If you follow the Southern Baptist Convention, then you may have heard of the resignation of a key convention entity leader last month. This individual, a man who I did not know personally but had come to respect through mutual friends and colleagues, was found to have fabricated his educational credentials, falsifying his resume to include schools he either did not attend or graduate from.
By all indications, this individual has a long track record of productive ministry and was highly regarded by his associates. He’s now working to rebuild life and livelihood, another tragic reminder of the need for all of us to guard our integrity.
As I’ve pondered this situation over the past weeks, I’ve wondered what other lessons we might learn. Here’s what’s crossed my mind thus far. Please remember that I write with no first-hand knowledge of the specifics with this case.
First, integrity runs far deeper than simply avoiding the “big sins.” A pastor under criticism for his own integrity lapse once told me, “I didn’t commit adultery, preach heresy, or steal from the church.” He failed to see that integrity goes beyond avoiding these obvious sins to include how you treat others and present yourself. Be honest about who you are and what you’ve done.
Second, integrity isn’t graded on a curve. There is no spectrum of 1 to 10, where 10 is high integrity and 1 is low. So we can’t argue, as some might, “Well, he did great work. He met all the other qualifications, and the lie was so long ago. We ought to let it pass. None of us are sinless.” That last sentence is certainly true. Even the godliest among us have pockets of sin in our lives to deal with. Still, God holds those in Christian leadership to a high standard. First Timothy 3:2 says, “an overseer must be above reproach.”
We must always extend grace for those who struggle, including leaders. Not every sin is disqualifying. But consistent godliness evidenced in professional and personal transparency is essential to shepherd others. A person who has sinned, repented, accepted discipline, and resumed growth as Christ’s disciple recovers integrity. One who sins and continues to conceal it, or does not accept correction, does not.
Third, integrity forms as Christians allow the Lord to shape them through His word so that their confidence and security rests not in themselves, but the Lord’s purpose for them. Calling matters, and confidence to follow the call is a product of spiritual formation and ministry development.
I can only assume that this episode began when a minister felt compelled to embellish his education credentials in order to serve a role he sensed God’s call to. Which forces me to address this tangent: I believe that we, as Southern Baptists, have undervalued on-the-job, in-the-church training compared with formal education. Please don’t misunderstand. We ought to highly value formal ministerial training. Bible college and seminary are great. But I have seen some aspiring ministers complete multiple degrees yet struggle in their work having never really been the kind of disciple they are asking God’s people to be. On the other hand, I have a number of friends who lack diplomas but they were discipled, trained on-the-job, and mentored by godly pastors. Many were voracious readers and are among the finest pastors I know.
In the sight of God, at least, I don’t believe it matters if our preparation for service comes through formal education or informal mentoring and on-the-job training (though I favor a composite of each). It does matter that, as we seek to serve Christ’s church, we are honest about the route we’ve taken.
I pray for this brother, that he has resumed a fruitful walk with the Lord and may become again His instrument in whichever way He choses. And I pray for all of us who serve together in southeast Texas, that we would serve with a clear conscience and a desire to live honorably in every way (Heb. 13:18).
Blessings,
Bro. Jim