Q: you think a Pastor should be preaching after he has had an adultress affair. His marriage breaking up and remarring his wife back after the affair?

A: First, let us say that we are glad that they are back together. However, the question is not so much "should the pastor be allowed to preach," but, our question is "how would he be heard?" Would the congregation have questions in the back of their minds as to whether or not this man would do that again.

If they are thinking these thoughts, we do not believe that he is being effective.

Sin has consequences and sometimes, especially for pastors, those consequences are long term.

Here are some thoughts that might help you………..

Pastoring God’s people demands far more because the issue is not just leadership, but moral and spiritual example. Summing up that realm of requirement, Paul demands that an overseer in the church of Jesus Christ must be above reproach. The Greek particle de (must) emphasizes that this is an absolute necessity.

A life without blame is the over arching requirement for leadership in the church.

Pastors must take great care to remain above reproach for several reasons. First, they are the special targets of Satan, and he will assault them with more severe temptation than others. Those on the front lines of the spiritual battle will bear the brunt of satanic opposition.

Second, their fall has a greater potential for harm. Satan knows that when a shepherd falls, the effect on the sheep is devastating.

Third, leaders’ greater knowledge of the truth, and accountability to live it, brings greater chastening when they sin.

Fourth, elders’ sins are more hypocritical than others’ because they preach against the very sins they commit.
Leaders need an abundance of God’s grace and power because of their greater responsibility and visibility.

To protect themselves leaders must spend indepth time in the study of God’s Word. They must be “constantly nourished on the words of the faith [Scripture] and of the sound doctrine (I Tim. 4:6) The psalmist wrote, “Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee; (Ps119:11) A leader must continuously expose his life to the light of the Word of God. He must also be a man of prayer, and be accountable to others in spiritual fellowship.

The church is called to be committed to maintaining leadership that is godly. The church is responsible to measure men by the standard of above reproach. The all too common practice today is to forgive a leader who sins and immediately restore him to his ministry. The church, like God, must not hesitate to forgive those who truly repent. To immediately restore them to the ministry, however, lowers the standard that God expects leaders to follow. And since leaders serve as the pattern of holiness and virtue for the congregation, the standard for the entire church is lowered.

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