Another Pastor Falls From Grace – Sexual Secret Service – Purity 1456
Purity 1456 09/20/2024 Purity 1456 Podcast
Purity 1456 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Well, it is Friday, and I share this distorted evening scene because I learned the bad news that another famous pastor has been released from their duties because of “an inappropriate relationship with a woman” that was not his wife!
This one hurts. The pastor in question is Steve Lawson who I highly respected as a pastor and teacher as I became familiar with his work through Ligonier Ministries. I own several of his books and video teachings and am quite frankly surprised, if not shocked, that Lawson, who presents as a pretty strait-laced, buttoned down, if not a little nerdy, kind of guy, would have apparent sexual immorality happening behind the scenes. But such is man, we sin and as someone who has overcome his sexual addiction problem, I know that if you don’t take sexual purity seriously and leave the door open to lustful thoughts and imaginations, the world, the flesh, and the devil will work together to lead you into temptation and cause you to sin. And as with any secret sin, as it persists it usually escalates and only gets worse until that faithful day when your secret darkness comes to light.
My previous marriage had several problems, and sexual immorality was one of them so when I got divorced I came to a crossroads of sorts where I had to decided what part sex would play in my life as I would now be a single man who wanted to be live an authentic Christian life. Before my divorce was anywhere near to being finalized, I decided to live in sexual purity. Because of my victory over my alcohol addiction, I knew that the Lord would give me the strength to walk it out. From November of 2018 until I married on New Year’s Day of 2022, I didn’t have sex with anyone else and I didn’t masturbate. To this day, I keep all of my sexual activity in the bonds of my marriage and continue to be masturbation free. I am not shy about sharing that fact when I teach in recovery or freedom ministry because it is so uncommon that I don’t think that people believe that sexual purity is possible.
Unfortunately, sex scandals in the church and survey statistics reveal there is a huge sex – or “porn” problem in the church in America. The fact that sexual immorality is often coded as a “problem with porn” sort of reveals the church’s failure to be real about its efforts to combat the lust of the flesh but this comes as no surprise to me because I know from experience that the vast majority of those claiming to be “Christian” are not living a discipled life.
The vast majority of the church is lukewarm or ice cold when it comes to attempting to live according to Biblical wisdom, but it really bothers me that these men who have a huge platform to deliver the gospel to the masses are allowed to live in the shadows and be a scandal to the church.
Billy Graham’s ministry team was known for its mutual accountability to not only prevent sexual sin from happening but instituted measures that avoided even the possible appearance of anything that could be construed as untoward. So why aren’t these mega church pastor and famous teachers enlisting the same techniques? Why are the churches that pay their salaries supporting them and putting in measures to keep them safe? Why is any woman who is not the pastor’s wife ever allowed to be alone with the pastor?
Not to be facetious, but I think the church in America needs a “Sexual Secret Service” to protect these pastors from themselves. In fact, I will offer my services as an undercover sexual purity coach to any mega-church pastor out there who secretly struggles with lust but who has not yet committed fornication or adultery. If you stepped over the line and already had sex with someone else, confess you sin and step down as you SHOULD. Because of my divorce and broken sexual past, I know that I will never serve a pastor, the Bible doesn’t really allow for that, so likewise if you are a pastor who committed adultery you should step down and humbly seek another role if you wish to be true to God’s word and serve the body of Christ.
But for those 57% of pastors who have struggled with “porn” in the past, or the 14% who courageously have admitted that you currently struggle with “porn”, I am willing to offer my services as a full-time – undercover sexual purity coach. Above the board, you would hire me as a “pastoral counselor” for your church, I would serve as a pastoral counselor to your congregation, lead the recovery ministry, or do men’s discipleship. However, I would also perform as your personal sexual purity coach. I would make you accountable to not only keep you above board and free of any allegations of “inappropriateness’” in the public eye, but I would also work with you to help you to actually free from sexual immorality.
Sexual purity isn’t putting on a show. It’s not above putting on “porn blockers” on your phone or computer to protect your eyes. Sexual purity is about your love relationship with the Lord and trusting Him to heal you of your brokenness and to cause you to be obedient to His call to sanctification in the sexual area.
With another sex scandal in the church, it is clear to me that this is still not understood, and if our leaders don’t “practice what they preach” how can we ever expect the church to impact the world that is consumed by lust? As Christians, we are supposed to be different from our sexually immoral neighbors and it is only when take this fact seriously and surrender to the Lord’s way for our lives that we can ever expect others to follow us as we authentically follow Jesus.
My website is mt4christ.com – I would love to be in full-time ministry so call me and I will be your “sexual secret service”, and we can serve together in purity, peace, and joy.
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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .
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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.
( While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )
This morning’s meditation verse comes from the section on the Forgiveness of Sins (God’s Forgiveness).
Psalm 25:7 (NASB)
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; According to Your lovingkindness remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O LORD.
Today’s verse falls under the thirtieth point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on the Forgiveness of Sins (God’s Forgiveness).
30. David prayed that the Lord would forgive the sins of his youth.
Today’s Bible verses are the familiar call of everyone who has walked out of the darkness and tried to live in the Lord’s light. Lord, forgive the sins of my youth! But as much as I can relate with David’s plea that the Lord does not remember His youthful, and not so youthful, transgressions, God’s omniscient so He’s not forgetting anything, and maybe neither should we.
I’m not saying that God’s angry with us and holding a grudge. When scripture talks about forgetting our sins, we need to understand that means He doesn’t hold them against us, if we put our faith in Jesus, of course. And we shouldn’t hold our sins against us either.
But we should remember the darkness of our past, so we never go back there again. And that means we don’t continue in the sins of our pasts; we need to repent and seek God’s help in being transformed because if we don’t and stay broken – forgetting the sins of our youth will be a lot harder for God and for us – because they won’t be youthful sins. So let’s keep it real, accept God’s forgiveness for the sins of the past, and take care of today so we won’t lament over our failures tomorrow.
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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.com where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Today we continue sharing from “According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament” By Stephen F. Olford – A Collection of Devotional Journals: 1940-1941.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Olford’s books for your own private study and to support his work. This resource is available online for less than $10 at many sites.
MORNING READING: HEBREWS 11
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen.” – Hebrews 11:1
The truth of this verse is manifestly demonstrated by the record of the men of faith in this chapter of Hebrews.
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for.” This is best illustrated perhaps in the life of Abraham. For “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going” (v. 8). Here was substance of things hoped. Elsewhere, it is recorded of him that, “He did not waver at the promise of God [an utter impossibility] but was strengthened in faith” (Rom. 4:20). He was rewarded.
“Faith is … the evidence of things not seen.” Here Moses perhaps best illustrates. “By faith he forsook Egypt” (Heb. 11:27), with its pleasures of sin, accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches – assuring Him who is invisible.
Lord, deepen my faith as You did for these men.[1]
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“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”
Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship
[1] Stephen Olford and Heather Olford, According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament, A Collection of Devotional Journals 1940-1941 (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2008).
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