When Pillars Crumble: Responding Biblically to a Mentor’s Fall

In Galatians 2:9, the apostle Paul said that James, Cephas (Peter), and John “seemed to be pillars.” This metaphor was meant to convey the giant role these men played in the establishment and support of the church, just as a pillar holds up a structure. There are no more apostles today, and no such doctrine as apostolic succession is taught in Scripture. The leadership of the church has been passed on to the elders of each local church with no superstructure of hierarchy. Nevertheless, in each generation, the Lord has always raised up a handful of men who could be considered “pillars” of the church, not in the foundational sense of the apostles, but in the stature of their influence. These men are uniquely gifted and providentially placed to have a global impact for the sake of the gospel. They are men who not only proclaim the faith once delivered to the saints but defend it against attack. We could think of men like Athanasius and Augustine, Luther and Calvin, Whitefield and Wesley, or Spurgeon and Lloyd-Jones. In our own day the Lord has not left us without “pillars.” Certainly, men like John MacArthur and R.C. Sproul will go down in the annuls of church history as fulfilling this role in our time.

Beyond the fruit the Lord bears through their ministries, a secondary reason the pillars of the church in every age have such influence is because other men look up to them. They learn from their ability to communicate the truth and to apply it to the issues faced in each new generation. They draw strength from their courage and boldness in the face of adversity. It is because of this influence that when a man in this role is ensnared in scandalous sin the damage is exponential. Just as a literal pillar that crumbles does significant damage to the structure it supports, so when a man who is a pillar in the church gives way to temptation, catastrophic harm is sure to result. The greatest injury is that which is done to the name of the Lord Jesus and His church. His reputation and that of His people is marred and unbelievers are given reason to blaspheme. In addition to this, when a pillar crumbles, shockwaves are felt throughout the church. The greater the influence of the man, the greater the fallout, and the closer one is to the epicenter, the harder he is hit.

In each generation, the Lord has always raised up a handful of men who could be considered “pillars” of the church, not in the foundational sense of the apostles, but in the stature of their influence.

Sadly, in our day we have become accustomed to hearing about the moral failure of Christian leaders or the so-called “deconstruction” of faith that some claim to have undergone. These tales are troubling, but more often than not they are not entirely surprising, and it is rare that one of this number is considered a “pillar” of the church.

In recent days, however, we have witnessed the fall of Steve Lawson, who, while not necessarily a pillar, was right at the threshold of that status. Dr. Lawson was mentored by R.C. Sproul and a personal friend of John MacArthur. For the past couple of decades, he soared in influence among those in the Reformed tradition due to his gifting and skill as an expository preacher and writer with a unique style and contagious passion. Much of Lawson’s influence came as a result of his tireless work ethic. He authored numerous books and was a popular conference speaker. He was a teaching fellow with Ligonier, served as the Dean of the Doctor of Ministry program at The Master’s Seminary, and had been the lead pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Dallas since 2018. In addition to this, he was the founder and president of OnePassion Ministries which, among other things, produced the Expositor Magazine, the popular “Bible Study,” and The Academy for Expository Preaching which offered seminary-style training in how to prepare and deliver an expository sermon. Lawson’s ministry took him all over the world as he preached and taught and encouraged men.

Ironically, the second volume in Lawson’s Long Line of Godly Men series was entitled Pillars of Grace. If Lawson were not already a pillar himself with R.C. Sproul now with the Lord and John MacArthur’s health failing, he was certainly poised to fill the role.

This is why the fall of Steve Lawson has been so devastating and far-reaching. Countless people have been hurt, beginning with Lawson’s wife and family and moving out literally to the ends of the earth. I, for one, feel the gut-punch a little more dramatically than some as Lawson was one of my professors at TMS and had a personal impact on my life and ministry. His fall brought back memories of the failure of other mentors and friends who were personal pillars in my life. No matter how many times we’ve been through something like this, we never get used to the shock and hurt it produces, and we never stop asking the question of why and how. We may never have all our questions answered to our satisfaction in the case of a specific failure, but we know enough about the human condition from the Scriptures and our own experience to answer them generally. But we must go beyond these questions to ask what this means for us.

The media is abuzz with reactions to the news of Lawson’s fall and plenty of others have weighed in and offered some helpful analysis. But as one who has experienced the crumbling of pillars both close-up and from a distance and as a pastor of a particular flock of the Lord’s people, many of whom appreciated Lawson’s ministry and know his influence upon me, I am compelled to offer some answers.

The human heart is complex. When a person sins, it is often difficult for him to explain why, much less for others to offer an explanation for him. But Scripture answers this question in a general sense for every one of us in James 1:14–15: “each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” We sin because our flesh desires sin. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

The reason any one of us falls into sin is ultimately not only because our hearts are sickened with the disease of sin, but that we are masters of deceiving ourselves. This is why Scripture gives the admonition to guard our hearts (Pr. 4:23; 22:5). No matter how well we may know the truth or how long we’ve been walking with the Lord, if we let our guard down, we leave ourselves open to temptation. Ironically, the fact that pastors know the truth so well is just the problem. It is easy for a man to begin to rely on his knowledge about the Lord rather than upon the Lord Himself. This same strain of blind arrogance lends itself to prayerlessness, and the first prayer a man in this state forgets to pray is for his own protection from temptation (Mt. 6:13).

