“He fell today; I may fall tomorrow.”

Steve Lawson has been removed from ministry at Trinity Bible Church of Dallas due to an inappropriate relationship with a woman who is not his wife. Other places he is affiliated with have acted swiftly to remove him from his duties (e.g., Ligonier, The Masters Seminary, OnePassion Ministries). Clearly his sin was of a very serious nature.

Marital unfaithfulness is a grievous sin and rarely an isolated one. Proceeding from pride and unbelief, it involves a great deal of calculation and deception. Adultery strikes at almost every commandment, and in the case of Christians, this sin is heinous, especially in the case of ministers who are held to a higher standard (see WLC 151 on the aggravation of sins). Ministers possess a “position of authority” that often creates a power imbalance with the person they sin with and against. The honor they receive should be used for good, not evil. Besides breaking the first three commandments, the adulterer (7th commandment) does not respect authority (5th); he is a murderer (6th - hates his neighbour, spouse, children), thief (8th - steals what is not his), liar (9th), and covets (10th). When you commit that many sins, you’re likely to be found out sooner or later (Prov. 10:9). Marital unfaithfulness usually requires a lot of deception, scheming, and work before the persons are eventually found out.

We should be somewhat cautious about emphasizing the devil’s work here, as if to make it sound like Lawson was a victim. Let’s be clear: what Lawson has done has been of his own free will, even if there were external causes. He has not only harmed his wife, family, church, etc., but his actions are an assault upon the glory of Christ and his bride. Considering he has had so many public opportunities to preach on godliness, and since he has been remunerated rather well from so many different sources (which is a matter of public record), the evil he has done has far-reaching implications. If one is going to engage in a wide public ministry, and receive the adulation that often comes from such a ministry, then one needs to be held to the highest moral standards. The higher the exaltation the greater the fall. 

God, according to his permissive will, allowed Lawson to fall terribly, perhaps over a sustained period. He has lost his reputation, honor, and many other things. But if God, who is jealous for his glory, had to allow this to ultimately save Lawson’s soul then that is the prerogative of the Lord. His ways are inscrutable and wise.

Clearly when something like this happens, we must take serious note ourselves (1 Cor. 10:12).

Hopefully for ministers and lay Christians their first reaction to this news was to fall on their knees and pray for all involved, whether directly (for his wife) or indirectly (for ourselves as Christians). We are privileged to return thanksgiving to God for keeping us faithful to our spouse, while also acknowledging (as one should), but for the grace of God, we too would fall. We should continually ask God to protect us and keep us from scandalous sin. Ministers should covet prayers from their flock, while also being men of prayer themselves. John Owen said, “Let him who would spend little time in temptation spend much time in prayer.” If this public scandal does not force you to your knees for your own sake and the sake of others, then you have missed an opportunity for some good to come from this evil.

We also need to re-evaluate the celebrity-culture that continues to exist because parachurch organizations persist with their selective inbreeding whereby the same men are platformed repeatedly so that we begin to think that they have something to tell us that ordinary pastors can’t. Quite frankly, a lot of the preaching at these big conferences by well-known preachers isn’t particularly special. I’ve heard wonderful Christ-exalting sermons by men you’ve never heard of. Yet ostensibly Reformed parachurch ministries are not helping the church by making certain men into gods and these men start to believe the lie. 

A minister does not need to be a celebrity-preacher to fall into sexual sin. This sin happens to the known and unknown. But I can’t help but feel there are external factors that come with being on the conference circuit that require a heavy price to pay. These gods receive capacious praise and eventually begin to think different rules apply to them. (Sometimes their list of demands to speak at conferences proves that!). Actions and desires they thunder against from the pulpit in terms of how others are to behave are quietly dismissed in their own lives (e.g., spending too much time away from one’s spouse). And who confronts them? Not the sycophants whose highlight of the year was a picture with the speaker at the conference. Not the conference organizers who depend on certain names to fill auditoriums. With notoriety comes fewer people who are prepared to challenge you. Thus, you end up with far more praise than faithful correction and this is a recipe for disaster.

We need to re-think the big conferences and make some changes. Perhaps Pastor Bill from an hour outside of Chicago has something perceptive to tell us about the ministry instead of the messages that have been given numerous times from men who have very little engagement with their own flock on a day-to-day basis. Perhaps Christians should spend time at smaller conferences, which can be a real blessing, and avoid contributing (even indirectly) to contexts where men are elevated in unhealthy ways.  

Not long ago, Lawson said, “I think that 5% of John MacArthur is worth more than the whole evangelical world put together.” Does this not highlight the problem? This is insane talk from someone who clearly isn’t connected to reality. Even if this were true - and I don’t see how anyone could quantify this - we are putting men in danger when we speak this way. Lawson himself received far too much praise, which clearly was not good for his soul. It is inexplicable that a man in his 70s would willingly jeopardize his marriage and ministry for sexual gratification, but, alas, sin is inexplicable. When led by his own evil desire, he acted above the law of God, which was to make himself God (i.e., the sin of the serpent & Adam). Why did he live and act as though he had god-like status? God could have prevented this tragedy, but he allowed Lawson to go down a path of delusion (as evidenced, in part, by his last sermon before this became public).

There is no reason, however, to lose heart. God is faithful and he has his shepherds all over the world doing his work for his glory. Laboring among your people, day in and day out, gives you the reality checks you need. You are only “special” to the degree that you draw people closer to Christ.

God is doing this work in the local churches with ordinary pastors who are shepherding the flock with all the pain and agony that comes from a faithful ministry. Many shepherds understand a 2 Corinthians ministry, but some it seems do not. I pray, after private and public repentance, Lawson quietly sits under the ministry of the Word for the rest of his days where he can sing, with God’s people,

Nothing in my hands I bring,

Simply to Thy cross I cling;

Naked, come to Thee for dress,

Helpless, look to Thee for grace:

Foul, I to the fountain fly,

Wash me, Savior, or I die.

The gospel of free grace to unworthy sinners that Lawson has preached to thousands is the gospel he now needs for himself more than ever. God justifies the wicked. As angry as we ought to be by his deceit, we should also pray that we will be with Lawson, in eternity, praising the name of the Lord who came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. His loss in this life will be significant; but he can still gain the world in the life to come if he truly embraces Christ alone. 

Mark Jones (Ph.D., Leiden) has been the minister at Faith Vancouver Presbyterian Church (PCA), Canada since 2007.