The Christian Century

Morality tale: When asked to reflect on why pastors like Ted Haggard fall morally, preaching guru Fred Craddock said that it stems from the fact that many pastors never learn to deal with favorable attention. “Never at home or in seminary did anyone teach me how to handle applause,” Craddock said. “You don’t think about it when you’re coming along because you never imagine yourself getting applause for anything. Then when it happens, you say, Hey, I can get used to this. Pretty soon, you’ve got to have it. So you surround yourself with people who silently applaud you for one reason or another. And then your life is gone” (Rev! January/February).