When Leaders Fall
A repeat warning on dealing with sin in our midst.
As a Watchman, I often receive ‘Warnings’ that others may not recognise as such.
Imagine my surprise then at hearing The LORD say, “I see vultures!”and then I hear about vultures and hyenas — two of the most voracious scavengers and predators on the planet.
It wasn’t a Warning about scam artists or anything like that. Rather, it was a Warning about apostate, or ‘lost’ Churches, of impending disaster via shakings, revelations, and other exposés!
While so very many in The Church are actually faithful and true — as far as their teaching allows — it’s the leadership which is about to come under serious scrutiny.
We know from Scripture that The Church is to be judged first, but we also already know that leaders are held to a higher standard and are judged more critically than the rest of us.
The shaking that has barely started(!) is already going to shake The Church to its very foundations!
Many a ‘House of Cards’ will just collapse!
We may well never know, nor understand, why some things happen to well known and much loved leaders in often huge, apparently ‘blessed’ Churches.
When these things do happen, let us not jump to any conclusions, nor jump on any band wagon of condemnation.
As Billy Graham said, “It’s God’s job to judge. It’s Holy Spirit’s job to convict. It’s our job to Love!”
So rather, let us extend Love and Reconciliation to those slipped and fallen.
The New Testament way of dealing with problems makes no mention of a leader being stood down from Ministry until he proves himself worthy of reinstatement — even though that may be entirely appropriate these days!
Rather, it focuses on Repentance, true Repentance, and Reinstatement, (albeit probably closely watched and supervised).
Some, no doubt, will leave the Ministry for an extended season, if not permanently, but most seem to have been brought to full and meaningful repentance, forgiven by God and men, and resumed their journey.
Today, we seem to discard those who fall. We shun them and refuse them a platform. If there has been godly Repentance, then if God has forgiven them — why don’t we — are we bigger than God?
Yes, there’s all sorts of legalities and safeguarding issues to balance these days, but the habit of either leaving our wounded on the battlefield, or killing them off altogether, seems to be the most prevalent attitude.
The attitude we take can be just as sinful, in my opinion, as ignoring or allowing the problem to continue unabated.
One sin doesn’t excuse another!
If God has Mercy and Love, should we not imitate Him?
God has Mercy for all — so should we!
~ Chris G. Bennett
Chris Bennett came to salvation in 1962 but didn’t begin ministry until 2007 — a late-comer! Now mandated by The LORD to prophesy and open old wells of revival in the U.K., but especially in Wales. He has also operated Healing Rooms, and worked with deliverance teams, all with his wife, Linda. Happily now doing whatever The LORD asks of them! Founder, with wife Linda, of their ministry The Upper Room Encounter.
Yes, there’s all sorts of legalities and safeguarding issues to balance these days, but the habit of either leaving our wounded on the battlefield, or killing them off altogether, seems to be the most prevalent attitude.
The attitude we take can be just as sinful, in my opinion, as ignoring or allowing the problem to continue unabated.“
Hi, Chris,
As far as I can see it, the opposite is happening before our eyes, – instead of early warnings and rebuke through other elders in church, things are covered up and victims suffer greatly! What about those souls?? As we heard, over a time span of 20 years in one case. Such a scenario will tragically harden the heart of a leader and even make repentance impossible. This is not the way the bible tells us. To the contrary, Paul found harsh words in 2. Cor. for those who kept sinning, as it spreads like cancer to the rest of the congregation. This kind of accountability is hardle ever seen in today‘s practise, more the contrary. Love has been the tool to hinder a godly practise far too much. It is not love, to let one go and cover…We are to „judge“ rightly having in mind our own weaknesses and failures.
TRUTH!
The great cover up has soured far too many churches. If leaders will not submit to their own advisers,(deacons and elders), they will certainly not submit to God. The problem is deeper than just the leader – it starts with elders and deacons not willing to criticise for fear of losing position and ‘importance’I.e. losing face before the people.
How God must weep for His Church!
Vultures feed on DEATH! They are of a different spirit. “We do not want to have mercy for the things God has under judgment. We do not want to fall in the ditch on the otherside of unsanctified mercy.” ― Rick Joyner
Sound advice
It’s interesting, and it’s hard Job 28:28 is like a gun. And Proverbs 2 is a magazine full of live rounds. John 14:15 is a reminder of what Jesus wants us to do. And John 6:29 is what God is working out in our lives. Seeking understanding in all this is looking answering the question ♂️ What does God want me to do in this situation? Honestly, these scriptures can turn boys into Godly men. I was reading recently an article saying that our brains done come out of adolescence until we’re in our 30s. Any I digress I think there’s a verse in psalms that says “search my heart oh God and know my anxious thoughts”
“¶Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart; Test me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.”
Psalms 139:23-24 AMP
Far too many aren’t submitted to God and their misdemeanours are either ignored or covered up.
Chris, So true of extending Love over judgement. But I truly believe that when a leader falls and even exercised Godly Repentance, the reinstatement of the leader should not be of human wisdom, but to be decided by God Himself who had Anointed that individual. This is where the need for the other leaders of the church to hear the heart of God for the matter at hand.
Remember the story of Saul, Samuel and David? As opposing to reinstating, God could very well decide to raise one up and put down another who has disrespected the Anointing. Furthermore, the Anointing may have even left that leader to begin with, and this is where the heart of God is needed in the matter. I have seen some things happened in my 23 years of being a Born Again Christian. A leader fallen, and the sheep scattered and church closed.
A leader fallen, and the leader start a new Church, even though God knew that the spirit that caused the fall was still there to cause a repeat, and sent an Anointed One to fellowship there for a time until God discreetly expose the thing again, and open the leader’s eyes to make the right decision for His Purpose.
Then I’m now experiencing the New Thing where God is sending His Prepared Prophets out of the wilderness to be Aligned with the Apostolic, and not be afraid of their faces – and the rest is in God’s hands. The end results should always be in God’s hands.
In His Love, blessings.
Agreed, but as the anointing is without repentance, they will certainly fallen leader can leave, take a chunk of the congregation with him, and just carry on! The anointing is still there – as is the sin!