Christianity has a knack for resurrecting careers that should be as dead as Lazarus pre-miracle. It’s like a magic trick, only the rabbit pulled out of the hat is an abusive pastor. The routine is old but somehow still gets applause: a scandal erupts, the leader puts on a public performance worthy of an Oscar—complete with insincere sobbing and rehearsed humility—and poof! After a “season of healing,” they’re back, front and center.
Mark Driscoll, Perry Noble, Matt Chandler, Johnny Hunt, Carl Lentz—sounds like a guest list for a Narcissists Anonymous meeting. They’re the beneficiaries of a twisted inheritance from spiritual OG abusers like Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart. In a world where a Google search can immortalize your worst moments, it’s impressive, really, how these guys find their way back to the pulpit and profits.
Forgiveness vs. Responsibility: The Biblical Gaslighting Olympics
“But who are we to judge?” they say. Ah, yes, the age-old excuse of wrapping hypocrisy in the cloak of scripture. This is not about judgment; it’s about accountability and the welfare of a community. If Jesus was flipping tables for lesser crimes, why are we laying down the red carpet for these men? Those carefully crafted PR admissions aren’t contrition; they’re crisis management.
Let’s be real. Claiming you’re ‘renewed by Christ’ after your abusive actions have been exposed is like declaring bankruptcy and expecting to keep your mansion and yacht. It’s a spiritual get-out-of-jail-free card that mocks the very essence of a faith built on love and humility.
The Cost of Silence: The Inconvenient Truth About Theological Spaces
Those who have been abused often find that the church seems far more enamored with the abuser’s redemption arc than with survivor healing. It’s not just tone-deaf; it’s sacred backstabbing. Take, for instance, Homebrewed Christianity’s Theology Beer Camp’s recently ill-advised gambit to spotlight Tony Jones, a known abuser, in a conference. If you want to deep-dive into his checkered past, be my guest.
Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of “Baptistland: A Memoir of Abuse, Betrayal, and Transformation” by Christa Brown. To donate, click here.
The problem here isn’t Tony Jones; it’s the organizers and other leaders who chose to share a stage—providing not just an endorsement via complicity but a damn microphone.
This isn’t just troubling; it’s emblematic of a deeper institutional rot that happens inside organized religion and outside of it in different, yet similarly cynical, cash-grab ways.
This isn’t me rallying for cancel culture; this is a call for basic human decency. Parading these abusers back into the spotlight doesn’t suggest they’ve repented; it implies they’ve been endorsed. ‘Hey, he’s shoulder-to-shoulder with the ‘good guys,’ so he must be kosher, right?’ Turns out, that’s not just toxic—it’s viral—and it hurts the victims.
The Wrong Side of Redemption: The Spotlight’s Addictive Glare
Why are we so obsessed with the redemption arc of fallen abusive leaders? Their rush to regain the platform screams that they’ve learned nothing but miss the ego strokes. The call to live out the ways of Jesus should be a solitary road paved with humility and empathy. No one needs a congregation of thousands or a fat paycheck to walk it.
Kingdom work isn’t about ego or pocket lining; it’s about service and compassion. If your “ministry” requires a pulpit, a stage, or an Instagram following, you’re not in ministry; you’re in show business.
The Lost Plot of Christianity
Ministry was never supposed to be a pathway to stardom or a ‘get rich quick’ scheme. Those who claim to follow Jesus should remember that the man had more to say about helping the poor than he did about building personal brands. If you’re “called by God,” then prove it—not on a stage, but in the humble corners of your community.
So, what’s the call to action? Simple. Demand accountability, not just apologies. Challenge the institutions giving these abusers a comeback tour. After all, Jesus didn’t say, “Come, follow me, and let’s make a brand for ourselves.” He simply said, “Come, follow me.” It’s time we get back to that.
This article originally appeared at Snarky Faith and has been reprinted with permission.
Stuart Delony, formerly an ordained minister, is a blogger and podcaster at Snarky Faith.
English 
Spanish 
15 Responses
wow, just wow. You just put into words what I have tried to share with people that put their heads in the sand under the guise of “do not judge least you be judged”. Nobody ever finishes that scripture. I am not an abuser or morally bankrupt as a pastor or conned people out of millions (baker and TBN bible parks) or a bully so YES, I CAN JUDGE. Thank you thank you thank you. You hit the nail on the head on every subject you brought up. Buddies looking after buddies. Nobody is supposed to be a rock star in the pulpit or music industry, Ya knows that whole Christian music ministry and the ego fulfilling DOVE awards. American evangelicals will answer to God. And adding the part about “you’re in show business” is perfect. MAT 7:21-23
Agree. Perfectly written. I believe EVERY CHURCH LEADER NO MATTER WHAT POSITION should read this article&include it in the church meetings every 6 months as a reminder of what the real purpose of the Church is for. Too often people are too focused on the messenger¬ the message. We live in a culture that is self-centered look at FB, IG&TikTok how many pictures posted are pictures of themselves. Mother Theresa who reached thousands of people through her life sharing&displaying Jesus to them with the Gospel, with love&compassion, yet was well known. She didn’t focus on what she looked like, designer clothes, fancy cars, big houses or being famous. Nor the countless others whose names the world may not or ever know that have/had a profound impact for the Gospel choosing to serve&focus on those in need & the call,than recognition from social media plastering their pictures&sharing a few scriptures or quotes. WE appear to be obsessed with beauty & fame that feeds an ego that will never be satisfied. The real fulfillment is God’s gift of salvation his son Jesus until we finally realize that that is what fulfills the “empty hole that had to be constantly filled” in us we’ll keep on searching. Is it judging when you are stating facts &telling the truth? We are to hold each other accountable in love. When we fall we’re to forgive however, it doesn’t automatically mean that person should be allowed to be put back in the position.REPENTANCE & HUMILITY is the key to helping victims to heal & us to grow. It’s an HONOR to be loved by God & a PRIVILEGE to Serve Him. The Gift of Jesus we didn’t deserve but humbly accept.
