A former pastor of a church I attended as a teenager was recently convicted of horrendous crimes. He was a great preacher. I loved listening to him teach from the Bible.
On that same note, another former preacher was recently arrested connected to a big drug sting.
I used to ask myself things like, "What about all those people he led to Jesus? Are they still saved?"
The answer to that question, of course, is yes. They are saved, but only if they were truly saved to begin with. Those who weren't were probably driven farther from the faith they had professed because of his influence. This lands on the offending preacher's head. Jesus said,
Mark 9:42
“And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.”
I say all this to say that your salvation is personal. It is between you and Jesus. You should not place your pastor on a pedestal and expect him to be better than you.
My own pastor preached somewhat about this today. He said, "I am just like you. I have problems. I sin. I have struggles, just like you. But, I am up here preaching to you in spite of it, because it's what God has called me to do. Let me ask you something: If I acted like some of you, what would you think of me? If I attended church only as often as some of you do, would you fire me?"
It made me think...and made me get on my knees tonight and pray for my pastor, and myself.
I am so glad that I don't have to go to a preacher to talk to God. I can do it anywhere, any time. It is my relationship with Him that makes me assured that I am saved, not who said a prayer with me, or who baptized me.
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