This is a real danger for pastors. When a ministry begins to flourish and becomes broader in scope, there is a danger that the pastor starts building his own kingdom instead of the Kingdom of God.
What happens is that slowly, over time and almost unnoticed, the pastor becomes the center of attention and Jesus is replaced on the altar by the man. One thing’s for sure; this kingdom will not last because it is of man. It might flourish for a time, but so does a flower and then it’s gone.
Your Pastor is Always Right
(Note: Even when he never is)
When your pastor is always making himself or herself right, this can be very problematic for a number of reasons. No one is always right, including pastors. A pastor’s responsibility isn’t to interpret the Bible; their job is to preach the Gospel. It’s not based upon what they think. It’s based on what God says. If your pastor is unwilling to acknowledge or admit their mistakes or doesn’t accept an obvious mistake, that should be a major red flag. Also, if there’s a problem in the church, your pastor should be approachable. If a pastor is so unapproachable and unopen to constructive concerns or criticisms, then he his heart is not in the right place concerning the ministry.
Your Pastor Overrules the Board
(Note: In some cases, this is not a problem as the Board never offers anything to which the Apostle, Prophet, Elijah to Come, Messenger of the Covenant and Branch would take exception to.)
Is your pastor a loose cannon? If he or she is, this is a warning sign that they are too controlling and have their eyes set on an alternative kingdom. A pastor should never have the church checkbook in their possession. Your church deacon or treasurer should be in possession of this and require at least two signatures, not one being the pastor’s. If you see your pastor beginning to break the rules of the church, then that is a major sign that something is going on that shouldn’t be. A pastor is accountable to the church. This ensures that they stay above reproach.
Your Pastor Doesn’t Delegate
A huge red flag that your pastor is building their own kingdom is when they begin to do it all, refusing to delegate anything. When this happens, your pastor has too much control and is no longer focused on Christ’s kingdom and the role of the church. The gifts of the men and women of the church should be utilized to the ministry of the church. All members of the church must be allowed to minister in their particular place in the body. One man or woman can’t do that.
(Note: Ahem...)
This is a pretty big red flag and can have very negative implications. “Yes men” refers to those individuals who only say yes to everything that is presented to them. If a leader wants to be successful, they must be willing to say “no” to “yes men.”
This is a pretty big red flag and can have very negative implications. “Yes men” refers to those individuals who only say yes to everything that is presented to them. If a leader wants to be successful, they must be willing to say “no” to “yes men.”
The problem with yes men and those unwilling to disagree, lead-up or challenge their leader is leaving their leader vulnerable to settling for the status quo. It’s important for leaders to create an environment where individuals can be open and honest. If your pastor isn’t doing this, you should be concerned.
Your Pastor Resists Accountability
(Note: As in "Why is nothing you preach real or true?" and "Why is it always that we didn't understand but now you do x 48 this year?)
Accountability is defined as “the quality or state of being accountable; an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.” Sadly, pastors are not excluded.
Accountability is defined as “the quality or state of being accountable; an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.” Sadly, pastors are not excluded.
You should pay attention to a pastor who has stopped being accountable for job responsibilities. (Note: Or the veracity of his theology).
This is a huge red flag that he is building his own kingdom and not God’s. Pastors set the example for accountability. Remember, a pastor’s official responsibility is to govern the church along with the elders, and his focus should be primarily spiritual, attending to matters such as edifying believers and equipping the saints to do the work of the ministry.
12 comments:
I find myself beginning to agree more with Dennis. Is this possible?
I can just hear it all now!
"Oh, this describes the world's churches, the Christians falsely so-called! God would never allow His ministers in His true church to become anything like this!"
Or, the similarly naive: "Oh, but the people who wrote this article don't understand Church authority!"
Or, "Aren't you glad that Mr. Herbert Armstrong never behaved in this manner? He was certainly gifted with Godly humility, wasn't he?"
guess I'll start leaving one empty Elijah place setting at the table from now on during Days Of Unlv. Br. to see which of these presiding prefects or toastmasters or abbots or pryors will drop by & seat himself there
I have been agreeing with Dennis for a long time. It is hard to disagree because he uses “human reasoning “ and he is well Informed.
Jim-AZ
I am glad Dennis is posting again. His articles are welcome change of pace from reporting on the crazies out there with their wild interpretations of the Bible that they use to inflate their self-importance.
I have read the books Dennis recommended as well as some other material, I have come to similar conclusions to Dennis.
that's right, they'd accuse you of "not following the mantle" the top-down hierarchy from 3rd Heaven down through Pasadena, then down to your fussbudgety local minister
Anyone know what’s going on with Sheldon Monsoon’s group?
Well whatever shall the rebels from within the ministry, who dwell on here, do about themselves??? Inquiring minds need to know.
Comment was made saying: "...Remember, a pastor’s official responsibility is to govern the church along with the elders, and his focus should be primarily spiritual, attending to matters such as edifying believers and equipping the saints to do the work of the ministry...."
******
Once upon a time, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong agreed with what you just wrote there. When? How so?
Within the 1957 Good News magazine Article titled “Christ Did Put Authority and RULE in His Church!”, Herbert W. Armstrong on page 23 basically told his “little helpers,” hirelings supporting him, to keep their noses out of the private lives of the members of what he considered to be God’s Church.
{{...Does God's RULE in His Church give ministers authority to intervene even in affairs of the personal life of members? The answer is, YES, but of course rarely, and only in extreme cases where this is necessary. Paul said, "this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should they eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies." (II Thes. 3: I0-1 I ). That is a command that the Church is to command such to work, and if they do not, to take from them all aid given by the Church to help feed them.
God's ministers are required to use wisdom and judgment, and they are never going to interfere in private lives unless there is a BIBLE reason...}}
History has shown over and over again that many (most?) of the hirelings of the former WCG did their own things, preached their own thoughts and opinions, and theories and did the opposite of what Mr. Armstrong said. They so often stuck their noses where they didn’t belong and created one stench after another...for decades!
Anything new? That history continues today via the “little helpers” driven by another spirit, hirelings of the former WCG, in the scattered xcogs (John 10; Ezek 34) as they patiently await another "3-5 years" for their/another Jesus, via another gospel, to arrive in "the clouds" and then shoot down to reign on earth for 1,000 years.....
Are these false pastors, hirelings of the former WCG, building another kingdom of their own making, or are they behaving in a way that is very similar to the former Pharisees of Jesus' day some approximately 2,000 years ago:
"But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in." Matthew 23:13
If the hirelings of the former WCG are just modern-day Pharisees, then they all better read John 3:16-17 and perhaps hope/pray God's will be done whereby God has by His grace saved and not condemned them for the way(s) they have behaved. Can they, will they, repent?
Time will tell...
John
HWA learnt his church trade from COG7. He followed their culture rather than biblical teachings. This is obvious if one watches the televangelists and reads their dissident sites. Like Herb, they treat their members as ten year olds and feed them spiritual milk.
The bible is clear on not lording it over members faith and not lording it over their lives. This is completely ignored. It's myopic bully morality that prevails in the ACOGs instead. Which is why in order to maintain numbers and income, members are groomed to tolerate abuse from the church crazies. Which is why ministers side with the criminally minded rather than their victims. And when the inevitable splits occur, it's never their fault but rather Satan's and the alleged unconverted.
One simple proof of this is that when members leave their church, the compulsively abusive often start behaving in a considerate manner. They know that there's no minister or evil church culture to hide behind.
Sounds like description of ghastly Steven Allwine
Heh! The only culture one ever gets from COG-7, or its main splinter WCG, is bacteria culture. We were quite the little Petri dish, weren't we, 4:55?
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