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Stellenbosch eological Journal 2018, Vol 4, No 1, 347–366
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17570/stj.2018.v4n1.a16
Online ISSN 2413-9467 | Print ISSN 2413-9459
2018 © Pieter de Waal Neethling Trust
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Marital delity and chastity: e missing
ethology in Charismatic pastoral leadership
Resane, Kelebogile T
University of the Free State
resanekt@ufs.ac.za
Abstract
is paper aims to point out the rationale behind the Charismatic pastors’ moral aw,
especially in terms of marriage. It proposes some remedial initiatives to be considered
and it recommends that the discussions about ministerial preparations or trainings
should not only concern skills or methods of doing the ministry, but also include
moral formation or character traits of leaders. Moral issues should take the centre
stage and pastors must be morally upright before pointing ngers to the secular world
or politicians’ moral decline. e public discourses should encourage moral va lues and
ethics in general. Ethology, in this context, refers to ethical discourse. is discourse
should be an intra-ecclesiastical endeavour where leaders convene to examine the
theologic al understandi ng of marriage. e ar ticle concludes with sug gested initiatives
to remedy the situation.
Key words
Marriage; ethology; Charismatic; pastors; church
1. Introduction
is paper points to the fact that the discussions about ministerial
preparations or trainings should not only concern skills or methods of
doing the min istry, but should also i nclude moral formation or the charac ter
traits of leaders. Moral issues should take the centre stage and pastors
must be morally upright before pointing ngers to the secular world or
politicians’ moral decay. Public discourses should encourage moral values
and ethics in general. A lesson can be learned from the typical African
imbizo (public meetings) where issues aecting individuals, community
and environment are discussed and solutions are sought. is is armed
by Kumalo (2009:14):
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348 Resane • STJ 2018, Vol 4, No 1, 347–366
e concept of umhlangano (public meeting) where issues are
deliberated upon by all people, from diverse groups and stakeholders
whilst they maintain their uniqueness is a helpful one in
understanding the basis from which the church can engage the state.
One of the disbeliefs and threats nowadays is the stories of alleged
fornication and divorce among pastoral leaders in the Charismatic
movement. In this tradition, the pastoral career is marred by divorce,
fornication, adultery, immorality, and the general promiscuous lifestyle
among pastors. Madikwa (2012) of e Sowetan reports as follows:
We have read with disbelief stories of alleged fornication and divorce
about Charismatic leaders such as Rhema Bible Church Pastor
Ray McCauley, Malibongwe Gcwabe, Jabu Hlongwana, Xola Nzo,
Prophet Mboro, Benjamin Dube and Keke Phoofolo among others.
And it is business as usual for them.
e report highlights some international televangelists who separated from
their spouses, namely Benny Hinn, Paula White, John Hagee, Noel Jones,
Clarence McClendon, and Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, founder of Believers’
Love World Inc. (aka Christ Embassy Church). William Dicks (January
2008) blogs that:
[t]he Evangelical church continues its downward spiral, even here in
South Africa. ose in other countries, like America, must not think
that only the evangelical church in America is losing its grip on
what is right and true. No, it is happening all over the world to the
evangelical church!
e fact remains that marital indelity and divorce among the Charismatic
pastors is increasing at an alarming rate and that no discipline is taken
to remedy the situation. Reaction towards pastoral divorce has become
alarmingly conciliatory. is paper addresses the rationale behind the
status quo, and the remedy for it.
e term “ethology” used in this article has nothing to do with animal
behaviour, but refers to the ancient Greek meaning of ethos (custom) +
logia (a discourse). In the context of theology, ethology refers to a discourse
on ethics or the science of character. It is a dialogue or discourse on moral
life to be pursued in a particular community. is is in line with Webster’s
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Resane • STJ 2018, Vol 4, No 1, 347–366
dictionary dening ethology as “a branch of knowledge dealing with
human character and with its formation and evolution”.1
e current scenario is that the Charismatic leaders in South Africa
carry the marred image regarding family, especially marriage values as
expounded by the Christian canon. Leaders of the cloth are expected to
combine theoria and praxis. Pastoral leaders must be trained to think
ethically and to act morally. is may lead to victory par excellence. On
the same tangent, gis and self-discipline (character) should synchronise
in order to foster conviction. Conquering the world starts with conquering
the self. Sanders (2005:65) claims that, without discipline, all other gis
remain dwarfs and cannot grow:
A leader is a person who has learned to obey a discipline imposed
from without, and has taken on a more rigorous discipline from
within … Many who aspire leadership fail because they have never
learned to follow.
