Hearts are breaking all over the world this week as news came out regarding another international Christian leader who was asked to step aside from ministry due to allegations of sexual immorality. While the investigation is still ongoing, we all feel the sadness and frustration that news like this brings. The question is, why does this kind of thing happen?

A Variety of Reasons

Sadly, fallen leaders are nothing new. A careful reading of the history of Israel’s kings proves this to be true. Many of them (particularly Judah’s kings) had a good start but a bad finish. As we examine their lives, we find there were a variety of reasons for why they fell.

• Pride

Pride, of course, is that overly inflated sense of one’s self-importance. It causes one to view themselves as being better than everyone else. The result is that they think they can do whatever they want without question. If not dealt with, a leader’s pride can cause him to fall flat on his face, usually in a very public way.

King Saul was a sad example of this. He started out humble enough. However, he eventually became proud and thought he could do what he wanted when he wanted and how he wanted. This resulted in him losing both his anointing and his reason. You can read his story in 1 Samuel.

• Entitlement

Entitlement is the belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment. When this attitude worms its way into the heart of a leader, he can begin to think there should be certain concessions made for him. After all, he is the anointed of the Lord! This attitude can cause a leader to make some very unfortunate choices.

I can’t help but wonder if this is what was behind the whole affair of David and Bathsheba. David knew she was the wife of one of his mighty men, yet he still called her to himself and slept with her. He then tried to cover things up when he found out she was pregnant. When that didn’t work, he had her husband slain on the field of battle. David had the good sense to confess once he was confronted by the prophet, but things were never the same for him and his family. You can read this story in 2 Samuel 11 & 12.

• Unfaithfulness

If we could look at the days leading up to a leader’s fall, we can many times find that they became unfaithful to the Lord. They were no longer spending time in God’s Word for anything other than sermon preparation. Their prayer lives dwindled down to nothing. Then they began to entertain ungodly thoughts and attitudes. Next thing you know, they engage in something that will torpedo their lives and ministries.

We can see this in the life of King Rehoboam. Even though he was raised by a godly father (more or less), he turned from the Lord toward idolatry and led the nation of Judah to do the same. This led to him being judged by the Lord for his unfaithfulness. You can read his story in 2 Chronicles 12.

• Compromise

Compromise happens when we set our standards lower than what the Lord expects. We begin to tolerate words, attitudes, and actions that are less than pleasing to the Lord. This is a slippery slope from which many do not recover. When a leader begins to compromise, his downfall is imminent.

King Solomon shows us what this looks like. He married many foreign women who served other gods, something expressly forbidden by the Lord. They turned his heart away from full-on devotion to the Lord to the point that he actually built temples for their pagan gods. As a result, his end was less than it could have been. You can read all about it in 1 Kings 11.

• Weariness

Leadership is not easy. A leader is constantly trying to meet people’s expectations. Their lives are played out on a public stage and they are always turning back to an audience. They are constantly on call any time of the day or night. People’s criticisms of them are often cruel and unfair. After a while, it can begin to grind on a person. A sense of tiredness begins to set in for which there seems to be no relief. Eventually, a man can begin to look for some sort of safe haven; an island of refuge where he can get away from it all, even if just for a moment.

And the devil will always be sure to supply one.

Such was the case of Samson. While he arguably had his issues, the Lord still used him despite his faults. Eventually, he became weary and laid his head in the lap of Delilah. The result was him losing his anointing (strength), and his eyesight, and he was mocked by his enemies. His was a sad and tragic end. You can read his story in Judges 13 – 16.

I’m sure other reasons could be discussed, but these seem to be the major ones.

Didn’t They Know Better?

When a leader falls, one of the first questions that gets asked is, “Didn’t they know better?”

Let’s turn that around for a second. Let’s think of the stupidest thing you and I have ever done. Then let’s ask ourselves the same question. Did we know better?

Probably.

Did it stop us from doing it?

Obviously not.

It all comes back to the age-old lie that we will not be held accountable for our sins (“Surely you will not die…” Genesis 3:4). No one thinks that they will get caught or that anyone will get hurt. However, the God before whom all things are naked and exposed (Hebrews 4:13) will make sure there is an accounting.

The Proper Response

The rate at which leaders are falling is more than a little discouraging. It’s enough to make a person want to write leaders off altogether. This is not the proper response.

We are in a fierce battle, one that will last until the Kingdom comes. Therefore, we need to pray earnestly for our leaders. Pray for their spiritual strength and protection. We should also affirm our leaders. Believe me, an ounce of affirmation goes far further than a pound of criticism. We are all in this together and we need to hold one another up. Standing together with one another on the journey is an important part of living in the Reign.

M