How to Help Leaders Who Have Made Mistakes

There are good numbers of leaders in most of the Central and Eastern European countries who served well during the communistic regime in their different churches and ministries and after 1990 became very active, well-recognized, and highly respected leaders in their countries. Some of them even assumed significant leadership positions in European and global institutions. But in the last few years some of them became corrupt, misusing their power, position, and resources. Even worse, when the failings of the former secret police were exposed, some of these revered Christian leaders were publicly revealed as having collaborated with the secret police/ KGB/Securitate and signed declarations of allegiance to them. Similarly, in different countries, some Christian leaders have been paid by the secret police. Yet a few of these leaders still hold their ministry and church positions. “How should we as Christians treat them?” is often the question new leaders have to face! We know we have to forgive but that we are also responsible for disciplining and restoring the fallen leaders within the body. How do we deal with sin in love without allowing the sin of a few people corrupt the rest of the church and poison the next generation of leaders?