Pastoral Missteps and Renewed Faith Top CT News

In the list of the top 20 stories from Christianity Today, a number of pastoral missteps and removals topped the news in 2016, including Andy Stanley’s regret that he said it’s selfish to attend a small church and the resignation of Darrin Patrick from Acts 29 and his St. Louis church The Journey. However, the charismatic renewal of Bethel Church continues and former atheist Nicole Cliffe wrote about how God messed up her “happy atheist life.”

Source: Christianity Today

 

Why this story matters for church leaders:

People will always want to know about pastors who failed or overstepped their boundaries in some way, so church leaders should have clear accountability and restoration plans should a misstep happen.

 

• Communication Mishaps: With recorded sermons today, a comment can go out of context quickly and become news.
• Review Processes: Is your church at a stage where it may help to have a trusted colleague or member to read over your sermon notes in order to catch potential problems?
• Testimonies Are Powerful: One of the most popular stories at Christianity Today was a conversion story, which reminds us that a testimony can still encourage many.

Is there one particular lesson or action step your church can take based on this story?