The Lord has been telling many of his prophets (including Brett and I) that he is uncovering those things hidden in the dark. In Mark Jesus tells us those things that have been hidden will be made manifest. “For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭4‬:‭22‬ ‭(ESV)‬‬ The word manifest in this verse is the Greek word, phaneroō which means: to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way.

Word The Lord Gave Me

This is a word I felt the Lord speak to me in August of 2021: 

Yes, evil is coming down in America and the world. 2020 and 2021 has been the time of uncovering. Now watch as I take the veil off and ALL is seen clearly. No ONE will be able to dispute it. No one. You pass through the waters and are safe. When evil passes through they are swept away. They have no real anchor. While your anchor is secure because I, Jesus, am your anchor, their anchor is made of clay and melts in the water. I will take vengeance, and I will spare no one. All WILL be uncovered. Only truth and righteousness will stand. 

The Lord told me that he was going to uncover everything. Boy has that happened! Just looking at the headlines. We see so many things that have been uncovered. Evil has been revealed. No one is exempted from this unveiling. We’ve seen the evils from the politicians uncovered and sometimes we’ve seen justice given. We’ve seen the evils done in the dark by the people in Hollywood uncovered. And we’ve seen things done in the dark that leaders in the church have done being uncovered. Leaders of giant churches have been forced to step down because of evils done in secret. These ungodly deeds have come to light and can no longer be hidden. Jesus is making those things that were hidden visible so they can be dealt with. 

What Do We Do?

This unveiling can be shocking and cause you to feel insecure about who you have chosen to lead you spiritually. Here is where we need to be extremely careful. While it’s good to have people who help to lead you spiritually, we need to remember these people are just that – people. They are not God. They are not Jesus. They are not the Holy Spirit. Those positions have already been taken! The question becomes who are you really following? Are you following Jesus or a person? When these people’s dirty laundry comes out does it make you look at Jesus the same way? Do you want to abandon your faith and renounce the Christian faith? Or do you find yourself sad about what has happened and pray for both the fallen leader and the victims? The truth is there is no winner when these dark secrets come to the light. 

What can we do to help prevent these dark secrets from happening in the first place? Are there protectors and boundaries we can put in place to help prevent affairs and abuse from happening in the first place? I believe the answer is yes! 

Ministry is a partnership

I have come to believe that God intended ministry to be done as a husband and wife team. I think of people like Priscilla and Aquila who both taught Apollos the truth about Jesus being the Messiah. (See Acts 18) Pricilla and Aquila worked together to minister to others. I believe this is an example of what the Lord wants from a couple called to ministry. 

My husband and I have been called to ministry. In fact we were both called before we ever met each other. Brett and I were involved in teaching Sunday School, leading Bible studies, and starting churches and ministries. So when we got married it was natural for us to continue in the same ways. Only instead of each of us doing our own thing, we started doing ministry together. I loved teaching kids and wanted to teach Sunday School. Brett decided if I was called to minister to these kids then he was to. So both of us taught 5-6 year olds at our church. I was naturally the lead because I am gifted in teaching children. 

Later, we decided it was time to lead small groups at our house. While we both were involved in the decisions of what to study, Brett was the lead teacher. It was natural for him to lead the adults as he is the leader of our home. It was like the small group Bible study was an extension of how we already ran our family. 

There came a time when Brett felt led to be involved in the prayer ministry at the church we were attending. I didn’t feel led to this ministry per se. However, I decided if Brett was called to a ministry then I was to. We both joined the prayer ministry. 

We Were Laying A Foundation

I didn’t know it then, but each of these ministries were a step toward the type of ministry we do today. Today Brett and I are leaders of a small house church. We spend hours having people over to our home and teaching them the Word of God. On the “off days” we often have people over who need prayer. We have learned to work together to minister to those who are hurting and need a healing touch from God, our healer. 

What would have happened if one of us said, “That’s their thing. I’m not getting involved with that because it doesn’t interest me.”? One of us would have missed out on the training we gained in each of these seasons of volunteering at a church. If I had said that the prayer ministry is just Brett’s thing, I would have missed out on the opportunity to learn how to really pray. I would have missed the lessons Brett and I learned while we were volunteering at that church and surrounded by other leaders who learned those lessons we were taught. 

There Would Be Less Pastors Falling Into “Moral Failures”

When Brett and I first got married we made a promise to never be alone with the opposite sex. This actually came from Brett first. He recognized if he was never alone with another woman and I was never alone with another man, then the risk of an affair would dramatically decrease. I thought this was a great plan, not to mention it made me feel loved and respected. Brett loved me enough and respected our marriage enough to think of this rule and implement it. 

Over the years this rule has affected Brett more often than myself. He has had female bosses or opportunities to drive a woman to a lunch meeting with the other people he works with. Each time Brett told these women that they needed to either find another person to ride in the car with them, or in the case of his bosses he would ask to have one on one meetings in the common areas. 

