This post is not prompted by a particular event.
Why? Because it seems to happen every day.
Every FREAKIN' day.
A scandal hits a leader in the church.
It may make the news, it may not.
It may be a famous "Christian celebrity," it may not.
It may be anyone from the senior minister to the new youth group leader.
No matter who or where, it would be difficult to find either a Christan or a church who has not has some personal contact with a scandal.
Abuse.
Adultery.
Pedophilia.
Cover ups.
Theft.
Manipulation.
So... What do you do when another scandal hits the news?
Do you get angry?
Do you just accept it?
Do you think it's nothing more than a media beat up?
If I'm honest... I would say that whenever I hear about another "moral failure," whilst I do cringe, I'm increasingly less surprised.
I'm not shocked because it happens all too often.
I'm not shocked because there are a lot of people who work in churches and, inevitably, some of them will make really, really poor decisions.
I'm not shocked because sometimes the really, really bad decisions are actually newsworthy.
Most of all...
I'm not shocked because, if my life was thrown open before all, I'm a long way short of being perfect.
But I cringe because, indirectly, if reflects on me.
It changes the way society views the church, people view those who work for the church and those who are Christians.
Do other professions react in a similar manner?
When we hear of a teacher who has abused a child, do others teachers cringe at the ramifications for how their profession will be perceived?
When a banker is found to have embezzled money, do we look suspiciously at all bankers?
If a journalist is found to have illegally hacked into people's phones, do all journalists get branded by that revelation?
I think the message that the church needs to send in response to "another" scandal is this...
Followers of Jesus can get things wrong. Terribly wrong.
Those in leadership are not beyond nor immune from temptation.
At times, we (institutionally) get things wrong.
Mistakes have been made in the past.
Mistakes are still being made now.
And it is not okay.
We should realise that these events involves people. The minister. The victims. Both their families. The congregation. Those connected on the edges of the church.
To those who have been hurt, we apologise for the wrong which has been done to them.
Their should be no cover ups. Ever.
When someone fails within the church it does hurt and taint those who bear the name of Christ.
When (not if!) scandal hits we should learn the lessons held within. We should raise our guard. We should increase accountability and tighten procedures.
Finally, we should check our own lifestyles. We should strive to live a life (and have a ministry) worth of the gospel of Christ.
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