When Pastors Make Mistakes

Christians of all stripes make mistakes, but usually they are not quite as public as when a pastor stumbles in a service. I was present at a very painful service earlier this month in Ecuador which started out with good intentions but ended in fiasco. A little girl of 13 in a gorgeous white frilly dress sung a wonderful song about overcoming difficult circumstances and about her faith in Jesus. She sung clearly, strongly and on key, and it was a beautiful, soul-affirming time for her. Afterwards, the pastor called her a brave little girl and launched into telling the girl’s testimony for her, about how she had been raped by her stepfather at age eleven and given birth at age twelve. After she was allowed to leave the stage, she collapsed into a chair and dissolved into tears along with twelve of her family members.

The local church gathered around to comfort as well, just as they had been working with the family for months comforting and encouraging and guiding. Normally when something like this happens, I figure the pastor hadn’t checked with wise people of the opposite sex to seek counsel. In this case, however, he had gotten advice from spiritually mature members of both sexes, but had proceeded anyway. Why, I’m not sure. Youthful recklessness, perhaps, or maybe emotional or spiritual obtuseness. More likely, though, it was a desire to make a highly positive spiritual progress report about church successes before all the many out-of-town guests who were present.

Pastors, seek godly counsel and then pay attention. It’s so easy to crush a young spirit when you so strongly want to see spiritual bravery.