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“That Is His Personal Life”

Back in the late 1950’s I was attending a lectureship at the school that I had attended. Several preachers were standing around discussing various goings on and issues among brethren at the time. Just recently a very talented young preacher who was fairly popular among some brethren at the time had been caught in a motel room with a woman, not his wife. The general tone of the conversation was what a tragedy it was for him and the church. A well-known older preacher at the time voiced his opinion of the situation. He said, “Boys, this incident is really about his personal life and does not have anything to do with his work.”

I have thought of that discussion many times over the years. The sentiment of that older preacher has become more popular than we would like to believe – both in the world and in the church. The idea of separating a public figure’s private personal life from his public life. We hear nearly every day that judgment of a politician should be based solely on his ability to do his public work and not about his personal life. Similarly some seem to think that church leaders, like elders and preachers, should be evaluated almost solely on their doing their public job and not on their “personal lives.” The separation of one’s personal persona from his public life may be more prevalent that we think.

It is often we find ourselves saying something like this. “He is not only a good (preacher or elder) but he is also a good person.” Or, “He may be not be a very good person, but he is certainly a good (preacher or elder).” Too often the selection of one to be an elder, selecting one to be a local preacher, or selecting one for a gospel meeting, the predominant factor is his ability to do the public work. If one is capable of managing a secular organization, then he is considered a good candidate for overseeing the church. If one can speak and hold the attention of the audience, he is considered a good preacher candidate. Never mind what may go on in their “personal lives.”

Folks, do we think that at the great Judgment Day that the Lord will say, “Well done my good and faithful public servant – in spite of the fact that your private life may have been a mess – enter into the joy of your Lord?”

Comments 1

  • Some people think that anything goes if a person is not caught. Actually the life is not lived,especially in the Lord’s church, by following what the leaders think but by the written voice of God in the Holy Scriptures.

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