Pastor scandals — we see them far too often in the news. But what sins or scandals disqualify a pastor from ministry, resulting in their resignation or firing?
What type of pastor scandals disqualify ministers?
“I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”
The Greek word for “disqualified” is “adokimos.” The prefix “a-” means “not” or “without,” and “-dokimos” means approval. So when you put them together, you literally get “without approval” or “not approved.”
In the context of this passage, the apostle Paul is talking about athletics in Corinth. His readers were very familiar with this because there was a huge athletics event that took place in Corinth. This event was similar to our Olympic Games, called the Isthmus Games.
Everyone in Corinth would’ve understood that if athletes did certain things during the competition, they were “adokimos.”
Paul knew his actions could disqualify him from ministry. We regularly see pastor scandals with leaders falling from prominent ministry positions, and it’s likely to continue. But what exactly disqualifies a pastor from ministry? And how can we know whether that disqualification should be temporary or permanent?
The Bible gives very specific details of what a pastor should be like. However, some of those characteristics are subjective. Still, we can use them to come up with some valuable questions to ask when a pastor is caught in sin or misconduct.
What does it mean to be above reproach?
So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach.
This characteristic is subjective, because people can have varying opinions about a church leader. What we can say is that this doesn’t mean any person with sin in their past is disqualified from ministry. Paul persecuted the church, and then God used him as much or more than any man in history. Nothing you’ve done before you knew Christ can disqualify you from ministry.
Husband of one wife
…the husband of one wife…
This one is not subjective. Is the pastor faithful to his wife, or is he unfaithful? Someone who has unconfessed adultery in their past that is exposed should at least step away for a season.
Some interpret this literally and say that any infidelity at any time in a pastor’s marriage requires them to permanently step down. I don’t hold that view, but I can see how people get that interpretation. The bottom line is that while there is forgiveness in Christ, we don’t get to choose the real-life consequences of our sinful decisions. Pastor scandals are no different.
Self-controlled, gentle, not quarrelsome
…sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome…
If a pastor demonstrates a history or a repeated pattern of mistreating the people who serve under him, that pastor needs to step down. That kind of behavior is a clear character issue and a violation of 1 Timothy 3.
In this case, the leader can possibly go through some sort of reconciliation and restoration plan and possibly return back to ministry, but that depends on the specific situation and people involved.
He must manage his household well
He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?
This qualification is extremely subjective, because what it means to manage a household and raise children well varies from family to family.
Not violent
…not violent but gentle…
This is an objective characteristic. If a pastor verbally, physically or sexually abuses anyone, including his wife and children, he is disqualified.
Not a heavy drinker
…not a drunkard…
Here’s another subjective one. Would five beers per week disqualify a pastor? How much drinking is too much? This could depend on the person, and it is subject to different interpretations and opinions.
Able to teach
…able to teach…
Pastors should teach according to sound hermeneutical principles, interpreting the Bible accurately and not taking verses out of context. However, there is a level of subjectivity to this qualification, because opinions can vary about how well a pastor teaches the word of God.
The point in going over all of these is that there is some subjectivity and gray area involved in 1 Timothy 3 as it applies to pastors. So here are the big questions we can ask after pastor scandals as it relates to whether a pastor should step down or if they can be restored.
Honest repentance after pastor scandals? Or sorry they got caught?
Has the pastor or leader taken full responsibility for their actions, without making excuses or blaming others? Are they trying to downplay their sin or save face? If so, the pastor is not fit for ministry.
In some situations, the pastor should make full restitution for any damage caused.
Repentance means a complete and total change of mind leading to a change in behavior. If a pastor is not willing to give up the sin that caused him to fall, he should step down.
Finally, a pastor caught in sin must be willing to submit himself to an extended period of restoration. Not just for the purpose of restoration to ministry, but for healing and closeness to God.
Can the leaders regain the church’s trust after pastor scandals?
If a pastor’s sin is so egregious he can never regain his congregation’s respect, that can permanently disqualify him.
I’m referring to situations where the sin is so harmful that even after it’s over it becomes a distraction to the ministry and people are not able to receive the word of God from a pastor because of the cloud of sin. It doesn’t mean the pastor cannot be forgiven, but it could mean they are no longer fit for ministry.
One-time violation, or repeated pattern?
If a pastor has an affair one time, he should step down and go through an extended process of healing and restoration if they are truly repentant. But if you find out the pastor has been cheating on his wife for 20 years, leading a double life of hypocrisy for an extended period of time while serving as a church leader, that is a deeper issue that could make it harder for the church to regain trust.
Have trusted spiritual leaders deemed the pastor fit to return?
This is why it’s a serious decision to appoint someone to a board of elders. If the pastor in question has gone through an extended process under supervision of the church elders, and he has wholeheartedly repented, and the elders of the church agree that the pastor can return to ministry, that would be appropriate. There isn’t a specific timeline for how long this should take, but it underscores the need for churches to have a team of strong, trusted leaders for situations like this.
Pastor scandals: Are they a distraction to the pastor?
This is a question only the pastor could answer. But as an example, if a pastor is struggling with an addiction to pornography, there’s no way he is able to deliver the word of God to his congregation every Sunday the way they need because his heart is corrupted by the filth he is regularly consuming. He would be robbing the congregation of the spiritual food they deserve, and should be humble enough to admit he is unfit and needs to step down.