By Chuck Reber

When we speak of the restoration of fallen leaders we are dealing with a subject that is near to the heart of God. The Lord loves His shepherds and,
He will be faithful to discipline them when they sin, out of His love for both
them and their flock. Part of the Lord’s discipline, however, involves restoration. The writer of Hebrews, after describing the Lord’s disciplinary process, speaks of the need of restoration:

    “Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and
    make straight the paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put 
    out of  joint, but rather be healed” (Hebrews 12:12-13 NAS).

Restoration involves a complex mix of ingredients. There is no set “recipe” to follow because each person’s life and their crisis situation are different. Therefore, when we discuss restoration, we are not referring to a set program that one can be run through. Rather, we are talking about a process, a flexible, organic, process that can be tailored to the life and needs of the individual.
The process is not without structure or skeleton, but we believe that structure
is to be added to life and not life to structure. Let me explain what I mean.

When a Christian leader “falls” it is the result of a lengthy digression into sin and deception. As one travels down the path of deception, numerous transactions are made along the way. Spiritual disciplines and godly habits are traded-off for self-gratifying lusts and pleasures. Spiritual sensitivity begins to dull, spiritual appetite lessens, and the conscience begins to accept all kinds
of rationalizations. Things that were once black and white become gray. Absolutes only condemn and drag one down, so they are jettisoned.

Prayer loses its delight and becomes a mere cycle of guilty confession and cries for mercy. Shame covers the heart like a thick fog allowing deceiving spirits to sneak in unnoticed. Deception then unpacks its most powerful weapon, hopelessness. This weapon is deployed to destroy the last strongholds of godliness in one’s life. Once hopelessness breaches the wall, self-restraint flees. Deceiving spirits then go to work on the mind cunningly negotiating a truce with sin. Finally, stripped of his defenses, the weary, despairing leader surrenders to the pleasures of sin…the fall is complete.

This brief description paints a dark, but graphic picture of the process satan uses to destroy the life and ministry of a godly leader. What I want to do now
is to give you an overview of the process that God uses to bring about the full restoration of one of His servants. As we look at these five stages I must say that there is no set time for the completion of each stage. The timing is contingent upon the cooperation and response of the fallen one to the grace of God, working through the counselors and pastoral advisors. Again, we must remember that this is a process that must be tailor made to the needs, life situation, and ministry of each individual.

The restoration process will focus on three basic areas of need:

1) The healing of damaged emotions and reconciliation of relationships.

2) The rebuilding of character and confidence.

3. 3)The re-envisioning and equipping for future ministry.
   

Here is what I call the Five Stages of the Restoration Process.

The first stage is RECLAIMING.

This is the work of the shepherd not the prophet. Reclaiming the wounded,
and sometimes-rebellious leader, takes great patience and persistence. These wounded warriors who have fallen prey to the hand of the enemy are filled
with guilt and ridiculed by shame. Many are still unrepentant and are wary of any self-righteous rescuers.

There are two passages of Scripture that should guide us in the reclaiming process.

1. The apostle Paul gives us a description of both the attitude of the rescuer and the heart condition of the fallen.

    "And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone,    
    able to teach, not resentful.

    Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant
    them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come
    to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive
    to do his will"  (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

2. Ezekiel chapter 34 describes the ministry of the shepherd and clearly
reveals God’s heart toward the broken and fallen. God himself is in pursuit of the fallen. His heart is to restore, but He gives a stern warning to the unrepentant.

    “Behold, I myself will search for My sheep and seek them out…I will
    feed my flock and lead them to rest, declares the Lord God. I will seek
    the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and strengthen

    the sick; but the fat and strong I will destroy. I will feed them with
    judgment” (Ezekiel 34:11,15-16).

The second stage is REPENTANCE.

This part of the process requires a deep work of the Holy Spirit and a skillful application of the Word of God. One must not think that just because the fallen have been reclaimed, they are repentant. Deception has been sown deep into the hearts and minds of the fallen and only Spirit guided truth will dislodge it. The gift of discernment, words of wisdom, words of knowledge and prophecy must be sought by the counselors.

Repentance is the process of helping the fallen one to “separate the holy from the profane,” and “the precious from the worthless” (Jer 15:19). It is helping
the fallen one to “trade up” for God’s best, since in their deception, the have traded down for the experience of sinful pleasures. In the repentance stage,
the Lord must “pluck up…break down…destroy and…overthrow” before He
can “build and plant” (Jer 1:10).

