Cowards in the Pulpit
Cowards in the Pulpit: When Culture Trumps Courage
Let’s talk about a growing problem in the church—spineless preachers. Yeah, I said it. The pulpit has become a safe space for cowards too afraid to preach the truth about any controversial subject, but most notably, biblical masculinity and leadership. Instead of leading men toward strength, responsibility, and godly authority, they bow to the culture, whispering a soft, gutless, single dimensional take on “like Christ loved the church” while masculinity circles the drain.
These pastors aren’t ignorant. They know exactly what the Bible says about men and their role as leaders in the home, the church, and society. The issue isn’t knowledge—it’s courage. Or rather, the lack of it. Their faith is at war with their fear, and fear is winning. So, they water down Scripture, slap a bow on it, and call it the whole word, rightly divided. In the end there’s no challenge, no conviction, no vision, no modern application, and every toe is left without a mark.
The Fallout of Fearful Preaching
The result? A generation of men walking out of church confused, emasculated, and unchallenged. Faith is faltering, not because the Bible isn’t clear, but because its preachers are too scared to say what it actually means. Men are leaving the church in droves, not because they’ve lost interest in God, but because the church has lost interest in them. And where is the backbone? Instead of being a place where men are challenged to grow, lead, and take responsibility, the church has become a place that coddles, panders, and avoids. Culture is their driver, and they fall all over themselves to follow the next thing.
Let’s get real. A pastor’s job is to proclaim the truth, not pander to society. But many of these guys are so scared of being labeled “toxic” or “misogynistic” that they’d rather offend God than offend the woke Twitter mob. They preach sermons that are softer than a Hallmark movie, steering clear of anything that might get them canceled or make someone uncomfortable.
Here’s a newsflash: Truth is uncomfortable. Leadership is uncomfortable. And biblical masculinity? It’s not for the faint of heart. Quite simply, Scripture is offensive and if you ain’t offending, you ain’t preaching!
God didn’t call men to sit in the background, passively nodding along while the culture rewrites the rulebook. He called men to lead—with strength, with courage, and with a deep commitment to His Word. Sadly, the church is nearly always downstream of culture. What does that mean? Just this, instead of the church influencing culture as we’re called to do, the church sits on the edge of their seats waiting for the next cultural fad to drop so they can get in on the ground floor.
The Fallout of Fearful Pastoral Leadership
Let me tell you, the quest for a solid church has been one of the most discouraging battles we’ve faced in recent years. We’ve been at it for over three years now, and you’d think being in the “Bible Belt” would make it a cakewalk. Sadly: it doesn’t. It’s like searching for a needle in a haystack—except the haystack is on fire, and the needle might not even exist.
Here’s a prime example of the nonsense we’ve run into. We thought we’d finally found a decent church. It wasn’t perfect—let’s face it, no church is—but overall, we liked it. The pastor? Sound preacher, solid theology. Things were looking up. But then, reality decided to throw a curveball.
Turns out, the woman leading the kids' program—or at least playing a significant role in it—was openly living with her boyfriend. Yep, no whispers in the dark here; she was out and proud about it. Now, I’m no stranger to messy situations in ministry, so I figured, let me see what I can do to help and support the pastor. I already had a lunch meeting scheduled with the pastor, so I brought it up. Kindly. Graciously. With all the tact I could muster.
His response? Two words: “It’s complicated.”
I was stunned. Complicated? Really? I was expecting something—anything—along the lines of “I’m struggling with how to handle this,” or “I need prayer for wisdom.” I mean, even a half-hearted “I’m working on it” would’ve sufficed. But “it’s complicated”? That’s a non-answer. A cop-out.
He went on to explain how the woman hadn’t been saved for long, hadn’t been in church before, but now she was faithful. While all that is fine and dandy, but it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she’s openly living in sin while holding a leadership role in the church. I tried again.
“Look,” I said, “I’ve been in pastoral ministry for 36 years. I get it. These situations are tough.” I didn’t even get to finish before he cut me off with another “it’s complicated.”
Then came the deflection. He started telling me about the boyfriend’s background—former Marine Corps medic, seen horrible things, has PTSD. While my heart goes out to the guy, what does that have to do with the issue at hand? Absolutely nothing. The pastor shut down after that, barely said another word, and we both knew right then and there: we were done with that church.
I wasn’t about to let my granddaughter, or any of my family, stay under the influence of a church that excuses and promotes open sin. Period.
The "Grace" Excuse
A couple of weeks later, I mentioned the situation to a friend who happened to be a board member at the church. His response? “If we’re going to err, we’re going to err on the side of grace.”
Grace? Let’s unpack that for a second. Grace is about redemption, not enabling. It’s about calling sin what it is and pointing people to repentance—not sweeping it under the rug because confrontation is uncomfortable. This situation wasn’t about grace; it was about cowardice. Plain and simple.
Spineless leadership like this doesn’t lead people toward Christ; it leads them toward destruction. And make no mistake, the blood of that destruction will be on the hands of those leaders.
