Ample recent evidence shows how church leaders can be seemingly blind to a talented pastor’s flaws. Unfortunately, gifts lead to rapid ascent and flaws can cause swift collapse. Many ministries never recover. Therefore, if only for pragmatic reasons, the church should focus on godly character—but chiefly we should do so because God does.

In recent years, the church has suffered numerous reports of catastrophic moral failure by some of its most talented and visible leaders. But it isn’t only famous, highly regarded pastors who falter. It happens to all sorts of pastors from churches large, small, and mid-sized. They hail from every nation and every branch of Christendom. Their sins violate all sorts of biblical standards—and not just the most obvious ones of abuse of power and sexual sin; some leave the faith, dishonor authorities, take their own lives, break vows, misuse funds, plagiarize, covet, and more. Why are so many pastors failing in these ways? Is moral failure among pastors really as much of an epidemic as it seems? How can we have confidence in our leaders amidst all the bad news?

As we consider these questions, we’ll discuss here four potential explanations that have been offered. Two of these, while having some merit, I believe fail to get at the heart of the matter; the other two, I think, come closer to helping us understand the real issues affecting how and why pastors fail, and the church’s own role in that process.

Explanation 1: Pastors do not Fail in Great Numbers; The Press and Social Media Foster the Illusion of a Problem

It is tempting to blame the press for publicizing the problem. The argument would be: Most pastors are faithful and honorable, and problems are overreported, since the press loves scandals, especially if they involve leaders. Rising antipathy toward the church also makes signs of hypocrisy appealing to editors. Further, the current fascination with victims prompts publication of allegations of abuse, which often prove false. And social media spreads uncertain allegations even if they never appear in the traditional press.

There is a measure of truth in these points, and exposing corruption and oppression from any quarter has long been an essential part of the press’s vocation. But even so, too many pastors do fail both morally and spiritually. And church leaders are not the only ones whose failings are broadcast far and wide; we also hear about those of politicians, athletes, business leaders, and entertainers. The church cannot complain of preferential mistreatment. The fact is, we do have a real problem. Yes, most pastors are godly men, but I personally have known six or seven who took their own lives, three who were caught in adultery, one or two who were bullies, one who misappropriated funds, and several liars. We cannot blame the press if church leaders violate the very norms they proclaim to uphold.

The church should never just accept such moral failure in its leaders—and yet, we should anticipate it. The Bible clearly and openly recounts the sins of Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Peter, and many others, thus preparing us to deal with straying leaders. Some of those leaders may be restored to their positions even after a failure, as those on this list were; others will not. Similarly, Paul instructed Timothy, Titus, and the Ephesian elders to expect godless opposition from within. Therefore, while we never tolerate moral failure, we can acknowledge and investigate it.

It is difficult to track the whole career of any group, pastors included, but some statistics from one group I am associated with helps clarify. Of the eighty members on the board and council of this organization from 2005 to 2022, all but five or six are still faithfully engaged in ministry or honorably retired. Of the other five, one is now de-churched; two saw their calls end, apparently for failure in fulfilling duties; two were dismissed for abuse of power; and one situation is ongoing at this writing. Other prominent pastors have been criticized or accused of errors in leadership or pressured to resign; yet, when no formal charges or investigations take place, allegations are difficult to assess. Many charges are false, malicious, or misguided. Moreover, if charged with “mistakes in judgment,” every leader might plead guilty.

It is also hard to answer the question, “Was this pastor fundamentally faithful throughout his ministry?” A pastor can be both faithful and imperfect. Pastors face bitter accusations for giving ineffective pastoral counsel, for failing to complete planned projects, even for not performing enough hospital visits. And how shall we regard pastors who left the ministry due to exhaustion? Thus, attempts at statistical analysis are difficult, but it seems likely that (1) the church does have a problem and also that (2) the press is more likely to report on any troubles than to publish encomia to quietly good men.

Explanation 2: The Church attracts Flawed Men to the Ministry

We can confidently say that the church does indeed attract flawed men—because there is no other sort of man. Indeed, one must declare oneself a sinner even to join the church, let alone lead it. So, let’s refine our question: Does the church especially attract men with specific problems, such as narcissism or a hunger for power? Seminaries rarely detect a desire for power in their enrolled students. Classes in pastoral formation ask students to state and address their flaws; students seem to be generally forthcoming. In that setting, few confess a lust for power. Professors rarely observe it, and the relevant literature hardly mentions it. On the other hand, adults quickly learn about power. They see the value of positional authority, expert knowledge, skill, status, and other assets. Pastors are no different.