Repentance is most easily facilitated if the fallen one is regularly exposed to the presence of God in worship. The place of worship can be painful for them at this stage, but it is pain that must be endured. At times “godly sorrow” will overcome one’s heart. This sorrow is a gift from the Lord, meant to soften the heart and work repentance (2 Cor 7:9-10).

In worship, the Holy Spirit may pour out revelation upon truth that was sown
in counseling; the love and mercy of God toward them will become believable; and confession and cleansing from sin is easier. The secret place of the Most High is a place of refuge and rest for their weary souls. I believe that worship and the presence of God are indispensable at every stage of the restoration process, but they are especially important at this stage.

Our goal is guide them back into relationship with the Lord and submission to His word, not to obtain a confession of wrong. Our role is that of ministers of Christ, not religious police. Those of us counseling the fallen must remember Paul’s words:

    “Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are
    spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking
    to yourself, lest you too be tempted.

    Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.

    For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives    
    himself.

    But let each one of you examine his own work, and then he will have    
    reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to
    another. For each one shall bear his own load” (Galatians 6:1-4).

The third stage is REBUILDING.

This is the construction stage, where one's spiritual foundation is strengthened and a new structure is begun. At the core of this stage is the practice of the Spiritual Disciplines. Spiritual Disciplines are tools the Holy Spirit uses to restore the balance and rebuild the structure in a disoriented and broken life. When Spiritual Disciplines are introduced gradually and followed consistently, the fallen one begins to get back their spiritual and emotional equilibrium. The Lord uses these disciplines to “synchronize” one’s life – body, soul and spirit. We believe that a deep devotional life is central to full restoration, hence, the necessity of Spiritual Disciplines in personal restoration.

These disciplines are divided into three categories: The Inward Disciplines,
The Outward Disciplines, and The Corporate Disciplines.

The Inward Disciplines include:

1. •Meditation
   

2. •Prayer
   

3. •Fasting
   

4. •Study
   

The Outward Disciplines include:

1. •Simplicity
   

2. •Solitude
   

3. •Submission
   

4. •Service
   

The Corporate Disciplines include:

1. •Confession
   

2. •Worship
   

3. •Fellowship
   

4. •Celebration
   

     (See, Celebration of Discipline. Richard Foster; The Spirit and the Disciplines. Dallas
     Willard)

Our desire is to see each family member healed and restored, so that together and individually, they may serve the purposes of God once again. Because each individual situation is different, the resident ministry team will prayerfully design the structure and initiate it suitable to the person’s needs and circumstances.

The fourth stage is RE-ENVISIONING.

This is where the restored one begins to look outward toward fulfilling the call of God upon their life again. This can be a confusing time for the restored one. On one hand there is a desire to get back into ministry again, yet on the other hand, there is a fear of lapsing into the same situation that led to the fall. The Lord’s speaks into this situation:

    For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to
    prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

    Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen
    to you.

    You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

    I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back
    from captivity.  [Or will restore your fortunes] I will gather you from all
    the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the
    LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you
    into exile.” (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

Gifting and calling must be re-evaluated and possibly re-directed, because in many cases, the Lord takes them down a new path of ministry. The relationships they have developed with the pastoral advisors become very important at this stage. These seasoned men of God will assist the restored one through a mentoring process helping them get plugged into prospective areas of ministry. There is still a need to monitor the restored one to be sure that they are truly capable of handling the load of ministry while maintaining their spiritual walk with the Lord, their family responsibilities, and other relationships.

The fifth and final stage is RE-COMMISSIONING.

This is where the restored one is recognized publicly and commissioned by a team of pastors to be sent out to their new field of ministry. This is a day of deep joy and satisfaction for the restored leader, his family, and all who have helped them through the restoration process.

The public endorsement provided by the local pastoral leadership is a powerful shield of defense for the restored one. Jesus re-commissioned Peter in the presence of the other apostles, even going as far as stating the commission three times in recognition of the forgiveness of Peter’s three denials of the Lord. Peter went away from that encounter a changed man, and became a key leader in the early church. Likewise, re-commissioning insures that the restored leader can no longer be hunted, haunted or harmed by anyone’s accusation or suspicion, for fellow servants of the Lord have recognized the endorsement of heaven upon his life, and have publicly sent him out to fulfill the call of God.

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