Member-only story
When a Toxic Pastor Dies
When a pastor who made poor choices died, I had mixed feelings about him.
Many years ago, I attended a church with a pastor I will name Pastor Ennis. Pastor Ennis was a well-educated man who preached intriguing, thought-provoking sermons. He was also a prolific Christian writer. He looked good on the surface, but something was off.
After four or five years, Pastor Ennis moved to California. Troubling stories about him and a few other pastors began to surface. For one thing, he was very legalistic and controlling. He expected his church attendees to seek his input on life decisions, such as whether or not to attend college or choose a career path. He meddled in family affairs that were none of his business.
Pastor Ennis also imposed his personal preferences on his congregation. One time he did a presentation at a midweek Bible study. The topic was music that Christians should listen to. My husband and I went, more out of curiosity than a desire to learn. I knew that hymns would not be included in his playlist. His church rejected most standard hymns.
As a vocalist and former dance student, I have a passion for music. I was expecting to hear about the wonders of classical music, which I loved. I thought I would hear about the beauty and skills of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, and others.
