Watch What You Do in the Dark

Every few days another headline appears. Another pastor has fallen. Another leader has destroyed his ministry, wounded his church, and broken his family. Some of these stories are heartbreaking. Some of them are shocking. And some of them are not surprises at all. The reason is simple. What we do in the dark will always come to the light.

Pastors are not immune. In fact, pastors are targets.

The enemy would love nothing more than to take down shepherds. If he can wound the shepherd, the sheep scatter. If he can embarrass the pastor, the church loses credibility. If he can tempt the leader into secret sin, the name of Christ becomes mocked.

The world is watching. Social media exposes. Screenshots never disappear. Temptation is just one click away. The culture is looking for one false move. The enemy is hunting for a weak moment.

And pastors are often alone when it happens.

The Dark is Where Character is Tested

It is easy to preach holiness from the pulpit. It is much harder to walk holiness when nobody is around.

It is easy to stand on the platform with the Bible in hand. It is much harder to stand before God alone when nobody sees.

Jesus said in Luke 12:2 to 3, “But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light.” There are no secrets with God. What we hide will be exposed. What we justify will be judged.

Pastors must understand this. Ministry doors open and close on character. Anointing does not cover compromise. Talent does not erase sin. Reputation cannot hide corruption forever. What is done in secret has a way of showing itself.

The World is Setting Traps

I do not believe every fall is from demons alone. The world itself is filled with traps.

Scam emails now target pastors. Women online target pastors. Political groups target pastors. There are people who want to use a pastor to promote their agenda or destroy their testimony. A single message, a private conversation, a small compromise can lead to a disaster.

The world is watching for weakness. A ministry leader does not get to live careless. We do not have the luxury of flirting with sin. We cannot play with temptation and pretend we are strong.

The Heart is Never Safe Alone

David fell. Solomon fell. Samson fell. Judas fell.

Not because they were weak men. They fell because they were alone with their thoughts and desires.

The enemy only needs a quiet moment. Peter warned us, “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” 1 Peter 5:8.

A lion does not attack a herd. A lion waits for one to drift away.

• Pastors drift when they are tired.
• Pastors drift when they are discouraged.
• Pastors drift when they feel unappreciated.
• Pastors drift when they are isolated.

Nobody wakes up one morning and decides to ruin their ministry. The fall begins slowly. In the dark. Out of sight.

I Guard Myself to Protect More Than Me

This is not theory for me. I feel the weight of this every day. I try to guard myself because my fall would not just affect me.

• I have a wife who trusts me.
• I have children who look up to me.
• I have a church that follows my leadership.
• I have a men’s ministry that impacts thousands.

If I fall, I potentially could take down a lot of people who have put their trust in what God is doing through me. That is a humbling and terrifying thought. The enemy would love to ruin marriages, churches, and ministries with one man’s secret sin.

This is why I take my private life seriously. This is why I guard my heart, my eyes, and my habits. Not because I am afraid of losing a platform, but because I do not want to destroy the people who would be caught in the fallout. If I walk in darkness, others will stumble.

Paul told the elders of Ephesus, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock” Acts 20:28. The first responsibility is to guard yourself. If the shepherd is not careful, the flock will suffer.

So I ask you to pray for me. Pray that I would finish well. Pray that my heart would stay soft before God. Pray that I would love my wife more than the ministry, love Christ more than the applause, and love holiness more than comfort.

Three Safeguards Every Pastor Needs

1. Guard Your Private Life Closely

• Your phone.
• Your inbox.
• Your hotel room.
• Your late night scrolling.

One moment of weakness can undo years of faithfulness. Honor God when nobody is watching. Pray when nobody knows. Close doors that do not honor Christ.

2. Invite Accountability Courageously

You are not bulletproof. You need brothers who can ask hard questions and poke you in the proverbial chest.

• How is your marriage?
• How is your purity?
• How is your pride?
• How is your anger?

A pastor without accountability is a pastor waiting for a fall.

3. Stay Close to Jesus Daily

Pastors feed others. Sometimes we forget to eat ourselves.

The ministry does not give you intimacy with God. It can actually rob you of it. Jesus said, “Abide in Me” John 15:4. Not visit. Not occasionally pray. Abide. Live there.

Your private walk will shape your public strength.

The Greatest Protection is the Fear of God

A pastor who fears the Lord will hate sin. Proverbs 8:13 says, “The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil.” When the fear of God is strong, temptation loses its appeal. When the fear of God is real, secret sin becomes unthinkable.

The fall of one pastor damages the witness of many. The enemy knows this. The world knows this.

So, pastor, watch what you do in the dark. Your life, your family, your church, your ministry, and the name of Christ are worth guarding.

Live in the light.
Walk in the truth.
Stay humble.
Stay accountable.
Stay close to Jesus.

The world is watching. So is heaven.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Jody