Paul didn’t tell the church to “err on the side of grace” when dealing with open sin. He said, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” He set an example of bold leadership rooted in truth and accountability. The problem with these modern “grace-first” leaders is that they’ve mistaken passivity for compassion and conflict avoidance for kindness.
Weakness in Leadership = Disaster
Let me make this as clear as possible: weakness in men always leads to destruction. Every. Single. Time.
When pastors refuse to confront sin, the ripple effect is devastating. The congregation starts to lose its moral compass. Families begin to crumble. Men, already struggling to find their footing in a culture that’s constantly undermining them, are left with no guidance, no accountability, and no hope.
What’s worse, these pastors are teaching by example. When a leader shows that confrontation is optional and that truth can be softened to fit the narrative, the men in the congregation follow suit. They become passive, indifferent, and ineffective.
Churches like this aren’t producing warriors for Christ; they’re churning out bystanders. And let’s not sugarcoat it—that’s exactly what Satan wants.
The Real Call of Leadership
Pastoral leadership isn’t for the timid and soft. It requires courage, conviction, and a backbone made of steel. It’s about standing firm on the truth of God’s Word, even when it’s uncomfortable or unpopular.
True biblical leadership doesn’t “err on the side of grace.” It calls sin what it is and offers a path to redemption. It challenges people to grow, to repent, and to step into the life God has for them.
But this kind of leadership is impossible when pastors are more concerned with keeping the peace than keeping the faith. Fearful pastors aren’t just failing their congregations; they’re failing their God-given calling.
If sinners are comfortable in your church, your pastor is failing in his role.
The Fallout Is Real
The fallout of fearful pastoral leadership is all around us. Churches are shrinking. Men are walking away from the faith. Families are struggling. And it’s not because God’s Word isn’t relevant—it’s because too many pastors are too scared to preach it boldly.
Weak pastors produce weak men. Weak men produce weak families. And weak families produce a weak society. The domino effect is as predictable as it is devastating.
A Challenge to Pastors
If you’re in the pulpit, it’s time to step up. Stop hiding behind phrases like “it’s complicated.” Stop using “grace” as a shield for your fear. The men in your congregation need to hear the truth. They need to be challenged, encouraged, and held accountable.
Your job isn’t to keep everyone comfortable; it’s to proclaim the gospel in its entirety. And sometimes, that means stepping on toes.
Remember, God didn’t call you to be liked. He called you to lead. So, lead with boldness, courage, and an unwavering commitment to the truth.
And if you’re not up for that challenge? Well, maybe it’s time to consider another line of work—because the church doesn’t need more cowards in the pulpit. It needs warriors.
Final Word
Fearful leadership has no place in the church. The stakes are too high. Eternity is on the line, and the world needs men who will rise to the occasion. So, to every pastor out there: take a good, hard look in the mirror. Are you leading with courage? Or are you bowing to culture?
The choice is yours—but the consequences are eternal.
What Biblical Masculinity Actually Means
Let’s clear something up before the critics start sharpening their pitchforks. Biblical masculinity isn’t about domination or ego. It’s about responsibility. It’s about men stepping up to love sacrificially, lead courageously, and serve humbly. A man’s role as a leader is not a position of privilege—it’s a position of accountability. It’s about being the first to sacrifice and the last to quit.
But how are men supposed to step into that role when the church itself is undermining them at every turn? When pastors are too timid to say, “Husbands, you’re the head of your home. Fathers, you’re the near absolute leaders of your family. Men, you’re called to protect, provide, and lead with humility and strength”?
Instead, they toss out lukewarm pep talks about “partnership” and “collaboration,” and unbiblical terms like “spiritual leader” or “servant leader”, carefully avoiding words like authority or headship. And then they wonder why their congregations are shrinking, why men are bored out of their minds, and why faith feels so weak in the face of a hostile culture.
Bowing to Culture: A Dangerous Trade-Off
Here’s where it gets dicey. Many pastors bow to culture under the guise of being “relevant.” They think if they soften the message, they’ll attract more people. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t work. You don’t win people over by diluting truth; you win them over by standing firm in it.
Think about it. Why would a man—a real man—be drawn to a church that tells him he’s irrelevant? Why would he sit through sermons that paint him as either a passive bystander or a problem to be solved? Men aren’t looking for a church that strokes their ego or panders to their insecurities. They’re looking for a church that challenges them, sharpens them, and equips them to lead.
But too many churches are afraid to step on toes. They’re more concerned about being liked than being biblical. They’ve traded courage for comfort, and the results are disastrous. Faith without courage is useless. It’s a hollow shell of what God intended.
The Cost of Cowardice
When pastors refuse to preach the truth, the cost isn’t just a few disgruntled congregants. The cost is eternal. Men who don’t understand their God-given role as leaders end up abdicating that role. Families suffer. Communities suffer. And yes, the church suffers.
