This is a guest post by my friend Pastor and Producer Larry Kurtzler:
Fallen Leaders, Fall From Grace
The Importance of Knowing the Truth. Over the last decade or so, we have seen more Christian leaders fall from grace. It’s hard to know the exact reason for it, but I would like to take a stab at it today.
First, I think ministry has become more successful than ever in attracting crowds and selling products. This, of course, is not bad if the contents and reasons for making products and drawing crowds are for the right reasons. I always defer to Revelation Chapter 2 and the Ephesian Church when success is an issue. Their success as a ministry turned them away from Christ though not making Him their priority. His response is the key to understanding what is happening today with many leaders who have fallen.
He said, in essence, if you don’t repent and return to Me as your first love, I will remove your candlestick. In other words, you will no longer speak for Me. Many leaders who have fallen have enjoyed successful ministries, to the point of reaching superstar status. Personality sells, and when you have a charismatic leader who may abuse that success, you now have the problems we see today. As commentator Carey Nieuwhof has said recently, “Why do churches keeping making the pastor the product? Especially large, growing churches? Doesn't that just put too much pressure on everyone? Especially the lead pastor and preacher?”
That’s a good question, isn’t it? Why do we make the pastor the product? This will only contribute to when leaders make even small mistakes, it will eventually turn monumental in scope. I have put together a list that I think needs our attention within the Body of Christ. I believe part of the problem is the structure and emphasis that we have developed in the Church. Here is what I believe is needed:
1. Shift the emphasis away from marketing the product.
2. Do away with creating personality driven ministries. The Gospel is about one personality, not the messenger. We follow people, make them celebrities and make them rich.
3. The emphasis is Scripture, not personal prophecies.
4. Accountability. Every leader must have mentorship and someone to keep them tethered to the Scriptures and the Lord. The leader who has revelations, personal prophecies, and a charismatic personality is one of the most dangerous entities in the Body of Christ. Leaders have no one to challenge them personally. The emperor has no clothes and there is no structure to reel in a loose cannon.
5. This idea of personalized ministry has been made a standard, and the emphasis is wrong. The emphasis should be, how do I fit into the body, not how do I stand out from it.
6. Shift the emphasis from an outstanding leader to the plurality of leaders, Ephesians 4:11-12 as the basis for structure in the Church.
More could be said on this issue, that is why we have recorded five podcasts to investigate the problems with fallen leaders. The first of the five will drop this Friday. Go to citysitesurbanmedia.com and it will be listed in the podcast category [Or watch the embedded video here on this page uploaded by Tov]. This first podcast will outline the issues, and the subsequent podcasts will deal with the perpetrator and then the victims.
I believe we need to protect the Church against such behavior, and we need to put in place safeguards to protect people from leadership abuse. Please listen, and pass on the link to your Pastor, and Church Leaders. Thank you.
Challenging the Culture with Truth … Larry Kutzler
direct link: https://www.highbeamministry.com/the-truth-barista-podcast
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