2. Reasons for this status quo
is paper intends to point out the rationale behind the pastoral moral aw,
especially in terms of marriage, and proposes some remedial initiatives for
consideration. ese are not in any order of priority.
Lack of accountability
Pastor Vusi Dube of Eekwini Community Church attributes the pastoral
marital collapses to the lack of accountability in churches and the public’s
soening stance on divorce. He told e Sowetan (2012):
Unlike in the traditional churches where the clergy is accountable
to a senate, Charismatic church pastors are only accountable to
themselves. In this kind of setup, pastors hand-pick elders and these
elders usually do not have powers to discipline the pastor because
the church is presumably his.
is clearly shows a lack, if not the ignorance of the church polity or
discipline as per historical and constructive theology. In a synodical
1 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethology.
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system such as the Catholic Church, it is succinctly stated that the role
of the synod, “by its counsel, assists the pope both in safeguarding and
increasing faith and morals and also in preserving and strengthening
ecclesiastical discipline” (Ratzinger 1987:53). is task is further explained
as “the duty of guarding the deposit of the faith and of defending church
discipline” (Ratzinger 1987:53). e Anglican tradition is consonant with
this: no church member or leader lives on his/her own. “No one exists
as a Christian purely individually, the individual is in the church, not
submerged by the church but part of the communion of all the saints in the
koinonia of Christ (Bradshaw 1992:280).
e leader of the church is generally accountable to someone – divine or
human. at accountability is coloured by respect. “Such respect includes
willingness to accept the authority of church custom and practice, handed
down to us from the wisdom of the past” (Bradshaw 1992:281). is nullies
the supremacy of individualism in marriage. In marriage, individualism
is superseded by symbolic gestures such as the exchange of rings, the
couple’s declaration of vows while holding each other’s hands, pillows of
joined hearts, and so forth. Individualism with its intertwined theological
myopia disregards the fundamental Christian virtue of accountability in
marriage by treating it individualistically. is truth is further attested by
Sproul (1996:122): “Rugged individualism has so permeated our thinking
that frequently people think that everything they do is their own business
and nobody else’s.” is unfortunate situation may lead to interpreting
marriage as a farce and charade. It implies that the Charismatic leaders do
not ponder on the theological basis and meaning of marriage.
Lack of mentoring
Every mentor has a mentor (Resane 2010). Moses mentored Joshua. ere
are incredible principles to be learned in Moses as a mentor and in Joshua
as a mentee. Reading through the Old Testament, one is baed by Moses’
humility (Ex 3); how teachable (Ex 18:17) he was and how he was always
hungry for God’s presence (Ex 19, 32, 33:15). One always reects on Moses’
wisdom (Deut 34:9) and his Spiritual gis (Deut 34:11). is is the path of
quality leadership development, as depicted by Anderson (1987:6):
e process in which more skilled or more experienced person,
serving as a role model, teaches, sponsors, encourages, counsels,
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and befriends a less skilled or less experienced person for the
purpose of promoting the latter’s professional and/or personal
development.
As a result, the reader is reminded that Moses knew the Lord face to face
(Deut 34:10). e lack of accountability goes hand-in-hand with the lack
of mentoring. Marriage is an institution in which every entrant must be
mentored. e married couple should be surrounded by people who guide,
enrich, and advise them and hold them accountable. e pastor with no
mentoring designs his/her own moral compass, since there is no one to
speak to in his/her life.
Mentoring depicts a wise and helpful friend, a teacher and leader
who uses his or her experience to show others how best to walk
life’s path, to accomplish goals and meet life’s challenges (Gangel
1997:329).
Mentoring is symbiotically intertwined with a peer review mechanism.
e latter does not create a space for leaders to do whatever they like with
no accountability to anyone. Peer reviewers call to order those leaders
who undertake questionable religious practices such as feeding people
grass, snakes, rats, drinking petrol, locking people in the deep freezer,
driving over people, spraying seekers with insecticides, and so forth.
ese practices that recently proliferated in the media, demonstrate that
Charismatic pastors are not mentored into dogma, praxis, or ethos. is
consequently spills over into their marriages.