I don’t think Matt Chandler fits into the category you’ve put him in here. It’s unfair on your part as a writer to lead people to think his mistakes were on par with the complete atrocities these other pastors committed. Check your facts here. Matt Chandler was immediately confronted by elders and admitted his lack of wisdom in his exchanges with a woman in his congregation. The following Sunday he confessed his mistake and to his congregation, and publicly issued an apology to his wife. He then announced that he’d be taking a leave of absence at the discretion of his oversight and church leadership. What exactly would you have preferred he do here? I think you should remove his name from this article, in the name of ethics and integrity.
I would say the elders should have had him start over. Like the article says in the small unseen corners of his community and church. Out of the spotlight for a year maybe take a sales job and give to the church and the poor; be under authority for a while. Then lead a discussion table see how it goes and so on. Just be a disciple. Not as a punishment but as development. These guys are promoted so fast they never have time to develop as disciples.
But that’s why I am not an elder and never will be.
Naw, Matt Chandler was super shady about the whole thing, minimizing, deflecting, covering up. He’s the same, he just got held accountable sooner. The character is still there- and he should still not be platformed again.
“If your “ministry” requires a pulpit, a stage, or an Instagram following, you’re not in ministry; you’re in show business”. I’ve felt this for years now. Many churches have become entertainment centers and big business with bringing in lots of money as their goal. It’s sad. I don’t think most of today’s churches are anything like Jesus. I doubt he would go to most of them. Maybe Mennonite churches bc most of them are ministry minded, committed , and frugality is a priority and I would think Salvation Army would also fall in there. Greed has taken over the hearts of many of today’s preachers. God have mercy. Exceptional article. Sad, and it hurts my heart, but thank you for speaking truth.
Exceptional article. Thank you, Sir.
Sometimes we need to lay some responsibility at the feet of the congregation. It is possible to have a dysfunctional group who practices some warped doctrine of forgiveness.
This is especially true in baptist churches who really operate autonomously . In my town , two baptist ministers admitted to felonious theft , confessed to the church after their behavior was discovered and remain as pastor today.
Sometimes these church bodies pat themselves on their backs for showing such loving and forgiving spirits. Not all the blame can be laid on the pastors in such cases.
There is an epidemic of biblical illiteracy in many congregations.
these are not isolated groups practicing warped doctrine of forgiveness, this is widespread how the american evangelical church commonly deals with fallen leaders. some are famous, most are not- but nearly all are “forgiven” and re-platformed.
And yes, all of the blame for a pastors failure can be laid squarely on that pastor.
“There is an epidemic of biblical illiteracy in many congregations.”
I agree with this statement, but perhaps the root cause is really that Jesus wasn’t kidding when he said the gate was narrow. This truth may apply to both the many congregants and the wolves that lead them in American churches.
The real problem here is the people who follow these celebrities. They are not even trying to follow Jesus. They are following the world by copying its worship of celebrity human beings. The fact that conmen step up to the game is not surprising. They would not be there if so many were not simply idolaters, following humans they can see instead of a God whom normally they cannot. It is easy to get mad at the false leaders but a mirror is required. There is only one celebrity in this universe. His name is Jesus Christ. Kick all the others to the curb and this will stop being an issue.
This is very victim-blaming as a way to excuse the actions of the leader. Jesus never blamed the sheep for bad shepherds.
There is much rot in the celebrity church movement–a movement that seems tailor-made for narcissistic pastors who are psychologically unfit to be pastors. On the receiving end, members of these churches thirstily lap up the pastor’s disgrace because, as this opinion piece points out, it almost inevitably leads to a redemption for the pastor. For them it makes their pastors seem more relatable while at the same time demonstrating the power of Christ to remake lives. The victims are simply the necessary collateral damage that happens along the way to the pastor eventually being seen as even more of a hero for having overcome his weaknesses. Witness what happens so often when these pastors make their “confession” of misbehavior to their churches–the members weep, not about the incredible damage to the victims, but about “how brave the pastor is, and how difficult this must have been for him” (and it’s always a him). After weeping, they give him a standing ovation. This whole business actually reinforces the damage already done to victims, but again, they are simply the fodder that makes this narrative possible.
Let’s not forget to add James MacDonald to this list. He was on the same re-platforming road until his Julie Roys “PTSD” made him viciously beat a women over his terrible parallel parking skills.
All of these leaders/congregations should consider the response of disgraced John Profumo…
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-penitent-of-toynbee-hall/
This cardboard-thin contrition is why the Godless, heathen “world” shows higher ethical, biblical and professional standards that the so-called “Light of the World” and “Salt” known as the Christian church. And why people are leaving the faith in droves.