In Matthew 23:1–15, Jesus says that men seek the status that spiritual leadership confers. Teachers have authority to command and followers honor them with titles like “rabbi” and “father.” Not all leaders seek such status for its own sake, but religious organizations can certainly attract power-hungry men, and those who specifically seek this kind of power are more prone to go astray and to lead others astray. And Scripture is full of warnings of God’s displeasure with those who lead his people astray. But does the church especially attract those who yearn for power? Or do pastors learn to seek power because they often feel powerless, like they have as many bosses as their church has members?

Some suggest that narcissism is especially common among pastors. It is surely a vice that many observers believe is increasing in American society, and pastors, like anyone else, can succumb to it. In Paul’s vice list, in 2 Timothy 3:2–4, the apostle places self-love at the top: “For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents . . . slanderous . . . lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” The list begins and ends with false loves: people love themselves, money, and pleasure, rather than God. That both drives and explains the sins that follow—arrogance, brutality, and self-indulgence. A former colleague of mine once noted astutely that “Moral corruption follows from love falsely directed.” We may wonder if today’s emphasis on narcissistic pastors is exaggerated, as trends often are, but Paul does decry those who put themselves first because they love themselves most.

Chuck DeGroat, in his book When Narcissism Comes to Church: Healing Your Community From Emotional and Spiritual Abuse (IVP, 2022), asserts that narcissism is especially common in pastors, perhaps because head pastors and public theologians enjoy a high profile in their circles. DeGroat says narcissistic pastors inspire their churches with lofty ministry goals, then mislead them by promoting grandiose “we are special” mythologies. If talented, their self-confidence lets them start movements, but their selfishness eventually destroys those movements. Narcissists crave power, admiration, and a stage. Lacking empathy, they exploit, devalue, and discourage others. Lacking humility and self-awareness, narcissists think they do no wrong. Therefore, if anyone calls a narcissistic pastor to account or presses him to repent, it registers as a gratuitous attack, which prompts the pastor’s rage. Meanwhile, churches that profit from the charm and skill of narcissists may rise to defend them, sometimes self-servingly, sometimes out of love for a pastor who has served the church sacrificially in desperate times.

While it is true that some teachers and preachers are vain, narcissistic, self-appointed prophets, Scripture is clear that God himself does call people to preach or speak on his behalf and to do so with authority (Acts 5:42, 9:15, Rom. 10:14–15, 1 Tim. 2:11). Thus, Paul commands Timothy—whose fault was timidity, not vanity—to “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Tim. 4:2). Paul also says that people preach if God equips and calls them to it: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us” (2 Cor. 5:20). Moreover, Isaiah 6, Jeremiah 1, and Amos 7 show that prophets could be most reluctant to become God’s spokesmen. To this day, many pastors testify that they long resisted God’s call. Thus, it is not quite accurate—or fair—to say that the pastorate specifically attracts narcissists.

Indeed, some refer to the necessity of what might be called “healthy narcissism,” which is marked by confidence rather than certainty, and by empathy, clarity, humility, and curiosity. Though helpful, the term “healthy narcissism” may sound like an oxymoron. How are we to assess this? If a professional athlete says he is stronger and faster than most people, is he being narcissistic or simply stating a fact? If lawyers and politicians say they are intelligent and capable speakers, is that narcissism or realism?

In his influential book The Denial of Death (Free Press, 1973), Ernest Becker asserts that “a working level of narcissism is inseparable from self-esteem, from a basic sense of self-worth.” Psychologists link healthy narcissism to proper self-protection, a sense of agency, security, adequate self-respect, and the will to make plans. Healthy narcissists may think they are slightly exceptional, which gives us pause. Yet everyone is exceptional in the sense that each person has a mix of gifts and experiences that equip them to do justice, love mercy, and live faithfully. Perhaps psychologists are too enthusiastic about healthy narcissism, but healthy self-regard seems necessary for leaders in all sorts of vital professions. Pastors especially need confidence, fearlessness, and ego strength lest they collapse under the many pressures and often scathing criticisms they may endure. They need confidence and a capacity to win people in order to stand up in public and preach and teach each week. Those these traits and skills can certainly be abused, and sometimes are, they are not in themselves evil.

Some preachers do love to be the center of attention, but many have a love-hate relationship with preaching, agonizing every Saturday night and every Sunday morning, thinking, “Why would anyone want to listen to me? Surely, this sermon is so disorganized, banal, inconsistent, and inert that I will finally be unmasked.” Most pastors seem to experience similar self-doubt, even self-recrimination. But they persist because they believe God has called them to this work. In short, it is ill-advised to focus on narcissism and neglect its common antithesis: crippling self-doubt. Perhaps we must seek further and deeper for a plausible explanation for pastoral failure.

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