Why are so many evangelical Christian leaders caught in scandals?

Now all these qualities may in no small degree become contributory to blessing in the gospel field, provided they are kept under the control of the Spirit. But just here lies the snare and the danger for a "popular preacher" of the gospel. The sweetness of religious renown and honour, is still more dangerous and pernicious in its effects than that of natural fame and flattery, because the religious flesh is even more subtle than the natural. How many excellent servants of Christ in the gospel have been spoiled and marred and cast down from their excellency, yea, almost wrecked and ruined (if it were not for the preserving and restoring grace of our God and Saviour) by the worse than foolish flatteries and adulations ministered to them by their thoughtless admirers. This has been in an especial way the case with those who have risen (often, rather, been elevated) from a humble station of life. Exhibited on the stages of theatres and on the platforms of town-halls, supported by the élite of the religious world, presented with heavy testimonial purses, they have lived in stylish houses fitted up with the commodities and luxuries of this world, where they certainly did not appear like the "off-scouring of all things, and the filth of the world." Is it like apostles of Him Who owned nothing in this world except His cross, and said, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has not where to lay His head," and "He that will be My disciple, let him deny himself, take his cross upon him daily, and follow Me?" Can we wonder at the final shipwreck of the faith and testimony of so many of there? Pride, that cause of Satan's fall, and man's innate sin, is more disastrous in its effects upon the christian than upon the unbeliever.

The enemy of God and of His people and testimony in the gospel and in the church has always his snares and temptations ready for every servant of Christ. But the evangelist is, even more than others of his fellow labourers in the Lord's work, exposed to temptations peculiar to gospel work. It is, therefore, not in any spirit of disparagement that the writer of these lines (who has been interested, and, in his poor way, been active for more than forty years in the blessed work of the gospel) would offer a few suggestions which might serve, under God's blessing, to guard against failures in that important part of the Lord's service, and thus save them experiences which he had to pass through, very humbling to himself, while he can but praise God's preserving grace, which alone could keep and deliver, as it has saved him.

God's grace was meant to bind us thoroughly to Himself. We might see a person fall into evil (and this, of course, is truly sorrowful in a Christian), but there is a great deal more of evil that others do not see. God gives us the opportunity of judging ourselves when no one else perhaps knows anything about it. If we do not judge it, then the end here below is, that the very world may pronounce on it; and we may be sure what a vast amount of evil must have gone on in secret, when God allows one to fall so that the careless world judges one's course as evil. But we must not be discouraged. It is just where the truth is most preached and held that Satan will invariably try to bring in the worst conduct and heresies, in order to bring shame upon the testimony of God. When a man slips from a pinnacle or height, he must have a fall so much the more terrible; as also it will be much more manifest to the world than if he had merely upset on the plain.

It is not difficult to account for the weakness which exists, and the inability to deliver from worldliness which is found in the ministry of some who have the truth, and are real children of God themselves. If I have fallen, and am living in the attractions or honours or supplies of Satan myself, how can I deliver others? How can my walk then be characterized, as so many have been in the past, as the steady, onward, triumphant walk through an adverse scene of a "man of faith"? Never having overcome Satan individually when he comes with all the power of the world, explains why the power and ministry of so many is practically NIL. It is not that they are not Christians. I am not in any doubt of that; but what is manifest is that as to the world - this moral scene of evil - they are not conquerors, and are not clear of it. Hence the Spirit of God does not support their testimony, and there is little result. Many a Christian labourer would not only leave his mark for God in this world, but would also leave it on the Church of God, where now there is nothing of note in his testimony, had he not gone down to Egypt when Satan met him. He responded to the attractions presented, and his usefulness to others on God's behalf was, and is, practically at an end.

There is one feature in this melancholy picture I cannot pass by briefly thus. The ministry, or what stands before men's eyes as such, how is it affected by all this? I have already said that Scripture does not recognize the thought of a minister and his people. Upon this I do not intend to dwell again. But what, after all, in the present day has got to be the strength of the tie between a church and its ministry? Who that looks around can question that money has here a controlling influence? The seal of the compact is the salary. A rich church with an ample purse, can it not make reasonably sure of attracting the man it wants? The poor church, however rich in piety, is it not conscious of its deficiency? People naturally do not like to own it. They persuade themselves, successfully enough, no doubt, that it is a wider and more promising field of labor that attracts them. But the world notoriously does not believe this and it has but too good reason for its unbelief.

The contract is ordinarily for so much money. If the money is not forthcoming, the contract is dissolved. But more, the money consideration decides in another way the character of man they wish to secure. It is ordinarily a successful man that is wanted, after the fashionable idea of what is success. They want a man who will fill the church, perhaps help to pay off the debt upon it. Very likely the payment of his own salary depends upon this. He will not be likely most to please who is not influenced by such motives; and thus it will be only God's mercy if Balaam's doctrine does not secure a Balaam to carry it out. But even if a godly man is obtained, he is put under the influence of the strongest personal temptation to soften down the truth, which, if fully preached, may deprive him of not only influence, but perhaps even subsistence.

