5 Sneaky Sins Being Overlooked in Christian Ministry

Ministry professionals often work long days that include extra programs and requirements. Unlike other jobs, ministry work can seep into personal time, leaving individuals overworked and tired, leading to burnout.  

Although some churches or organizations place this pressure on their workers, the individuals themselves often feel compelled to perform at high levels. They can get caught up in the busyness of the work and, before they know it, are consumed by ministry duties. Spending time with the Lord, fellowshipping with other believers, and worshiping slowly dwindles in importance. Ministry becomes an idol to serve instead of action that comes as an overflow of love for God. Some workers might not even know they idolize ministry work but assume they are pleasing God through their faithful service. However, if anything is placed before God, even something good like service, it becomes an idol.  

Scripture delineates that prioritizing anything over God is a sin (Exodus 20:3; 34:14). The Lord is the only true God, the One we should love, serve, and worship (Exodus 15:11; Psalm 86:10). All other things in life, even positive things, need to be kept in their proper place. Christians struggling with idolizing their work in ministry would benefit from examining their priorities. They may also need to reorganize their schedules or even reduce their workload. Some would benefit from a sabbatical. Above all, they must restore God to His proper place in their daily lives.  

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Another sin that is common among those in the ministry, though it is overlooked, is spiritual pride. Often, those who serve in a ministry position, such as a pastor, missionary, or chaplain, have received formal education. Pastors usually hold undergraduate and graduate degrees. With the extensive knowledge they gain and the positions they hold, there is a temptation to grow prideful (see 1 Corinthians 8:1).  

I learned about the risk of this sin in ministry firsthand during my graduate studies. One of my assignments was to read How to Stay Christian in Seminary by David Mathis and Jonathan Parnell. The authors introduce the book with a warning that going to seminary is dangerous. One reason it can be so perilous is that we can become puffed up and “model an insidious detachment between truth and love” (p. 16). The idea that gaining knowledge about theology and the Bible could prove dangerous to my faith and others shook me. I developed a strong sense of caution towards myself, aware of the danger of pride. No matter how much knowledge I had, none of it would matter if I were puffed up without a trace of love (1 Corinthians 13:2).  

Spiritual pride is not a new issue in Christian ministry. People in church history discussed the dangers of being puffed up. For example, Jonathan Edwards wrote about this sin. He mentioned that spiritual pride “is the main door by which the devil comes into the hearts of those who are zealous for the advancement of religion” (The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Volume 1, sect. 1, p. 399). 

The same is true today. Those who are involved in ministry positions are at risk of becoming puffed up. Even if ministry workers are lay believers, they could think too much of themselves because of their place in a church or organization. No one in the ministry is immune from this temptation.   

Scripture tells us that humility is the remedy for spiritual pride. Humbling ourselves goes against the mindset that led us to pridefulness in the first place. Instead of thinking highly of ourselves and our perceived spiritual maturity, we look to the good for others. We need to follow the biblical instruction to “Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3, NLT).       

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In addition to the sins of idolatry and spiritual pride, gossip is an overlooked sin within Christian ministry. Individuals who serve in churches and ministry organizations often receive a lot of personal information about members and others they serve. The nature of their work also places them in regular, close contact with other believers. Many in the ministry treat this responsibility with integrity, but the temptation to gossip remains.   

Churches, Christian organizations, and other ministry efforts can be severely damaged and hindered by gossip. When those who serve the Lord talk about others behind their backs, they lose the trust of those they are meant to serve. They inflict harm instead of bringing healing. Not only that, but their engagement with this sin can reflect badly on an entire congregation or the mission of an organization.  

Unfortunately, churches have a long history and reputation for being places of gossip and slander, but Scripture teaches a different way of life. All believers should seek to keep themselves from unwholesome talk (Ephesians 4:29). If we cannot keep a reign on our tongues, then we are far from what it looks like to be a Christ-follower (James 1:26). Grace should characterize our speech, not hate or gossip (Colossians 4:6).     

The best way to combat gossip in Christian ministry is to avoid gossip-laden discussions. We should confess and repent of our former participation and gracefully correct or avoid friends who encourage slanderous talk. If we hear our fellow workers spreading lies, we should gently rebuke and correct them.  

We can better serve God by cultivating a ministry environment that promotes love for others, not rumor-spreading.     

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It can be easy to assume that those who are engaged in ministry work are believers devoted to serving Christ and making Him known. Sadly, though, that is not always the case. There are people involved in ministries of various forms who are not Christians. Eventually, these individuals will fall away or apostatize. We should not take this lightly, as the writer of Hebrews says that the sin of apostasy is like crucifying Jesus again (Hebrews 6:4-6).    

Recent years have brought to light many examples of individuals who were involved in Christian work but who “left” the faith. This has happened to pastors, youth ministers, worship leaders, and others. At one point, they made a confession with their lips that did not align with what they believed in their heart. They entered Christian service, helping others and even supporting the spread of the gospel, though they did not have genuine faith.  

Although numerous cases have been revealed in recent years, the sin of apostasy is not new in Christian service. The Apostle John mentioned the presence of apostates in the church. They had once been involved with the body of believers but did not place saving faith in Christ. Their confession was only surface-level. As John wrote, “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us” (1 John 2:19, NIV).  

If the early church experienced difficulties with apostates, then we should expect this problem in our ministries today. However, we can take steps to guard against the negative impact that apostasy can leave on our ministries by carefully screening the people serving in our churches and organizations to ensure they have placed faith in Jesus and demonstrate the evidence of saving faith through spiritual fruit. We all would benefit from thoughtful examination to ensure that we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). 

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Media has widely covered cases of sexual immorality within churches and Christian organizations in recent years. Despite the coverage, this sin continues to be overlooked by many within the leadership of denominations and organizations. Many lay members do the same, seeking to make excuses for those guilty.  

Although numerous people, especially women and children, have suffered sexual abuse and harassment from those involved in the ministry, the Christian community has often ignored their plight or glossed over it. For example, many within evangelical circles did not believe the reports made against Ravi Zacharias by women who were harassed and abused. Only after extensive evidence was presented did most finally acknowledge the sins committed by this well-known minister and apologist. Even after that, some continued to defend Zacharias.  

We should deal with sexual sins quickly and biblically when they pop up in churches and organizations. These sins disqualify Christians from being involved in the ministry and have no place within service for the Lord. Scripture teaches that all believers should flee from sexual immorality, which applies equally to those in the ministry, such as pastors (1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6). If they cannot control themselves, then they should be removed from their positions and church (1 Corinthians 5:11). 

Of course, this does not mean that those who commit these acts are cut off from any hope of forgiveness from God. If they are genuinely repentant and confess to the Lord, they can receive forgiveness (1 John 1:9). However, their sins still have consequences. Disqualification from all future participation in the ministry is one of those consequences.  

Let us stop overlooking these sins in Christian ministry and instead address them. If we maintain moral integrity and honesty in our ministries, we can better serve the Lord and others.   

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