Sex, Church and Ministers with Ned Beadel

I was only 15 when I first thought about going into the ministry.
In light of the fact that I hadn’t grown up in church, and my
mind was filled with sex (isn’t that what 15 means?), it was a
unique spiritual dynamic. Still, it was at that age I received
what is considered a “call” in the church world. That was a long
time ago, but isn’t it interesting I talk about a call to the
ministry and sex in the same breath?


As I look back upon it I never really really veered from that
direction for the next thirty years. Wait, am I talking about my
call to the ministry or a mind filled with sex? Sometimes I
wonder if they aren’t the same thing. Uh oh. We are headed for
trouble here.


Since I’m in the distant past I might as well go down those
ancient streets. I remember wondering what it would be like if I
really did become a minister as I pursued an education in that
direction. I became acutely aware of how clergy were perceived in
the world around me. Remember the televangelists' scandals? Jim
Bakker. Jimmy Swaggart. Famous T.V. preachers who
not-so-euphemistically got caught with their pants down.


I’m not sure what the numbers were, what the cause and effect
formula was or who exactly is to blame, but I do know that church
attendance has declined significantly in my lifetime and the
dignity and respect of clergy has gone with it and lots of people
roll their eyes when the subject comes up. 


You see, it didn’t stop with headlines. Almost anyone close to
the church knows of some story where sexual scandal and church
got into their world. This minister did this. That priest did
that. The volunteer who disappeared with rumors following did
what? 


Just this week I talked to a man who is a generous donor on my
support team at Standing Stone Ministry. He’s a deacon in his
church and takes meals to Seniors during this pandemic called
Corona. He was telling me about the background checks he had to
go through to volunteer to take meals to seniors.


So today we brought in an expert uniquely qualified to speak to
this subject. Sex, Church, and Ministers. Oh my.


Welcome to Church Hurts And Rev. Ned Beadel.


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