There but for the grace of God . . .Although the media frenzy over evangelical leader Ted Haggard’s moral failure quickly subsided, pastors and other Christian workers should not be so fast to put the story behind us. As the saying goes, “there but for the grace of God go I.” In fact, as was highlighted in an Associated Press story , the Brethren in Christ Church has had its own experience dealing with sexual sin on the part of a pastor. Fortunately, in this instance the BIC segment in the bigger story came to a good ending, based on an approach of redemptive discipline as outlined for U.S. churches in the policy on sinful sexual behavior and for Canadian churches in the Conflict Resolution and Discipline Manual. While the policy statements are necessary and prudent, our prayer is that we will seldom have to use them. We can achieve this by calling one another to accountability in all aspects of our daily lives. We need to urge incoming pastors to maintain appropriate boundaries. And we need to walk alongside one another to safeguard our testimony and example in our communities. As the Apostle Paul advised the church at Galatia, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).
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