This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.” 2 So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation.
-I Timothy 3:1-2a, NLT
Cheating disqualifies.
Abusing one’s congregants disqualifies (via Clergy Sexual Abuse).
I believe these sins (and potentially crimes) disqualifies a pastor for life. They ought not to be entrusted with the power of leading a congregation after such egregious breaches of trust.
Once trust has been broken, I don’t think it wise to put someone back into power to abuse, again. It is foolish.
But they are such a great teacher, DM!
The ability to teach is only one part of the qualifications for a Christian leader. Most of the qualifications are character ones. A Cheater fails those qualifications even if he is a great teacher.
We need to get to the place where we value character over sparkly gifting in the church!
Remember, it is not doing miracles that God asks of us. He seeks relationship. We are to know Him.
In fact, people can do miracles and still go to Hell (see Mt. 7:21-23). You cannot know God while continuing in willful sin (see I John 3:6).
But he “repented.” Can’t he be re-instated as a pastor?
Would we rehire an embezzler after he embezzled millions of dollars? Probably not, if we were wise. The trust violated through adultery or clergy sexual abuse is much more than millions of dollars, in my opinion. It just isn’t wise to re-instate someone who has violated that trust through a double life of abuse.
Plus, more importantly, Cheaters are no longer above reproach and no longer hold a good reputation. Both are still requirements for Christian leadership positions.
They can by all means be restored to the church as a member following genuine repentance. However, I don’t think it is wise or biblically sound to ever restore a Cheater to the pastorate.
