How can a Pastor lie?

Question

A Pastor I Know is constantly streching the truth, or even outright fibbing! How can a man of God, who is supose to guide others to the truth consistantly tell lies. Is it just me or is there someting wrong with this picture? I was raised to respect any religous leader, but how can I respect a liar!?

Answer 1

often we put our pastors and preachers on a pedestal - I have been guilty of this too- we need to realize that they are human and just a susceptible to sin as we are. We need to respect the office of authority god placed them in but have discernment over what they are saying. Even with the best of preachers, you should always take home what they taught and read and pray and research it in the word for yourself. No preacher is going to be 100% right or sinless but he should have a group of men that he is accountable to . Maybe you can talk to them about this. If he is approached by more than one in the congregation and he refuses to receive correction then I would be praying about another place to worship. If he is approached and he receives correction then I would pray for him and support him just as you would want to be supported and ministered to when you fall into temptation.
Either way, don't make this an issue for gossip or as a weapon to turn other members of the congregation against him. Pray and ask for the leading of the Holy Spirit as far as the actions you should take and never forget to pray for leadership- I make no excuse for deliberate sin but they are under a lot more pressure and a lot more attack than we are and they are only flesh and blood.

Answer 2

He might be all caught up in trying to save the world and the only way he thinks he has a chance is to exagerate, raise doubt and create panic... Southern Baptist preachers in all their Bible thumping glory use loud tones, damnation, and fear to entice people to get "saved". If you took out all the drama and theatrics, listened to the stories and were given a chance to process the information before being beat to death with another scenerio of Hellfire and brimstone... you'd be able to detect a little B.S. in almost every story.

Those that do this are salesmen. The ones that don't are following a more clear path. God gave man the right to choose and there are some religious folk out there trying to take it away.

Answer 3

I agree with everyone above who has pointed out that pastors are human and just as subject to temptation and the ways of the flesh as the rest of us are. I'd like to add, however, that I wonder how many of us pray for our pastors regularly. I don't think that anyone who isn't in ministry has a clue about the crushing demands that probably everyone in ministry finds themselves under. I'm just in part-time ministry at this point until the Lord gives me the go-ahead to leave my full-time job, but the workload I have in front of me seems to be never-ending, 24/7. I've got an article at the first link below that I hope makes some of us think about not just the stresses that our pastors face, but our Scriptural obligation to pray for them as well.

Answer 4

because he is a sinful human. Don't get your eyes on people. This is a test to see just how strong your faith is.

You don't have to respect him if he doesn't earn it. Leave the church and go elsewhere or confront him (alone or with one other person that feels the same as you).

Respect the Lord and ask the Lord to fill the pastor's heart so that he repents and asks forgiveness. We have to pray.

I have known pastors that judge a person right out of church. Stand before all to condemn. He who is without sin cast the first stone. Pray and be steadfast with your heart on Jesus only.

Answer 5

Although he is a Pastor, he is still human and therefore a sinner. He should probably be confronted by the elders of the church. Pray for him and God will do the work. To say how can I respect a liar, is judging him. We are ALL sinners, and struggle with sin.

Answer 6

Because if he did not lie he wouldn't be able to keep a straight face while he is standing up there at the altar spewing rhetoric and ambiguous messages that are misinterpretations of text that has been shoddily translated by some loosely patched-together and highly contradicting texts from 1800 years ago.

Actually psychologist have noted that depessed people are more aware than "healthy" people, so self-deception is necessary to operate socially as a human. Thus, lying is one of the most natural things in the world.

Answer 7

1st of all u dont need a man to guide u. u have faith in ur God and u have ur Holy book and u can pray by urself. when u can do all this, then why need someone. if u are not comfortable with him, then go to some other church.

a pastor, imaam, rabbi or any cleric is there only to guide us as per our Holy books and God. but when u know that someone may not be right, then its better u do ur homework by urself. read the bible and try geting to know ur faith. pray to God that He should help u guide in the right path.

be stead fast as at the end of the life's journey, what u do will matter, going to church and listening to man who lies will not. do good deeds, help the needy and God will bless u and forgive u for ur sins.

and i will always have a ray for u in all my prayers. may the peace and blessings of Allah be with us and may He guide us in the right path.

Answer 8

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That includes Pastor's. But honestly I wouldn't continue going to a church with a pastor that i know, knowingly lie's.

Answer 9

Read the news. Being a "Man of God" is ABSOLUTELY no indicator of a person's honesty.

I am astounded by the people who are horribly shocked to hear that the man who killed his wife and children was a good Christian man. Or the pedophile was a Sunday school teacher.

People are people. Some are good. Some are not. Make your judgments about people based on what you know about them. Not on their title or rank.

Maybe it is time to attend another church?

Answer 10

Many I am sorry to say do not know the word, and will not teach it! Some do lie, for the truth is not in them!
There are 5 areas that Satan has great control over they are:
Religion
Education
The Media
Finances
and Politics

Find a church that Christ approves of, they are found in Rev 1,2, and 3
7 churches 2 of which Christ likes find one and go there