In his research for his Master’s thesis (University of the Free State) on
Charismatic pastors in Soweto, Rev Jentile of the Baptist Church (2016:63)
hits the nail into the con:
Armation from one’s senior pastor goes a long way in forming a
moral leadership. Armation is the result of a lifelong mentorship.
Mentors know the way. ey are condent to help. Church leaders need
them more than ever. ey are part of the church’s growth mechanism.
is is an indisputable foundation in leadership development, as these
seasoned leaders are experienced to lead the way:
Mentors are those who have gone before us on the mountain of life,
but who pause and extend a hand to help us along the way, or who
352 Resane • STJ 2018, Vol 4, No 1, 347–366
extend a safety line of love and armation that may keep us from
falling o the mountain. e mentoring relationship is formed when
the mentor turns to the protégé and says, “I love you, I believe in
you, I want to help you succeed. I want to make my experience and
resources available to help you in any way I can to become all that
God wants you to be” (Biehl 1996:26).
Lack of ethology regarding the institution of marriage
South Africa is a multi-cultural and multi-religious society with strong
secular inuences that aect marriage. e religious and the secular ideas
regarding marriage are at loggerheads. However, one common threat in
all religions is permanency and societal harmony. e African Traditional
Religions view marriage as a step towards continuing community (orpe
1991:62), whereas Judaism regards it as a divine institution of entering into a
covenant with God (Meiring 2015:120). Furthermore, for Judaism, marriage
is a holy and a consecrated ceremony, therefore, a sacrament (Krüger, Lubbe
& Steyn 2009:176). For Islam marriage is not a sacrament, but a contract
where both parties must give their free and willing consent before marriage
takes place (Krüger, Lubbe & Steyn 2009:262). For Hinduism marriage is
a step towards spiritual perfection, with a strong emphasis on the social
benets that accrue from it (Krüger, Lubbe & Steyn 2009:95). Christianity
regards marriage as a permanent union of husband and wife united by
love to live together as a community with the triune God – a continuing
discourse, as marriage is never a destination, but a journey.
As mentioned earlier, ethology, in this context, refers to ethical discourse.
is discourse should be an intra-ecclesiastical endeavour where leaders
convene to examine the theological understanding of marriage. e lack
of accountability disparages this kind of initiative, because every pastor is
a stand-alone authority, only accountable to God. e discourse needs to
re-visit theological and fundamental denition, purpose, and rationale for
marriage. “Marriage is the lifelong union of a man and a woman, entered
by their mutual and public consent” (Atkinson & Field 1995:72). e
Dutch-American theologian Sproul (1996:112) mentions that marriage is
not a secular or civil initiative, but a divine institution:
According to the Christian faith, marriage is not a late development
of an advanced civilization. It doesn’t emerge de novo on the plain
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of history as an arbitrary societal convention. Rather, the institution
of marriage is located in the divine commandment in creation.
As indicated earlier, God saw the creation of woman as fullling
a decisive need. e Genesis account gives special attention to the
suitableness of woman to full man.
is shows that marriage is wrapped up with divine origin that calls for
bond and commitment. In the marriage ceremony, the phrase “till death
do us part” addresses the whole notion that marriage is a commitment
to a permanent relationship. is understanding elevates marriage above
contract, but a covenant. It is a divine institution, an mtzvah (religious
duty) to be treated with respect. It should be a desire of all those who enter
into this covenant, and it should be regarded as the divine plan for marital
companionship. is is in line with Pentecost (1980:99):
Marriage is not a social institution designed simply for man and
therefore devised by man. It is a divine institution. It had its
beginning not in society but in the command of God … Marriage
had its beginning in the mind of God and was instituted by God.
e Charismatic leaders should study this theological entolē – a charge or
commandment that needs not be violated. In their apostolic or pastoral
networks, leader should discuss and pursue the sanctity and delity in,
and of marriage. Since many Charismatic preachers align themselves with
sola scriptura, they are expected to consider biblical ethics. Grenz (1997:96)
mentions that “a central goal of the Bible is to instruct the believing
community about ethical living”. Ethology must be transparent and open
in love. Decisions and applications must be owned, since “[m]oral rules and
their application are v ital to morality and decision-making” (Cook 1990:73).
is crucial endeavour is not simply for knowledge or information. It
contributes inexpressibly towards moral formation. Kretzschmar (2011:71–
72) rightly asserts:
Hence, the teaching of theological ethics must do more than focus
on decision making. It needs to include an emphasis on motive,
character, imagination and formation because the aim is not
simply the accumulation of information, but of wisdom and moral
maturity.
