When pastors elevate charisma over godliness, churches suffer

By Stephen Powell, Op-ed contributor Monday, May 18, 2026

Over the past several years, Christians across the country have watched a steady stream of pastors and ministry leaders fall into scandal, abuse, and moral failure. In many cases, believers are left asking the same painful question: How did this happen? But perhaps the deeper question is whether many of these collapses began long before these leaders ever stepped behind a pulpit.

The modern church has often prioritized gifting, charisma, and influence while neglecting the slower, harder work of spiritual transformation and character formation. And when wounded, unhealed, and spiritually immature leaders are elevated too quickly, the consequences can become devastating for entire congregations.

Generational sin and the Gospel

“Not only is deception contagious and systemic, but it is easily passed down through the generations. This means that the church's failure both crushes present victims and harms generations to come. The church, God's instrument… becomes a machine for deceptions that are passed on again and again” — Diane Langberg

“The sins of the fathers” is not merely a spiritual concept confined to church language — it is a lived reality within families, cultures, and social groups. When we encounter deeply embedded sinful thinking and behavior in the people of God, there is often a generational story behind it that must be understood in order to address the root. Yet while understanding that story is important, it is not the most important story. The most important story is the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Jesus was supernaturally conceived, born of a virgin, and entered the world untouched by the corruption of fallen humanity. Scripture presents Christ as the “last Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45) — the beginning of a new humanity born from above and free from the bondage of sin. Though He knew no sin, He became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). Through Christ, we are no longer bound to continue in the sinful patterns and corruption inherited through Adam. By grace through faith, we can be transformed into a new creation and empowered to live differently.

When we are born again and live out the reality of the New Creation by grace through faith (Eph.2:8-9), we too can reign in this life through the free gift of righteousness and the abundance of grace that has been given through Christ (Rom.5:17)! Through Christ, we have been given the power to repent, to be transformed, and to live in the reality of a new nature. This is the power of the Gospel. This is the power of the New Creation in Christ!

And this is what makes the present condition of many leaders in the church so grievous. Leaders should be living out the Gospel they claim to preach, as an example to all (which is a scriptural standard for them to hold ecclesiastical office and authority in the church (1 Tim. 4:12; 1 Pet. 5:2-3). Leaders are often elevated based on gifting and charisma, only to be exposed later for serious and longstanding sin that was never truly dealt with at the cross.

The sin itself is tragic. But what makes it even more tragic is this: there was power available to overcome it. There is power in the blood of Jesus to confront sin before it takes root and destroys lives. But that power must be embraced. We must refuse to settle for anything less than a transformed, overcoming life in Christ.

My own mentor in ministry was exposed for serious sexual misconduct and predatory behavior. As the situation came to light, it became clear that his behavior was not isolated — it was connected to deep wounds and patterns that traced back to his own upbringing and early life. This does not excuse the sin. But it does help explain how unhealed brokenness, when left unaddressed, can become destructive when power is obtained by a leader.

This is why generational sin must be confronted — both in our natural families and in the spiritual family of the church. Many of the failures being exposed today did not begin in the pulpit. They were carried into ministry long before leadership was ever attained.

This raises necessary questions:

How many leaders were promoted before they were truly qualified? How many were elevated without first being transformed?

To lead the body of Christ is not merely a matter of gifting, skill, or theological knowledge. Transformation is a fundamental qualification. Embracing the cross into a changed life represents a fundamental qualification for leadership.

Before pursuing leadership, believers should honestly ask whether their lives demonstrate spiritual maturity, humility, self-control, and genuine Christlike character. If the answer is no, then I don't think the Lord is calling you to lead. He’s calling you to further surrender. Leadership must flow from a life that has been deeply and demonstrably transformed by the power of the Gospel. Anything less will not do for the pure and spotless bride that the Holy Spirit is preparing to present to the King.

A culture of abuse in the church

As seen in the example of my former mentor, many leaders who become abusers were themselves abused. Those who exploit the vulnerabilities of others often carry unresolved wounds from their own past. What is not healed can become repeated.

This does not excuse sin — but it does help explain how patterns of abuse can take root and perpetuate themselves, especially when individuals are placed in positions of authority without having first experienced true transformation and healing.

Scripture gives us a sobering example of this dynamic in the life of Jezebel. In the Old Testament, Jezebel became one of the most destructive figures in Israel’s history — promoting idolatry, corrupting leadership, and leading the nation into deep moral compromise (1 Kings 16 – 2 Kings 9). Historical sources such as Josephus indicate that her father, Ethbaal, was both a king and priest of pagan worship. While Scripture does not detail Jezebel’s upbringing, it is clear she was shaped within a culture deeply rooted in idolatry. What later manifested through her leadership did not emerge in a vacuum — it reflected patterns that had already formed within her long before she arrived in Israel.

In a similar way, many leaders today carry patterns of sin rooted in their upbringing, their culture, or their past wounds. As David writes, “Surely I was sinful at birth” (Ps. 51:5). Without true transformation in Christ, these patterns do not disappear — they persist.

This is why maturity and proven character must precede leadership in the Church. There must be clear evidence of victory over sin, stability of life, and sustained godliness over time before someone is entrusted with spiritual authority. We need to do away with the practice of elevating charismatic novices in leadership who have not embraced the cross (1 Tim.3:6). The future of the Church depends on it.

Conclusion

The Church does not need fewer gifted leaders — it needs more transformed ones. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not merely about public ministry success or outward spiritual power; it is about becoming a new creation through repentance, surrender, and lifelong conformity to Christ.

If the modern church continues elevating charisma above character, we should not be surprised when more scandals emerge in the years ahead. But if we recover the biblical conviction that leadership must flow from a life deeply transformed by the cross, there is still hope for healthier churches, healthier leaders, and a stronger witness before the world.