Signs & Wonders Blog

When I’m sharing the gospel with people, an objection that occasionally comes up is bad behavior by certain ministers. Unfortunately, a few “men of the cloth” have done despicable deeds such as committing adultery or abusing children. But non-Christians cannot use those incidents as excuses to avoid their need for salvation. When they stand before the Lord Jesus Christ, He won’t examine other people’s lives but only their own. Years ago, I knew a woman who claimed our then-pastor was involved in an immoral relationship. Believing her story, I brought up the issue with an associate pastor at our church. The resulting friction made me realize I didn’t rightly handle the situation. 1 Timothy 5:19 says,  “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.”   In court trials, defendants are supposed to be presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Numerous people are called to the witness stand to give testimony before the jury reaches a verdict. Why ...

Three years ago I reconnected with a pastor who used to work with me at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. One day at his church, we got into a discussion about how pastors should be treated. My friend had congregation members calling him by his first name despite asking to be addressed as “Pastor Lee.” Romans 13:7 tells us to give honor to whom honor is due. Civil authorities expect to be addressed by certain titles. Courtroom judges are called “Your Honor.” Policemen are often addressed as “Officer.” If you were a White House guest, you would refer to Barack Obama as “Mr. President.” If you lived under a monarchy, you would address your king or queen as “Your Majesty.”   While serving in the U. S. Army, I quickly learned to address my superiors the right way or I would get in trouble. If a noncommissioned officer such as a sergeant gave me an order, I was expected to respond, “Yes, sergeant.” If I accidentally addressed him as “Sir” (a title reserved for office...