Another leader brings dishonor
I just got news that a man I’ve known for years committed a sexual crime against a minor – then skipped the country to evade legal problems. Little things going way back now look like red warning flags. Why did we not pay attention? Why was this allowed to happen, was it due to negligence on the part of folks who should have known?
Warning signs: little children offering to show parts of their anatomy to visitors. Little children acting out things that we thought they’d learned from neighbors. A reluctance to participate in church activities. Always too busy for church activities, leadership meetings. Etc, etc, etc.
And now this. I don’t know the details, nor do I know if I WANT to know the details. This person needs help seriously – and so does his family. Not to mention the minor(s) who have been affected by this man. And once more Christ’s name has been brought low by someone who should have been a “pillar” in the church.
My heart is heavy, even though I know only that my Lord’s name has been sullied. May His light shine through the darkness caused by this situation, that is my prayer.
Posted in 
I can sympathize with your feelings Brother, having had close contact in similar situations.
One thing I learned: While a person may seek and get the Lord’s forgiveness, justice still needs to be served. I had a man come to me who was facing some years in prison for molesting several young boys in the Church he was attending. He said he had sought the Lord and was forgiven. Now he wanted out of the prison sentence.
I explained to him that while forgiveness from the Lord is obtainable because of Christ’s sacrifice for us, he still owed the State (not to mention the victims) time in prison. I counseled him that if he really was serving God now, to serve God with all his might in prison, and let the Lord work through him there.
He went away sorrowfully. I am not sure whatever happened to him. I hope he finally did come to real repentance.
I, too, believe that one’s repentance before one’s Maker does not relieve one from the consequences of the sin committed. God is omniscient and merciful. The state is not omniscient so therefore can not judge whether a person’s repentance is real or not. Nor is it the state’s place to be merciful towards those who commit heinous crimes. As this situation plays out I will be attentive to see what happens. I’m especially interested in seeing how those who sent this person to minister will react.