When A Preacher Falls ...

"Fake illness preacher Michael Guglielmucci told to go to police" reads The Advertiser dated August 22, 2008. "Mr Guglielmucci confessed his two-year fraudulent cancer battle at a national executive meeting of the ACC (Australian Christian Churches)on Saturday, and was stripped of his credentials."

Sigh ... it's never a good thing when supposedly a "man of God" falls. Usually it's women or money. In the ministry we were told to watch out for the 3 G's ... Girls, Gold, Glory. We, the Bible School students added a fourth ... Gluttony! Actually that's what Jesus faced when He was led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness where He was tempted 40 days. Devil offered Jesus the 4 G's. Of course Jesus did not succumb although He was tempted in every aspect just like us. How did He overcome? By dying to the flesh (dying to self) through fasting and praying and trusting the Word of God.

In finding answers we need to look at the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHY and HOW. We are not going to look into either one today except just one thing .... WHAT do we do when a preacher fell?

1. We don't get angry. Instead we ought to grieve. Prophet Samuel wept for so long over Saul's death even though Saul had fallen. No matter, Saul was still God's anointed.
2. We don't judge. Remember the log in our own eyes before we try to remove the speck from our brother's eye. Who among us have not done wrong? We need to mete out compassion.
3. We don't rejoice. Rejoice because God is good. Rejoice because God had done a good thing. But we don't rejoice because a man of God has fallen. It's like laughing at the face of God. Samuel did not rejoice over Saul's failed ministry.
4. We don't "throw stones" at the fallen. Remember the woman that was to be stoned to death? Jesus said, "Let him that is without sin be the first one to cast a stone at her". Wow! It's sad that there will be Christians criticizing and "casting stones" at GM because of what he had done. Yeah ... he shouldn't have done what he'd done but let God deal with His servants. We, the Body of Christ, let's build up one another, forgiving one another and encouraging one another to live for Christ.

GM have a long road ahead of him to travel, and might I add ... a lonely road. It won't be easy for him. It can never be easy. If he were to make it he will need loads and loads of support from whoever can be there for him. His credentials have been stripped. He's lost his integrity. He's no longer in the ministry. His family now struggles with the consequences of his actions. He may face jail time. His father, who is an a pastor, will also be accountable to his church for what happened. It's not just about GM. Think about the ripples (maybe tsunamis) across the country ... the world. The one person I know who will be rejoicing over this fallen preacher will be the devil himself! That's his nature. That's his playground ... destruction and death.

I guess you may have some questions looming over your mind. For two fraudulent years, people were blessed and saved through GM's ministry. God's presence was at every one of his meetings. Why did God allow it? How come the meetings were still anointed? How come none of his colleagues discern the wrong spirit behing GM's ministry? Well ... to answer these questions let me say first that God did something ... even though it's 2 years later. GM had 2 years to get his life right before God but he didn't until finally he was "caught". IN THE MEANTIME, while God was working in GM, patiently knocking at the door of his heart, God still blesses the people who came for his meetings because God is a merciful and gracious God. He did not bless the worshipers because of GM. He did not heal the crowd because of GM. People did not get saved because of GM. Miracles happen because people gathered together in the name of Jesus and God promised, "When 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name, there am I in their midst". GRACE and MERCY. That's why God still blesses. It's His nature to bless! 3 cheers for our God!

You know what's our problem? It's HERO WORSHIP! Like in Israel, the people of God took their eyes off God and focus on the charismatic king Saul! They praised him, composed songs of praise about him, talked about him. They have forgotten the God behind Saul! They loved Saul (even Samuel) because he was handsome, strong, rich, powerful. He was the superstar then ... the Elvis of his days! The women were after him. He was a hero ... a superstar! He's a Brad Pitt, a Beckham, and the likes. Who's your idol? Is it Tiger Woods? Michael Phelps the Olympian? Or Heath Ledger ... "Why so serious?"?

People are prone to hero worship. Doesn't matter if the morals are right. As long as they are famous, a star, a legend, they'll hero worship them. Everybody wants to be a friend of somebody who's famous. But may I remind you that hero worshiping is not something that's of God. It doesn't come from God. It's of the devil! The devil would that you worship anything but God. He knows the lusts of man. He knows how to manipulate mankind. That's why the world worships heroes! So let me get you back on track. It's not about Saul. It's about the God of Abraham. It's not about GM, or Benny Hinn, or some world famous man of God. It's about Jesus!

It saddens me that Christians run after preachers. And it grieves me even more that preachers elevate themselves so much that they allow themselves to be hero worshiped and even capitalize on that! That's why Christians change churches like they change wives! "Oh that church is more anointed. Oh the pastor there is more anointed." We allow ourselves to take our eyes off God and we eye the man of God instead. No wonder so many couldn't see, couldn't discern and in the end ... so hurt, so angry because GM had fallen.

Are you a hero worshiper? Or is it God that you worship? If you are that hero worshiper then you will need to gratify that lust of your flesh ... always moving to where the "happening" is. If you are a God worshiper, then where you are planted there you will flourish. Your eyes are focused on God ... not man. You are steady, not easily swayed with every wind of doctrine. Circumstances don't sway you. Bad times don't sway you. You are firmly planted in Jesus. You are poised for growth and maturity. You are always praising God. But not the hero worshipers. They drift. They are aimless, no roots. They don't grow. They are still like infants feeding on milk.

If you are being deeply affected today by GM's fall, then maybe you should take advantage of these times to examine yourself. Who do you really worship? Why do you give up your joy over someone else mistakes? Why, like Samuel, do you not move on? Why grieve like Samuel as if God is incapable to lead Israel once again? Who do you worship today? Joshua said, "As for me and my household we will worship God".

So what about GM? Pray for him. Pray for his restoration. Pray for his family. Pray that through it all, he will make right that which is wrong for the sake of what is right.