God calls many of His children to a position for the purposes of leading and shepherding the flock. Pastors, teachers, elders, etc, are all biblically ordained roles (Eph. 4:11) but just how much authority are these offices given?
A sad truth in many churches today is that pastors, teachers, and elders exert or attempt to exert an authoritarian type of control over ‘their’ church.
While many of these leaders are well meaning, their extreme authority is rooted in a hunger for power and control. This will result into a Jezebelian spirit in control of a church.
These leaders will try to rationalize and defend such behavior under the guise of love and shepherding.
The Bible does give a certain level of spiritual authority to church leadership, but all too often such authority is abused and misused, going well beyond what the scriptures outline.
A few more traits of a Jezebelian leadership:
*He has the capacity to destroy his critics verbally and disarm them emotionally.
*He provokes and intimidates people to get what he wants.
*He demands respect instead of trying to earn it.
*He wears a phony smile and acts like everything is alright even when things are falling apart in ‘his’ church.
*He has not accountability for his behavior.
*He has an insatiable need for adoration. When others are not praising him, he will praise himself.
*He cast himself in a role of total control, which he plays to the max.
*He uses his ‘people skills’ to exploit, abuse and wield power.
*He has an inflated sense of superiority which propels him to recklessness.
*He has tremendous feelings of entitlement. He believes everything is owed to him as a right.
*He has arrogant, haughty behavior or attitudes coupled with rage when frustrated, contradicted or confronted.
*He requires excess admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation.
The Apostle Peter clearly states to lead by example, not as a lord. He says to serve as an overseer and not to force people into submission.
“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. “ 1 Peter 5:2-3 NIV
Jesus taught plainly in regard to the proper role of leadership, speaking against those that ‘lord’ over others. He even taught that He did not come to be served, but to serve others.
Jesus stated that we as Christians are not to lord over others, abusing our authority as the Gentile leaders did. Jesus says….”…it shall not be so among you.”
In Mark 10: 42-45 Jesus also, said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (NIV)
We need to earnestly pray for our leaders. Cover them in prayer daily, but also pray for all things that are hidden be brought to light.
Pray!
Jesus Loves Me!
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