Responding to the intense scrutiny presidential candidates have received lately, one contender complained, "We're running for President, not sainthood." Does such a distinction hold true for pastors?

On one hand, pastors are full-fledged members of the human race. They sin daily. On the other hand, pastors labor in a profession in which character is critical. They're called to lead and teach and model not some technical skill but a life. When pastors fall, they can wound many believers.

So how pure does a pastor need to be? LEADERSHIP posed the question to four key individuals. Two are pastors:

-Eugene Peterson, pastor of Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland.

-Charles Swindoll, pastor of First Evangelical Free Church in Fullerton, California.

The other two are denominational officials who daily deal with the care, certification, and discipline of ministers:

-G. Raymond Carlson, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, headquartered in Springfield, Missouri.

-Donald ...