***Musings on the recent fall of another prominent pastor and a response to Albert Mohler’s comments.
The Silent Complicity of the Church: Sexual Integrity and the Fall of Pastors
The church, as the body of Christ, is meant to be a light in a dark world—a city on a hill, illuminating the path for those who wander in shadows. Yet, as each year passes, it becomes clear that we, as a collective, have allowed ourselves to become complicit in a deepening moral crisis. Another pastor has fallen, another leader consumed by the very fires of desire and secrecy that the Church should be striving to extinguish. This is not a singular tragedy, but part of a larger trend that must force us to examine our role in this collapse.
Some churches boast of the fortifications they’ve built against worldly dangers—insurance policies in place, physical security measures, risk assessments, and safety drills to guard against tangible threats. We are vigilant against fire, flood, and thieves. But in this moment, where are the defenses against a more insidious and pervasive force?
We prepare for the catastrophe of fire but fail to address the slow-burning blaze that devours the soul. Sexual sin, left unchallenged and unaddressed, has become a cancer within our walls, and it is spreading not only because of the inherent sinfulness of man but also because of the Church’s willful ignorance. The real tragedy is that the collapse of moral integrity within our leaders is not unforeseen; it is avoidable, yet we act as if it is beyond our control.
If we would be honest, many churches have tacitly approved the neglect of sexual integrity policies. They do not prioritize the culture of confession, accountability, and discipleship needed to prevent moral failures. They assume that an outward appearance of purity is sufficient, that a few sermons on the seventh commandment will suffice. But to assume these things, to willfully ignore the nature of the problem, is to be complicit in the inevitable fall.
Complicity is an uncomfortable word. It means more than mere negligence. It suggests that we, by our silence or inaction, are culpable—partners in the very transgressions we claim to despise. When churches refuse to address sexual integrity as a priority, when they allow secrecy, shame, and temptation to thrive unchecked, they become part of the problem. They may not be holding the match, but they have certainly failed to prevent the fire.
C.S. Lewis warned us in *The Screwtape Letters* of the subtlety of sin, of the way small allowances and minor neglects can open the door to greater evils. Sexual sin, particularly in the lives of pastors, is rarely an explosion but a slow decay—a series of compromises, unchecked thoughts, and unattended vulnerabilities that eventually consume the individual and devastate the community.
We must ask ourselves: Would we leave a door unlocked if we knew a thief were prowling about? Would we allow an unchecked gas leak to fill the sanctuary? No, of course not. And yet, we tolerate the silent invasion of lust and shame in the hearts of our leaders and congregants because it is easier to ignore it than confront it.
The Church has long operated under the misguided belief that if we preach purity from the pulpit, the issue will resolve itself. But mere words are not enough. A policy of sexual integrity must be woven into the very fabric of our church life. Accountability must not be a punishment, but a privilege; confession must not be an occasion for scandal, but for grace. Discipleship must be more than theological instruction; it must be the act of walking alongside one another in our deepest struggles, helping one another guard against the temptations that so easily entangle.
It is high time for the Church to stop reacting to these moral failures as if they are isolated incidents. The fall of one pastor is not a tragedy confined to one pulpit; it is the manifestation of a systemic failure, and it ought to cause every church leader, every member, to question their role in this disaster.
Yes, pastors and leaders are human, subject to the same temptations as all men. But the Church’s refusal to address the need for structures of sexual integrity makes us, in some measure, responsible for their fall. This is not to absolve individuals of personal responsibility, but to remind the body of Christ that we are indeed one body. When one member suffers, all suffer. When one member falls, we all fall.
We must ask ourselves, how much longer will we continue to believe that fire insurance is more important than spiritual protection? How many more moral failures will it take before we awaken to the need for proactive measures? Fire can destroy buildings, yes, but sexual sin destroys souls. The Church cannot afford to wait for another tragic fall before acting. To do so is not merely negligent—it is complicity in the destruction of our leaders, our faith, and our witness to the world.
It is time for the Church to reclaim its role as a place of healing, a place where the power of Christ will transform every corner of human life—including sexuality. It is time for churches to enforce sexual integrity policies, not as a mere bureaucratic measure, but as an emphatic act of love for one another. Anything less is to stand by and watch as the fire burns down the house… while the children remain inside.
You can help prevent the fall of pastors by taking action right now! We have been compelled to intervene on behalf of the Body of Christ. So, we have already built a comprehensive policies and procedures manual for churches that take a proactive approach. Please, take a moment to send this to your pastor and ministry leader friends.