2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. 2 Peter 2:2-3

Often false teachers are not seeking to live Godly lives. They merely use the church as a means of financial gain. They’ll say the right words week after week, but their lives are in ruins. Because their own lives are in shambles, their lifestyle naturally filters to their children, and then it ripples through the congregation. I’ve seen it happen. Today twenty years later, the two I am familiar with have issues with the Church, their families, and authority in general. Most of that trouble points to what happened as they grew up in a godless church with major morality issues. Of course they are adults today and can make their own decisions, but not having a great spiritual upbringing can cause great havoc upon impressionable minds.

We all know incidents similar to what I’m talking about. How in the world can we possibly make a difference when the world looks in and shakes their head at us, not because they disagree with our beliefs, but because they see our actions are no different than what they’re doing? Church leaders will be held to account when the time is right.

Fortunately, the vast majority of evangelical pastors are doing their best to shepherd their flocks according to Scripture. Unfortunately, the remaining 5% are more vocal and give the Church a bad name.

This is obviously a great time to lift up your pastor and his family in prayer. Their burdens are great, and they can only bear them by the grace of God.