Over the past decades, the church has been rocked by numerous sexual scandals within the roles of its leadership. A great number of well-known ministers have fallen prey to the sin of adultery, homosexuality, and divorce. And I am not even talking about those ministers who completely strayed away from God by teaching deceptive and evil doctrines. These are people that many of us admired and praised for their anointing and achievements.
Here are some of the names: Jimmy Swaggert, Jim Bakker, Ray McCauley, Earl Paulk, Roberts Liar-don, Arthur Blessitt, Charles Stanley, Paul Cain, Clarence McClendon, Ted Haggert, Benny Hinn, Eddie Long, Todd Bentley, Zachery Tims, Paula White, Randy White, Juanita Bynum and the list goes on.
While it is true that the Satan is a master at setting believers up for temptation, just as true is it that many of these ministers that we look up to are wounded people or are lacking in character.
Only God knows how sincerely repentant these ministers are toward Him and people, and how willing they are to allow Him to heal and restore them. Some of them testify about how God has restored them, but others kept on going in the ministry as if nothing happened.
The Bible is very clear that anyone, including ministers living in a lifestyle that is characterize by sin, can be cleansed and made holy and right with God.
Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1. Corinthians 6:11 NLT
From the well-known to the least, we have to pray and intercede for these ministers in the body of Christ that God protect them and keep them instead of putting them on a pedestal, viewing them as something more special than others.
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 1. Timothy 2:1 NLT
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