Dr. Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, told students on Tuesday, “I did not see this coming.”

The “this” is the moral failure of Dr. Steven Lawson, the now former lead pastor of Trinity Bible Church of Dallas. In addition to his removal from Trinity Bible, Dr. Lawson was fired from his role as Dean and professor of preaching at The Master’s Seminary. He also resigned from OnePassion Ministry, an organization he founded and where he served as president.

Speaking before students in Louisville, Kentucky, a somber Dr. Mohler referred to Dr. Lawson as “a man who has preached right here from this platform, and a dear friend with whom I have preached all over the country and many parts of the world.”

Focus on the Family’s former board member then pulled no punches:

“I want to speak more bluntly than I have ever spoken in this chapel before,” Mohler said. “I want to share with you a word that was shared with me by a man I won’t name, a very, very honorable name in Christian ministry. His words were these: ‘You will not have sex with a woman not your wife, if you are never alone with a woman not your wife,'” he said.

Dr. Mohler continued:

“That’s simple math. I’m not going to ask you to repeat it, but I want you to think about it. The moment we allow something to happen, we expose ourselves to a temptation greater than we can resist.”

Known within modern Christendom as “The Billy Graham Rule,” such a resolution to not allow yourself as a man to be alone with another woman is often scoffed at and outright rejected in many modern circles.

It was 1948 when Dr. Graham was in Modesto, California for evangelistic meetings with his team, which included at the time, Cliff Barrows, George Beverly Shea and Grady Wilson. Dr. Graham suggested the three men retreat to their respective rooms for an hour and come up with a list of the common temptations facing ministry leaders.

All four of the men listed sexual immorality as one of the top threats to Christian ministry. Then and there the group committed to establishing a policy consistent with the apostle Paul’s admonition to “Flee … youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:22).

Looking back on the exercise, Dr. Graham stated, “[The rules settled] in our hearts and minds, once and for all, the determination that integrity would be the hallmark of both our lives and our ministry”

Critics of the policy suggest it dehumanizes or sexualizes women. They say it also puts women at a professional disadvantage since male bosses who follow such a resolution can’t take female colleagues out to lunch or travel with them as they would their male counterparts.

Many of those concerns can be addressed. To be clear, the “Billy Graham Rule” is not a biblical mandate or biblical absolute. But it does reflect realities and the dangers of an out-of-control heart. It’s the wise couple who establish guidelines and boundaries regarding relationships with those of the opposite sex. Exactly what those look like may differ slightly from family to family – but deciding ahead of time what those parameters will be for you and your spouse is highly recommended.

The “Billy Graham Rule” recognizes the reality of life in a fallen, sinful world. Dr. Mohler’s candidness on Tuesday about it was intended to guide, direct and convict a rising generation of future church and ministry leaders. Only a fool approaches the issue of sexual immorality cavalierly. Instead, thoughtfulness and soberness should be guiding such a discussion.

Dr. Al Mohler, one of our nation’s clearest, and most courageous convictional Christian voices, is the right man to lead it.

Image credit: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association