THE HEALTHY PASTOR: ABISIVE PASTOR, ABUSIVE CHURCHES

There is no way we are going to talk about healthy local churches without touching the issue of abuses. Abusive pastors and abusive churches are becoming prevalent in the church world. Informed Christians and leaders can still remember the case of Rev. Jones of Guyana, who murdered more than 3,000 members of his church by giving them carnide. He shot those who tried to run away. David Keresh of U.S.A. also abused many women in the name of Christ. Back home in Nigeria, some can still recollect Jesus of Oyingbo’s exploits, Rev. King and a host of others.

Over the years, various kinds of abuses are going on in the church and rather than abate, more and more church leaders are becoming abusive in their style of leadership. Perhaps many lives can be saved, rescued from abuses if we take heed to this teaching.

A. Biblical Basis 1 Cor. 9:18; 2 Tim. 2:16-18; 3 John 9,10; Acts 20:29-30

Abuse in this context is not only verbal insult, rather misuse of opportunities, privileges and platforms. It is taking advantage of those under you, molesting and causing them moral, mental, emotional, spiritual and relational pain. Diotrephes was an abusive elder/pastor, so also was Philetus.

• An abusive pastor claim authorization from Christ but practices what Christ will not do.
• Abusive is when a shepherd hurt, wound and inflict pain on the sheep for whatever reason.
• An abusive church holds people in bondage and curses them if they try to go.
• An abusive pastor uses occultic power to hoodwink people into submission. An abusive pastor preaches Nicolaitan doctrine Christopaganism Acts 6:7; Rev. 2:15
• An abusive pastor dominates, oppress and makes people lived in fear of him.
• An abusive pastor molests people sexually and takes advantage of them emotionally.
• An abusive pastor doesn’t entertain questions, curiosity but judge it severely. Abusive churches help pastors to ruin people maritally and financially.
• An abusive pastor is insecure, have low self-esteem and struggles with disastrous personal problems.
• An abusive pastor stops feeding but fleecing the sheep, regularly.

It is possible to start as a genuine pastor but gradually deviate into abusive tendencies as a result of pressure, insecurity, wrong friendship and copying the examples of others in ministry.

B. Characteristics Of Abusive Pastors And Churches 7:15-20; Matt. 23:1-6 Matt.

There are fake lawyers, police, army and doctors, as there are genuine. The ministry of our Lord Jesus is not left out of this also. There are genuine and fake pastors, Bishops, Apostles, Prophets, Teachers and Evangelists. They have the gift for ministry but don’t have the life. They pretend and camouflage as genuine but actually are fakes. They take advantage of people and abuse them morally, financially, mentally and maritally.

Our Lord Jesus is aware of them and says ‘by their fruits you shall know them’. How do we know and identify abusive pastors and churches today?

1. They start and operate pseudo-christian churches – a caricature church, not true.
2. They operate by extra-biblical revelations outside the Bible.
3. They preach false soteriology – salvation by works, giving and activities.
4. They tie the faith to cloths, baths, waters, anointing oils, objects, animals, sacrifices, rituals, combs and coffins.
5. They create fear, dread of enemies, calamities in the minds of people to rule them.
6. They demand blind loyalty and unquestionable obedience to their instructions.
7. They direct people’s attention away from Jesus to themselves – building their own empire, not kingdom of Jesus.
8. They read little or no Bible but visions, dreams, prophecies to direct people’s lives.
9. They sleep with many women – married or single in the name of deliverance, prayers and impartations. They practice polygamy, either concurrent or simultaneous.
10. They teach that other churches are fake, they are the only genuine ones.
11. They do everything for money, gain and profit and take advantage of people monetarily.
12. They make it hard for people to leave and curse those who tried to.
13. They discipline those who misbehave with heavy punishment and no mercy.
14. They teach esoteric doctrines that don’t get anyone saved from sin, but only make them religious.
15. They don’t get anybody ready for heaven, only be successful in this life to serve and feed the leader.

These signs are clear and open for those who can see them in our modern gospel, Pentecostal, Apostolic, Charismatic and all kinds of churches.

Recommended Reading
TRUE PASTORAL CALLING AND MINISTRY
Top Ten Lessons on Forgiveness
30 Tips To Creating An Amazing Marriage

Too many people are trapped in abusive churches under abusive pastors that need to be liberated.

Abuses have made many sincere seekers to turn away from Christ, injure the conscience of innocent Christians and made many to renounce their faith.

C. Warnings About Abusive Tendencies – 1 Cor. 9:18; 1 Peter 5:2-4; Luke 12:32.

Pastors and churches become abusive as a result of ignorance; lack of genuine call; confusion of what to do in ministry; loss of salvation experience; peer pressure; motives of money; lack of fear of God; wrong value of people and deception of the enemy.

God will severely judge and put to shame those leaders that abuse their position and His people – Acts 1:15-20; Luke 12:42-46

• Repent of any abusive tendencies in your life and ministry.
• Re-commit your heart, life and ministry to the Lordship of Jesus.
• Let the word of God have preeminence in all you do.
• Value people as precious to God, not just pawns in the chessboard of life. Pull down every occultic practices in your life and ministry.
• Seek for good mentoring and accountability.
• Courageously change the church to a true Bible believing church.

Abusive pastors and abusive churches have very short lifespan. They may gather deceived people for some time, but they will eventually be found out for who they are: fake and people will leave in droves. It is only when we build on Christ and His infallible word that we shall last and endure-Matt. 7:24-27.