Letter from the Chairman

From Bishop Jack DeHart, Chairman

An Open Letter to GNCM Members

Caution! Danger Ahead!

The “prevailing winds” is a term we have been hearing much about lately by newscasters and political pundits. By and large, this has been a reference to the political changes that could affect the national and world scene for some times. Politicians and wicked men rejoice over scandals in political life and stand by with gleeful grins when the fallen go down. Little or nothing is said in condolence to families who have been innocently caught in the backwash. Politics is a brutal game we are reminded. We can only hope, for our country’s sake, that true statesmen with proven character, character that cannot be bought by political special interest groups will rise up rather than practitioners of rank partisanships and political manipulations. Are there any who will appear on the scene? For America’s sake God please grant it!

There is a more insidious wind that is blowing however. It is one that threatens the foundations of the American church in general and the clergy in particular. We continue to be shaken by the fall of prominent Christian leaders. We weep for the fallen, their churches and families. Needless to say Satan has a well thought out strategy to destroy the integrity of America’s spiritual leaders. You are on his “hit list.” As a matter of fact, you are now in the cross hairs of his poised rifle with his finger tight on the trigger. If he can destroy our “shepherds” then he can destroy the “flock.” If the “watchman” on the wall is overcome, then all below are in serious jeopardy.

There is so much to lose. First, there is our relationship with God. We must not forget this life-sustaining link. Our relationship with God must be sustained at any cost. If one is cut off from the vine for any cause, spiritual death is assured! For it is in Him, we live and move and have our being. We must stay connected to Him! Furthermore there is also the injury that is done to ones family. They will forever bear the scars of even one act of sexual indiscretion. I have watched families of the fallen seek to try to fit in to a local church scene. Those who proudly carried the torch of leadership and have been at the forefront and are used to being publicly affirmed now seek anonymity in the crowded sanctuary. Many are caught up in bitterness, constantly playing the blame game. Consequently their livelihood is in jeopardy. Men who have built their ministry over many years of toil and sacrifice can have their fruitful and flourishing ministry swept away with the waves of an indiscriminate act. Few ever recover. Then there is the stream of broken lives of loyal faithful parishioners, whose confidence has been shaken, if not destroyed in the aftermath. I personally have seen them move from one church experience to another trying to capture the glory of yesterday’s ministry and never completely making the journey. How sad! Lastly, there is the lingering effect upon the public, who have been suspicious of spiritual leaders to begin with. Many react with glee over the fallen. Some feel sorry for all concerned. Others feel a sense of warped confirmation wrapped more smugly in their blanket of skepticism and condemnation. All suffer and hurt and bleed and Christ weeps.

Proceed With Caution!!

I want to say here, that I claim no right to be a role model. I am only here by God’s wonderful grace and mercy. As the Apostle Paul declared so do I, I am the chiefest of sinners! I feel so humbled and unworthy to have been kept by Gods loving kindness for seventy two years. Fifty-four of those years have been given to full time ministry and fifty-two years as a pastor and leader. During those years I have learned many invaluable things by sitting at the feet of great men of spotless integrity, moral character and conduct. Sadly, I have learned still more by the personal observation of a stream of others who miss the mark. I will share a few things I have learned from both.

Recognize Your Own Vulnerability

The scripture is quite plain when it declares, “Dear brothers, if a Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help him back onto the right path, remembering that next time it might be one of you who is in the wrong” Gal. 6:1 TLB. Furthermore, it also speaks loudly by saying, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jer.17:9 KJV. We must remember, the next time it could be us that is caught in Satan’s web. Even with the work of the Holy Spirit actively working on our behalf, it is still difficult to know our own heart.

Constantly Pray For a Clean Heart

This was David’s prayer: “Create in me a clean heart,oh God; and renew a right spirit within me” Ps. 51:10. According to Strong’s, the Hebrew word “tahour,” our word for “clean,” means “ pure ceremonially and morally.” David further plea’s, “cast me not away” and “take not thy holy spirit from me” and “restore…me” These are the yearnings of a broken and spent man. Many authorities think this was post Bathsheba, when David uttered his desperate petition; after he had suffered for his own sins that left him broken and bleeding.

Should we remember that every man has his Bathsheba placed in his pathway by the enemy of our soul. Proceed with caution. This road leads to destruction. Constantly keep your guard up. Guard your heart!

