Finishing Strong (1995); Steve Farrar.

Dr. Howard Hendricks recently conducted a study of 246 men in full-time ministry who experienced personal moral failure within a two-year period. In other words, Hendricks was able to find nearly 250 men who derailed within twenty-four months of each other. That’s roughly ten a month for two years. Ten guys a month in moral failure. That’s two, almost three, guys a week. 

And each of them started strong.

Yet the thing they had in common was that within twenty-four months of each other they each got involved in sexual immorality. After interviewing each man, Dr. Hendricks discovered FOUR correlations running through the experiences of the entire 246 who derailed:

1. None were involved in any kind of personal ACCOUNTABILITY group. 

2. Each had ceased to invest in a DAILY PERSONAL time of prayer, Scripture reading, and worship. 

3. Over 80 percent of them became sexually involved with another woman as the result of COUNSELLING the woman. In other words, they were spending significant portions of their schedules with women other than their wives. 

4. Without exception, each of the 246 HAD BEEN CONVINCED THAT MORAL FAILURE “WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO ME.”

You know what’s fascinating about these 246 guys? Every one of them was high risk. When it comes to finishing strong, you can actually rate yourself. No kidding. Just answer these four simple questions:

1. Do you spend personal time with the Lord in prayer and reading Scripture at least three times a week? 

Correct answer: YES.

2. Are there at least one or two men in your life with whom you have built a friendship based on trust, confidentiality, and accountability? 

Correct answer: YES.

3. Are you currently spending significant time with any attractive woman other than your wife? 

Correct answer: NO.

4. Are you absolutely sure that you will finish strong? 

Correct answer: NO.

If you have ONE wrong answer, you are at RISK. 

If you have TWO wrong answers, you are a MODERATE risk. 

If you have THREE wrong answers, you are a BAD risk. 

If you have FOUR wrong answers, you are DEAD MEAT. 

Why would I say that you are dead meat if you have four wrong answers? Because each of the 246 men who got involved in sexual immorality gave the same four answers that you did. It’s not a matter of IF it will happen to you, it’s a matter of WHEN. 

In the last ten years, some very high-profile evangelists have stumbled into an ambush. Specifically, they wandered into the ambush of another woman.

Millie Dienert has worked with the Billy Graham team for forty years. Her comments on the ethics of Mr. Graham, Cliff Barrows, George Beverly Shea, and the rest of the male members of the team make the point:

"I have always appreciated, from a moral point of view, how the men have been in their attitude toward the secretaries. The doors are always left open. There is a high regard for the lack of any kind of privacy where a boss and his secretary are involved. At times, I thought they were going a little too far, that it wasn’t necessary, but I’m glad they did it, especially today. They have kept everything above reproach. When you are working on a long-term basis with the same person, constantly, in hotels, where the wife is not there and the secretary is, that is a highly explosive situation. You have to take precautions. I have always respected the way they have handled that. It has been beautifully done."

What a remarkable compliment!

When it comes to avoiding the ambush of another woman, that’s the kind of record we need to shoot for. You may be thinking, “Those are interesting stories, but they really don’t relate to me. I’m not in full-time ministry.” I’m sorry to rock your boat, but if you are a Christian, and if you are serious about following Christ, then you surely are in the ministry. Full-time. Are you a husband? Do you have kids? If the answer is yes, then you’re implicated! Christian husbands and fathers are in the ministry full-time. 

The enemy just doesn’t want you to realize it. 

You may not collect your paycheck from a church each week, but according to Ephesians 4:11–13 and Colossians 3:23, that’s not the issue. I don’t care if you’re a truck driver, a CEO, or a golf pro. Whatever your profession, if you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then ultimately you work for Him. Jesus said that you are the light of the world. Jesus said that you are the salt of the earth. 

And He didn’t mention anything about “part-time.”

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Finishing Strong (1995); Steve Farrar.