But I did get accused of misconduct in a divorce proceeding when an agitated husband remembered coming home one evening to find me talking to the pastor parish committee chair, who happened to be his wife. This caused no permanent damage, but it did bring home to me one of the dangers of the ministry. The fears of clergy misconduct are a sad reminder that sin is everywhere. Although clergy immorality is particularly sad, Acts 1 reminds us that at least such sad sin is nothing new. Judas was after all one of the original disciples, chosen by Jesus himself.
Sin abounds even within the fold.
Perhaps sin abounds particularly among church leaders because many seem to believe they are above the rules, that their sacrifices for the church make them immune from moral scrutiny, or perhaps clergy stray because they get so drained of resolve by the glare of the spotlight they live under that they break under the strain. Faith tells the wonderful story of her father in his first church as a young man, always dressing in a coat and tie, even at home in his own living room, lest his parishioners drive by and see him through the window in his own house. What a strain to be always on guard, always on your best behavior. No doubt some ministers break down under this strain. Or maybe it's just the case that sin abounds everywhere.