Perry Noble on Coming Back 'Too Soon' From Alcohol Scandal: 'We Have One Shot at Life'
Former NewSpring Church senior pastor Perry Noble recently answered questions about whether he is coming back "too soon" after his struggles with alcohol, by pointing out that in the Bible, the Apostles Peter and Paul also made big mistakes but preached the Gospel soon after.
Noble, who has tackled his problems by checking into a treatment center for alcohol addiction and worked on his marriage under the guidance of a Christian therapist, revealed last month that he is moving forward with his life, and will be focusing on church and business consulting.
"I've actually planted and built a great church, and really do believe that what the Lord was gracious enough to teach me in the 16 years I was at NewSpring could be used to encourage, challenge and advance the church/ministry you are wanting to see achieve its maximum potential," he said in December.
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NewSpring has grown under Perry's leadership to have a weekly attendance of 32,000 congregants across 11 satellite campuses.
Noble was fired last year from the South Carolina megachurch he founded in 2000. Though specifics were not cited, the executive pastors noted that they had concerns regarding his "posture towards marriage, increased reliance on alcohol and other behaviors" not involving sexual sin, domestic abuse or money issues.
On Sunday, he posted a Facebook video in response to those wondering whether he is "coming back too early," and whether he should have waited a little longer before returning to social media, consulting and preaching.
Noble responded: "My mother died when she was 49 years old. I did the math, and I have 1,263 days until I am 49."
"What if God allowed me to live as long as my mother? I don't want to live the next 1,263 days of my life trying to win the approval of people who never believed in me in the fist place."
The former pastor said that he does not want to live his life "full of regrets," and urged others to also not let other people hold them back from what God has called them to do.
"We have one shot at life. We don't get to come back as a tree, or a butterfly, or a cow," he argued.
"My prayer for me, and my prayer for you, is that we will get to live a life with no regrets."
He said that he does not know how long he needs to "stay on the sidelines," but pointed out that major figures in the Bible have also gone back to preaching not long after making serious mistakes.
"Peter denied Christ, and 50 days later he preached the Gospel to Jerusalem," Noble said.
"Paul, who was murdering Christians, comes to Christ and in Acts 9 immediately starts preaching the Gospel."
Noble concluded: "If God has put something in your heart, don't sit around and wait for the approval of people who don't believe in you in the first place. You stay up too late, and you do what God called you to do."
