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What can pastors do to earn loyalty? Should they have to?

If their doctrine is sound, their teaching is coherent, and their counsel is wise, shouldn't that be enough?

Well, maybe it isn't. Maybe sound doctrine alienates some people. Maybe coherent teaching is too elementary for some and too advanced for others. Maybe wise counsel doesn't get much loyalty.

In the prayer for serenity, the last part is "wisdom to know the difference". Is this something that pastors need the serenity to accept the outcome, or the courage to change the outcome?

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Not all those who wander are lost.

Actually, I've often seen too much loyalty. I know it's a hard job and there is constant flack and needy quarelous people. But often when there is a real problem with the pastor, the elders and others just ignore it while the church dies. I was at a large church where a new pastor systematically killed several ministries, insulted and fired assistants. They finally confronted him about major theft and he left in a huff. The next pastor fired a bunch of staff and replaced with friends. One of which turned out to be his mistress. Where were the elders? Lots of these goings on were obious to the congregation.

Out here in WA, the largest chuch lost their senior and well known pastor after the police made his sex life public. There were denials for months and a lot of talk about "don't touch the Lord's anointed." When more and more evidence was presented, the allegations were admitted. Now if this had all happened in secret, I could understand. But it came out later that there had been a number of complaints to the elders over the years. It had been an ongoing scandel.

Please believe, I'm not anti-pastor. My DH has been an elder at several churches (not one of ones I mentioned). Gossip and picking at a leader is wrong. But sometimes meetings need to be called to deal with problems. It's not disloyal.

Still4given, it seems that dealing with sin in our lives, pastors and congregations, is a really tough thing to do. You may have noticed that few churches have a disciplinary track record in accord with Christ's directions in Matt. 18.

We decry something like the Penn State affair, where sin was known and tolerated for years, but I'm afraid many churches do the same too often.