1Ti 5:22 Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.

We all know, anyone knows (unless they are completely lacking in discernment) that evil people, counterfeit Christians, narcissists looking for self-glory, and other such types very typically seek out the local church as their stage of operation. How could anyone not know this? There are regular reports of pastors and church officers and church members being busted for molesting children, stealing church funds, being caught in adultery, and on the list goes. You know this. We know this. Who doesn’t know it?

And YET, in spite of the clear commands of God’s Word, one such command cited above, local churches, pastors, elder boards, denominations, Christian schools regularly (dare I say even typically) NEVER look into the background of a person they want to appoint as an elder, a deacon, a youth ministry leader, a Sunday School teacher, or, believe it or not, sometimes even a pastoral candidate!

I have seen this evil over and over and over. Here is a man, for instance, relatively new to a church and having come from another church, who appears to be a fine, godly saint. So, he is appointed as an elder. But no one bothered to look into his background. To check with his previous church or to interview other references. The thing is unthinkable but I can tell you it happens over and over again.

Why? That is a good question, is it not? Why? How does such a church know that he is not a pedophile, or a divisive man of whom Paul commands us:

Rom 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.

How does such a church know that this man is not an abuser of his wife? Or a full-blown narcissist? They do NOT know because they do not really know the man. So, they go right ahead and appoint the man into a church office or accept him/her as a member or Sunday School teacher. They have just welcomed a wolf into the flock. They are guilty and as Paul told Timothy, they will share in such a person’s sins.

But back to the question – why? Secular businesses and organizations regularly do background checks. Has the person ever been arrested? Has he or she ever been terminated from employment? And yet churches not only rarely ignore such investigations, they actually believe that this man or woman who they don’t really know, is what he or she says they are. What about Jesus’ teaching about wolves in sheep’s clothing? Well, these people just ignore that.

And, therefore, local churches have domestic abusers, narcissists, even pedophiles serving in various church offices and positions. The pastor himself may be such a one. No one checked. And guess what happens if you suggest that such a background investigation be made? You will be labeled a troublemaker, unspiritual, lacking faith, or even somewhat slanderous.

The devil and his servants are so very, very subtle and deceptive. Churches that hastily accept a person and judge by appearances (the appearances they see on Sunday mornings that is), are being disobedient to God’s Word and unbelieving of that Word.

What might be other reasons for such willful carelessness? Well, ignorance of evil would be one reason. Ignorance of how narcissists and sociopaths and socially charming pedophiles operate. Such church leaders who are this careless are not fit to shepherd Christ’s people. Another reason is that well, “we just don’t want to risk offending the man.” I have personally informed people on a couple of occasions that we would be looking into their background and guess what? They never came back. Good!!

I am sure there are other reasons – perhaps you can suggest more in the comments here. But I can tell you definitely – the common, typical practice of local churches is that they never look into the background of a candidate for membership or appointment to a church office.

Such so-called shepherds will give an account to the Chief Shepherd one day.