“SPIRITUAL RESTORATION AND THE GLORY OF GOD”

  • Derek Staples
  • | Jun 15, 2009
  • | Series: Monday Morning Manna

MONDAY MORNING MANNA

“SPIRITUAL RESTORATION AND THE GLORY OF GOD”

 

“Brethren, if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” (Galatians 6:1-3)

It has happened again. It is becoming all too familiar. Another minister has committed moral failure, and the ripple affect continues to flow. Revolution Church in Canton, GA is a 5-year old church plant, started by church planter Gary Lamb. The church has seen incredible results, averaging over 1200 each week, most of those coming from non-churched backgrounds. Literally, they have exploded on the scene. Then, unexpectedly, another explosion erupted, taking center stage, producing incredible hurt, anger, fear, confusion, instability, and a whole host of reactions. Here is a copy of the letter read by one of their overseers from the Revolution stage last Sunday, June 7:

  

Dear Revolution Church,

5 years ago DeAnna and I moved to Canton Ga. with a vision to start a church that was doing whatever it took to reach those far from God. Over the last 5 years God has exceeded our expectations and more people than I can count have entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Pastoring Revolution has been one of the great highlights of my life. I think Revolution Church is the greatest church in America and I count it an honor to have been called to start her.

It is with those thoughts on my mind that I’m now writing the toughest letter I’ve ever had to write. Effective immediately, I will be stepping down as the pastor of Revolution. 6 weeks ago, I entered into an emotional and physical affair with my personal assistant, Elena. I have no excuses, no justification, and no one to blame but myself. I did exactly what I have preached against from the Revolution stage by letting my guard down and putting myself into a position to fall into sin. I’m so sorry.

It breaks my heart to know all the people I have let down from my wife DeAnna to all of you who have invested your blood, sweat, and tears into making Revolution the church it is today. I know what I did was wrong, I have asked God for forgiveness, but there are still consequences for our sin and I’m no longer qualified to lead Revolution.

I know this comes as a shock to many of you and your emotions will vary from anger to hurt, know that it was never my desire to hurt any of you. This is the end of my time as your pastor, but it is not the end of Revolution. Revolution was not about me, it was about Jesus Christ. God has awesome plans in store for Revolution and I believe with everything that is in me, He is going to take Revolution to places we never imagined.

God has blessed this church with an incredible staff and an incredible Board of Overseers who will be led by God to make sure Revolution remains true to the vision God gave us when we started. I plead with you to stand by them, rally around them, support them, and do whatever it takes to lift each other up during this time.

I would also ask that you stay in prayer for me and my family. I am committed to doing what it takes to get my walk with God back to the place where I know it should be. I am focused on Him during this time and I’m looking forward to seeing Him work in my life in the days to come. Also pray for DeAnna and my children. They are the true victims in this and they will need your love and grace like never before. I am committed to getting myself healthy where I can be the husband and father my family needs. I appreciate your prayers during this time.

Let me close out by again saying how much I love all of you. I am so sorry I let you down. I am so sorry that I have given the cause of Christ yet another black eye. I’m so sorry that I have left all of you in this position. I’m sorry, but know I believe in you and I will be your biggest cheerleader as you reach this community for Jesus Christ.

 

Be Revolutionary,

Gary

 

Gary recently wrote on his blog:

I am so far away from the man I was when I first felt the call to start Revolution. I’ve become all about me and my ego. I have to focus on getting my walk with God where it should be before I can do anything else. Beyond that, everything else is in God’s hands. I plan on seeking the face of God with everything that is in me.

There is nothing that justifies the actions I chose. I took my eyes off God. I’m truly sorry. I take 100% responsibility for my actions. I also stand 100% by the decision of our Board of Overseers to ask me to step down as pastor. I believe in grace and I believe Revolution is a church like few others when it comes to grace. However that grace doesn’t eliminate the fact that there are consequences for sin. I have felt God’s grace like never before in the last 48 hours, but I also have to face the consequences of my sin.

Sound familiar. I doubt there are many churches out there that have not had to deal with the painful consequences of sin. It is all too familiar with our church. As a pastor I have cried and prayed with more than one pastoral staff member when moral failure was confessed. I have then had to initiate the restoration process, the removal from leadership process, and have painfully watched the ripple affect roll over my church family like a tsunami.

Mark it down! As Christians, and especially pastors and church leaders, we are massive targets for spiritual warfare. The battle rages daily in the spiritual realm and the physical realm. We must fiercely guard our hearts. We must pray like crazy. We must stay in the Word and we must keep a proper understanding that we are nothing and God is everything. We must resist the temptation to think that the church cannot function without our wisdom and leadership expertise. How do we guard ourselves?

1. Consistent time with the Lord. Find out what brings you close to Jesus and DO IT A LOT!

2. Live in the Word of God. If Jesus defeated Satan by quoting Scripture then we should learn to do that as well.

3. Accountability with our bible study small group. Last Monday night my men’s small group talked about the importance of being real with one another, trusting one another, encouraging and warning one another, and fervently praying for one another. Neil Johnson commented that he has been in Sunday School all his life, and never has he experienced what we are in our connection group. How awesome is that! If you want to know more about what Neil meant, give him a call. He would be thrilled to share what God is up to. You and I need accountability groups.

4. Personal Holiness. To use another word: Integrity. Become a freak about personal integrity. No one knows your thoughts, feeling and struggles but you…and YOU are the only person who can establish correct boundaries for your personal integrity. If you don’t make integrity a priority then it will fall by the wayside, which makes you one foolish decision away from losing what it may have taken years to build.

Finally, when I read of Gary’s failure I dropped to my knees on behalf of him, his family, and the church he led. I thought about my relationship with Christ, my efforts at genuine humility, and the defense mechanisms in place to protect me from danger. I thought about Julie and the boys. I thought about the work God is doing through our church right now. I thought about spiritual disciplines. I thought about the glory of God. Let your thoughts run to the protective indicators in your life today? Are they in place? Are they priority #1? If not, make some heart confession today and establish from commitment, conviction, and connection markers today!

Here is a list of things I ask you to pray for today:

1. Pray for Gary Lamb, his family, and Revolution Church.

2. Pray for the staff and overseers of Revolution Church as they lead in the restoration and healing process.

3. Pray for your pastor and staff leaders. By the way, will you make this a daily commitment? I need it, crave it, and beg for it? Stand in the gap for your pastor, your staff, your deacons and church leaders daily, and that without ceasing.

4. Pray for VBS this week as kids trust Christ as Savior this week.

5. Pray for Jay and Beth Monroe as they travel here this weekend. Jay is the unanimous recommendation of our personnel leadership team to serve as our youth pastor. He will vote to call Jay on June 21.

6. Pray for our Honduras Mission team as we make final preparation for our trip June 27 – July 4.

7. Pray for our church family and for our ministry here in the days ahead. We have an incredible future. Praise God and give Him glory!

 

Standing in the Gap for You…

Derek