This is the thought that kept playing through my mind this morning. I recently read of a huge, decades-long cover-up in a prominent evangelical college by leaders to hide abuse by other leaders for the sake of the college’s reputation.
It is compromise for the sake of reputation which affects attendance, and which then affects the bottom line. It is compromise to keep the “religious engine” running and disregarding the cost of lives and souls. It is compromise that leads to people questioning the whole “church thing” and walking away because “leaders were for sale.”
Last night, as we looked at the church of Ephesus in Rev. 2 we saw the praise for a church that did not tolerate those who called themselves leaders (apostles) and were not. They were praised for “hating the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans” who dominated people and overlooked evil. Paul had warned this church that there would be wolves from within coming to distort the truth and tear apart the work he spent several years doing in Ephesus. (Acts 20:28-31)
Leaders have always been for sale and there are also those who will exploit these weak characteristics in leaders. They hunt out those they can hide under while they perpetrate their own agendas of abuse at lower levels. How many times have I heard over the years, “they are different when they are not around you.” Or, “they don’t talk the same when you are not around.” Some have even been declared to be bullies, abusive, and promoting bad doctrine, only to be a totally different person when around a leader. Leaders can sometimes turn a blind eye to these things because these people have become “friends” or for just excusing it as “the way people are.” When another person is hurt or abused, the way people are can no longer be tolerated, regardless of the reputation or the potential loss of friendship.
Whether we are leaders or just people in a body of believers, we can never be for sale. We can never tolerate another person being abused by the hands of someone that is supposed to be a leader. Jesus spoke clearly of this concerning children. Jesus said it would be better for a millstone to be placed around a person’s neck than one who causes the downfall of a child. (Mt. 18:6) The Apostle Paul spoke of this when discussing how we behave and treat those with “weaker consciences” in the faith. When we do anything that wounds a weaker brother, we are sinning against Christ. (1 Cor. 8:7-12)
Can we quit turning a blind eye to leadership that is for sale? Can we love our weaker brothers and sisters more than we love so called friends and associates who abuse others for the sake of power, position, and reputation?
As leaders, we have a responsibility to look out for others. We must be on guard when someone wants to get close to gain “rights” into the lives of others. We must be on guard against those who will exploit relationship for position within an organization. It all boils down to who do we love the most. I believe the church of Ephesus was being warned that even though they were doing mighty works and hated the evil deeds of others, that their first love had waned. This is the early sign of potential future problems when our unwavering love for God is cooling off. This is a heart condition and we often are blind to our heart’s true condition because of the busyness of ministry. We substitute works for loving God and before we know it, our works take precedence. We suddenly value what we do more than pleasing God and we become “people for sale” to protect the image.
As Jesus told the church of Ephesus, remember the heights of passion and love we once had, repent of abandoning that love, and redo the first works over again. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches! (Rev. 2:7)