There is one feature in this melancholy picture I cannot pass by briefly thus. The ministry, or what stands before men's eyes as such, how is it affected by all this? I have already said that Scripture does not recognize the thought of a minister and his people. Upon this I do not intend to dwell again. But what, after all, in the present day, has got to be the strength of the tie between a church and its ministry? Who that looks around can question that money has here a controlling influence? The seal of the compact is the salary. A rich church with an ample purse, can it not make reasonably sure of attracting the man it wants? The poor church, however rich in piety, is it not conscious of its deficiency? People naturally do not like to own it. The ministers persuade themselves, successfully enough, no doubt, that it is a wider and more promising field of labor that attracts them. But the world notoriously does not believe this; and it has but too good reason for its unbelief.

The contract is ordinarily for so much money. If the money is not forthcoming, the contract is dissolved. But more: the money consideration decides in another way the character of man they wish to secure. It is ordinarily a successful man that is wanted, after the fashionable idea of what is success. They want a man who will fill the church, perhaps help to pay off the debt upon it. Very likely the payment of his own salary depends upon this. He will not be likely most to please who is not influenced by such motives: and thus it will be only God's mercy if Balaam's doctrine does not secure a Balaam to carry it out. But even if a godly man is obtained, he is put under the influence of the strongest personal temptation to soften down the truth, which, if fully preached, may deprive him of not only influence, but perhaps even subsistence.

Far be it from us to despise the devotedness and zeal of many earnest souls; but duty demands we should point out these signs of the times. Costly and gorgeous buildings for meeting-places are erected which call for immense sums of money; large salaries are paid to brilliant and attractive preachers, who are employed in much the same way as persons engaged in secular work; unconverted singers are hired to furnish attractive music that will draw the crowd and please it. To meet all these expenses there is the constant appeal for money. The unconverted are encouraged to contribute; all sorts of amusements are devised to raise money; and thus the Church, the chaste virgin espoused to Christ, is linked with the world. What wonder, then, that in this rush after money the Holy Ghost is ignored, the word of God neglected and disobeyed! "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers." Brethren, the last and least thing God needs for the carrying on of His work is money. Consecrated hearts, instructed, devoted men of God, who will carry His word, His gospel everywhere, — every member of the Body of Christ, in his or her place, filled and constrained by His love, doing their appointed work, — these He needs and longs for; but money cannot regenerate souls nor build up saints. Why, then, make so much of money?

Alas! is not this an exact picture of what is taking place in Christendom in our day? This condition has, indeed, been found in Christendom throughout the centuries though becoming more painfully evident in these last days when many, who publicly avow they are priests of the Lord, are strangers to the Lord. Like Hophni and Phineas of old, such use religion to serve themselves and their own ends, at the expense of the people of God. Through such the atoning sacrifice of Christ is being despised, and wickedness and worldliness of such a gross character are being introduced into that which professes to be the house of God, that the natural mind is shocked and turns with righteous disgust from that which is a mere travesty of religion. Thus leaders of Christian profession, like the priests of old, become the main instruments of corruption and apostasy.

What a solemn picture does this last message present of the remnant of God's people, who outwardly occupied a right position and who outwardly were carrying on the Lord's service. And if we are at all intelligent in the things of God, it is only too easy to see amongst the people of God today the counterpart of this remnant. Amongst those to whom much light has been given, is it not true there has been a grave departure "out of the way," and that, too, on the part of many of the leaders? Departure from God has been followed by dissension amongst leaders — unfaithfulness to one another. Jealousy, envy, strife, evil speaking have too often marked leaders in their attitude to one another. This again has been the occasion of many turning aside to the world, and unholy alliances with the world have led to the unholy practices of the world intruding into the family life of God's people. And if we have been wrong in our own homes, little wonder that we have been unable to govern in the house of God. "If a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God?" (1 Tim. 3:5).

But are not we all affected with these two evils? I have pointed out that the Word says, “The whole was leavened.” The evil shows itself in various ways. Where there may be no outward appearance of a clerical system, an ordained, human appointed, and recognized priesthood, has it not often been seen that a few clever, headstrong leaders sometimes arrogate to themselves a position and an authority in divine things which outshine the Roman Bishop himself? They may be designated “the spiritual” or “leading men”; the term spiritual is preferred by themselves, but their object is to bring the people of God into complete subjection to their system. I suppose this is what is referred to in Revelation 2 as Nicolaitanism. It is said the word means “Conquerors of the people.” The saints of God are by them brought into subjection. Those who prefer to serve God apart from their dictation are placed under a ban, and spoken of as lawless, and all in every place are warned against having anything to do with them. They take the place of “Lords over God’s heritage” (1 Peter 5:3). Inspected closely they are always found to be men of neither spirituality nor of moral calibre, such as would fit them for a prominent place among the people of God; but are simply men of determination who will have a place of pre-eminence no matter by what means it is to be attained. “Servant of all” (Mark 9:35) is not a place which is coveted by them, and yet this is just the divine way of reaching the top of the ladder.