John W. Kennedy discusses different forms of addiction and different pastors who were caught in some form of addiction but survived the process of healing to continue in ministry even when the form of ministry may have changed.
It is bold for a congregation to accept the pastor’s addiction and help them overcome it and return to vital ministry. It was refreshing that a congregation would reject the pastor’s resignation and hold him accountable taking over his role of ministry while he was in recovery. All believers should help each other in this way. As a leader Kennedy indicated that the pastor should be transparent in this situation where he had fallen and was healed, but also realizing that the strains of ministry where the pastor is isolated and held to a unrealistic standard is the real problem with pastors when they made choices which causes them to become addicted to something.
Kennedy also discussed that there needs to be a trustworthy place for pastors to go and receive help from addictions where they are not judged but helped and having people around them to walk with them through healing. We as pastors in the making need to be aware of those areas in our lives where we are susceptible to a problem in our lives where, if left in the dark, or if we become isolated, it could become an addiction which could derail our lives and ministry. We need to be aware of places to go when we realize we have a problem in our lives and get help early on rather than waiting for the addiction to gain complete control. I believe there is a point where a person knows the next step could take them on the downward spiral.
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ReplyDeleteThere is an old saying, I’m not sure where it came from, but the saying is that “Christians are the only ones who leave their wounded soldiers on the battle field.” We certainly have learned this past year in cohort that pastoral ministry has many wounded soldiers. This year has been a year of learning that the statistics are low for persons to remain in pastoral ministry. We have also learned that because of the stress, strain and loneliness of ministry some pastors find themselves addicted to something, such as, pornography. I agree that it is bold for the congregation to accept the pastor’s addiction and help him overcome it and return to vital ministry. My concern would be what led him to become addicted to alcohol. Having the responsibility to pastor a congregation is an awesome calling. I can’t imagine that the stress of his job is going to decrease. Although it sounds noble for the congregation to hold him accountable taking over his role of ministry while he is in recovery, I wonder if pastoral ministry is where he should be. I also agree that there should be a trustworthy place for pastors to go and receive help.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the pastor needs to be held accountable Cynthia but we are all fallen and we all fall short of the Glory of God. God calls us to be forgiving and reconsiliators. If we just dismiss a fallen pastor then we are the ones not being obedient. The pastors outlined in this article have all gone through a process of healing those broken places. Dr. Wardle taught, it can happen to any of us, the question is are we going to hide it or heal it? How do you want your congregation to respond to you?
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