When the Christian leaders who helped us grow in faith fall, is our faith itself in jeopardy? This #MustReads from around the interwebs is not a pleasant one to curate. But for those of you who have felt disoriented by the report of sexual abuse by famed apologist Ravi Zacharias, there are some important truths to keep in mind.
Russell Moore, admittedly enraged by the findings of the investigation into Ravi Zacharias, wrote two articles. In the second one, Enraged by Ravi (Part 2): What if you were converted or discipled under a ministry like Ravi’s, Moore says the following:
When someone you admire does something disgusting or evil, don’t admire what is disgusting or evil. At the same time, don’t let your rightful disgust turn you to despair. Many who come in Jesus’ name are frauds. Jesus is not.
Back in December as an investigation into Ravi was ongoing, news broke about Carl Lentz (the Hillsong pastor who was "pastor to the stars" like Justin Bieber and Kevin Durant) cheating on his wife. The Jerry Falwell Jr fiasco was also just months old. Before that James MacDonald, before that Bill Hybels, and before him Mark Driscoll. And before all of them a wake of others. Replace Ravi's name with a myriad of others influential Christian leaders and we're left with the same unsettling question, "Does their moral failure render what they taught me about faith bankrupt as well?"
David French wrote an article that traces some of the leaders listed above entitled, The Crisis of Christian Celebrity. In it he wrote,
Christian celebrities will continue to fall. But they don’t have to fall so often. They don’t have to inflict so much pain. Change will only come when Christian leaders remember a few painful truths. Their hearts are deceitful. They do not deserve their fame. God does not need them. Instead, they need Him. And they need to remember those truths every day of every week of every year until their race is complete.
At the 51-54 minute marks and 1:00:34-1:10:20 marks of the Life and Books and Everything podcast, Tim Keller talks about evangelical celebrities, saying at one point,
The articles about Ravi Zacharias that came out in September from some women say he would always say, "You don't know the pressures I'm under". I think the reason why David looked at Bathsheba and said I want her, you know what, he probably said, "Nobody knows the kinds of sacrifices I'm making. Nobody knows the pressure I'm under. Nobody knows what I have to do for Israel and I deserve this."
In Ravi Zacharias and the Judgment of God Collin Hansen wrote,
Ravi Zacharias broke our trust. He broke our trust by first and foremost violating the trust of vulnerable, exposed women. We agonize on their behalf and beg God that no one else would suffer as they did. We lament this grievous evil. We renew our commitment to repair what injustice has destroyed. There’s only one path from here, and it’s the one the Savior showed us. “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Phil. 2:3-4). Leaders, because Jesus took the form of a servant for us, we can serve others. We must not exploit them for our sexual or financial gain. We must tremble before the judgment of God, because we will give an account. Because Christ shed his blood for us, we can tend to the wounded. We worship the God who is “near to the brokenhearted,” the God who “saves the crushed in spirit” (Ps. 34:18). For anyone who’s suffered abuse, past and present, you can know that justice will be done, sooner or later. Be assured: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5).
The gospel is Good News. Not opinion. Not fantasy. News. Even when communicated through crooked communicators. God's Word even informs us that crooked men will preach the gospel for crooked gain. Although that doesn't always make the shocking news of the fall from grace of a respected leader any easier.
Yet, God is good and trustworthy and the gospel is as true today as it was yesterday. Unfortunately, there's just been more news about the moral failures of Christian leaders than we even thought imaginable.
Come, Lord Jesus. And until then, keep the faith.