I recently read a blog post by Perry Noble, Senior Pastor of NewSpring Church, located in Anderson, SC. It was dealing with avoiding moral failure. Here's an excerpt that addressed stress:
When a man pastor experiences a time of intense stress and anxiety he is way more vulnerable to be lured into sin.
Pastors…we’ve GOT to take the fourth commandment seriously (that would be the one about rest!) We’ve got to take care of ourselves emotionally, spiritually and physically…neglecting these things allows us to become an easy target of the enemy!
I believe that many times pastors and ministry leaders will allow the stress and anxiety of ministry to catch up with them so much that they see a “moral failure” as an escape of the life they feel enslaved to.
One of the things ALL of us need to keep in mind is that the church is HIS bride…not ours. There is no need to stress if we believe He is completely in control!
My prayer is that there would NEVER be another pastor to choose to fail morally! (I hate it when people say a pastor “fell into sin!” THAT HAS NEVER FREAKIN’ HAPPENED–EVER!!! Moral failure is NOT a sin that happens to us…we make it happen!
Men, I want us to make it…to keep our eyes on Jesus! PLEASE, if anyone is struggling in this area and feel like you are about to sin…GET HELP! PLEASE…talk to someone! (Many pastors will not do this because they spend WAY too much time trying to BE the Messiah rather than leading people to HIM!)
Stress, if not handled properly, can end a pastor's ministry. What are YOU doing to build stress relief into the fabric of your ministry?
This isn't just for pastors. If you are in any people helping field, the devastating effects of moral failure still ruin your influence.
1 Peter 3 (MSG) says, "Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick." Handle stress and you'll be Serving Strong!
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