After the buildup of all the leadership failure I’ve been reading about this year, I saw an article this morning that ‘tipped me over the edge’. I wanted to weep and tear my clothes in lament. Perhaps, even, to put on sackcloth and ashes and publicly repent. However, here’s my reflection and lament for all who are interested. And please, read it all, and check my references via the hyperlinks of underlined words.
I am a leader. Specifically, a Christian Church leader, ordained as a pastor in January 1975. Fifty years in leadership. In my life-long human journey of ‘brokenness recovery’, I’ve sought to be faithful to Jesus, the true model of all leadership, including spiritual leadership. The way I lead, the way others lead, can commend or shame all leaders – by association – depending on how we lead. Why? Because leadership is about public trust, and therefore public accountability. We are given trust by those we lead.
What triggered this reflection was not only Donald Trump’s election triumph, which calls for its own reflection as some have done. It was yet another article by Julie Roys exposing the failure of Church leadership. Robert Morris, the (celebrity) leader of Gateway Church and former advisor to Trump, was accused of sexual abuse and resigned in June 2024. It shattered and scattered the mega church. The fallout has been enormous. The way the elders handled it has been seriously problematic. A class-action lawsuit by some members has been filed against the church.
So, this morning I read The Roys Report (TRR) on the investigation into Morris’ wealth: “How did Robert Morris obtain vast wealth to buy so many multi-million-dollar homes? TRR found Morris owns $8 mill, 370-acre ranch and $1.7 mill lake home. He also recently sold $3.5 mill mansion in Westlake and there’s the former $8 mill mansion in Colleyville”. Congregants are asking for ‘money back’ on their tithes.
This is a scandalous testimony of Christian spiritual leadership. I remember how, years ago, Morris’ popular ‘The Blessed Life’ teaching series, went far and wide in Evangelical-Pentecostal-Charismatic (E-P-C) churches. Even here in South Africa. As with most teachings, many simply believe what is taught, without discernment. This (the above paragraphs) is the fruit of his teaching, of his life and leadership. Morris did not start well – sexually abusing Cindy Clemishire between twelve and eighteen years old, when he was her youth pastor – and has ended his ministry in shameful disgrace.
This is but one story of multiple stories – of 100s, if not 1000s that have come to light. Check the TRR archives and see the unprecedented long list of reports over recent years of exposed leaders. And weep for, and with, the many, many more victims left in the wake of these so-called leaders. Many damaged and scarred for life. God have mercy! I mean that: God, please, have mercy and help us!
Abusive leadership – whether it’s spiritual, sexual, psycho-emotional, or financial abuse – is the result of flawed character. And the people pay the price. Followers of those leaders are victims of evil working through the leader’s brokenness in manipulative predatory behaviour. Two or three decades ago, E-P-C churches condemned the scandalous revelations of widespread sexual abuse in the Catholic priesthood. But we (they, E-P-C church leaders, I’m one of them) are no better. The cocktail of spiritual power (charisma) with moral malformation (character) is lethal in Satan’s hands. God’s name and integrity is maligned – we, leaders, represent God.
No wonder the massive movement out of E-P-C churches to ‘deconstruct faith’, in order to find some semblance of renewed integrity of Christian faith. All this is close to home as a Vineyard pastor – with Alan Scott’s spiritual abuse of false prophetic-apostolic leadership, first evident in Causeway Vineyard, then the full fruit in his heist of Anaheim Vineyard. And of Jackson Gatlin, a pastor at Duluth Vineyard, who has now confessed to sexual, spiritual, and emotional abuse.
For E-P-C leaders, our personal healing of unresolved brokenness (psych-emotional needs) and our spiritual formation toward Christlikeness (moral character), is seriously lacking. Or it’s non-existent. We mostly live and lead by ego needs, personality, titles, charisma, branding, platform, manipulation and control, not by the spirit and character of Christ. We must take responsibility for our ‘stuff’ through which demons work: the unresolved issues that catch up and unmask us for who we are. And therefore, the need for accountability. Unaccountable leaders, who are not genuinely accountable to other credible leaders, are dangerous. Don’t follow them!
E-P-C churches pray for revival – it’s part of our culture. It has intensified in recent years. God knows, we need genuine revival, seen in societal and structural change, not in the sporadic flashes of refreshing or renewal that is wrongly called revival (see Richard Lovelace). I believe God is sending revival. How so? What are the signs? The Asbury outpouring? No (as wonderful as that was). Revival is near, or has begun, because God is taking the wraps off Christian leaders who are duplicitous and deceitful, corrupt and abusive in their lives and leadership.
Peter says, “judgement begins at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17). And in the house of God, it begins with the leaders. We are held to a higher standard of judgement (James 3:1). God is exposing leaders. Some are dying under discipline, as in the days of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11). God is jealous for his name, his integrity, in the Church, let alone in the world. By praying, “May your name (integrity, character) be made/kept holy, on earth as in heaven”, we pray judgement on those who flaunt his name in unholy and abusive ways. God answers our prayers.
Character matters. Character matters in leadership. Always. Why? Because it’s about integrity in holding public trust, truth, and justice. Look for character first, second, and third. Then look at beliefs, policies, competence, skill, practices, track record, etc. God can use a donkey or a corrupt king (president/prime minister) to speak and do his will, but that does not endorse the donkey or the king – let alone make them holy!
Jesus taught us to evaluate leaders by the fruit they produce (Matthew 7:15-23). Fruit reveals what has formed the person’s character (“heart”), seen in their words, attitudes, and behaviour (Matthew 12:33-37; Mark 7:20-23). Fruit does not lie, it (eventually) reveals who we really are, either true or false leaders.
Jesus taught about false shepherds of God’s people (John 10:1-21). They rob and destroy people’s lives – evidence that they’re actually thieves. A good leader lays down their life to defend the sheep from such robbers, to impart God’s quality of life to people. Hearing this, many said, “He is demonised, and raving mad” – the fruit of the blinding power of the false shepherds of Israel at that time. The truth sounds like madness and the madness of abusive leadership makes us believe it’s the truth.
Jesus was, in fact, referring to Ezekiel 34:1-10. After describing the characteristics of false shepherds (read them), Yahweh says, “I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.” This is exactly what God is doing.
I feel strongly in the face of injustice. I feel God’s fire burning in my bones, and I cannot keep quiet, as with Jeremiah (20:9, in the context of false prophets in his day). But, I process by prayer and writing. And my appeal is to God.
Lord, have mercy!
Lord, help us!
Keep us humble, utterly dependent on you.
May we have integrity with you and your precious people.
May we bring any hidden sin and brokenness to the light of confession.
May we receive the grace of forgiveness and healing.
Give us discernment of leaders, of the fruit of their character and doctrine.
Let us not be dazzled by gifting, personality, and success.
Deliver us from false prophets and leaders who end up destroying.
Have mercy on victims of leadership abuse – heal them, O God.
Make us like you, Jesus, good shepherds of your people.
May we lay down our lives in selfless service for the good of others.
Amen.
