Almost everyone has at least one.

While we counsel people who have deconstructed or are on the verge of deconstructing, many are lamenting the exposure of sin by prominent leaders and ministries. Exposure is an affront to the honor culture in which so many Christians have been discipled. Honor is not a bad thing. It is rooted in Paul’s approach to the Great Commission in 1 Corinthians 9:22. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Unfortunately, honor is frequently perverted into a cover-up culture where narcissistic self-proclaimed leaders, teachers, and prophets misappropriate Psalm 105:15.

I think we need to frame any discussion regarding the ongoing exposure in the context of scripture, especially Matthew 7:13-14 lest our own biases and sentiments take us off course.

Leaders must abide by 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and be above reproach.

Above reproach is –
Anepílēptos

• inculpable:–blameless, unrebukeable. not apprehended, that cannot be laid hold of
• that cannot be reprehended, not open to censure, irreproachable.

-Strongs Concordance-

This includes, that “he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.”

James 3:1 tells us that teachers will be judged more strictly.

Of course, we should be mindful of the guardrail of 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18 along with 1 Timothy 5:17-19. Good leaders deserve double honor.

Conversely, 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 and 1 Timothy 5:20-22 are the opposing guardrails. Test everything. Persistently bad leaders are to be rebuked in the presence of all so others may fear.

The Mathew 18:6 millstone should not be dismissed.

We should keep 1 Peter 4:17 in mind when we consider leaders and ministries that are being exposed as exposure is an aspect of God’s judgment. Judgement should not be confused with mere wrath. God’s judgments are intended to be redemptive. See Jeremiah 29:1-11

The problem as I see it is that these exposed leaders have no fear of God. Not one that I have heard mentions that they have sinned against God. Rather they are concerned with their “movements”.  

Ministry has become a contemporary golden calf especially within Charismatic streams.

Too often the victims of these men and their movements are swept under the proverbial rug seemingly as acceptable losses because “God moved.” They minimize, generalize, rationalize, and justify, the actions of those they cover, gaslighting followers who naively and exclusively cling to Philippians  4:8 apart from the rest of scripture.

If we listened to the victims we would note the recurring motif of Mathew 23:13. We don’t because too many have mistaken dopamine for the manifest presence of God. Confronting sin in pursuit of holiness disrupts dopamine like Narcan blocks an opiate. Thousands of young people have deconstructed and now reject the gospel entirely because these leaders ignored Galatians 1:8-9.

That said,

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 1:6-7

God is preparing His Bride. He is burning off the dross. Gold itself does not burn.  Like any good goldsmith, God is with us while we are in the fire. He will know the impurities are gone when He sees his own reflection. At that point He will have a bride without spot or wrinkle. Ephesians 5:25-27.

Now is the time more than ever to search the scriptures to see if what we hear and believe is truth or just someone’s elbow. Acts 17:11

Maranatha