Seven Things That Cause Christian Leaders To Fall
Christian leaders fall for the same reasons every believer can fall: sin finds a foothold when we feed it. “Each of us is drawn away by our own evil desires and enticed.” When those desires are acted on they lead to sin (cf. James 1:14-15) and either grow or wither depending on whether we starve or feed them.
John Owen put it bluntly: “Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.” Pride, busyness, compromised holiness, unsafe relationships, weak spots, failed accountability, and loneliness are the cracks the enemy exploits. Below are the common traps and practical wake-up calls for leaders who want to stand firm.
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Common Traps
1. “It will never happen to me.” 1 Corinthians 10:12 reminds us that “if we think that we are standing firm, we should be careful that we don’t fall.” Pride whispers immunity; humility admits vulnerability and depends on grace. Remember Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
2. I’m “too busy.” When prayer and Bible life are squeezed out, the soul grows weak and exposed. “When faith ceases to pray, it ceases to live” (E.M. Bounds), and moral failure finds fertile ground in a rushed, distracted heart. Leaders who fall often confess they had no real devotional life when the collapse came.
3. Holiness Is Compromised. Holiness is not legalism; it’s the protective margin that keeps us “far enough in” to stay safe. Isaac Watts said, “True Christianity, where it reigns in the heart, will make itself appear in the purity of life.” Fill your mind with Christ and remove persistent darkness; you cannot expect light to triumph where darkness is entertained.
4. Unhealthy Relationships With The Opposite Sex. Private meetings, counseling appointments, and “harmless” fellowship can quickly become the staging ground for temptation. Adultery rarely leaps; it creeps in by small compromises—one boundary gone, one excuse made, one step at a time. If attraction exists, remove yourself from the situation and flee temptation (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:18).
5. Failure To Strengthen Weak Areas. We all carry opportune temptations—drugs, porn, anger, control, pride—and leaders who ignore them get blindsided. The enemy watches for thin places and strikes when we are unguarded (cf. Luke 4:13). Expose these weaknesses in repentance and install safeguards and accountability before the pressure builds.6. Accountability Is Minimized Or Breached. Accountability is not a magic bullet, but it is mercy; it adds another set of eyes and questions you owe yourself. Be willing to say, “I’m struggling in this area. Can you pray with me and ask the hard questions from time to time.” The greater your influence, the greater the need for spiritual, financial, and relational oversight.
7. Loneliness Becomes An Excuse. Ministry isolates and the soul can justify wrong choices as payback for sacrifice or boredom. Oswald Chambers warned, “God buries His men [and women] in the midst of paltry things; no monuments are erected to them; they are ignored, not because they are unworthy, but because they are in the place where they cannot be seen.” A grateful, worshipful heart shrinks the power of envy and bitterness.
Repentance Before Exposure
If you sense the cliff beneath your feet or you’ve already fallen, stop and repent now; it will hurt, but exposure hurts worse. A penitent person turns from sin, accepts full responsibility without blame, and seeks forgiveness without conditions. Excuses must stop for healing to start; say, “I am sorry. I was wrong. Please forgive me” when those words are true.
There are consequences for mistakes, but God’s grace heals and restores those who genuinely return to Him. Live in His forgiving arms rather than broken outside His will; choose restoration over reputation. Which way will you turn?