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I really feel a lot grief about The Christian Post’s latest articles about Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway Church and Pastor Tony Evans. I attended Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) within the mid 90s and have been a pastor now at Vanguard Church in Colorado Springs for the previous 27 years.
Two years in the past, I launched a e book with Vide Press referred to as The Good Pastor, which was primarily endorsed by Dr John Hannah of DTS. When I used to be a pupil there, Dr Hannah would say, “You wish to be nice for God?” I’d sit up in my chair and utter underneath my breath, “Yes!” He would then say, “Don’t stop, do not fornicate, and you may be the one one left and you may be nice.” I sat again in my chair and mentioned to myself, “Is that actually it? Is that actually all there may be to being nice for God?”
Sadly, it seems Dr Hannah was proper. Seven years in the past, I consider the Lord spoke a prophetic phrase to me a couple of explicit pastor. I tried to achieve out to that pastor and sadly it ended together with his elders threatening me. At that very same time in 2017, the Lord Jesus additionally mentioned to me, “A community of pastors will fall.” And sadly, that has been the case, particularly because the pandemic. I’m starting to marvel if there might be anybody left after this season of purging that God is taking His church by.
Many of those tales are very comparable in nature. They usually contain sin from years in the past with an non-disclosure settlement (NDA) or the try of an NDA hooked up to them. Maybe you might be unfamiliar with NDAs. Here is an article I wrote on them a number of years in the past.
In the method of getting The Good Pastor e book printed, I reached out to Dr Evans as a result of he was the primary African American to obtain his doctorate from DTS, he used to talk on the chapel once I was a pupil there within the 90s and I cherished his instructing type and his tenacity to face robust on the Word of God. Sadly, he declined my request to endorse The Good Pastor e book.
Recently he stepped again from pastoring Oak Cliff Bible Church on account of sin that occurred years in the past. He refuses to enter element concerning the nature of the sin, however did say that he didn’t commit a criminal offense. His cryptic method to the general public confession of his sin has despatched the Christian group right into a tailspin of hypothesis and plenty of marvel if he was compelled to admit or, at finest, why now? Unfortunately, it’s unknown and seems it should stay so.
Dr Evans’ confession at 74 is a sobering reminder that the Enemy isn’t any respecter of age, profession, years of service, titles, levels, or dimension of ministry. The Enemy is in search of to devour all pastors and church leaders. He needs to steal, kill, and destroy each certainly one of them, together with you and me.
Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:1: “Brothers, if anybody is caught in any transgression, you who’re religious ought to restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on your self, lest you too be tempted.”
Sobering reminder!
Then a number of days later Pastor Robert Morris from Gateway Church confessed to “inappropriate sexual behaviour with a younger girl” greater than 35 years in the past, after a lady accused him of molesting her when she was 12. Unfortunately, the Gateway elder board selected on the time to take care of it privately and, after a few years, restore him to pastoral ministry.
We all know we’re damaged (no less than I hope you do) and in want of a Saviour, and that Jesus is the one reply. The “quantity” of time that has handed and, on this case, 35 years, is irrelevant to God. The actions have been offensive to God and I consider the way in which they have been dealt with each then and now could be offensive to God.
Morris’ accuser has alleged that she was requested to signal an NDA. Gateway has not addressed this declare however as a pastor myself, I stand in opposition to church buildings utilizing NDAs to silence victims of misconduct. They usually are not the reply however solely compound the issue, delay the therapeutic, and complicate the longer term with the previous. I don’t consider God is okay with this follow in His church buildings and it’s my prayer that church buildings which have used NDAs publicly repent of it and vow by no means to do it once more.
Lord, as a pastor and chief to your church, I say, “Forgive us Lord and purify us, the leaders of your church. We are the shepherds of your sheep. Don’t allow us to brush it off or sadly we are going to fall right into a larger grievance within the days forward.”
