The ouster of Perry Noble has led to a spate of articles and blogs including a recent article in Relevant Magazine (online) which touts the title: “The Mega-Problem Behind the ‘Falls’ of Megachurch Pastors”. The article’s author, Eddie Kaufholz, proposes that the stresses of the megachurch are partly to blame given the enormity of the responsibilities on these megachurch lead pastors. And I have a rejoinder. Sorry Eddie.This is not a megachurch pastor issue. Perhaps the stresses of such a context are exponentially greater…or perhaps not. They may have the stress of staff, but the solo-pastor of a small church has the stress of being the only one to blame when things go poorly. At least a pastor with staff can remove others as the ones to blame (I’ve seen that happen all too often).
This is a people issue and it is a sin issue. The only reason this makes news is because a megachurch pastor has more people already taking notice of them…listening to them…reading them. It happens often enough among pastors of churches of all sizes (as I have sadly walked through in a pastor-of-pastors leadership role).
While the cult of personality is an issue, it is an issue no matter the size. I’ve known wandering lonely “prophets” who believed in themselves when all others saw them as mentally and/or spiritually disturbed. They were convinced that they were the end-all. The savior complex creeps in no matter the size of a congregation (or lack there-of). Again, this is a sin issue; we have one Lord and Savior.
In reality, we must do something to address the proper training and care of ministers to best aid them in walking in holiness, humility and faithfulness in whatever context they find themselves (this is what I do as a professor training ministers and continuing to mentor ministers). Discipleship and accountability is the name of the game. We must also move toward greater congregational involvement in the regular ministry of the local church so that such contexts become less about the individual and more about the gathered body empowered by the Spirit to carry out the work of the ministry.