Sunday, September 6, 2009

A Derailed Career

Now for the question from the 20 questions for leaders that Michael Smith of ClearView Baptist Church in Franklin, Tennessee asked Mike Hyatt that I should probably dread, but I shall rush in. Today's question is What is the one behavior or trait that you have seen derail more leaders’ careers?

Adultery. That's not a trait, but it is certainly a behavior. I don't hold to the idea that people are born adulterers.

Several (many?) years ago, just before my adolescent years, there was this pastor that I admired. He was working with a church that was small, but growing. They were meeting in a store front and working with college students. I remember us visiting their church frequently, primarily to give them support, I suppose. I was too young to know, but I thought him an elquent preacher. I remember one of his sermons, it was about David and Bathsheba. Looking back now, I can't help but wonder if it might have come from a guilty conscience, because he got involved with one of the college students that was a member of the church. It ruined his marriage and ended his career as a pastor. And it hurt me too. I liked him. I liked the young woman he ran off with. Then to learn what happened, I didn't fully understand and I still don't.