When a Christian Leader Has a Moral Failure

What do we do when we see moral failure in a Christian, especially a Christian leader?

Maybe you have seen news come out recently about Philip Yancey, a Christian author and speaker who has influenced Christian thought and teaching through his writing that spans from 1982 to the last few years.

Yancey recently confessed to a recent affair that lasted 8 years with a married woman. He stated that he has confessed before God and his wife that he has sinned and that he has withdrawn himself from further ministry. He has started counseling and is focusing the rest of his time on working on his marriage. His wife also made the statement of her hurt and her loss of trust in her husband and her commitment to working through this with Philip because of her vows to him that were made 55 years earlier. She said she knows that Christ’s blood has made Philip’s forgiveness possible and that she is praying for God to help her reach a place of forgiveness as well.[1]

I don’t bring this up to air Yancey’s dirty laundry. I am bringing it up because when something like this happens, it causes us as followers of Jesus to ask, What do we do? How do we respond?

Unfortunately, Yancey is just the most recent Christian author/teacher who has had a major moral failure revealed. Earlier last year, Michael Tait from Newsboys had allegations brought to light about him, or we could look back to 2021 when allegations were investigated about Ravi Zacharias, or there are less well-known names that have been found out, like a pastor in Mountain Home, Idaho, this last year, who had charges against him for different forms of assault.

“When something like this happens, it causes us as followers of Jesus to ask, What do we do? How do we respond?”

I know for me, it can be easy to be crushed, heartbroken, disappointed, or even angry when we hear shocking news like this, but how can we respond to this in a biblical way? Here are some takeaways that I think can help us process and respond when we see moral failure in Christians, especially teachers and leaders:

First, remember that everyone has the capability to morally fall short in major ways.

This is a step beyond acknowledging that no one is perfect, which is also important (remember that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” according to Romans 3:23). It is realizing that no one begins their life with Christ with plans to wander and foster sin in their life, especially to the point of causing major harm toward those around them. Rather, it is slowly introduced through personal compromise.

For example, I doubt that David’s rooftop glance at Bathsheba was the first time he had seen a woman bathing (see 2 Samuel 11:1-2). Since his palace overlooked his kingdom, I am sure he saw many moments that were thought to be private. In fact, this scripture opens with the very telling statement that in the time when kings went to war, King David sent out his armies and yet stayed back. David was compromising. As the statement goes, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

The same is true with spiritual error: Failure begins with a small compromise.

Marriages have ended from unchecked and unrepentant porn addictions or small flirtatious conversations with old flames.

Businesses and churches have crumbled financially from embezzlement that started with small acts of skimming from the top of budgets and donations.

We have to remember that anyone is capable of major moral failure because it starts with small steps of compromise. We should look at 1 Corinthians 10:12 (CSB):

“So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.”

“So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.”

If we allow our moral conviction to be the high ground from which we look down on those who have fallen short, we are setting ourselves up to have blind spots that can cause our own downfall. Instead, we should do what Paul says at the end of the previous chapter:

“Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we receive an imperishable crown. So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, CSB)

We should look at the shortcomings of others not with condemnation, but discernment. We should remind ourselves that everyone is capable of moral failure, and we need to be sure that we discipline ourselves.

Second, respond in prayer for the one who has erred.

If we do not personally know the person, but are simply aware of them, this is where our responsibility to them stops. We don’t have the relationship necessary to counsel or teach them, but we always have the responsibility of prayer. Pray for repentance, accountability, and restoration. Pray for healing relationships. Pray for those who are impacted by the person’s sin.

“Pray for repentance, accountability, and restoration.”

Finally, what do we do with the work, teachings, and writing that this person has contributed up to this point?

Let’s take Yancey, for example. He has written many books and has taught for years. These have influenced many in their walks with Jesus. Does his moral failing undo the impact of his work and writing? I have personally read, benefited from, and quoted his writing to people. Do we now have to “burn his books” and forget what he has taught?

Personally, I don’t think so. I mean, just think about it: if we responded this way to every author and leader who had moral failure, then we would have to rid ourselves of the influence of the Psalms of David, who slept with Bathsheba and had her husband killed in order to cover up the fact that he got her pregnant, or we would have to get rid of the writings of Peter, who denied that he ever knew Jesus.

Or let’s take a look at someone who didn’t end up repenting: let’s look at Judas. Judas literally betrayed Jesus and, in his grief and despair, hanged himself. Yet before this, Jesus commissioned His disciples to preach the Kingdom of heaven, to heal, and to cast out demons (see Matthew 10). Judas’s rebellion does not invalidate the fact that he was used by Jesus to call people to the Kingdom, to heal what was broken, and to free people from spiritual oppression. Just because someone starts strong but falls along the way or ultimately fails in the end doesn’t undo the work that they did.

“Just because someone starts strong but falls along the way or ultimately fails in the end doesn’t undo the work that they did.”

So here are my 3 takeaways from the question: What do we do when a Christian teacher fails morally?

1. Remember that no one is exempt from the risk of failure. I must examine myself and acknowledge my own temptations of pride, lust, and greed, and proactively place guardrails in my life and cling closely to Jesus. I am not the exception to moral failure; Jesus is, and He is my only chance to survive personal temptation.
2. Earnestly pray for the accountability, repentance, and restoration of the person who failed. No matter what our personal feelings are about the person or the sin, we have to remember that Jesus came to call sinners to repentance, and it is what He wants us to call people to, also.
3. Moral failure doesn’t necessarily discredit the work, sayings, and writing of the person who failed. We, of course, have to apply a discerning lens to what they produced, but we don’t have to disregard the work that was done. If you have been greatly influenced by the work of a leader who has had a major moral failure exposed, then you can learn from their work, and you can learn from their fall. Let both be taken into account for your walk with Jesus.

Moral failure in Christian leaders is always crushing to see, and it is never easy to navigate, but my prayer is that these three points can help us keep a gospel-centered response ready in our hearts.

[1] Daniel Silliman, “Philip Yancey confesses to 8-year affair and announces retirement,” Roys Report, julieroys.com/philip-yancey-confess-affair-announce-retirement/.