When Pastors fall?

Which is exactly why I said up there that once you are encouraged or forced to leave, you are "branded for life". Lagardo, ya got a witness here, lol.

 

Thanks TaterTot!

Sadly, youth ministers have a well earned reputation for going against their pastor. I always worked hard to support the pastor. I always worked to keep the youth ministry in line with the vision the pastor had for the church. In the end, though, it always seems to get chalked up to I didn't support him. OF course, I didn't mention details so in this thread, I can see why what I said made it sound that way.

 

I guess I read it in light of having been there, and didnt assume you really WERE the problem.

 

This was my point exactly, if your pastor was dishonest then you can't in good mind follow that guy. In this case it doesn't sound like you were fired. Sounds to me like God promoted you. You didn't move out, you moved up.

The Lord knows the truth about each of us. I once told a story of being seen coming out of a bar. The reason I was in the bar was to get the chairman of the deacons son in law. He led the attach against me yet I promised his daughter I would not tell what was going on. To this day I have kept my word.

Like you, the Lord has used this to strengthen my ministry. The daughter has let some of the members know the story and now I am appreciated as a pastor that will one, go where the lost is to find them and two, keep it to myself and don't treat the person like dirt...

Keep serving the Lord, it will all pay off after while.

 

One point I have often made when talking with people about this ordeal is that about 6 months earlier I had come across something that made me seriously doubt the integrity of the pastor. At the time the youth ministry was growing in leaps and bounds and many kids were coming to Christ so leaving was not an easy choice. I began to pray, "God, if you want me out, open the door." I think I imagined a church calling out of the blue; another opportunity opening up, but in hindsight, I see that these would not have required the faith that leaving to nothing and having to desperately seek did. God tends to work in the ways that require more faith.

This is why one of my biggest pieces of advice I could offer any pastor who has left in a negative situation is to allow God to teach you through it. What does He need to to reveal to you? God has shown me so much through everything.

A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I traveled back to that city to close on our house there. We also had to go by the utility company which was next door to the church there. My wife commented as we drove by that seeing it still made her very angry. It suddenly occured to me and I shared this with my wife: I made more money as a youth minister there than I do as a pastor now. My youth group there was bigger than my church here. There was more "freedom" to be creative there. We owned our own home, etc. If we had to opportunity to go back, would you?

Not in a million years. Not for any amount of money.

The funny thing is, if you had gone to me a while back as I was the youth pastor to almost 100 kids, in a rockin' contemporary church where I get a big budget just for cool things like sound systems and video projectors in the youth center, and told me that God would lead me to be the pastor of small town, traditional church where I'd where a suit every Sunday, I'd laugh you out of the room. God is awesome the way He works in our lives.

 

Pastors get accused of junk all the time. I wouldnt take to heart the reckless interpretations in this thread. I would be honest as possible.

 

Masons Eh?

 

It usually starts with one person. It seems so many forget what scripture teaches about receiving an accusation against a pastor. It simply shows the condition of those who would accept such accusations as truth.

 

Ironically, at my ordination, my pastor mentioned that very thing...only later to not allow me to answer any accusations or others to speak to me about them.

 

yup

Yup.

The ultimate street gang.

 

Uh-huh.... Know all too well... this is why, if and when I ever get my own Church, there will be a rule added to by-laws... no membership will be offered to those in Masonic or any secret society.

I feel for you buddy!

ever seen this website? http://www.saintsalive.org/freemasonry.html

 

I'm sorry but after dealing with what I am going through, my first thought was if you just wanted to meet "new people" for friendships. Why didn't you go to a Christian website that offers such services? I am sure there are plenty out there. Or even a pastors group online, or even a board like this?

Now I am very skeptical

 

Changed my mind

 

I Will Pray 4-U!

Hey Brother:

WOW! We all do dumb things from time-2-time, huh, but I guess you topped 'em all. :BangHead: I, too, have made mistakes as a pastor, but none that led to a resignation! Thank God.

I feel bad for you, Bro, but like my Mamma used 2 say... "You made your bed, and now you got to sleep :sleep: in it! Like one said, you really do have to come to grips with what you were doing for real, and why you were doing it. Remember -- GOD knows your true intentions, and you need to deal with those intentions with HIM, OK? OK.

TO ALL: I am convinced, folks, that the WWW (a.ka.a Internet) is causing more harm :tonofbricks: than good in more ways THAN WE CAN IMAGINE! Pastors are stealing others' sermons, looking for dates, meeting others, chatting anonymously and using curse words like no one knows who they are, saying things to church members in E-mails they would never say otherwise... and wished they had it back --- but it is too late once the send button is pushed, and doing lots more of other things via the WWW that are NOT good for ministers.

* Hey everyone -- 'THINK B-4 you act' and ask God if what you are about to do on the WWW is what HE wants you to do! Hey Bro, did God want you to post an Ad on Yahoo? I don't think so!

Here is my 2 cents worth@ the possilbe church: If you DO NOT tell the new church's Search Committee about the Yahoo ad that caused you to resign, they will find out sooner or later anyway, right? And then what? You will probably be forced to resign yet again!? Then just imagine the blight on your ministry and name. You would never get another church after that, would you? As hard as it might be to admit, the potentail church will want to know WHY you resigned your last church, and you can either choose to lie (never good!) or tell the truth. Ask yourself: WWJD!?!

Lee R. :type:
Texas