Have Open Communications with Your Mate

One of the great deterrents to these kinds of sins is to be honest and open with one’s mate Most Godly women understand and will keep a watchful eye out for their loved one. In spite of occasional problems of jealousy, it beats the heartbreak of succumbing to temptation. Sometime back, a very successful pastor called late one evening and in the course of his conversation, he confessed that his music director, a young woman was making open overtures toward him. Seeking my advice I instructed him to do the following: awaken his wife and confide in her what he just shared with me; and, call the staff member in with her husband and ask for her resignation encouraging them to move to another church across town. My young friend did none of the things I encouraged him to do. Within a few short weeks he had fallen with this woman, lost his ministry, as well as his beautiful wife and family. It’s not worth it.

Give No Occasion to The Flesh

The wise man does not allow an opportunity in which he can act upon his weakness. He never visits in homes where the spouse or other mature people are not present. He refuses to ride in a vehicle with another female that is not a family member or where other responsible people are present. . He counsels only in a safe environment where others are close by or where there is an easy line of sight into the office. He is careful not to have lingering phone exchanges with the opposite sex. He carefully guards his social activities with couples whose conversation moves toward unwholesome conversation.

Avoid Bitterness

I walked into the hospital room of a dying friend. When he saw me and recognized who I was, he broke into tears. Embracing my old friend the flood gates of emotion tumbled out of our inner most beings. He uttered between sobs, “I never dreamed you would come and see me.”

This man and our families had been in each others homes on numerous occasions. We had exchanged pulpits and travels as families together. He pastored a great church and had a powerful faith ministry. Lady De and I had picked up on trouble in their home life punctuated with a lot of bickering. As time went on we grew somewhat apart in our fellowship. Reports we received from other family members were not encouraging. The separation in his marriage and weird reports of his antics in distant places reached our ears. In all of this we never picked up on the hounds of hell that nipped at his heels that finally lead to a life of loose living. Now he lay dying of the terrible scourge, Aids. Through red rimmed eyes he spoke of his decent into a terrible life style. Then he said to me something I will never forget, “Be careful how you choose your fights.” He then described events of coming to the defense of several men in our denominational setting that I was personally aware of. He continued, “I fought for men and became embittered as I saw men of God mistreated and sacrificed on the altars of political expedience. Every man’s fight became my fight and bitterness took hold which became the beginning of my down fall. Warn everyone not to let this happen to them.” I was immediately reminded of the warning that Paul gave to the Christian community in Heb.12:15: “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” We must never forget that that which begins as a “sprig” of bitterness can grow into a full grown plant that has deep roots. Dig it out when it first appears, lest defilement comes!

An Accountability Partner

There was a distinct reason that Jesus sent out his disciples two by two. Several obvious reasons immediately surfaces. Traveling during these times could be very dangerous. A single traveler was ‘fair game’ for roving bandits that preyed on the single traveler. Note the man in the story of the Good Samaritan. Also, it was a deterrent against loneliness and discouragement. If one can put a thousand to flight, two sends ten thousand scurrying! While all the above is true, probably the greater reason was to help guard against temptations.

The value of having someone you can trust in your life to which you can bare your soul to, without the fear of reprisal, is immense. Both are free to ask the hard questions about ones reading and viewing habits, associations with the opposite sex, and secret thought life. If you do not have this kind of a person in your life, seek one out. They could be a wall of security in your life.

Have an Apostolic Council in Your Church Life

For your own protection, you should put into place in your church life a security measure for you and or your church. An Apostolic Council as a part of your church government is invaluable. This council composed of three or more outside pastors can be a buffer of protection for you individually as well as your church. Hopefully, one or more of these men have an Apostolic mantle that assures they can act with power and authority behind them. In the event a pastor is accused of any type of offense in which he is not guilty of these Godly men can assist by mediating, saving the pastor and insuring the continued progress of the church. In more public cases like the late episode in Colorado Springs the power of this provision was present to do “damage control” in hostile media frenzy. The church found a blanket of security under which this great institution could survive while the accused was meted out appropriate discipline and restoration measures mingled with mercy.

Finally brethren, let us always conduct ourselves everywhere and become a Christian testimony. Our light must never become darkness. We must refuse to have a double standard, one for the pulpit and another for the pew, as some do in this late hour. May we keep our hearts sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit, seeking to have a conscience void of offence before God and man.

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