Unmerited Redempiton

Six years ago this week, I was anything but a church leader. I was a church wounder. I was just a few days removed from telling my wife of 10 years that I no longer wanted to be married to her. I admitted to an affair that devastated every person that I loved and that loved me. I was living four miles from my house with a family friend, praying that God could put the pieces of my wife’s heart back together…the pieces I created when I shattered it.

I had worked so hard to be a church leader. I was so insecure that growing a large church for me was the one way I could guarantee respect. When you are driven by insecurity and fear, it doesn’t matter how successful or big your ministry is, it is never enough.

Six years ago ministry went away. Church leadership went away.

Over the past two years, God has blown us away with His provision and grace in restoring us back to ministry. The honor that I have to serve at Cross Point is something that I will never take for granted. The way that God has used RefineUs to reach into the heart of men and women and marriages is something that we thank God for everyday.

A few days ago, I received an email from ChurchLeaders.com asking permission to reprint an interview that we did for Outreach Magazine. The timing and the details washed over me. It is only by God’s unmerited redemption that He could use our story to help church leaders. It is only by His grace that church leaders could read of our struggles, know of my failures and realize that they are not alone. Church leaders hurt. Church leaders fail. Church leaders have problems in their marriage. Church leaders feel the pressure to not hurt, fail or have problems in their marriage. Our prayer is our story brings hope to church leaders.

As I reread the article they posted, I was reminded that God doesn’t have to redeem…He chooses to. My prayer is the article doesn’t just help church leaders lead better it inspires them to live better.

If you’d like to read the article or know of a church leader that needs a dose of hope today…here is the link:

My First Affair Was With The Church