A Prayer for Another Fallen Servant…
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Mon, June 08, 2009
- Viewed 477
- (61) comments so far
These thoughts are random… so bare with me.
1. This is, perhaps, one of the first falls from grace that includes an element of social networking. As an avid blogger and twitterer, I know that power of social networking. When I go to conferences and gatherings, people recognize me from my small 1x1 picture on my blog and on twitter. People feel a kind of personal attachment with me (even though we’ve never met). I feel that same, kinda weird feeling about them. It’s hard to explain, but you really do feel like you get to know someone online… their likes, their dislikes, their personality, their passions, their work, their family. These is a bond. With yesterday’s announcement, Gary Lamb stirred up the bond that he had created with those who know him. But this fall was different… not only did this affect his family, friends, and local church, it also hit hard a few thousand people all over the country who feel they knew Gary personally (even though they had never met). In fact, there have been over 150 tweets alone in the last 24 hours from people who have commented that they are praying for Gary and all involved.
2. Of all the comments online so far, most are supportive of Gary, which I think is good. Most offered support for Gary and his wife. Fewer offered support for the gal caught up in the affair, but that was probably because no one knows her or her family. A few of the comments were a little more transparent… thinks like how upset they were or how they had a terrible feeling in the pit of their stomach.
3. I must give credit to Gary that he took ownership of 100% of this, and stated that he was 100% behind the leadership of Revolution Church in asking him to step down. He said that he had disqualified himself from leadership of the church (which I believe to be true at this time). Hopefully Gary will be able to truly back-off from the church and let them heal. So many times, I see this kind of situation happen, and while there is immediate repentance, it is quickly followed by a sense of entitlement of what the church owes this person, and how quickly they can be restored to leadership. I hope that doesn’t happen here. Everyone needs time to heal.
4. Another interesting part of this story is the documented online history that Gary has online during the past six weeks (during his admitted affair). According to his tweets, Gary and Revolution Church were seeing some amazing things happen for the Kingdom. This included a family vacation, a marriage retreat, his assistant watching his kids and then hanging out with his wife, and baptizing a ton of people at the church. Even during this season of sin, there was an appearance that all was well and God was blessing.
5. My thought (and I’ve blogged on this before). You just don’t wake up one morning and sleep with your assistant. Satan had to have achieved smaller victories in Gary’s life over time to make this one possible.
6. The ramifications of this extend far beyond the online community, the church, and family. It also spreads to the community that Revolution Church is trying to reach. So many people are looking for an excuse to write off a successful church and it’s message. For those people, this is the only excuse they need.
7. There will be some that will say they saw this coming. Others will come down like a brick on Gary. Yet others will pick apart everything Gary has said over the years from the pulpit or in his blog. That’s really not necessary. God has used Gary Lamb in a great way; and may use Gary in a great way in the future (though that’s still uncertain).
8. And for all of us who may feel self righteous from time to time, we need to get over ourselves… because this could happen to us. Matter of fact, some reading this, it is happening to right now. Another group is real close to making a similar decision as Gary made six weeks ago. Stop it. You will most likely be humiliated. You will humiliate your wife and kids, your church, and your family. It’s not worth it.
I guess that’s it right now. My prayers go out to Gary, his wife and kids, Revolution Church, and to his assistant and her family.
Todd
Word came over yesterday that yet another pastor had fallen. Many of you are familiar with the ministry of Gary Lamb of Revolution Church. Yesterday, Gary was forced to resign his church after admitting to a six week 'emotional and physical affair' with his personal assistant. Gary has had a very public persona on-line through his blog, twitter, etc. He has been known as a passionate church planter, an outspoken leader, and a bit of a renegade. I've had the opportunity to meet and talk with Gary several times over the years and consider him a ministry friend. So, when word hit yesterday at his blog, it caused me (as many others) to have a ton of different feelings and thoughts. I want to share some of those with you here today...
Comments
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Katrina on Mon, June 08, 2009
Jud,
I met Paul Washer in Atlanta last summer at the Deeper Conference. The man unashamedly preaches the WHOLE counsel of God. No apologies…no excuses. When you compare the substance of his preaching to that of what I heard Gary Lamb preach on the prodigal son….it is the difference between candy and steak!
