Why does divorce of any kind disqualify a pastor?

[John I Morris]

Thanks so much everyone! You all did an excellent job of sharing your thoughts and convictions on this topic. Blessings to you all... :thumbsup:

 

[nodak]

My view is a little different, and probably comes from years in tiny oil field camp churches where the preacher was called from among the men in the church. He would keep right on working his job in the patch. He was the preacher, not a priest or pastor as some see it as dispensing God or ruling the church.

So if you go looking around for someone to call, you are advised to look for someone living a stable Christian life. It will show in his family, his job, his relationship with the community, and what he does in church. You wouldn't call someone still addicted to alcohol, or who can't keep a family together, etc.

So I freely admit I pass right by when someone who doesn't meet the scriptural criteria of who the church is to call steps up and "announces" they have been called, gets the training, and then considers they have a "right" to the job.

Much the same as if I've eaten what some lady has cooked, it isn't good, then I'm not going to call her up and ask for her recipes.

 

[Tom Butler]

How many of you could accept a divorced pastor who had not remarried?

If a divorced pastor's ex-wife died, he presumably would be free to re-marry.

Or would he?

 

[Yeshua1]

Just a question guys and gals. Please give me your honest Scriptural answers. Is it the unpardonable sin for a pastor? Murder? Immorality?

Would say that it all depends on the divorce situation, for IF the Pastor was innocent, and was divorced on biblical grounds, I do not find scripture saying that automatically disqualifies him for the ministry as a pastor!

 

[convicted1]

Really? Where is that in The Law? I think you'd better look again. God's intent was for one man and one woman to form a family, with no other parties or entities included. Man himself is who decreed he could defy the Law and have more than that. He couldn't, not legally. He just did, like we often choose to ignore God and do our own will when we think it is justified. Like them and their bending and breaking of the Law, we are neither justified in choosing our will over God's. Sin is sin, no matter which dispensation we're talking about.

Here's my thoughts on what I posted previously. I am not as indepth with OT as the NT...though my NT needs to be deeper too, I am sure. Look at Jacob/Israel. The 12 tribes, his 12 sons, came from 4 wives. For whatever reason, God blessed them to bring forth a large thronging of people(s). David and Solomon had many wives and concubines. So, for whatever reason, God didn't put a stop to it. Sure, each had their troubles, too....

 

[convicted1]

How many of you could accept a divorced pastor who had not remarried?

If a divorced pastor's ex-wife died, he presumably would be free to re-marry.

Or would he?

It would have to be on an individual basis for me. If his wife dumped him and took another man, I'd have zero problem with him being my pastor. If he dumped his wife and took another woman, I wouldn't want to hear him preach, let alone, be my pastor.

If the unbeliever departs, let them depart. A Brother or Sister is not in bondage in such cases. I think I read this in the bible somewhere.

 

[Salty]

...If the unbeliever departs, let them depart. A Brother or Sister is not in bondage in such cases. I think I read this in the bible somewhere.

I Cor 7:15
But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

 

[convicted1]

I Cor 7:15
But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbsup::thumbs:

 

[Iconoclast]

Guess again ...

Mark 10, NASB
11 And He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her;
12 and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery."​

Nice try, though. Well, not so much.

But to answer your question, "Paul today would write the exact same thing he wrote then."

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::wavey:

 

[Yeshua1]

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::wavey:

If ther wife has commited adultery, and refuses to reconcile with husband, she can divorce him, and that would not mean that he could not pastor still!

 

[annsni]

If ther wife has commited adultery, and refuses to reconcile with husband, she can divorce him, and that would not mean that he could not pastor still!

Well, almost always, there are two sides to the story and I don't think that most people go having affairs for no fault of their spouse. Not saying it WAS their spouse's fault but something was amiss in the relationship and I would ask a pastor to step down for a time and spend time healing and being discipled by a few men in the congregation who are at the same level of maturity as him or above. I don't think a pastor can rightly lead a congregation when his family has been torn apart like that.

 

[Salty]

It would have to be on an individual basis for me. If his wife dumped him and took another man, I'd have zero problem with him being my pastor. If he dumped his wife and took another woman, I wouldn't want to hear him preach, let alone, be my pastor.
...

It would be on a case-by-case basis. Suppose he had dumped his wife more than 10 years ago - left the pulpit - then over time got his life straight with God- I would consider such a man - even if he had re-married -

 

[Yeshua1]

Well, almost always, there are two sides to the story and I don't think that most people go having affairs for no fault of their spouse. Not saying it WAS their spouse's fault but something was amiss in the relationship and I would ask a pastor to step down for a time and spend time healing and being discipled by a few men in the congregation who are at the same level of maturity as him or above. I don't think a pastor can rightly lead a congregation when his family has been torn apart like that.

,any denominations and church groups require a pastor in that type of situation to tale a leave for a year of serious counciling, and to get their lives back together, but do not require them to forfeit forever call to the ministry!

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

Here's my thoughts on what I posted previously. I am not as indepth with OT as the NT...though my NT needs to be deeper too, I am sure. Look at Jacob/Israel. The 12 tribes, his 12 sons, came from 4 wives. For whatever reason, God blessed them to bring forth a large thronging of people(s). David and Solomon had many wives and concubines. So, for whatever reason, God didn't put a stop to it. Sure, each had their troubles, too....

God didn't put a stop to my two divorces and my adultery either. I'm a successful man, have more than I need, and share what I have with others. That doesn't mean God blessed my sin. He didn't bless theirs, either.