We've discovered, sadly, that many people in the public spotlight aren't great people in private. I won't delve into any examples, but you don't have to look very hard to find stories about people not behaving kindly and having such actions exposed. It's always disappointing to discover that someone you thought was a role model wasn't living a life worthy of emulating.
The same is true in the church. It's particularly devastating to discover church leaders who lack integrity. No one expects (I hope) church leaders to be perfect, but there are certain qualities that should be evident in those selected for church leadership. They should be the kind of people that encourage trust in the church, that reward those curious to learn more. They should be the kind of people that, if the curtain were pulled back on their life, reveal no skeletons in the closet. I'd argue that both women and men are qualified for leadership positions in the church, and they should be honest about their struggles, their weaknesses, their faults - in so doing, they encourage vulnerability, and let others know that the church is a safe place to wrestle with weakness. Christ is our strength -- it's not supposed to be about us. In humbly leading with a focus on Christ, the church is a place for the broken to come and find healing.
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