Featured Former coach of the year fired from Christian school for out-of-wedlock pregnancy

In an incredibly bizarre situation that appears headed for a legal challenge, a Dallas-area volleyball coach and science teacher was fired by the Christian school at which she worked for becoming pregnant before being married.

As first reported by Dallas Fort Worth network WFAA, Rockwall (Texas) Heritage Christian Academy volleyball coach and science teacher Cathy Samford was fired during the fall semester after she became pregnant out of wedlock. Samford had led the volleyball program for three years and had been named the school's coach of the year once during that span.

Still, that couldn't help save her job when she first admitted her pregnancy during the fall semester, with the school terminating her based on a violation of her contract's morals clause because it was determined her pregnancy meant she could not serve as "a Christian role model."

"I looked it up and thought, 'They can't do this,'" the 29-year-old Samford told WFAA. "We all have different views and interpretations. It's not necessarily the Christian thing to do to throw somebody aside because of those."

The rest of the story and video is at http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highs...stian-school-wedlock-pregnancy-145601399.html

 

How would you say that compares to what Jesus said and did in John 8:3-11, The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court], they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. "Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?" They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more."

 

The idea of Mt. 18 is restoration of the sinner. How does what the school did to terminate her contract apply? Let's say that she went to another city and had an abortion then her public image would not have been tainted and the school would not have known.

How do you restore someone who is pregnant? Make them un-pregnant? A pregnancy is an obvious statement to all. If she were to say publicly that what she did was wrong would that not make a louder statement to young people than trying to hide her from the students?

When I was in seminary a young lady repented publicly that she was having sex with her fiance who was studying to be a pastor. Neither of them were asked to leave the school. She repented but the lady in the story cannot undue her pregnancy. Is there any real difference between the two stories?

My question would be: how is she any different than the woman caught in adultery and how is the school any different than the Pharisees?

I personally know a man who was a pastor whose wife cheated in him. He gave the church his resignation and they refused. I have never seen such a changed man. They asked him to step down as pastor and get counseling for as long as he needed. They told him that they needed him when he came but now he needs them. The public in the city heard about it and came flocking to the church. The church doubled practically overnight.

We serve both a righteous and merciful God. If God created just a merciful society then we would be a place where sin is rampant. If He created a society run by justice then not one of us would measure up. There is the fine line we walk. If we were to do as the OT law suggests we would condemn her to death. Nobody seems to be suggesting that. Why not?

If I were to have made public the things I knew about a number of leaders in every church I pastored except one, most of the leaders would be asked to leave.

For example how many pastors would need to leave the pulpit because not all of their children are believers if justice were practiced? Yet, is that practiced today in churches?

 

Many pastors children today are not all believers. Why is their dismissal not practiced today? I think there is a reason why a pastor is called an elder in scripture and they came from within their respective congregations. They were already proven. How many pastors who come from a seminary are already making disciples and have already proven themselves? My guess is less than 5%.

 

I do not think there is any question about her sin. Where is the man? How have I misapplied the text? I understand the text to mean that the Pharisees wanted to condemn her for her adultery. How is that any different than the lady in the story. She is not an elder in a church. If one were to suggest that she is a teacher and that applies just as it would in a church then is not the school in violation of scripture by having a woman teacher.

The school knows about her situation--sin. Does one show mercy or judgment on that? Seems to me that God does both and so should we.

If every time I knew about a leader in a church who did something wrong in their business or in society I would be condemning a lot of people. When I look at myself I am not without sin.

 

Churches would definitely have a revolving door too.

One of my questions would be because it is easy to say she violated the contract she should go, but on the other hand what is best and how would one deal with her as God would? She will experience the results of her sin and hopefully experience His mercy too.

My family experienced pain when I was pastoring and our daughter was given 8 out of 9 of the academic awards one year in her grade. We did not have a lot of friends after that. People would say some of the nastiest things to us. We had nothing to do with who got the awards. The only thing we were guilty of was being new to the town.

We moved to another city and much the same thing happened and I cannot remember anybody saying anything negative.

 

Titus 1:6.

If a man is not making disciples now under a pastor in a church where he can be helped then how would he have proven himself before leading a church where he is the main leader and expected to teach others as Jesus did. I think that is the main reason why we have so much trouble in churches today and so many men are not equipped to lead well. I was fortunate in that for a few years I was under a pastor who made disciples and he guided me even though I had done it for awhile with students.

I know a church that practices discipleship in action all through the years. The older mentor the younger. The older being about 70. A number of people have been to a Bible school for the sole purpose of being better equipped.

 

Another question would be, "Would it had mattered at all if she would have ended up getting an abortion and they never found out?"