"It is dangerous for pastors to operate in an untouchable bubble of authority structure"

I’m so sad to hear about the indictment of Schaap, but unfortunately can’t say I’m really surprised that he’s in legal trouble based on any of the past threads on this topic.

I hope that FBC Hammond hires a serious, soberminded, Biblical exegete to be their new pastor; a good first step might be to consider people from outside the HAC-FBCHammond orbit. I also hope that his victim and their families (both current and their future spouse) will be able to find a good counselor to help her work through whatever issues may have caused or resulted from it. And I really hope that God will use this to bring FBC Hammond back into (as I see it) alignment with NT doctrine and practice.

As for the Chappell’s article that Stetzer quotes, I don’t understand pastors that make themselves unquestionable or unassailable to the flock that they shepherd, which has always been the bigger of the (many) warning flags to me in regards to all things Hammond. Well, I do understand it logically - the ‘pastors’ want power or sometimes just don’t even realize what’s going on to them - but I just don’t get why anyone would intentionally desire to have that kind of power without any accountability to a Board of Elders/Deacons. It’s not healthy or desirable in my opinion. Pastors are lonely enough without intentionally cutting themselves off even more.