Confession

Philip Yancey is a Christian evangelical writer that I have admired for many years. I learned more about life, the church, and the giving of self to the cause of Christ through him.  But then I read about his confession of an eight-year affair. I am disappointed to say the least, yet not surprised by the total depravity we all have within us.  Like Ravi Zacharias years ago, who dropped from the evangelical scene because of his sin, Philip Yancey has now taken himself out of his ministry of writing and speaking, yet due to an encounter with God, he confessed his sin. Written below is a portion of what Jim Denison wrote in his daily devotional (8/ 26):

“I have followed Yancey’s work for years and consider him one of the most thoughtful and authentic writers in the evangelical world. It was therefore devastating to learn yesterday that he engaged in an affair with a married woman for eight years and is now retiring from writing and speaking.

In an emailed statement to Christianity Today, an outlet for which he has written for decades, he confessed the affair and added:

I am now focused on rebuilding trust and restoring my marriage of fifty-five years. Having disqualified myself from Christian ministry, I am therefore retiring from writing, speaking, and social media. Instead, I need to spend my remaining years living up to the words I have already written. I pray for God’s grace and forgiveness—as well as yours—and for healing in the lives of those I’ve wounded.

His prayer highlights one side of the Christian life, the “amazing grace” about which Yancey wrote so often. In The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, Tim Keller famously wrote, ‘The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me.’”

Years ago, someone asked me if she should throw out all of Ravi Zacharias’ books.  My response was “no.” It is my belief that God works within all of us, but that does not mean that Satan doesn’t.  We are tempted, all of us, even in the midst of our faith, to do what we should not do, but that does not discount what God greatly did within the sinner.

Becky and I have often felt that as a person rises in legitimate respect and appreciation in the faith, and becomes a large contributor of insight to our faith, the temptation increases.  It happens to many, if not all. It does not discount what God did in and through them though it ‘contaminates the water’, the influence, when he/she falls into sin afterwards.  

I think that is what happened to Phillip Yancey.  In his faithfulness, he found himself lonely, sometimes isolated. And instead of listening to what God said to him, or what God revealed to him, he turned inward to find what he felt he needed at the time, something he felt he was not getting at home or in worship. When people are put on a pedestal, the falling off is very hard. I feel for him, I’m disappointed in him, but then, I sure understand. Being a pastor can be very lonely.  How many ministers drop out after five years as a pastor? Several years ago, I heard that only 25% of those who entered pastoral ministry stay in pastoral ministry until retirement.  I am not sure that is accurate, but ministry that involves proclaiming, teaching, counseling weighs very heavily on the pastor’s heart. And today, the difficulty of finding a pastor within a church or denomination is most difficult because in part, they are afraid of what ministry could do to them.

I am thankful for what Philip Yancey has written and from what I learned from him.  He was instrumental in the book, “The Gift Nobody Wants”, which he co-wrote with the physician Paul Brand, who cared for those with leprosy.  It encouraged me in my years of travel to India and visiting Dr. Brand’s hospital for lepers. It was there that I saw the care given to those who were separated from family, friends, and who became outcasts because of the disease.  It was the hospital where God’s grace was given in all measure, and it is the same grace that Philip Yancey and all of us need.  

But I am also thankful that he met God in such a way that he had to confess his sin to God and to seek to repair the damage he caused by his sin.  His prayer, like all of us who sin, needs to be that of Psalm 51 (HCSB) written by David: 

Be gracious to me, God,
according to Your faithful love;
according to Your abundant compassion,
blot out my rebellion.

2 

Wash away my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.

3 

For I am conscious of my rebellion,
and my sin is always before me.

4 

Against You—You alone—I have sinned
and done this evil in Your sight.
So You are right when You pass sentence;
You are blameless when You judge.

5 

Indeed, I was guilty when I was born;
I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

6 

Surely You desire integrity in the inner self,
and You teach me wisdom deep within.

7 

Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 

Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones You have crushed rejoice.

9 

Turn Your face away from my sins
and blot out all my guilt.

10 

God, create a clean heart for me
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 

Do not banish me from Your presence
or take Your Holy Spirit from me.

(con’t)

12 

Restore the joy of Your salvation to me,
and give me a willing spirit.

13 

Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways,
and sinners will return to You.

14 

Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God,
the God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.

15 

Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare Your praise.

16 

You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it;
You are not pleased with a burnt offering.

17 

The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.
God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.

18 

In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper;
build the walls of Jerusalem.

19 

Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on Your altar.

Let me close with a prayer that is lifted up to God before receiving the Lord’s Supper:

Alrighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, maker and judge of us all: 

We acknowledge and lament our many sins and offenses, which we have committed by thought word and deed against Your divine majesty, provoking most justly Your righteous anger against us.  We are deeply sorry for these our transgressions; the burden of themes more than we can bear.  Have mercy upon us, Have mercy upon us most merciful Father; for Your Son our Lord Jesus Christ sake, forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may evermore serve and please You in newness of life, to the honor and glory off Your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. (Anglican Book of Common Prayer, 2019)

Grace and Peace,

Quentin

Sharecropper’s Inheritance

Epiphany, 2026