can't come to funerals, no matter what relationship you had with the person in the past. You can't go to baptisms, confirmations or weddings. You don't go to birthdays and no-one contacts you on yours. You lose a faith community and (hopefully) join another one with all the baggage you bring with you.

The point of this ramble? I'm not sure it would work logistically, but i think those who are going into ministry should hear from those who have failed. Hear how it was effected them, their family and their former church. Hear their hurt. Hear the damage. See and hear the consequences.

Perhaps, once you witness the damage you could cause in the future, you would steer clear of traveling down a similar path.