Prestonwood Baptist pastor: Church appalled, disgraced by minister’s sex sting arrest
04:28 PM CDT on Sunday, May 18, 2008
PLANO – A Prestonwood Baptist Church minister arrested for soliciting a minor online has resigned from the church, Pastor Jack Graham told his congregation Saturday evening.
Read More of the News story here
Another Mega Church pastor goes down. When I listened to the churches announcement Dr. Jack Graham spoke on the topic of trust and responsibility when announcing the events that have unfolded. What intrigued me though is what wasn’t said. Nothing of fearing God, nothing about sin finding one out rather it was more of what I have heard from other churches following a pastor’s fall: the enemy came, opposing God’s work and the man was tempted and fell. Same song and dance. No mention of profaning the sanctity of the calling to shepherd the flock of God, nothing to say the heart is wicked and decietful – this fluffy Church stuff is to keep people from jumping ship, to put a spin on it.
We have a church here where they are going through 1 Corinthians and they are skipping over the ‘tough passages’ dealing with sin and consequences sticking to the ‘high’ topics of Christian living. To be fair the instruction is for the congregation to read that on their own then on Sunday they would focus on a topic from the chapter. Something wrong with leaving the congregation to figure out the tough stuff on their own.
Just sick, in my mind, that there are people that need to hear about sin and it’s devastating effects. Oh that’s right it’s assumed we know sin is bad. When men like this pastor have their sin found out in the church should be an increase in the ‘fear God’ and a purification should be taking place with people falling on their faces before Holy God! But is just like divorce, adultery, infidelities of all sort etc it is nothing more than a fact of life and a bump in the road and we’ll simply diffuse and minimize the impact.
I agree that it is a church culture that does not want to take heavy stands – keep everything running as smoothly as possible, seems to be the mandate. Could it be that church leaders are playing a little too closely to fire (sin) themselves and do not want to set themselves up for a public failure – therefore, the soft sell on sin? We are a comfortable, seeker friendly church world, but the real world judges us much more strictly.
Thanks for the comment joyjourney!
You bring up a good point on one of the reasons for the ’soft sell’ since they may be playing with sin themselves, but I am mindful of men like Jimmy Swaggart who pranced around on stage railing at the top of his lungs against pornography and prostitution both which were his own undoing.
I also think it is a cultural compromise in some how thinking we can better bring about Christian growth thru accentuating the positives, creating happy families and happy people. It is also argued that they don’t want to scare seekers off.
Another aspect, is it protects the till. Happy church people give happily so the sheep need to stay fat, dumb and happy. One church I attended to actually was controlled by the prominent families in the church. The pastor started preaching on hard things and these families got together and with held their giving – totally crippled the church.
Today we have church consultant to do for pastors and high profile Christians what they do for politicians when they fall or get caught with there hand in the cookie jar. These consultants have strategies designed to perform ‘damage control’ is such cases.
God forgive us and revive YOUR church!
I work in a state prison system and run a treatment program for men who have committed sexual offenses.
I agree that the enemy is “out there,” and tempting great men and women of God to fall. But the enemy is also “in here,” and men and women of God need to practice what they have probably been preaching. It would have been a wiser choice for this pastor to have turned to his wife or his good friends (before he got caught)…as he might have if he had been abusing alcohol or drugs. Society has made this sin of sexual offense the “worst” sin…not God. From the beginning, sexual sins were dealt with openly…not hidden. When a stigma is attached to any behavior – the offender of that stigmatized sin is more likely to hide and not seek help.
Help is available and people of God can help to de-stigmatize this sin and let some healing begin.
emptynomore thank you for the comment. That point reinforces why sin needs to be talked about from the pulpit. The is a spiritual consequence to ALL sin and ALL sin leads to death and in Christ there is forgiveness and reconciliation.
Stigmatizing certain sins, I think is a sin itself. In the world there is the Sex Offender Registry which is cool from a community aspect, but in the church – I don’t see a Biblical reason for it. I do understand helping a person stay clear of being put into compromising or tempting positions, but I see that from a personal responsibility and accountability perspective and not having to wear a scarlet letter the rest of their days.
Haven’t encountered any good discussions on this topic. I think it would be an interesting one to have.
I know some of thought I have heard at conferences is from a legal liability perspective. Seems to be a contradiction to have to mingle reconciliation with liability and litigation threats.
When I think of church, I don’t think about “legal liabilities, and litigation threats.” It is a legitimate concern, I am sure; however, when I think of church, my mind hovers around the “pure” church…back in the days Jesus walked and the times of the disciples’ days of spreading the Word. No doubt, it was tough times for Christians…no worry about what to wear to church and “if so and so is going to be there – I ain’t going.” More likely – if you were not “real,” you would not have the courage to meet together. Being a Christian meant a way of life and it involved the entirety of our lifestyles. I certainly agree that sin is sin and can therefore be forgiven if the heart is pure and contrite.
The world of psychology has made bold statements concerning men/women who engage in sexual offenses. Their belief has been that: these people cannot be cured! I will say that there is a slight turning happening in the field at this time and I am pleased to be riding this wave. Change can occur in any mind that is free of damage (chronic physical or chemical impairments) and persons who have committed sexual offenses can indeed choose a different path – as can the offenders of other sins.
The stigma of sexual sin prevents so many people from getting the help they need / from coming forward and disclosing their deviant thoughts and thus preventing sexual sin in the first place!
Those who commit sexual offenses think, “If my church will not embrace me – who will?” Indeed…not many. WWJD?
emptynomore all I can say is “right on!”
It is a tough situation as seminary and the universities have given us the church leaders we have – the institutional influence has done a great job making the church so successful in America that unless the Holy Spirit gives them a Power Point presentation, they’d never believe they have left Jesus outside, knocking on the door.
Note: Not knocking Power Point presentations
I so agree. My husband and I have pastored those churches that withhold giving if you do not preach what they think you should! Wow! I have recently written a blog (I am still new at this) about the confused church.
http://joyjourney.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/the-confused-church/
What does God have in mind for this church that is His church?
How come we don’t hear about praying for this man and his family? They want to “put it in their rear view mirror”? How is that going to help anyone.
Yes I’m with you, I know God has been putting the desire to intercede for True repentance in my church. We need to sift the wheat! Shake us God so all that is not of You falls to the ground!
I Posted on another blog about this story. What a sad, sad, situation…
Jack Graham preaches a good Biblically accurate sermon, but I think his church is seeker friendly when you consider the latest article Christianity today published about “food ministry.” What did that mean in Scripture, and how does Prestonwood do “food ministry”? Gourmet power lunches are “food ministry”?