Since earlier this year I have been following the story of a campus minister I knew in Oklahoma who was caught in an underage sex sting. This is a story that details some of his descent into the life that led to his current jail sentence. I don't post this to expose him or shame him any more than he already has been, but to show how one little thing leads to another and another, and pretty soon you are renting a motel room across the state and attempting to pick up a 13 year old girl to have sex all night. I believe wholeheartedly that he did not begin his online habits with the intent to sodomize a little girl, but the slippery slope of sinfulness had a horrific crash at the bottom for him.

I wrote a post back in February about how how there must have been a million outs at every turn of events for him. The above story confirms that there were several moments where he almost got on the interstate and drove back home because something didn't feel right. Of course, by that time, "not feeling right" about the situation was being concerned that it might be a setup, rather than "I'm attempting to have sex with a 13 year old girl." But nevertheless, the outs were there and the urge to call everything off was present.

This is why honesty and accountability are so essential. I would be foolish to think that I am immune to the kind of downward spiral this campus minister took in his life. But this is why I have learned to proactively seek accountability from people willing to ask me hard questions. I am blessed to work with spiritual leaders who understand this - I meet with one of my elders for about an hour and a half every week mostly to talk about life, ministry, and personal issues. I don't know anything for sure, but my guess is that this minister did not have these kinds of relationships active in his life. Being totally honest with people who are committed to loving you through it all is the very first out you have in bypassing the descent into sinful self-destruction. Sin thrives in a life of secrecy.