Taking these facts into account, it is rare that a man merely “falls” into sin. Can it happen? Certainly. Given the right circumstances, there are temptations that not even the most holy and careful saints would dare to say they are above. But typically, when a scandalous sin comes to light it is because there has been a pattern in a man’s life, albeit hidden, for some time. Just as the rather small damage to the hull of the Titanic eventually sunk the unsinkable, so the little concessions to sin lead to disaster.

No matter how well we may know the truth or how long we’ve been walking with the Lord, if we let our guard down, we leave ourselves open to temptation.

This is true for each of us, regardless of our position or how much knowledge of the Scriptures we possess. But there are some dangers unique to pastors that can make them more susceptible to temptation than others.

The most obvious peril for pastors is their position. They are public figures who have spiritual influence, and the more faithful they are, the more they become the unique target of the evil one and his minions. But behind the scenes, ministry makes for a plethora of potential pitfalls. Pastors spend a lot of time with people, and if they do not set some boundaries for themselves and seek accountability, they can easily find themselves in vulnerable situations.

The pastorate can be stressful and rigorous, and oftentimes this is hard on marriages and families. If a pastor does not make his wife and children a priority and set boundaries on his time, he can find himself in a place of conflict, loneliness, and discontentment.

Pastors who do not set priorities for family likely do not set priorities for their own health. The inbox is always full in ministry, and especially in our technological age it is easy to work twenty-four-seven. This leads to exhaustion, which makes one extremely open to temptation (Mt. 26:40-41).

Closely related to this is the fact that ministry is typically sedentary work. Couple this with stress, and not only does the physical body suffer but so does the mind, which can lead to depression and discontentment which in turn can lead to all sorts of temptation.

The most obvious peril for pastors is their position. They are public figures who have spiritual influence, and the more faithful they are, the more they become the unique target of the evil one and his minions.

Beyond all these dangers is the fact that the pastorate can be a very lonely calling. If a pastor does not have fellow elders or at least a mentor of some sort with whom he can share his struggles, he is on his own. Of course he has the Lord, but if his struggles are due to his own sin, it is very likely he is deceiving himself. As twisted as it sounds, I have had men tell me they were convinced the Lord was blessing their infidelity. We desperately need others we can trust to help us see our blind spots before it’s too late (Pr. 20:5).

Having set forth some practical reasons why pillars crumble, the question still lingers of why the Lord would allow them to do so.

We need to be absolutely clear that when a man falls to temptation, regardless of other contributing factors, the fault lies with him and him alone (Ja. 1:14-15). But the Lord is certainly “able to keep [us] from stumbling and to present [us] blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy” (Jude 24–25), and hasn’t He promised to do so (1 Cor. 1:8-9; Phil. 1:6; 1 Thes. 5:23-24)? Again, we need to be clear: these promises ensure that the Lord will keep those who belong to Him and preserve their salvation to the end. They don’t promise perfection in this life, and our salvation is not dependent upon our performance but on God’s promise. It is true that one’s fruit reveals the genuineness of one’s faith, and it is possible that someone who has had an outwardly fruitful ministry while keeping a hidden life of sin for a prolonged period was never truly saved. But even the best of men can stumble or have a season of self-deception that leads to a catastrophe. The proof of salvation is seen in what happens in the aftermath. If there is genuine repentance, there is evidence that the fall, however great, was out of character.

So, God does not promise to keep pillars from falling into sin any more than He does for any other Christian. But when they do fall, the damage is far greater than when the typical believer goes down. Why would He permit this to happen, especially when it is His own name that suffers the most? And why would He bless the ministry of a man who is harboring a hidden life of sin? We can’t know the answer for sure, but I’d like to venture a sanctified guess as to at least one of the reasons the Lord might permit a pillar to crumble.

It’s sadly ironic that one of the reasons a man has such worldwide influence is the same reason his fall is heard virtually everywhere and at lightning speed. In our technological age, preachers garner celebrity status that is propped up and exported by the internet and social media. This phenomenon is a worldly cancer in the church that not only makes the preacher prone to pride that leads to a fall but causes many to idolize a man rather than the God that man proclaims. Perhaps the reason the Lord allows pillars to crumble, despite the shame it brings upon His name, is because He desires to shake His people up, exposing their pride and idolatry.

Whatever the case, Romans 8:28 stands true even for pillars who crumble, and we must trust the Lord’s wisdom in permitting it to happen.

Having addressed the question of why pillars crumble, at least in a general sense, and having touched on how it is possible for them to do so, I want to turn to the more important question of what should be our response.

First and foremost, despite our personal feelings of hurt and betrayal, we must remember that it is only by the grace of God that we were not the one in that position because we have the same heart issue, and given the right circumstances, we may have fallen even worse. Instead of pointing fingers and posting scorn on social media, we should pray for the pillar who has crumbled, asking the Lord to work genuine repentance in his heart and to give him assurance of salvation and hope for the future–and even joy in the midst of the excruciating sorrow of failure. We should pray for his family, asking the Lord to heal broken hearts and grant the supernatural ability to forgive.