When we started the church we lead, this rule became even more important. When someone needs ministry we almost always have both of us present. Of course there are times when a guy or gal wants to just speak to just Brett or just me. In this case it is only permitted if I am speaking to a woman or he is talking to a guy. I would never say yes to meeting up with a man to minister to him without Brett. 

Why Is This Important?

One thing I do know is that a woman’s desire is to be rescued by her “knight in shining armor.” A man desires to be that “knight in shining armor.” So when a woman comes to a male pastor for counsel this desire is awakened inside the woman and the pastor. They may never go into this counseling session with the intent to get involved romantically. However, this is a natural progression in the way God created men and women. I know there are tons of pastors who counsel women who never fall prey to this temptation. How many are tempted though? How many pastors begin to see these women as needing a better husband than the one they have and secretly long to show them what a true husband is supposed to be like? 

I believe if the pastor had his wife in the counseling session with him, he would be far less tempted. Not to mention a wife gives a whole new perspective to any given situation. I know when Brett and I are counseling people there are times when one of us sees the problem in a different way, and thus has a different solution. 

Just the other day we were hanging out with a young man we are mentoring. We weren’t in a formal counseling session, but he was telling us about a situation he found himself in. Suddenly I knew exactly what he needed to do. Brett on the other hand didn’t know what to suggest to this young man. God gave me the answer, and it was a good thing I was there. This sort of thing happens frequently with Brett and I. We have learned to trust each other to hear from the Lord and deliver what we hear regarding situations people find themselves in. 

Stop Helping those Who Are Abusive Gain Power

One major change I feel needs to happen in church bodies across the world is we need to hold those people who say they have been called to lead the body of Christ to a much higher standard. The Bible makes it clear the requirements for those who desire to be leaders in the body of Christ. Peter tells us leaders need to be humble, not forceful and domineering, but gentle and understanding. 

“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭(ESV‬‬)

Later in this same chapter we are told to be subject to our leaders. This means we also need to live in humility. However, if the leader of the church is failing to be humble themselves and submit to the authority God has placed in their lives, we are not required to submit to the whims of such leaders. 

I believe there are far too many pastors/leaders who have very proud and dare I say narcissistic parts who say things like, “You better get on the bus or I will run you over.” This attitude is not what God wants in a leader. It doesn’t matter how great of a speaker these people are. We need to hold our leaders to the standard God has set, and quit ignoring the abusive parts of these leaders. 

Satan Prowls Around

Later in this same passage we are told, “Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5‬-‭8‬ (‭ESV)‬‬

The devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. He is not a lion, he just masquerades around like a lion. Unlike the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, who is about protecting and nurturing the flock, the devil pretends to be a lion and destroys and kills the flock. 

How many scandals would be stopped if we just held our leaders accountable for their behavior? Think about it, what would happen if when a leader starts to lead with harshness, pride, and abusive ways we and those around him/her said, “No. We will not submit to this way of thinking. You need to spend some time healing those parts of you who think it’s ok to speak or treat people in an abusive manner.” What if we held them to the standards put in place in Titus? 

“if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” ‭‭Titus‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭(ESV)‬‬

If we want healthy leaders we must insist they exhibit humility, self-control, have patience, be gentle, a giver, one who loves righteousness, disciplined, and holy. Can the leader you follow measure up to these qualities? If not, perhaps you should pray about how to address this failure to be the leader God calls them to be. Perhaps you just need to speak to your leader and call out the leader God created them to be. Hopefully a slight correction is all that is needed. You may need to go to some of the other leaders and address these concerns with them. 

Stop Excusing Bad Behavior

We as the body of Christ must stop excusing the bad behavior in our leaders. We need to care about the character of our leaders above their ability to effectively give a speech. The body of Christ must value ourselves and our leaders enough to expect more than just a dynamic speaker who leaves us feeling good about ourselves. This is not what good leadership is about. Good leadership will be like Jesus. They will be humble. They will speak the truth even when that truth triggers others. Good leaders hold themselves to a higher standard and know that they will be judged more harshly than those not in leadership. “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” James‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ (‭ESV)‬‬
God is serious when he says “not many should become teachers…” He knows it takes someone who is in sync with his heart to lead and teach others well. It is up to us to decide who we are going to follow as spiritual leaders. Does your leader meet the requirements God has laid out? If he/she doesn’t then you need to pray about your next steps. 

God is cleaning house. He is exposing those things done in the dark by bringing them out to the light. God doesn’t care if those things are done by leaders in government, entertainment, or his own body. These things must be uncovered so they can be healed and dealt with. As painful as this unveiling might be, it is a very good thing. Let’s pray for our leaders, and look for leaders who exhibit the life God describes in his Word. Be blessed my friends.