Breaking God's Standards

As an assistant pastor, and one aspiring to full-time ministry in the future, I watch older ministers. I try to learn from them, I ask them advice, I look and try and see what they're doing right that I should strive for and what they're doing wrong that I should avoid.

I'm sure many of you are hearing about Pastor Michael Guglielmucci, the Australian minister who claimed to have cancer, wrote the hit song "Healer" (which appeared on Hillsong's latest album), and has now been discovered to be a fraud. Pastor Guglielmucci doesn't have cancer, he is not terminally ill, or anything of the sort. For whatever reason Pastor Guglielmucci decided to lie to his family, congregation, and essentially the world.

The Australian reports that Guglielmucci's credentials have been suspended, awaiting the complete results of certain medical tests (the full article can be accessed here: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24216087-5006787,00.html)

Guglielmucci's family, friends, and congregation are in my thoughts and prayers right now. But there's a larger issue that needs to be addressed here. If we look at Titus 1:7-9 we find some qualifications for overseers:

"Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless–not overbearing, not quick‑tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.
Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self‑controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.
He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it."

Clearly Guglielmucci's actions violate this standard. I've heard pastors say "we're humans too, we make mistakes..." and I understand that. But as pastors; people whose actions either advance or damage the reputation of the Gospel, people appointed by God to leadership in the Body of Christ; there's a higher standard. God does demand more of pastors, teachers, evangelists, apostles, and prophets (basically, all who are called to leadership in the Church).

The philosophy that says "we all sin every day" is a lie; it's a cheap excuse that lessens the power and message of the Gospel. Christ gives us the victory over sin, sin has lost its power and death has lost its sting (see I Corinthians 15:54-58). Any pastor who teaches we can't live above sin is denying the power of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection.

I'm not saying we won't make mistakes; but the tolerance of sin as an everyday and common occurance inside the Church, especially inside the pulpit, indicates an atrocious philosophy being taught and lived in today's Church. We do have an answer to the problem of sin, and it's not like we don't know what it is!

Maybe our pastors don't know what the answer is, but allow me to quote the great Southern Gospel singer Joel Hemphill in explaining:

I claim the Blood Jesus shed on Calvary, those precious Blood stains were made there just for me. For all my sins, my sickness, and my pain, when I need healing I claim those precious blood stains".

As a Christian everything I do reflects on the reputation of the Gospel. It will either reflect poorly, or it will reflect well; but it will reflect. Don't you think skeptics watch and consider whether we're actually living what we preach? Listen, we can know every apologetic argument, evidence supporting our faith, and theological ism; but it doesn't mean much unless it reflects in our lives. I don't believe in having a theology that's just a paper tiger.

All of us will do well to consider how our lives reflect on the Gospel. Especially those of us in leadership in the Church. Today's Church faces enough problems, we don't need to add to that list.

God bless!
Joey

PS- While Guglielmucci himself lied about his condition, I listened to the song "Healer" and it is theologically sound; so regardless of the imperfect author the song itself is good.