When men aren’t taught to lead biblically, they don’t lead at all. And when men don’t lead, the weight of leadership falls on women and children, who were never designed to carry the load. The fallout is devastating. Weakness in men spreads like a virus—and it’s everywhere. Don’t believe me? Look at the online preachers you admire. They crush debates with college big shots, wielding biblical truth like a sword. But then a “gotcha” question comes their way: “Are Catholics saved?” “Can you be homosexual and go to heaven?” “What about women preachers?”
Cue the backpedaling. Suddenly, these bold warriors become spineless philosophers, hiding behind a fake “context” argument or spouting convoluted Greek definitions that are twisted just right to make their point. They talk in circles, hoping to confuse rather than confront, and most people buy it because, hey, they sound smart.
Here’s the truth: weak men overcomplicate what God made simple. They’re too scared to offend or too desperate for approval to just say, “This is what Scripture teaches. Take it or leave it.” Instead, they waffle, leaving truth—and their credibility—on life support.
A Call to Courage
It doesn’t have to be this way. The church doesn’t need more cowards in the pulpit—it needs warriors. Men of God who will preach the hard truths, even if it ruffles feathers. Pastors who are more afraid of disobeying Scripture than they are of offending Karen in the front row.
Preaching biblical masculinity isn’t toxic—it’s transformative. It’s about calling men to be who God designed them to be: leaders who take responsibility, love sacrificially, and stand firm in their faith. The church will never thrive by bowing to the culture. It will only thrive when it stands unapologetically on the truth of God’s Word. Many modern pastors fall into the devil’s favorite preacher trap, they think that they are building their churches by avoiding hard sermons, but I contend that people with a genuine heart for the Lord are tired of toothless messages that leaves them empty and without a challenge.
So, if you’re in the pulpit, stop playing it safe. Preach the truth. Call men to rise up. And if you’re too scared to do that? Well, maybe it’s time to go sell cars—because God didn’t call you to coddle; He called you to lead.
Practical Steps for Pastors
- Study Without Bias Open the Bible with fresh eyes. Forget what the culture says. Forget what your seminary professor said if it’s in conflict with Scripture. Preach what’s written, not what’s popular.
- Speak Boldly Stop watering down the message. Stop apologizing for what the Bible says. Speak truth with love but speak it loud and clear. Men need to hear it, and so does everyone else. As soon as the little voice in your ear tells you that so-and-so is going to be mad if you preach that, pull up your big boy pants and preach it twice as hard.
- Challenge Men Directly Call men to action. Give them something to strive for. Tell them what God expects of them and challenge them to rise to the occasion. Be specific, practical, and unrelenting. Never neuter the message of male leadership. Lose the “spiritual leader” and “servant leader” nonsense and preach it as we see it in Scripture. Preach the man’s role as God outlines it: strong yet humble. Fierce yet loving. Unwavering yet compassionate.
- Lead by Example If you’re a pastor, you’re already in a leadership role. Live it out. Be the kind of man you’re calling others to be. Your example will speak louder than any sermon.
- Stop Bowing to Culture Culture changes with the wind; the Word of God does not. Refuse to compromise. Preach the Bible, not the headlines.
Practical Steps for Men
- Own Your Role Stop waiting for permission to lead. God already gave it to you. Own it. Step into it. Be the leader your family, your church and your community need.
- Embrace Responsibility Leadership isn’t about simply being in charge; it’s about being responsible. Be the first to sacrifice, the first to serve, and the first to admit when you’re wrong. If you don’t have the guts to take responsibility when you screw up, you aren’t fit to be a in charge. Say it with me, “that was my fault. I did it. I was wrong.” If you need to print out those sentences and tape them to your bathroom mirror, so be it.
- Study Scripture If you’re going to lead biblically, you need to know what the Bible says. Dig into it. Study it. Let it shape your view of leadership, not the other way around. How do you react when Scripture calls you out? Do you explain it away, gloss over it, or justify it with “God knows my heart”? Scripture isn’t a buffet; it’s a mirror. If it makes you uncomfortable, good—that’s where growth begins. Stop dodging, repent, and change. God’s Word isn’t about comfort; it’s about redemption.
- Find Accountability Leadership isn’t a solo act. Surround yourself with other godly men-if you can find any, but that’s a different story-who will challenge you, encourage you, and hold you accountable.
- Act with Courage Leadership takes guts. It’s not always easy, and it’s not always popular. But it’s always worth it. Stand firm, even when it’s hard.
Final Thoughts
The church is at a crossroads. We can continue to bow to culture, or we can stand firm on the truth of God’s Word. The choice is ours, but the stakes couldn’t be higher. Men are waiting for a call to action. They’re waiting for pastors with the courage to preach the truth. They’re waiting for a church that challenges them to be the leaders God created them to be.
It’s time to stop playing it safe. It’s time to stop cowering in the face of culture. It’s time to preach biblical masculinity with boldness and conviction. Because the church doesn’t need more cowards in the pulpit—it needs warriors. And the world needs them now more than ever.
