repentance, grace and restoration?

Todd, do you want a conversation about pornography and the pastorate, or about whether or not accepting a pastor’s gender reassignment is a moral and ethical failure? Those are two very different questions, and I can’t help but feel that bringing up the transgender pastor does nothing to promote good dialogue about the former. You can argue that it was a bad decision, but I see no reason not to take seriously the UMC’s commitment to having firm moral standards.
In the pornography case, I think the leave of absence is perfectly appropriate. Hopefully there’ll be more than just a leave of absence, but also open dialogue about pornography (which to often lacking from our churches) and sexual sin, as well as about the requirements for pastoral ministry.
Let’s pray for this pastor and the church he serves.
Peace,
-Daniel-

It’s unfortunate that we have to have this conversation about any church or pastor, but it’s a reality.  I understand that the church has asked Rev. James to step down, but why does his name and the church’s name have to be dragged through the mud in such a way.  Shame on those who leaked this to the media.

The right thing would have been for this guy to step down and the church take very good care of his family and facilitate his restoration, provided there has been a reasonable display of repentance.

I won’t begin to defend the transgender argument.  Ironic, hypocritical yes.  That’s the nature of sin.  Let’s not excuse one sin, simply because another is celebrated.

No pastor should be involved in sexual sin, but these are the times we live in.  Yes, put down the stones, but let’s also say, “now go and sin no more.”

By that I mean that in counseling you are convinced that he is genuinely repentant.  I don’t mean public repentance.  If that is your point of debate.  I wanted to make myself clear. There can be no restoration without genuine repentance.

I think with an addiction to pornography there needs to be counseling, accountability, and a leave of absence may be warrented.  I’m not sure I agree with making this so public.  How humiliating for his family!  I believe grace and restoration needs to take place as well.

I’m still astonished it is this public since this is a rather private sin that should be kept between him, his wife and God and then with an accountability team.

If the behavior continues then further, more serious consequences need to be in place.

Those desiring a sex change should be removed from their position and offered counseling.

Repentance means to have a change of heart, a change of view and a change of action. This means, once we repent and our sins are forgiven, we are to go and sin no more…
One cannot repent and continue to do the thing he repented over. If he/she continues to do the same thing then the individual never truly repented. Do you remember the woman who was caught in her adultery? The Bible says, after Jesus rebuked the crowd He told her, “your sins are forgiven, go and sin no more…” (Paraphrasing) The women never went back to her old way of living, she followed Jesus wholeheartedly… (That’s true repentance)

Yes, when Peter denied Christ he flat out sinned. After Peter sin convicted him and he repented, he never denied Christ again… (That’s true repentance)

We all agree that God’s Word is the same yesterday, today and forever.

But we tend to ignore God’s Word to fit our fleshly desires. Is it wrong for a transgender to hold pastorate? Yes according to 1Timothy chapter 3…
Was it wrong for the church to ask the pastor who has sexual addiction problems to step down? No, we lead from the front not behind. We must exemplify a life so others would see our good works and glorify God our Father. 

Sexual addiction is real and alive in our churches. Some are noticed and other is not. But it’s a reality. The average television show today promotes pornography. The average television commercial promotes pornography. Countless of homes, marriages and relationships are destroyed because of pornography. King David had a pornography issue, remember he saw Bathsheba bathing from his roof top. (That’s pornography)

I believe, the sin is not in seeing the individual naked, but the sin lies within our lust that’s performed within our minds.

It’s to the point where husbands and wives have distorted sexual fantasies that’s been formed by pornography. Countless of husbands and wives are in counseling because the husband or wife doesn’t match up to the fantasy they envisioned.

Pornography destroys to the up most…
We pastors, preachers of the Gospel must address these issues within our congregations.
We can’t turn a blinds eye to this issue…

JM et al,
The qualifications listed in I Timothy and Titus apply, according to these scriptures themselves, to the appointment of elders and deacons. They are not used in their contexts as measures of continuance in but only of appointment to the ministry. Paul does give clear instructions concerning failure for such leaders, which does not include “time outs”. I know that is the common practice for many denominations, but I take exception to it on scriptural grounds. IMHO, not following the scripture on this point has permanently ruined many a minister and lost the benefit of their gifts to the body of Christ. Not a very redemptive picture. As far as the privacy issue goes, there too, the scripture is clear: if the elder is caught in sin, the rebuke is to be public. I do suppose that the force of that injunction could be taken to mean, “if he sins publickly” without doing violence to the intent.

I have to wonder, if more church groups followed this kind of approach, would more ministers seek the help of their fellows when they found themselves struggling with something before it led to scandal. Isolation and secretiveness are dangerous, but are the fate of those who feel their vocation threatened. Does it do any good to have, as Stephen above stated, ministers helplessly wondering, “who do I go to for help?”