I can never stress enough if you follow man you will always end up disappointed. If you follow a man and a cause, you will be angry and disappointed.
We are to follow Jesus. I have sat in a many of a churches and heard deacons and other elders telling congregations no- swearing to congregations that they know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the pastor is a man of God and you are hell bound if you do not follow his every word. He spends all of his waking hours that we do not see him (the pastor) praying for the sheep. Intercessing to the point of death for the well being of the flock and we should make his life easier (the pastor) by immediately obeying whatever he says because it comes straight from God.
Needless to say, I become blinded by all types of red flags. The congregation has started worshipping the pastor instead of God. The minister usually adjusts himself in his seat in an act of agreement with humility. Dirty work done by those trying to get to heaven through following a pastor. SAD SAD SAD.
Once I challenged this assertation of my pastor receiving divine revelation about me while interceding for me daily: "Why don't the pastor ever tell me what God has said I am struggling with and the answer God has given to him about me." The other members of the congregation drew up and said he (the pastor) knows all about me and would tell me if God had instructed him to do so. Another time a member of 'my' church said a pastor can never be removed from the pulpit unless he steps down or dies. I asked "Where did that come from?" I eventually, after much Bible page flipping told from: 1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalms 105:15- "Do not touch my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm." Does anyone start at the beginning of a chapter or the beginning of a book of the Bible and read it in its entirety?
David had re-established a home for the Ark of the Ccovenant setting up men to do worship service before it. He did a dedication prayer and recounted how God raised up the nation of Israel protecting them from enemies. Of the leaders of the nation of Israel, God did not allow anyone he appointed and anointed (with an entire drenching of oil) to be removed unless he removed them. This was during a time when kings such as Saul and David reigned, a family line of priests existed and anyone else died in the duty, and prophets hand picked by God to go to warn a nation to repent for specific sins or suffer specific consequences such as overthrow and captivity existed. The coming of Jesus put this away. The new calling of shepherds is nothing like that of the old Testament Kings, Priests, and Prophets.
"If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust from your feet when you leave that town. I will tell you it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement for that town. I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:15-17). A true minister of God will never force or demand to be allowed to stay to preach to a group of people because he knows he is sent and that there are those who will not listen and God will deal with that. anyone strong arming you to follow them blindly should send up red flags and flares. No one person is the key to your salvation or the communicator for you to God.
I no longer go to that church. I refused to leave my salvation completely in the hands of another and I rejected the idea that I was going to hell if I did not obey the every word of the pastor. A pastor is in the position to serve God and the flock in their growth and understanding of how to live holy and to disciple others. His position is not to judge how obedient I am to him as a test of salvation. Questioning him(the pastor) is not equal to questioning God; even though the disciples following Christ did so all of the time and Jesus took the time to answer them. He did tell them that they saw what he did daily and still did not understand. Don't we know Jesus understands our questionings from time to time?
Back to the bishop. 25,000 member congregation. The shepherd knew his sheep intimatly in the Bible. Could the bishop know his congregation and they know him? I have heard his sermons but, saw him more on the telethons for money offerings. As much effort it took to get people to send in money-all of the angles used-Scriptural tie ins-monetary blessings in return- there were red flags.
I am never happy when people fall and can not imagine the pain and humiliation for it to be in the public spotlight. My book "The Politics of Prayer" addresses every aspect of this situation that seems to recur over and over with our leaders. MAN I WISH IT WAS READY FOR PURCHSE NOW!!! It would be such a blessing.
Everyone needs to be in prayer for his congregation and those watching the Christian community to get a glimpse of God. Rededicate yourselves to following God and to understand man has the potential to be a flawed creature where God is not. Pin all of your hope and faith in God. Man will always disappoint whether it is the bishop or the young men bringing the lawsuit.
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