We have read with disbelief stories of alleged fornication and divorce about charismatic leaders such as Rhema Bible Church Pastor Ray McCauley, Malibongwe Gcwabe, Jabu Hlongwana, Xola Nzo, Prophet Mboro, Benjamin Dube and Keke Phoofolo among others. And it is business as usual for them.

International televangelists who separated from their spouses include Benny Hinn, Paula White, John Hagee, Noel Jones and Clarence McClendon among others. Their ministries are still strong.

Has the church gone soft on sin?

Pastor Vusi Dube, senior founding pastor of the Ethekwini Community Church, says when a pastor or elder fornicates, they should step down from the pulpit.

He says marital infidelity and divorce among the clergy was growing at an alarming rate and pastors were getting away with sin.

He attributes this to the lack of accountability in churches and the public's softening stance on divorce.

"Unlike in the traditional churches where the clergy is accountable to a senate, charismatic church pastors are only accountable to themselves. In this kind of setup, pastors hand-pick elders and these elders usually do not have powers to discipline the pastor because the church is presumably his."

He says people have forgotten that the church belongs to God and pastors are just servants.

"The problem with this model is that elders are scared of challenging the pastor and fear losing their positions and power. In some cases, the elders are friends or relatives of the pastor so accountability is non-existent."

He says pastors must realise that people in their church are watching them.

"Pastors are supposed to set an example for families. You are supposed to set the example for your church members. You can't be like the parent who says, 'do as I say, not as I do'. You have to lead by example. As leaders, we must set examples for our flock.

"It is also important to realise that not just our church members are watching us. The outside world is watching too, and they are all too ready to point fingers."

Biblical scholars have for a long time disagreed about divorce, with each side pointing to conflicting scriptural passages that seem to forbid or show compassion towards divorce.

Most people, like Pastor Dube, agree that the Bible allows for divorce in cases of adultery or violence, but agreement seems to end there.

But a divorced pastor, who wished to remain anonymous, said some pastors were too judgmental and self-righteous about divorce. He blamed divorce on spiritual warfare and "the devil's temptation".

He said fornication and divorce was caused by the burdens loaded onto the backs of pastors, their wives and on poorly-allocated time and attention on them and their families.

"The higher your call, the more attacks the devil directs towards your direction. Pastors are not perfect; they are human beings like you. There was only one who was. His name is Jesus," said the pastor who has since remarried.

Could this be a sign of moral decay in our churches?

Andile Magwa, whose ex-wife allegedly had an affair with a well-known pastor, says the church has lost the principles if Jesus.

He said he had lost confidence in pastors and the church system.

"Church is supposed to be a place of high morals, but today's pastors can't even keep their pants up. Christians are hypocrites who can't follow the Word of God.

"Pastors are supposed to be the leaders in morality and character in their churches and behind closed doors. They are supposed to be the prime examples of holiness. But they misuse their office to confuse and destroy families."

According to Prophetess Nomvume Maphanga, a church marriage counsellor and ordained pastor, the number of divorced Christians mirrors the rate of non-Christian divorcees.

She says only 35% of unions survive an extramarital affair, while 65% of marriages break up because of adultery.

She says one in five unfaithful people end up marrying their lovers.

She says many couples who have extramarital affairs end up staying together for the sake of their children.

She says the real test begins after an affair ends.

"In my years of marriage counselling, I have learnt that men are less forgiving of affairs than women are."

Pastor Dube attributes this behaviour to the general make-up of a man.

"Men have large egos by nature and that is why it is difficult for them to forgive a spouse who had an affair.

"This is sad because it gets in the way of God's forgiveness, redeeming love, reconciliation and restoration, which should be the main focus, instead of divorce," Dube said.

Comments

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Sun May 19 20:09:46 SAST 2013 ::

Jan 10, 2012

Memme

Being a pastor is a calling from God but these so called pastors of today are not being called by GOD but they are being called by greediness, they want to make money and that's it. Which is why they do commit adultery and all these kinds of bad things. ke baruti ba fashion.

Which is why there are so many churces in the world today - and their mission is not to praise and worship God but their mission is to make money in the name of GOD.

Modimo ga se Modimo wa fashion..
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Jan 10, 2012

Mangoz

A Pastor is equivalent to a PIMP "best competitors"
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Jan 10, 2012

edna

I feel u Memme. Most of these so called "pastors"are Casanovas, and they are so greedy. I don't trust them. That is why i haven't given my 10% to any church.
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Jan 10, 2012

MGEEZ

@Memme
I agree with you when you say that most pastors of today are in it for money and I dare say that most of them Kebaruti ba tsotsi
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Jan 10, 2012

Newman

this is shame and very disapointing, instead of setting example and deliver the word of God they do the opposite because their hearts and minds are ffilled with sexual immorality and the only way for them to show their dirtiness is to change wives as changing socks, The Lord is comming soon STOP playing.
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Jan 10, 2012

Botaleng

Most pastors these days don't consider anything sacred. In the bible we are warned aganist such characters, they act like they are religious, but they reject the power that could make them godly. They claim to know God but deny Him by the way they live. We are living in the last days.
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Jan 10, 2012

Sugaar

Pastor's are Human being they do get erection and the bible says we must pray for them.
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Jan 10, 2012

MGEEZ

@edna
I feel u Memme. Most of these so called "pastors"are Casanovas, and they are so greedy. I don't trust them. That is why i haven't given my 10% to any church.
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And you know what? you do not owe them a cent!!! The 10% is their way of making money and doop God's people out of their money. The Bible does not require a Christian to pay a 10% to any local church as many of these false greedy pastors demand almost every sunday on their pulpits.

The Bible simply says to the Christian make up your mind how much you want to give and give cheerfully; for God loves a cheerful giver!!!!! For as much as there is nothing that is stopping you from giving 20% if that is what God has put in your heart; nothing is also stopping you R50 if that is what God puts in your heart. But no, these heretics will go out of their way to teach lies to God's children (whilst manipulating them with what I call spiritual gymnastics), so that they at the expense of Christians should live at the lap of luxury!!!
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Jan 10, 2012

MGEEZ

@Botaleng
Most pastors these days don't consider anything sacred. In the bible we are warned aganist such characters, they act like they are religious, but they reject the power that could make them godly. They claim to know God but deny Him by the way they live. We are living in the last days.
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Which makes you wonder their authenticity, doesn't it???????The Lord Jesus said in mathew 7; we shall see them by their fruits!!!! Qouting the same words of the master; I always say that when you see a tree hanging oranges all over, please do not lie against the truth and call it a banana tree!!!!


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Jan 10, 2012

Eraser

We all human..we all get horny so r pastors. Nothing new and suprising abt them..
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