Christian, your pastor may someday fall. I certainly hope that’s never the case, and I hope he, like the great majority of his peers, remains qualified to the very end of his time in ministry. But even though it may be unlikely that his ministry collapses under the weight of scandal, immorality, or disqualification, it is not impossible. And because it is not impossible, both pastors and their churches are wise to take preventive action now. Actions like the ones I outline here may help prevent scandal, and should scandal come anyway, prevent poor responses to it.
Qualified Pastors
There is nothing a church can do that is more important or effective than this: ensure that your pastor is qualified. The Bible makes it clear that a pastor is not qualified for ministry primarily on the basis of aptitude, experience, or sense of calling. Rather, a pastor is qualified primarily by character. Three overlapping New Testament passages (1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9; 1 Peter…