354 Resane • STJ 2018, Vol 4, No 1, 347–366
ere is some symbiotic relationship between ministerial formation and
moral formation. Knowledge comes through information, and that may
lead to transformation. Klaasen (2015:102) asserts that:
Moral formation is important if the South African society wants to
overcome the increasing moral failures of leaders and the broader
members of society. Christian ministers are not exempted from the
moral decay in society. To a large extent they are regarded as part of
the custodians of the moral bre of society.
Lack or limitation of ministerial formation
e vast majority of Charismatic leaders do not undergo any ministerial
formation, as calling is considered superior to training. e pastors are
oen discouraged by their senior pastors, friends or family members from
pursuing any formal theological training. eir dictum is always that “[t]
heological studies are seen as irrelevant to ministerial success” (Jentile
2016:65). e vast majority of pastors watch videos, listen to CDs, read
books, and attend conferences presented by famous men/women of God.
ey neither observe nor follow the rudiments of theological exegesis and
hermeneutics.
ere [are] no clear, purposeful steps or guidelines followed
in grooming and developing young leaders within the newer
Pentecostal-Charismatic churches. As a result, there are no specic
aspects of morality that are given more attention in the process of
grooming leaders (Jentile 2016:62).
ere is sucient information to justify these “microwave formations”.
One of the fundamental reasons for both Pentecostal and Charismatic
leaders’ paranoia for theological training and ministerial formation is that
it challenges their beliefs. e rationality in the theological dictum poses a
threat to their practices that are not biblically based and to their emphasis
on extra-biblical revelations. e vast majority of their pastors were never
exposed to any residential or distance-learning for ministerial training.
(Kretzschmar 2011:63) points out the importance of formal pastoral
training:
In a residential seminary or theological college, it is much easier to
promote the integration of life and studies. e classroom context,
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the tutorial system and all the other activities within a residential
college, such as times of worship, informal conversations, joint
meals and playing sport, are crucial to the broad ‘formation’ of the
students. In smaller, well-staed colleges, sta members and senior
students both tutor and mentor students in terms of their academic
performance, the development of their character and their ability
to live in community. Support and/or counselling are easier to oer
when students face family or other problems. In such a setting, the
aim is not just to get a degree, but to develop a spirituality that will
nurture and challenge each student.
Interactive learning with fellow students and members of the faculty
contributes towards moral empowerment. Studying under, and with others
is an opportunity for the moral formation of both students and teachers.
is is in line with Naidoo’s (2010:349) assertion:
In theological institutions then, the training of ministers involves
the cognitive acquisition of appropriate knowledge, competence in
required ministerial skill and personal character development.
ere are three f undamental object ives of theological education – mi nisterial
formation; spiritual or personal formation, and academic formation. In
other words, the hands, heart, and head taxonomy introduced by Bloom
(1956) in the domains of learning. Christian standards are applied in the
rst and second learning domains. In the third, the standards of the world
are followed. ese three domains culminate into moral formation. Lack of
marital delity showcases moral aws. ere are exceptions, but someone
always has to take the responsibility for sustaining or collapsing the
marriage. Ministerial formation instils some sense of moral responsibility,
as armed by Naidoo (2012:4):
e best way of characterising ministerial formation is not as the
acquisition and coordination of skills and understandings per se,
but as growing into a pattern of responsibility where skills and
understanding contribute to the exercise of that responsibility with
condence and authority.
