Christians differ over how churches should address sins ministry leaders commit. Matthew 18 describes church discipline as a private process that involves the congregation only if the offender refuses to repent. But James 3:1 states church leaders “will be judged with greater strictness.”

All agree what happened, but the aftermath roils a cauldron of disagreement.

Parked on a dark, empty road in 1998, college student and youth pastor Andy Savage asked 17-year-old Jules Woodson to perform oral sex on him. Woodson, a member of Savage’s youth group at Woodlands Parkway Baptist Church (WPBC) in Texas, says she complied reluctantly, believing “this must mean that Andy loved me.” Both agree Savage experienced immediate conviction of sin, leaped from the vehicle, and collapsed before Woodson. She recalls, “He was on his knees with his hands up on his head, ‘Oh my god, oh my god. What have I done? Oh my god, I’m so sorry. You can’t tell anyone Jules, please.”

Fast-forward 20 years. Andy Savage is married, the father of five sons, and a pastor at Highpoint Church in Memphis. Savage claims his sin against Woodson “was dealt with in Texas 20 years ago.” He disclosed his sin to the leaders of WPBC (now StoneBridge Church), to his wife before they married, and to the staff at Highpoint before joining the ministry. Woodson counters that WPBC hid from the congregation the specific sin Savage committed and then allowed him to resign without public confession.

Savage confessed his sin before the Highpoint congregation in January and apologized: He has now taken a leave of absence. Church members gave him a standing ovation, which was not appropriate: news of sin, even tempered by repentance, should prompt mourning rather than applause. Woodson recently said the Texas church 20 years ago told Savage “he couldn’t talk to me and they told me I couldn’t talk to him,” but Savage stated, “Until now, I did not know there was unfinished business with Jules.” To what extent they did or did not reconcile is unclear.

Christians differ over how churches should address sins ministry leaders commit. Matthew 18 describes church discipline as a private process that involves the congregation only if the offender refuses to repent. But James 3:1 states church leaders “will be judged with greater strictness.” Savage believes WPBC handled his sin Biblically: “I apologized and sought forgiveness from [Woodson], her parents, her discipleship group, the church staff, and the church leadership, who informed the congregation.” Woodson disagrees and charges WPBC with a “big cover up.”

Christians must love truth and hold church leaders accountable. Unfortunately, the details of a 20-year-old disciplinary action now reside only in the memories of WPBC’s leaders. Without those details, Christians should shun uninformed judgment. Proverbs 13:16 cautions, “Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.” The congregation’s ignorance of Savage’s particular sin may testify to a shameful cover-up. It may also testify to the church’s fidelity to the privacy of the discipline process. The debate is now playing out publicly: An online petition calls for Savage’s resignation, and Christian publisher Bethany House has canceled the scheduled July publication of Savage’s book, The Ridiculously Good Marriage.

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