Secondly, if we do any finger pointing at all, the finger must be pointed squarely at ourselves. As Paul said to the Corinthians, “let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). This of course applies first to all who are in positions of leadership, especially pastors. They must be careful to observe what Paul told Timothy: “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim. 4:16). But the application of this verse and countless others must be taken to heart by every professing Christian. If we think we can let our guard down for one moment, we have already entered the danger zone.

Both those who occupy the pulpit and those who fill the pews must set boundaries for themselves. Men must especially guard themselves from temptation and they can aid themselves in doing so by observing some rather common-sense guidelines. For instance, the “Billy Graham” rule of not riding in a car with another woman who is not one’s wife or other close relative could also be called “the biggest no-brainer rule in the history of Christianity since the invention of the automobile.” Every church should have this policy enshrined in their leadership code of conduct, and even while corporate America mocks it, it should be followed as much as is possible by every Christian man on the planet in every venue.

Another guideline that should be obvious to all is that of having accountability to others. 2 Timothy 2:22 says, “flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” We speak a lot of the need to flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, but we somehow too often forget that last part–to do this along with other faithful Christians. Having at least one man in whom we can confide and who will hold us to account is imperative for every pastor or leader and should be for every Christian.

We speak a lot of the need to flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, but we somehow too often forget that last part–to do this along with other faithful Christians.

We could list other practical boundaries that, while inconvenient, are necessary in order to keep ourselves from making provision for the flesh. But no matter how many boundaries we set, we will never win the battle unless we are first winning it in our hearts. We must be diligent in keeping a close watch on ourselves and welcome boundaries and accountability that will assist us in this pursuit. But the greatest assistance we need in this fight is that which comes from above. If we are not daily asking the Lord to keep us from temptation, we are giving evidence of the pride that comes before the fall.

A third response to the crumbling of a pillar is to ask ourselves how we are doing in helping others keep watch on themselves. Accountability is a two-way street. We must seek others who will hold us accountable, but we must also be seeking others who need our assistance in the battle for purity and integrity. I use the terms ‘help’ and ‘assistance’ along with ‘accountability’ because, while we need others to ask us tough questions and have us return the favor, accountability is more than running through a checklist. We must seek to be a friend to others–to not merely ask, “Have you looked at anything impure this past week?” but to ask, “How are you doing?” and be willing to listen with empathy and compassion.

In addition to our own personal welcoming of accountability and seeking of others whom we can help, each of us has a responsibility to the pillars in our lives. Pillars have a lot of influence, but they also carry a lot of weight on their shoulders. We must recognize the fact that, at the end of the day, they are merely men just like us and they need help and encouragement.

In other words, each of us can have influence upon a pillar. While we may not be able to affect the larger pillars of the church, we not only can, but should seek to influence those closest to us.

One simple way you can help your pastors/elders is to make sure you’re someone who makes their lives easier, not harder! Hebrews 13:17 exhorts believers to “obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” If you have faithful shepherds who do their best to teach and counsel you from the Scriptures, you can help them just by being one of the sheep that don’t bite.

You can take this a step further by getting to know your pastors/elders and voicing your appreciation for the work they do. 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 urge Christians “to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.” The word translated ‘respect’ literally means ‘to know,’ and while in this context it has the nuance of recognizing a leader, it also carries with it the idea of caring about them, as v. 13 makes clear. Your pastors/elders need to know that you care about them and appreciate them not merely as shepherds but as people. You can do this by taking an interest in their lives, getting to know their families, being responsive to their struggles, encouraging them to rest when needed, and even bringing it to their attention when you perceive that they are not prioritizing personal care or time with family, etc.

Above all, you can help guard your pastors/elders from falling by praying for them. They not only need your prayers for fruitful ministry, but for faithfulness, and specifically that they would be kept from temptation. Along this line, pray for the health of their marriages and the well-being of their children. Pray that they spend time in the word and prayer for their own spiritual nourishment and not merely as a duty they fulfill on behalf of the flock under their care. Pray that they get enough exercise and rest. Pray that they keep their priorities straight and are humble enough to receive correction when needed. Pray for your pastors/elders.

Above all, you can help guard your pastors/elders from falling by praying for them.

A fourth and final response to the fall of a pillar is to evaluate whether our faith is in men or in the Lord. The evangelical celebrity culture is a dead end. The fall of Steve Lawson and countless other pillars, both large and small, must be a sobering reminder to us that no matter how gifted a man may be, he is still just a man. Our faith must ever and always be firmly placed in none other than Jesus Christ, the perfect man “who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). When a pillar crumbles, the truth he proclaimed still stands, and we must stand only on the solid rock of that truth. We are called to imitate the examples of faithful leaders, but never to place our hope in them (Phil. 3:17). That place belongs only to the Lord.

May one man’s shipwreck be our lighthouse, and may the closer to home the ship crashes make the warning that much louder.