356 Resane • STJ 2018, Vol 4, No 1, 347–366
Lack of sound governance structures
On pages 25–26 of its report, the Commission for Rights of Cultural,
Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Commission) points out that
some institutions have no codes of conduct. is means that there is lack
of oversight structures such as Church Council, Disciplinary Committee,
and so forth. In some instances, churches are controlled and owned by
one person. It is, therefore, not surprising that, in some cases, the nance
committee and other church committees are made up of the spiritual leader,
his wife, and some of his friends. ere is a widespread lack of leadership
successive plans, which eventually leads to conict, division and litigation,
as Pastor Vusi Dube highlights:
e problem with this model is that elders are scared of challenging
the pastor and fear losing their positions and power. In some cases,
the elders are friends or relatives of the pastor so accountability is
non-existent.2
e status quo elicits abuse, misconduct, and/or ethical relapse. Any human
organisation, especially if it identies itself with religion, inevitably calls for
proper governance for quality assurance in matters of procedures, policies
and moral etiquette. “e lack of participatory governance in the church is
against the biblical understanding of governance in the household of God”
(Kumalo 2009:11). Poor governance leads to moral decline. e leader who
does not submit under any authority, does not sign any code of conduct,
or does not subscribe to any ministerial ethics, is vulnerable to moral
decadence. ere is a canonical mandate for proper governance. e latter
assists in enhancing morality as an important means to develop human
beings who are qualied to function properly within society (Wurzburger
1994:63), including married life.
A theology of governance is bas ed on the church’s good governance, which is
measured by applying principles such as equality, justice, equal distribution
of resources, community, belonging, dignity for all, participation, dialogue,
and so forth in God’s household. is theology is already present both in
literature and in the praxis of Christians as they incarnate their faith. What
is needed is the intention to reect thereon, so that it can be discovered,
2 http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/goodlife/2012/01/10/when-pastors-divorce.
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brought to life through discussions, and ultimately be a way of life (Kumalo
20 09:14).
Detachment from sociocultural values
is is in line with the discussion on lack of ethology regarding marriage.
Marriage is a socio-religious institution embedded within its cultural
dictates. e African values regarding marriage have always been of an
anecdotal-communicative nature. Marital relationships are bound with
cultural ethos. e decline of marriage is the decline of culture or vice-
versa, since culture symbiotically includes spirituality. Hence, “[o]ur
cultural decline is merely evidence of our spiritual decline” (Hansen &
Powers 1997:162). Traditional and cultural values play an important role in
marriage sustainability. Baloyi (2014:22) correctly points out that “African
marriages had always been characterised by, among other things, the
involvement of the extended family as well as of the clan.” Marriage in the
African context was never a private or personal aair. It has always been
a social event celebrated by the community. is was always viewed as an
endorsement that marriage is a good thing. e community took it upon
itself to ensure that marriage stands. Baloyi (2014:20) maintains that
“[o]ne of the causes of the escalation of marital problems in an
African context currently is neglect or ignorance of the tradition of
extended family relationships.”
When Christians abandon sociocultural values that are in conict with their
Christian dogma and conscience, marriage falls apart, followed by society
falling apart. Christians have no obligation to change their traditional or
cultural ways of marriage. Christ did not come to rid us of our “Africanness”,
but to transform it so that it may bring glory to God (Bitrus 2000:32).
Abandoning cultural values that respect the sacrosanctity of marriage is
unfortunate, as African pastors do not seem to take cognisance of the fact
that marriage, as sacred as it is, should not be annulled on the basis of one
individual’s selsh aggrandizement. In all areas of life, including marriage,
motives must not be egoistic. Integrity should be above all decisions made if
marriage contract is to be terminated, as Duncan (2011:4) warns:
“Integrity therefore, is integral to the Christian life, not an
optional extra or an add-on. In everything we do as Christians,
it is important that we work from pure motives – that is – all we
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do should be done for the good of others and conform to God’s
purpose. We ought to place our own desires and ourselves last.”
3. e Christian community’s response
e collapse of marriage, especially for the pastor, is the last straw to break
the camel’s back. Marriage is one area where one’s leadership is put to the
test. It gives one some form of dignity – the dignity that boosts the ego for
one to preach about marriage with exuberance and condence. It is for this
reason that the Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy that a pastor or a deacon
must be the husband of one wife … One that rules well his own house … For
if a man knows not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the
church of God (1 Tim 3:2, 4, 5, 12). If one is a victim of marital breakdown,
his/her dignity is aected. Vorster (2011:8) rightly points out that
“[t]he Biblical idea of the imago dei should be seen as the basis for
the doctrine of human dignity in Christian ethics. Human dignity
implies a standing before God and other human beings, and this
standing constitutes a moral status.”
