 | Senior Pastor Tom Hawks, of Glenn Park Christian Church for the last 30 years, was born in Wichita. He has lived here most of his life. He has been married to Ellen for 24 years. They have two children and three grandchildren. His favorite pastimes are spending time with his family, fishing and studying the Word of God. You may contact Pastor Hawks at (316) 943-4283. |
Religion
2007-05-01 11:08:00
How can one best explain, it’s a mortal and not the Church?
There are a lot of good members of the clergy, and there are a few ‘bad apples’ among them. Why is it that, when a member of the clergy of one faith does something wrong, some people immediately condemn the faith of the offender? How can one best explain that the infraction was committed by a mortal, and not the Church of the cleric?
I don’t know of anything that hurts me more then to see a friend in the Ministry “fall”. I have a personality that wants to help and often wonder what can I do to help or, why didn’t I see this coming? It also amazes me that people get this news about a “fallen” friend and begin to spread hate and hostility about the person and the faith.
There are many reasons news of “fallen” clergy seem to excite people. There are those who have no faith of any kind and use this as an excuse to attempt to destroy any faith in an all powerful God. There are others who feel better knowing someone is worse than themselves, and still others who gloat over being “above” the one who fell.
In a recent survey I read I learned some sad news.
• Over 1300 pastors each month are forcibly terminated without just cause.
• Only 50% of all who start out in Ministry retire in Ministry.
• The profession of pastor is near the bottom of a recent survey of the most respected professions…just above a car salesman.
• Over 1200 pastors each month leave the ministry due to stress, church-related issues, family issues or moral issues.
• 20% of pastors say they view pornography at least once a month.
• Clergy divorce has risen 65% in the last 20 years.
So what can we do to help our Pastor, Priest or Clergy Leader? We can pray for them, we can encourage them, we can lovingly hold t hem accountable for a clean heart (Psalm 51), we can encourage them to spend “vested” time with their families, and we can make sure they have a fair compensation for their work. I’m very grateful to be in a church where leadership cares, people pray, and our staff works to encourage and keep themselves dressed in the Armor of God. (Ephesians 6:10-20).
If you are a church member don’t get wrapped up in the misery of the “fallen” pastor, but get wrapped up in Jesus and pray for the victory of your pastor, and the “clergy” of the church all over the world.
