Divorced Pastor

[Hearsay]

I attend a Southern Baptist church. Largest in my county, one of the larger ones in the state. Has had the same pastor since its founding in 1997. Church started off with approximately 150 members, has now grown to over 1100.

 

The pastor's wife has recently divorced him. No adultery, nothing like that, apparently she is just tired of him and wants a divorce and despite all his desires to the contrary, can't be dissuaded.

 

I have been ordained for some time, I am a new deacon to this church, however. Tonight we held an "open forum" where the congregation was permitted to speak and address questions about not only THIS pastor being divorced, but also whether, in the future, we should consider allowing formerly divorced pastors and deacons serve.

 

I was not in favor of having the open forum as such, but once decided, I played the role of attempting to keep unity. For the most part, the open forum was unified and even a little bit positive.

 

I have read a lot of scripture, prayed a lot, sought counsel from others. I am geuninely opposed to the "cult of personality" we see in so many church leaders. On the other hand, I have seen previously divorced church leaders be very effective ministers of the gospel.

 

I open the issue up to this forum. Should churches allow divorced pastors to serve/continue to serve in that capacity?

[02Ram54]

She divorced him, and his life should be ruined? Harsh.

 

Personally, in my church and faith, this would not be a huge topic (although I do have some experiences where aftershocks of the divorce of a priest has caused problems) but if your faith is against divorce strongly, I can understand a general rule against divorced pastors. But it would seem overkill in this case.

[doodle]

I personally think no church should turn anyone away or throw rocks at them because they are divorced or any other reason to me that is when a church should open the doors and try to support them and help them in their time of need.

[Hearsay]

I personally think no church should turn anyone away or throw rocks at them because they are divorced or any other reason to me that is when a church should open the doors and try to support them and help them in their time of need.

 

That is true, but pastors (by scripture) are held to a higher standard. There is a reason that their qualifications are set apart in scripture.

 

He can be pastored, he can be forgiven, he can be loved, he can be counseled. He is not being condemned for the divorce. The issue, though, is whether he is qualified to LEAD.

[acemona]

If you are going on Paul's word, then no one should ever get married. I think the goal, if you are wanting to take the scripture seriously is to spend a great deal of time understanding the culture in which it was written. While we like to ascribe a future looking author, most of the writers of the new testament thought that Jesus would return in their time. If you can understand the culture then you can understand the reason for that suggestion, and see if it necessarily applies to where you are now.

 

it would be my premise that the writers of the new testament did not envision a church hierarchy as we have now so the priest would not be completely set apart. for those that did envision it, it was probably because of their Jewish heritage . . . for what its worth.

[1owlzfan]

The pastor in my church is divorced. His wife cheated on him for over 10 years and finally left him after she put him through as much humiliation as she could. He knew she was doing this, and tried to keep his marriage together because he was afraid of hurting his church. You can read anything you want to in the bible and look at specific verses, but you have to look at the bible in a whole. The question to ask: Is the preacher/pastor a leader? Or is that your deacons and elders?

[ladiesbballcoach]

Pastors lead through their teaching of the church.

 

Elders lead through their view of where God wants to use that particular church.

 

Deacons are servants as they were in Acts.

 

Before I make any judgement, I would be curious on what Scriptures you have studied Hearsay. Decisions as this MUST be based in Scripture and prayer. And thus, I would need to know what Scriptures you are basing your statements on.

 

If I don't then it becomes LBBC's view and I feel it should be what does God say.

 

So Hearsay, what Scriptures has God lead you to read and study on this issue?

[Hearsay]

Pastors lead through their teaching of the church.

 

Elders lead through their view of where God wants to use that particular church.

 

Deacons are servants as they were in Acts.

 

Before I make any judgement, I would be curious on what Scriptures you have studied Hearsay. Decisions as this MUST be based in Scripture and prayer. And thus, I would need to know what Scriptures you are basing your statements on.

 

If I don't then it becomes LBBC's view and I feel it should be what does God say.

 

So Hearsay, what Scriptures has God lead you to read and study on this issue?

 

A lot of Scriptures, but the ones that stick in my mind are 1 Tim 3:2 etc.; Titus 1:6; Matt 19:6-9; 1 Pet 5:1 etc.; Mal 2:16; 1 Cor. 7:1-11; Jer 17:9; Prov. 28:26; Rom 12:3-6; Eph 4:11; Acts 13:2-3; Jam 3:1.

[Fletch]

Personally, I think churches are TOO hypocritical when it comes to deciding which scriptures they want to interpret and which ones are OK to ignore.

 

The bible talks of sacrificing humans, killing thieves, keeping slaves, etc. These things are not considered "OK" by today's standards even though the written word endorses them.

 

I think people are way too liberal in deciding what scriptures are OK to adhere to and which ones aren't

[ladiesbballcoach]

Personally, I think churches are TOO hypocritical when it comes to deciding which scriptures they want to interpret and which ones are OK to ignore.

 

The bible talks of sacrificing humans, killing thieves, keeping slaves, etc. These things are not considered "OK" by today's standards even though the written word endorses them.

 

I think people are way too liberal in deciding what scriptures are OK to adhere to and which ones aren't

So, you think each of us should be free to do whatever we wish with no guidance? Find our own place?

[Fletch]

So, you think each of us should be free to do whatever we wish with no guidance? Find our own place?

 

Not do whatever we want. But you can't use the arguement "because that's what the bible says" when there are a lot of other things the bible says that we can't do today.

[Hearsay]

Not do whatever we want. But you can't use the arguement "because that's what the bible says" when there are a lot of other things the bible says that we can't do today.

 

I disagree. While there are many things that could generally be classified as "law" that have changed from Jewish rabbinical time to modern Western civilization, there are many things in the Bible that are "Truth" and which are as relevant today as they were when the canons were written. They are universal. And the sacro-sanctity of marriage, the covenant nature of marriage, and the qualifications for elders and deacons fall into that category, IMO.

[ladiesbballcoach]

Not do whatever we want. But you can't use the arguement "because that's what the bible says" when there are a lot of other things the bible says that we can't do today.

It would be better if we took this to another thread than to thread jacks very important subject here. Please start another thread with a specific Scripture that illustrates the issue you are raising.

[ladiesbballcoach]

1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:6. We discussed this when we were going through some classes upon me becoming a deacon and studying the qualifications and the responsibilities I would be assuming.

 

One thing to point out here is that this could be looked at as only having one wife and not participating in having multiple wives AT THE SAME TIME as was in practice by some in that time.

[Fletch]

It would be better if we took this to another thread than to thread jacks very important subject here. Please start another thread with a specific Scripture that illustrates the issue you are raising.

Now wait a minute. I'm not threadjacking here. Hearsay based his question on what the bible says about leading a church. I presented a counter-arguement based on other scripture. I maintain that too many times, churches (or church leaders) pick and choose scriptures to follow in a time of hardship or turmoil despite other literal meanings in the written word.