thats because you are using the wrong browser and not one that has tabs http://mozilla.org/products/firefox/

All kidding aside, John MacArthur's comments are embarrassing. In his model, Paul would never have been allowed into ministry. Heck, most of us who weren't born into Christian homes could never serve in ministry if his argument is followed to its logical conclusion.

I've never been a "fan" of John MacArthur ... ever since his book "Charismatic Chaos". And it's this kind of article or model as Josh puts it that seems to sound "right" but somehow "isn't". Hmm ...

I've got some ideas bouncing around in my head, so let me see if I can articulate a couple of them.

I attended a megachurch for 9 years, and I still remember the odd tension in the air when the senior pastor told the congregation that he had, at some point in his recent past, gone to marriage counseling. He told us that there were problems in the marriage, almost entirely due to him and his ego, and he realized they needed to be dealt with before they grew to undermine the most important human relationship in his life.

Why was that such a stunning revelation?

I think it's particularly easy in a megachurch setting for the senior leadership to take on a sort of superior, exalted role. It's easy for a congregation of thousands to confer this role onto their pastor, whether the pastor seeks it or not, when the congregation doesn't really know the pastor beyond the hour they hear the pastor preach on Sunday.

I was taught (and believed) growing up that pastors were more or less super-human. As an adult, I no longer want Superman for my pastor. That's not to say I want a pastor wallowing in and embracing sinful behaviors, but I also don't want (or expect) someone who never struggles with anything.

I've come to a point where I place a much higher value on authenticity and transparency than on some sort of surface perfection.

I guess I'm saying that I wouldn't want John MacArthur for my pastor. Am I being harsh?

not at all.

the analogy to shooting our wouded is such a great analogy i think. its teh sense of saying, "lets be accountable to one another" and as soon as you share somethign that someone decideds has crossed beyond a personal moral failure point, you are drawn and quartered. how bout "lets be accountable" and then work toward encouraging forgiveness and healing.

blah! to all of it.

l.

well, frankly, jOhn Macarthur sucks! the issue for me here isn't whether we're restoring pastors to ministry after they've fallen. That needs to be handled case by case, and blanket statements made one way or the other is just being presumptuos. My issue here is the tone of Macarthur. What an ass! What a popmous ass! If cussing we're allowed in Knightopia....

Cussing has been granted, for this one instance, Andy ;-)

Cussing is the gateway vice. What's next, nudity? I suppose even suggesting such a thing would keep me out of John Macarthur's pulpit.

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