Sidelined by Failure
Rick Muchow
July 1, 2007
Q. I had to remove a worship band member for moral failure, but I have been accused of being judgmental. Some are saying, "We all sin and fall short of the glory of God." What should I do? A. It is true that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It is also true that we must be careful to guard well our integrity and reputation as we represent Christ and our church. There are two biblical reasons to remove someone from ministry due to moral failure: (1) the loss of the right to lead due to the failure, and (2) the need to regroup and put a life back together again. Individuals in this situation need time to reflect and rebuild their lives. Some examples of moral failure include gossip, pride, inappropriate emotional relationships, dishonesty, malicious dissention or stirring up trouble, adultery, and major family issues that need to be addressed. There are other reasons to sideline someone from ministry that have nothing to do with moral failure. For example, a need resulting from the season of life they are in, or when life gets out of balance, or because of physical or emotional health. Sometimes people just need a break to realize the privilege of serving in ministry. When we remove someone from a ministry team, it must be done lovingly, carefully, and prayerfully. Church discipline should always be done for the benefit of the one being disciplined. You can always expect criticism. Many people will have opinions and interpretations of the situation. However, they don't have the responsibility to God and the church that we have as the leaders. It's not just about the individual. We also need to take care of our team, because the team belongs to God. Some leaders make decisions based on politics, but I've made it ...
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