The following two brief videos are about Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker. Both suffered public humiliation because they were caught in sexual scandals; and Bakker spent 5 years in prison, for bilking followers out of millions of dollars, yet they each still have a following?
How can Christians still follow such teachers?
The only answer is that they are biblically illiterate.
Observe just one biblical exhortation about elders; preachers are ruling elders:
1Ti 3:1 This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position.”
1Ti 3:2 So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach.
1Ti 3:3 He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money.
1Ti 3:4 He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.
1Ti 3:5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?
1Ti 3:6 An elder must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall.
1Ti 3:7 Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.
Qualifications for Deacons
[these are lesser qualifications that are certainly included in the qualifications for elders]
1Ti 3:8 In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money.
1Ti 3:9 They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience.
1Ti 3:10 Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons.
1Ti 3:11 In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.
1Ti 3:12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well.
1Ti 3:13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.
That there are qualifications in the Bible for elders, indicates that an elder must qualify by keeping those standards of God’s. If he does not, then he is to be taken from that role and replaced by one who meets those qualifications.
The following verses are about a member of the Corinthian church that behaved immorally (not a preacher):
1Co 5:1 I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother.
1Co 5:2 You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship.
1Co 5:11 I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.
1Co 5:12 It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.
1Co 5:13 God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”
Verses below indicate that those who are put out of the church should be restored when they repent. But I am not aware of any verse that indicates an elder is to be put back in the position of authority once he falls; just restored to the body of believers.
1Co 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
1Co 6:10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Gal 6:1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
Gal 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
Jimmy Swaggart: YouTube vlogger Polite Leader made the following two videos:
Jim Bakker:
According to the scripture verses in this post, it should be clear that few are called by God to be elders, teachers, preachers; and that their qualifications are stringent.
Those who fail to meet God’s standards are supposed to be disqualified, according to the apostle Paul. But that doesn’t seem to happen much these days.
For other posts on prosperity preachers in this blog, see: Categories, Prosperity Preachers.
Following are a few other verses about elders:
Act 20:28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—His church, purchased with His own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
Tit 1:5 I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you.
Tit 1:6 An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious.
Tit 1:7 An elder is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money.
Tit 1:8 Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life.
Tit 1:9 He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.
1Pe 2:12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when He judges the world.
1Pe 5:2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.
Act 1:20 Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’