Why Did They Protect A Child Molester?

     A pastor in the Washington, DC area recently admitted to a judge in court that he and his staff had protected a child molester on their team for three years.[1.  The Christian Post (Washington, DC), May 16, 2014, page 11.]  When the police started an investigation of accusations by the members of the congregation, the pastor and his staff protected the molester until detectives solved the case in spite of their attempt at a coverup.

     The pastor who led the coverup is out of the ministry now.  And the pastor who was the child molester is in jail now.  But the question remains:  How could such a thing have happened?  How could a team of ordained ministers protect a child molester in their midst?

     The answer is complex.  But part of the answer lies in the fact that today’s Christian denominations are institutions – and institutions are bureaucracies – and bureaucracies have layers of authority that often tolerate and even conceal faults in their ranks.

     That’s why it’s important to remember that the First Century Christians didn’t have institutions, bureaucracies, or layers of authority.  Why didn’t they?  They didn’t because Jesus taught against it.  When the disciples asked Jesus which of them was going to have the most authority in the new kingdom of Israel they thought He was establishing, He replied, “Non-Christians have leaders who exercise authority over them.  But it shall not be that way with you!  Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant.”[2.  Adapted from Matthew 20:20-28 and Mark 10:35-45.]

     Jesus said that because institutions – with their layers of authority and their tendency toward coverups – insulate Christians from the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit.  That’s why the First Century Christians met in informal small groups in private homes, and treated one another as equals.  That’s also why the Holy Spirit was able to teach them personally and directly, and that’s why their Spirituality changed world history in only 70 years.

     The message for Christians today is obvious:  Today’s Christians must not allow levels of organizational structure to separate them from the guiding power of the Holy Spirit.  Even Christians who’re regular members of an institutional congregation must find ways (such as forming small groups) to let the Holy Spirit teach them personally, directly, and openly, without allowing layers of authority to block His guidance.

     Let’s pray that all Christians everywhere start finding their way back to the wonderful Spirituality that the First Century Christians possessed.