God Told Him To Do It....
 

FYI-

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28538509/

Well, maybe God should be punished then.

Accountability, Accountability,Accountability,Accountability

Christian leaders need to seek out spiritual friends who will demand Accountability. Its the arrogance of "talking with God" that produces the feeling that they are not accountable to anyone.

Christian leaders are intrinsically different from leaders in almost any other endeavor--or they should be. Leaders in other areas are expected to develop and lead "programs". True Christian leaders lead people to change their lives, and they need to do it by example, rather than simply telling people what they need to do.

IMO, not many of what are called Christian leaders measure up.

In many mainline churches the Pastor has to answer to a Bishop or church administrator who is considered to be the Pastor's Pastor.

Non-Denomanational churches usually do not have such a structure in place.

Perhaps they should.

Pooka

Non-denominational churches, by their very nature, would oppose any structure imposed on them from the outside.
They would be wise to set up their own accountability structure.

I always wonder if these "leaders" really believe what it is that they teach. How can they believe that God will judge everyman for what he did, and live as though there will be no judgment--that they can get away with it?

Isn't it set up so they would be forgiven just by faith alone? Kinda of a "clean slate" by virtue of faith irrespective of what they have done, are doing and will do?

Like all things, "balance" is the key.
The Bible does speak about the primacy of faith alone. In fact it was one of the slogans of the Reformation.
But there are also those Biblical injuctions to, " Be holy, because I am holy", and " By their fruits you will know them", and " Faith, without works is dead"- or maybe better rendered, " Faith that is the opposite of what someone actually does, is not a true faith."

Using the sop, " God forgives me" is to really not understand the seriousness of sin.

It is also true that all Christians are sinners, and sinners daily.

That is why I stress the importance of accountability among Christian leaders. They need to be accountable to each other, as well as accountable to God. My small denomination exercises discipline among its pastors. Discipline is not a popular concept, but it is regulary done. We had a pastor caught in adultery, and he confessed, and wanted to continue along in his minstry. His wife even offered her forgiveness. However, he was removed from the ministry, and forced to go thru some counseling. He eventually moved to another denomination to be reinstated, rather than finish the counseling and be reinstated here.