Scandals in the Church: Why Do So Many Leaders Fall and What Can We Do About It?
– Understanding Leadership Failure, Moral Collapse, and Restoration in the Church
In recent years, scandals involving evangelical and Christian leaders have become increasingly common. Stories of sexual misconduct, abuse of power, financial mismanagement, and moral failure have deeply shaken churches and ministry organizations worldwide. Too often, these scandals are minimized, hidden, or poorly handled—resulting in further damage and a growing loss of trust in Christian leadership.
The upcoming Mini-Campus at Scandinavian School of Theology addresses the painful but necessary topic of scandals in the church. Through biblical reflection, practical insight, and honest dialogue, participants will explore why so many leaders fall and what can be done to prevent moral, financial, and power-related collapse.
What This Mini-Campus Will Cover
- Why moral, money, and power scandals are so common among Christian leaders
- Patterns and warning signs that precede leadership failure
- Biblical and practical guardrails to protect leaders from collapse
- How churches and organizations should respond when scandals occur
- What to do if you—or someone close to you—falls into sin
- Pathways toward repentance, restoration, and healing
Since all leaders are vulnerable, this Mini-Campus focuses not only on failure but on prevention, accountability, and integrity in long-term ministry leadership.
Sign up here!
Admission Friday Admission Saturday
The main speaker is Dr. Daryl McCarthy. Dr. McCarthy has served in ministry since 1974 as a professor, pastor, author, and international speaker. He is currently:
- Executive Director of The Leadership Anvil
- Theological Education Teaching Fellow with One Mission Society (OMS)
His primary focus is equipping Christian professors and ministry leaders across Europe. Dr. McCarthy and his wife, Dr. Teri McCarthy, live in Olathe, Kansas.
Speakers include:
- Dr. Hans Sundberg, former leader of Vineyard Nordic and faculty member at Scandinavian School of Theology, sharing firsthand experience with spiritual deception, leadership failure, and restoration processes
- Torbjörn Aronson, Head of Scandinavian School of Theology and Professor of Church History, with extensive research on Swedish revival movements in the 19th and 20th centuries
These sessions will provide historical perspective, pastoral wisdom, and contextual insight into how scandals have shaped—and continue to shape—the church in Scandinavia.
Schedule:
Friday 6th February
08.15–08.30 Worship and prayer
08.30–10.00 Dr Daryl McCarthy: Why Do So Many Leaders Fall Because of Sex, Money,
and Power and What Do We Learn From These Failures?
10.00–10.30 Coffee break
10.30–12.00 Dr Daryl McCarthy: What Guardrails Can Help Protect Us?
12.00–13.30 Lunch break
13.30–15.00 Dr Daryl McCarthy: What Should We Do If We or Someone Close to Us Falls Into Sin?
15.00–15.30 Coffee break
15.30 –16.15 Concluding discussion and comments
19.00 Evening Service with Dr Daryl McCarthy
Saturday, 7th February
08.15–08.30 Worship and prayer
08.30–9.10 Dr Torbjörn Aronson: Scandals in Churches in Sweden: A Historical Overview
9.15–10.00 Dr Hans Sundberg: Spiritual Deception, Fall and Restoration. Part 1.
Dr Hans Sundberg, former leader Vineyard Sweden and Vineyard Nordic shares some of his experiences of fall and restoration of leaders and pastors
10.00–10.30 Coffee break
10.30–11.10 Spiritual Deception, Fall and Restoration. Part 2, Dr Hans Sundberg
11.15–12.00 Q & A, Comments and Prayer