Procedures, policies and church laws
ere are procedures to follow in all areas of life. In a democracy such as
South Africa all disciplinary measures are always stipulated to right the
wrongs. is is further armed by Kumalo (2009:11):
If any person has done something wrong especially if the person is
a leader, it is expected that you will follow certain channels to call
them to order and even punish them, without adding to the already
destroyed moral conduct of the person by demonizing them in
public. is kind of thinking is also in line with how the guilty are
dealt with in scripture, especially in the New Testament when doing
a literal reading of texts such as the women, caught in adultery (Jn
8:1–10), Zacchaeus (Luke), and the prostitute in the Pharisees’ house
(Lk 7:37–50).
Church discipline is applied with the aim of restoring and rehabilitating,
not destroying and degrading. Excommunication must never become
punitive or permanent. Duncan (2010:1) provides a clearer picture of what
and how discipline should be applied in church life.
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“One of the problems is that the word “discipline” has a multiplicity
of meanings [see below] some of which are not related to the process
of “discipling” (UPCSA 2007:18.1). However, in our usage, discipline
comes from the Latin discipulus, a learner or apprentice or disciple
and is a derivative of discere, to learn, and involves the process
of “inner education” (Oden 1983:234). In the Hebrew it means
talmid. It refers to a learner with the emphasis on participating in
a reective process inculcating both theory and practice i.e. praxis
(Groome 1980: xvii, n.1). “e Christian concept of discipline has
the same breadth as the Latin discipling, which signies the whole
range of nurturing, instructional, and training procedures that
disciple-making requires” (Packer 1993:220). It also has an element
of chastisement and correction (cf. Proverbs). It refers to approaches
that emphasise character formation, the teaching of self-discipline
and acceptable behaviour.”
e procedures, policies and laws of the church are designed to distinguish
ecclesiastical people from the worldly people. e church as a public spire
should become “the public goodness and public beauty of God’s plan of
redemption” (Vanhoozer & Strachan 2015:21). If this beauty is not reigning
supreme in applying discipline, the image of the church in the public eyes
may be marred or tainted. It is true that
“it is quite appropriate for us to reect on the proper nature of
Christian contributions to deliberations about ethical issues in
secular public forums” (Biggar 2011:48).
Practical initiatives for empowerment
e empowerment initiatives regarding marriage, family life, parenting,
and so forth have been well researched worldwide. Churches across many
spectrums are doing their best to strengthen marriages. e Charismatics
are obscuring these, and are concentrating on the vefold ministries
operations, and motivational rubrics. Initiatives such as marriage
enrichment, workshops, and seminars should be encouraged, not as options,
but mandatory for those intending to enter into, or respond to ministerial
callings.
“Young men and women in religious circles should be encouraged
(through financial and material support from these centres) to come
360 Resane • STJ 2018, Vol 4, No 1, 347–366
up with ministries and non-profit religious organisations that aim at
influencing their peers towards a moral and spiritual sanity” (Kame
& Tshaka 2015:5).
Marriage is an institution through which the family is built. e family
is “the basic building block of every society. e family is the good idea
because it is God’s idea” (TAG Research Team on Marriage and Family
1996:113). Marriage needs good leadership that can initiate empowerment
programmes in order to assist pastors and leaders in forging fellowship to
enable them to be God-honouring marital partners. Moltmann (1989:309)
rightly points out:
“But everyone who exercises a public function in the congregation,
before it and on its behalf – the church sister or deaconess as well as
the deacon or the youth leader, the teacher or the sick visitor – ought
to participate in these practical discussions.”
Love should reign in marital failures
Judgement and criticism of the fallen heroes should not be the rod in the
hands of those of the household of faith. Verbal or any form of punishment
should be far from the thoughts of those who claim the knowledge of
Christ, the lover of human souls. How the Christian community exercises
procedures and discipline will reect its own integrity. Biggar (2011:76)
cautions:
“[T]he way churches conduct their own internal controversies is a
vital test of their own integrity, a vital part of their witness to the
rest of the world, and a vital part of their contribution to its well-
being.”
