Discovery+ currently features a documentary titled “Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed.” The program focuses on the moral scandal of Brian Houston, pastor of Hillsong, a charismatic megachurch based in Australia. For the past three decades, Hillsong’s music and ministry have globally impacted churches. Sadly, Hillsong’s New York pastor Carl Lentz fell from grace a couple of years ago. Then last month, Brian Houston, the church’s founder and senior minister, also resigned following a breach of the church’s code of conduct.

I pastored a megachurch for several decades. Although my influence was not nearly as extensive as the leaders from Hillsong, I assure you the temptations to pride, lust, greed, and self-promotion are very real. Temptations exist at every level of leadership, but Satan seems to intensify attacks on high-profile leaders.

When King David’s sin with Bathsheba was disclosed, the prophet Nathan assured him the Lord had forgiven him. Then Nathan added, “However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme…” (2 Samuel 12:14 NKJV). The failure of influential pastors usually results in embellished publicity in the secular media. Satan gloats over his victories and taunts believers by insinuating all Christians are hypocrites. When prominent leaders fall, the Lord’s church is disrespected and blasphemed.

Therefore, in the wake of the Hillsong scandal, I’d like to caution and encourage all Christ-followers — especially those in leadership positions.

Don’t get discouraged. Instead, remember this is what the Lord predicted would happen in the last days.
While there have always been leadership failures, it seems as though there have been more spiritual scandals recently. However, that should not surprise us because Jesus warned in the last days, “…many false prophets will appear and deceive many people” (Matthew 24:11). And 1 Timothy 4:1 predicts, “…in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” (See also 2 Timothy 4:3-4).

So, instead of getting discouraged, become more alert to the Lord’s return.

Don’t judge every church by the moral failures of a leader. Instead, appreciate and encourage the many church leaders who remain loyal.
Admittedly, far too many pastors have produced embarrassing headlines. Yet there are many, many more who pastor faithfully without disgrace. For instance, in a non-denominational group of independent Christian churches, there are nearly 200 that average over 1,000 in attendance. The pastors of these large churches meet annually to network, fellowship, and gain inspiration. Many of them have been leading their churches for years with no scandal, and I have found them to be some of the most genuine Christians I know.

Their churches reach thousands for Christ every week. They meet an abundance of needs and send millions of dollars to missions. For example, one large church just sent $1,000,000 to a European mission to help Ukrainian refugees. Their magnificent generosity does not make headlines, but it certainly makes a positive difference in the lives of those who are desperate.

Pastors should not toy with temptation. Instead, be total abstainers.
Since consumption of alcohol often precedes moral failures, it is not surprising that Brian Houston’s fall was blamed in part on his drinking. Not long ago, most pastors were expected to be total abstainers. Yet, it is in vogue for pastors to flaunt their “freedom in Christ” by consuming alcohol. Although the Bible does not prohibit drinking in moderation, it admonishes us to be alert to Satan’s schemes and not overestimate our ability to withstand temptation.

As a young pastor, I chose to be a total abstainer of alcohol for multiple reasons. One of the primary reasons was (and still is) that I struggle with temptation. As a pastor, it is challenging to model moral integrity at times. So it seems ignorant for me to ingest a substance that weakens my willpower. Some may call me prudish or legalistic, but I feel pastors should be filled with the Spirit of Christ and not the spirits of this world. First Corinthians 10:12 cautions us, “So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”

Pastors should stop overcompensating in their efforts to relate to unbelievers. Instead, unashamedly preach Christ and Him crucified. For several decades, pastors have bent over backward to appeal to potential seekers by looking like, talking like, singing like, and acting like the world, hoping unbelievers will like us and then conclude that the leap between secularism and Christianity is not a bridge too far. Anxious pastors become concerned that Old Testament lessons about God’s wrath are too abrasive for seekers, so they skip those passages. Or, if the New Testament teaching about sexual purity would be considered offensive, they avoid or navigate around the scripture.

John Stott suggested the gospel is “prickly” at times because it calls people to repentance. The preaching of the cross is almost always going to offend and convict the world. It should. First Century preachers were arrested, imprisoned, and sometimes executed for preaching the truth about Jesus. No matter how hip pastors appear or how palatable we try to make the gospel, it still challenges people to turn from sin and walk in Godly obedience.

Two weeks ago, Barton J. Gingerich published a thought-provoking article titled, Hillsong and the lies Evangelicals tell ourselves. In the article, Gingerich shared this pertinent paragraph from Carl Trueman, Theology Professor at Westminster Seminary:

“You really do kid only yourselves if you think you can be an orthodox Christian and be at the same time cool enough and hip enough to cut it in the wider world. Frankly, in a couple of years it will not matter how much urban ink you sport, how much fair trade coffee you drink, how many craft brews you can name, how much urban gibberish you spout, how many art house movies you can find that redeemer figure in, and how much money you divert from gospel preaching to social justice: maintaining biblical sexual ethics will be the equivalent in our culture of being a white supremacist.”

Gingerich commented, “Evangelicals would do well to open their eyes to the dangerous myth that we can gain acceptance from the world and remain faithful to the gospel…After all, the world zealously attacks the church when she fails to live up to her own moral standards. Hillsong seems to be losing credibility fast, especially with those outside Christian circles. Anti-Christian critics have eagerly lapped up the scandal. The cosmopolitan crowd Hillsong sought so hard to impress are now the church’s greatest critics.”

He is right. Christians need to accept that we will never gain favor with the world. No matter how hard we try to impress with our worldly wisdom and cultural sophistication, it’s just not cool to challenge people to “repent and believe the gospel.” Jesus said, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).

The future church would do well to quit trying to imitate the world and present a positive contrast to the world. The Apostle Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…” (Romans 1:16). And, “…we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24).

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