The level of damage a Christian leader’s moral failure causes is almost incalculable. Because much of a pastor’s ministry is explaining God’s Word to his congregation, his words necessarily begin to carry something of a divine weight, and as a result the Christian pastor represents God. The level of trust a congregation must have in its pastor means that the damage caused when a pastor betrays his congregation is exponentially greater than when a business, political, or entertainment leader commits the same sin.

With this in mind, churches and their pastors must care for each other in spiritually healthy ways. Churches must hold their pastors accountable to spiritual oversight, making sure they are confessing their sins regularly and have people in their lives who ask tough questions. And pastors must not use their authority to guard themselves from trusted Christians who would hold them to this accountability. But when Christian leaders fall, it’s important for all Christians to remember that only Jesus is without sin, only Jesus is a perfect leader, and only Jesus loves his people enough to never hurt them.