Gary is going to have to confront some very tough truths about himself in the next couple of months. I hope for his sake that the state of his soul is one of them. This is a very humbling experience for your sins to be made public. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. May God’s grace be with Gary, his wife and children, and his assistant.
benny salas on Mon, June 08, 2009
I got word early yesterday from another pastor Planter friend and I was more pissed off than anything. Not at Gary, but the situation! I met Gary briefly at Exponential09 and I was drawn to his renegade attitude and do whatever-it-takes attitude and so I was glad to finally meet him.
I truly do hope this turns out for God’s Glory and that all those involved are restored….I believe that the same passion that got him into this mess is the same passion that will get him out!
Leonard on Mon, June 08, 2009
Jud and Katrina, no offense but can you take your stuff somewhere else… this is not the post for that. thanks
Chris on Mon, June 08, 2009
It is only by the grace of God that more Pastors do not fall into this sort of sin.
My heart and prayers go to GAry, his family, and the church.
jud on Mon, June 08, 2009
“I believe that the same passion that got him into this mess is the same passion that will get him out!”
That’s an unfortunate choice of words.
Nothing we do, can do or have done have any bearing on sin, it’s all in what Jesus does, can do and has done.
CS on Mon, June 08, 2009
I disagreed with Lamb and his style and type of preaching and doctrine he used on stage / in the pulpit. I noticed the attributes a while back that Lori cited from Lamb’s blog, saying, “He wrote that since planting the church it has now become all about himself and his ego.” It was wrapped up for me in a sermon on YouTube where he talked about wanting to immolate an organ at his last church and take a baseball bat to some woman.
However, this circumstance shows the repentance that we need all the more in the church, and the clear way that people should reveal their sins. For that, I commend Lamb and pray that God will grant him that true repentance from sin. And, I also hope that the assistant comes to the same place as lamb.
In this circumstance, time will tell how the repentance is displayed. If Lamb comes back to the role of pastor, continues on in church leadership, or uses this as a bridge into the limelight, I would then be concerned with things, much like Haggard and others who have fallen from grace. I pray that he will do the right things in stepping down from church leadership and that his family will persevere through this.
—
CS
sam on Mon, June 08, 2009
For too long the church, especially southern baptists, preached a message of law and legalism creating extra biblical standards that defined what good Christians should and should not do like drinking, smoking, and dancing to name a few. They confused law with gospel and it was wrong of them to do so.
Now, the pendulum has swung and we see a much needed change where our freedom in Christ is preached. But the unfortunate thing that has been getting lost in this course correction is a call to personal holiness in sanctification. We see “potty mouthed” preachers revel in being edgy and cool and we see them preach, like Gary Lamb did, “Bringing Sexy Back” sermon series.
I think the rise in Church Planting is a great thing in the adding to the Kingdom but unfortunately we have rise to “pastors” that were never biblically qualified to be in that position of a church planting pastor. If Gary truly was a Christian for only a month before assuming the role of pastor then he was BIBLICALLY unqualified to assume that role. The “board of directors” of his church should have called them on that.
I pray that resortation to the body is the first step with Gary and not an attempt to return him to the pulpit within a set amount of time.
I pray for the church as well that it continue on and not lose too many members that may have been there solely because of Gary.
As an aside, I wonder how this would have been played out if the “KJV only” guy was caught in adultery? Would the tone be the same for him as it is being called for Gary?
It is sad for Gary and his family and I pray for his wife and kids through this all.
Tim on Mon, June 08, 2009
I just sent this to Revolution Church:
I am thankful for the way your church sent out via website and blog the indiscretions of your Pastor. It is interesting how Pastor Lamb’s wife and family were seen as victims but the Assistant, Elena was only mentioned briefly. She is the true victim in this situation. She is the victim of sexual and emotional abuse perpetrated by a person of power and authority over her. This is very serious. This sin was was not just against God, but against this woman, and serious amends need to be made. I hope that you will take care of her as much or more than for the Pastor and his family. She is going to need a lot of support.
CS on Mon, June 08, 2009
Tim:
In an adulterous relationship such as this, there are two sinners, not just one. It doesn’t matter if the person who initiated it was in a more powerful position or not; the other person has to consent to the sin (unless, of course, the action is rape, which does not seem to be the case here). She is no victim, but someone who willfully engaged in an adulterous relationship as well, knowing full well as his assistant that he was a married man.
Lamb’s family could rightly be described as the victims here, as the sins their father and husband did adversely affect them, and they did not initiate it. They are the ones paying the price for his actions, since he has lost his job, their family name is tarnished, etc. To say that the assistant was a victim is not accurate and dismisses her role in this situation.
