OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW 1 SAMUEL 2:12–3:21 Opening Thought 1) Not long ago in our culture, the clergy were the most respected figures in any community. Not anymore. Widely publicized moral failures and financial scandals (especially by a few prominent televangelists) have given ministers as a whole a black eye. As a result, many people have grave suspicions about the motives and actions of religious leaders. If you were to gather a group of young ministers-in-training and had the opportunity