Marriage abounds in warts, regardless of who is involved. e bottom line
is “Love the lovable and don’t make a fuss of the imperfect” (Powell, Barker
& Harvey 1996:73). Many heroes of faith abandon the faith, due to the
lack of love from the community of faith. is is true as Van Rheede van
Oudtshoorn (2015:4) asserts:
“Without love, the church may easily become rigid and judgemental.
Love as the inner life of the church requires believers to nd each
other in and through the theological symbols operating in the
church and to give each other space to be dierent before the
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Lord. e love of God, which forgives sinners graciously in Christ,
becomes the operative symbol regulating the believers’ attitudes
towards each other (1 Cor 13). It is because love is directed towards
the other, in their broken world, that the church cannot be depicted
as an alternative society but rather as an alternating society.”
Pastoral care and love
e church as the community of love should be pastoral in its discipline.
Pastoral means that it must always incarnate Christ and his love, even to
those who failed in their marriage commitment. External and internal laws
or procedures must be implemented for healing rather than for wounding.
Above all, “Church should be a haven for people who feel terrible about
themselves – theologically, that is our ticket for entry” (Yancey 1997:274).
e law of love and grace should reign supreme. Pastoral care and love
should be exercised for the purpose of restoration.
“Being both utilitarian and pastoral, the law of the church seeks
actively to assist members of the church following in the way of
Christ and to prevent anything that may impede either the church
itself or any of its members in their faith” (Hill 2016:2).
Pastoral care and love encapsulate mutual concern and self-devotion.
is notion is taken further by Moltmann (1989:315) as a congregatio
sanctorum –
“the fellowship of friends who live in the friendship of Jesus and
spread friendliness in the fellowship, by meeting the forsaken with
aection and the despised with respect.”
Although, the pastors’ cry is always silent, it is a silent scream of the inner
pain that pierces their consciences as their selood is pricked and, in some
instances, damaged for a long time, if not forever. Crabb (1999:41) captures
their deep-seated cry:
“Instead, we need spiritual friends, broken people who will provide
safety for us to be broken, caring people who want us to live and
believe we can live well, giving people who pour the life they have
received from God into us, people of vision who see the Spirit
shaping us into the image of Christ. Without them, we settle for so
much less.”
362 Resane • STJ 2018, Vol 4, No 1, 347–366
Pastoral care, especially for the fallen members of the community of faith,
is a demonstration of God’s character of love. It is Christ incarnate. Pastoral
care is
“[b]eing concerned with processes of enabling, healing,
empowerment, sustaining, guiding, reconciliation, nurturing,
liberation, interpreting and growth with and within individuals
and groups, in the context of relationships and mutuality, and real
contexts” (Mouton 2014:102).
Availability of the Christian community
Availability of the Christian community to assist its fallen heroes such as
these pastors eliminates these leaders’ feelings of neglect. It is true that “[a]
connecting community, where each member is joined together in dynamic
spiritual union, is a healing community” (Crabb 1999:8). Regardless of the
marital failures that taint and mar their image and calling, Charismatic
pastors ought to know that their task or ministry is special. ey are
commissioned to partner with God in bringing Christ’s kingdom into the
world. e renowned theologian of our time, Moltmann (1989:309), states
that “[t]he people who have been commissioned for special tasks cooperate
with the community and with one another”. Aer the fall, these pastors
are encouraged to cooperate with the Christian community in order
to receive healing and restoration. ey need to embrace ecclesiological
understanding of the church as congregatio sanctorum, that the church is a
“Christian people, who live in mutual concern for one another and mutual
self-giving” (Moltmann 1989:315).
4. Conclusion
Charismatic pastors are facing the dilemma of marital break-up. e causes
have been identied and the remedial initiatives suggested. e church’s
failure to intervene, in a broader sense, makes room for criticism from the
secular world. e church’s reputation is blunted, due to these aws, thus
aecting the prophetic impact of the church in the fallen world. e house
is on re, and the remedy is from within. Ethology, as an ethical discourse,
should be encouraged intra- and inter-ecclesiastically.
363
Resane • STJ 2018, Vol 4, No 1, 347–366
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