I don't

know any Catholic priest who has AIDS or who died of

AIDS. However, I do know the name of a Baptist pastor who

died of AIDS in a North Carolina hospital.

You ask,

"Where is Hatcher coming from this week?" Well,

I'm trying to process a front page story found in The

Atlanta Constitution, Monday, Jan. 31. The headline read:

"AIDS killing many priests, survey finds." As

with all survey stories, you have to read into the fourth

and fifth paragraphs. It seems the survey results emerged

from a sampling of less than 1.8 percent of priests. Of

that 1.8 percent, about one-half said they knew of

another priest with AIDS.

I just bet

that at least 400 of 38,000 Southern Baptist pastors know

of another pastor with AIDS related sickness. I do. Yet,

that's not including American Baptist pastors nor

Freewill Baptists nor Primitive Baptists nor Independent

Baptists. It seems to me that sin does not respect

gender, race, culture, or denomination. So, why pick on

our Catholic brothers?

Let me tell

you what I do know for sure: pastor after pastor after

pastor of Protestant congregations falling into the sin

of adultery-mostly with the opposite sex. The

headlines could have read, "Adultery destroying many

ministry families, survey finds."

Jesus

Christ, the Chief Executive Officer of the Church, spoke

Truth many, many years ago when he said, "The thief

comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Yet, I have come that

they may have life more abundantly" (John 10:10).

Jesus was talking about the devil. That the devil's modus

operandi is to steal what's valuable to us, to kill who's

precious to us, and to destroy that which is good for us.

We should make no mistake that the devil seeks to kill

every God-fearing priest, pastor, and messianic rabbi.

The devil

wants to destroy the reputation of Jesus Christ

represented in our ministries regardless of our doctrinal

differences. The devil wants to steal away a

congregation's trust in their spiritual leader. And, the

devil will use any means available to do any and all of

that. Therefore, what's the church's offense as the devil

comes against spiritual leaders?

First,

congregations have to get a grip on the reality that sin

and death are related. If a person died (or has potential

for death), rest assured that person is from planet earth

and that person has sinned. The Bible puts it, "All

have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"

(Romans 3:23). I believe that "all" includes

any spiritual leader proclaiming Jesus Christ. Why then,

do congregations act like their ministers were neutered

at birth? Most of us ministers don't ask to be pedestaled

for perfection, but simply respected for our calling.

And, most ministers seriously seek to live victoriously

over sin, but sometimes we fall down.

Second, the

believers within our churches have a call on their lives

and that's to lift their ministers in prayer. How much

stronger would ministers be if 50 percent of each

congregation seriously prayed for their spiritual leaders

rather than only having a sentimental interest in prayer?

I heard recently of a devoted believer who confessed to

her pastor that she had not prayed for him as she should.

She repented and vowed she would be a positive factor in

her pastor's ministry through prayer. Wow!

I believe

that a survey would show that churches that pray for

their pastors would have stronger, more Godly, more

gifted, and more effective ministers! What does your

survey say?

The Rev. Dr. John

Hatcher is pastor of River's Edge Community Church in

Fayetteville.

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