All of that said, I hope that she likewise repents of her sins and seeks reconciliation.
—
CS
Terrace Crawford on Mon, June 08, 2009
Great thoughts, Todd. I, too, am praying for Gary & his family as well as anyone else surrounding this situation.
I agree with Anne Jackson on disclosing some details.
—Terrace Crawford
http://www.terracecrawford.com
http://www.twitter.com/terracecrawford
Bob Barnes on Mon, June 08, 2009
While neither excusing nor condemning anyone, “successful” men and women of God are nearly always admired/loved by those to whom they minister. It is HARD to receive that kind of admiration/love without sometimes inappropriate responses. I pray that restoration will happen for both parties.
No wonder Paul advised that the churches should, “Lay hands suddenly on no man.”
sam on Mon, June 08, 2009
This is an unfortunate by product of exalting pastors that produce numeric growth by whatever means. These pastors are celebrated and asked to speak at conferences, write books, and teach other pastors. It adds to the celebrity culture that exists today on the conference circuit.
Furthermore, para-church organizations such as leadership network are part of the problem as well. Holding multiple conferences and inviting the pastors that have achieved some measure of success but the funny thing is on the conference circuit, success is more often than not defined by the crowd that you can gather at your church. It doesnt matter how you got that crowd, just as long as your church has reached a certain level.
This also illustrates churches that forego the biblical charge of having elders and deacons. The pastors is surrounded by other staff members who rely on him for their salary as well so often times, accountability is not in place for these pastors. They only have a “board of directors” made up of pastors from other churches which is funny they all serve on one another’s “board of directors”. Pastors in Gary Lamb’s circle often ridicule deacons and elders but clearly some godly Elders within Gary’s church would have been of some assistance.
This is sad for all parties involved especially Gary’s family but he lived in a culture where his ego was fed and constantly ignored the “critics” and “haters” who voiced objections in the name of personal holiness.
I hope this can serve as a warning to other pastors in similar churches.
Rev. K on Mon, June 08, 2009
why are many just sending this warning to leaders? all within the local congregation are called to be servants… all within the local congregation are prone to temptation… it doesn’t matter if it’s a para-congregation… or a small store-front congregation…it doesn’t matter if the person is a pastor or the person is just a door keeper… all are subject to the same temptations… The Bible encourages us to take warning lest we too fall…
we’re not to use this as a ruler to judge our personal piety… we’re not to glory in our self-righteousness… many are acting no different than the Pharisees that sought to do their religious acts in public places to be praised by man… if we want a ruler to judge our lives… the ruler is God’s Word and the example is Jesus Christ…
We all have sinned and fell short of the mark… no sin is greater than the other…
Let us pray for the church at large… let us encourage and strengthen one another… God didn’t give us the charge to inspect those around us for us to gain amusement and or ridicule them… but if we’re going to bring issues to light, we’re to bring them to light with the anticipation of helping restore our fellow brothers and sisters… Jesus told Peter, “Peter Satan desire to shift you as wheat… but I have prayed for you that your faith would not fail… and when you have returned… strengthen somebody else…” Let us strengthen the fallen church…
Dan on Mon, June 08, 2009
According to Greg Rohlinger (who broke the news yesterday and you can listen to the podcast where he does so), they disclosed the name of the woman because they wanted to stop the rumors. He actually did a good job explaining and comforting.
Regardless, what we think, this is church discipline working right and praise God that they are looking to restore all to Jesus and not to positions. Praise God that there was oversight for this church plant (which many do not have) to catch this after 6 weeks rather than 6 years.
I agree that I wonder what is going on with Elena’s family. According to his own blog, she is married to a guy looking to church plant someday. I just pray that we are reminded NONE of us are safe. As I’ve heard Mike Foster quote “Our greatest weakness is our most unguarded strength.” I pray that we can simply use this to look to Jesus.
Peter Hamm on Mon, June 08, 2009
sam,
I am going to try and be delicate here. Your statements here are, imho, ludicrous.
This post, and this situation, have nothing to do with the Leadership Network or any other para-church organization, nor is it a product of the “conference circuit”. You find any excuse to bang the same drum, even if the song is in a totally different meter.
You are right about it being imperative that churches have good accountability, but you go so far over the line in forwarding your own anti-Leadership Network agenda that it actually makes your point more likely to be ignored by people who might really need to hear that. Have you considered that possibility?
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