What's Wrong with Pastors These Days?

It seems every time you turn around, another pastor is in the news, and it's rarely for a good reason. As I was scrolling down my Facebook feed, I came across another one.  This time it was a somewhat well-known Reformed pastor, whom I will leave unnamed, being accused of child molestation. The allegations, as often is the case, stem from events that are said to have occurred over a decade ago in a church that he no longer pastors in a state in which he no longer lives.  Such is the industry of the pastorate these days.  Every time I see one of these scandals, it leaves me somewhere between disgusted, angry, and humbled.  How could a pastor harm those whom he is supposed to be shepherding?  How could a pastor bring such shame to Christ's name?  How do congregations let these types of guys in their pulpits?  Child molestation isn't the only sin you read about, either, though that is certainly among the gravest of sins.  They also make the news for affairs, money laundering, and other such illicit acts.  It makes me wonder just what is wrong with pastors these days?  Here's a few things I have noticed.

Firstly, I've noticed many pastors in the age of the internet struggle with pride.  Learned men are prone to this sin.  They're often the smartest people in any given room, at least when it comes to theology.  This is particularly true in Reformed circles, where thick books and long words rarely fail to impress.  Just go on internet forums and social media sites.  Pride knows no bounds!  Satan loves a proud pastor.  Why?  Because there are few things more destructive to the Church than pastors who are filled with pride.  Pastors who are self-righteous and hold their own opinions in the highest regard fall the hardest, and they often take a bunch of people with them.

Secondly, pastors often have a vicar mindset.  People go to God through them.  We Protestants say we don't believe in a priesthood, but our practice belies that claim.  The pastor (once again, especially in Reformed circles) has all the answers and does everything in the local church.  He is held to a higher standard.  He is idolized and idealized.  This puts pastors in compromising positions.  When coupled with pride, it is dangerous, but even with humble, well-intentioned pastors this attitude is harmful, placing undue weight on their shoulders.  It also puts their flocks in vulnerable positions, where opposing and even questioning their pastor is sacrilegious.  It doesn't take a genius to know what happens when human nature is inserted into that equation.

Thirdly, too many pastors spend their formative years away from normal church life.  Separation from the Church during seminary years is the norm.  The seminary life is often artificial and overly academic, and it is a poor training ground for ministers of the Gospel.  Pastors need to learn how to serve, and they spend very little time doing that during their years of pastoral training.  The pastorate is too much like an industry these days, and our training process reflects that.

Fourthly, one of the worst issues with pastors these days is a lack of accountability.  This is obvious when it comes to congregations that have one pastor who runs the church however he wants.  There's no one to curb his sins or his zeal.  There's no checks or balances to keep him in his place.  There's no one to guard the people from a wolf in pastor's clothing, and, just as importantly, there's no one to watch over the pastor's soul.  This is still often the case, however, when a pastor is surrounded by a session of elders.  The pastor is viewed as superior and untouchable.  He is often not even a member of the church in which he serves, answering only to a regional presbytery, which may or may not be equipped to oversee his conduct.  This is as good a reason as any to make sure that every local body has multiple pastors/elders who have equal authority in their church.

Fifthly and finally, pastors sin because they're sinners.  They're human.  This is why accountability is so important.  Want to see human nature at its worst?  Put a man in a position of authority with no accountability.  Sin will almost inevitably ensue.  I sure wouldn't want to be in that position.  Pastors are supposed to be spiritually mature and are called to be examples, but even the Apostle Paul knew he hadn't achieved perfection.  Part of spiritual maturity is recognizing opportunities for temptation and avoiding them.

Let me be clear that I am not a pastor.  I have not experienced the burden of the pastorate and the expectations that come with it.  I've kept my eyes open though, and I've seen the failures of many pastors, even good pastors.  I think we do a disservice to pastors when we put them in positions where Satan and human nature can capitalize.  Pastors, for instance, should never find themselves in positions where they can molest a child or have an affair.  Should they be able to withstand temptation anyway?  Of course, but putting them in rooms alone with children or women is stupid. It's just stupid.  Everyone bears blame for that, the pastor included.  Pastors need to make sure the structure of their churches doesn't allow for such situations to occur.  Such situations lead to good men falling and bad men preying.  Remember, Jesus taught his disciples to pray, "Lead us not into temptation."

We need to pray for the Church.  We need to pray for good leaders and then we need to pray for those leaders, both that their ministries would be blessed and that they would be kept from temptation and sin.  We need to support our pastors so that their ministries are filled with joy and not with sorrow.  We need to recognize and guard against the weaknesses that they have as fallen human beings.