THE LEADER: GOD OF TRADITION’S CHURCH

THE ATTRIBUTES OF TRADITION

I. OBSESSED WITH AUTHORITY AND CONTROL

A. Obsession Blinds: It keeps leaders from seeing, acknowledging and respecting God in others. Obsession with control over the people of God will cause leaders not to see they have forsaken righteous judgment and council regarding the actions of others.

B. Obsession Exalts: Obsession causes a leader to place himself above the Word of God. Therefore, true repentance for the sin leaders commit against the saints becomes unnecessary. The leader’s obsession with control and authority will not allow him to admit his wrong. Before he or she would be honest and truthfully acknowledge the wrong, he will whitewash the situation and encourage the saints to move on. Now this “move on” attitude is designed to take the focus off the leader’s sin and place it on the movement of the overall ministry. This is done very religiously, directing the saints to the goodness of God in their lives. This is idolatry and will be judged by God.

C. Obsession Breeds Fear: Leaders who are obsessed with authority and control, lives in constant fear of losing control and/or their position in their kingdom. They will do anything necessary to keep their subjects under control. They feel threatened by any other influence in the lives of the people they pastor, including God’s influence. They will destroy that influence at any cost. Whoever carries such influence is considered the enemy and must be destroyed. Therefore, humiliation, dishonor and degradation of character are justified means of stamping out such an enemy. The ministry of reconciliation is never considered. The individual bringing influence is labeled as an agent of Satan. They refuse to see them as a soul who if they were wrong needs to be won over to the righteousness of God. Righteous truth cannot be considered because too much is at stake. This individual has become a threat to the leader’s kingdom and his control. Therefore, they must be sacrificed on the “altar of doctrine.”

D. Obsession Births Jealousy: Jealousy is a resentment of the power of God operating in the life of another. The gifts and talents of others are treated as a threat and must be discredited at any cost. This is especially true when the gift or talent of another genders influence in others, because the focus of these leaders is the control of the people of God, they must not allow any ministering among the saints that is equal to or surpasses that which they do. Therefore, they will suppress that ministry or discredit the individual in the hearts of the people. They cannot afford for the people to have confidence in any other ministry in the church to the same degree as they have in the leader.

E. Obsession Brings Forth EvilCharacter: One of the ways this is displayed in some leaders is that they will bring to the forefront anything an individual does who may bring truth to the congregation. Any mistakes or even sin that a person commit is blown out of proportion and magnified to the congregation. Others in the congregation can do far worse than that individual, but others are not the threat. They do not have the level of Word that would make them a risk to the control of the leader’s kingdom.

II. IMMATURITY

A. Lack of Wisdom and Discerning: This can be unique in the sense that the leader may be quite astute in wisdom and discerning when teaching, preaching or counseling in matters pertaining to others. However, when he feels his authority or kingdom is threatened, he often panics and makes rash and unwise decisions.

B. Lack of Character Due to Tunnel Vision: The focus is always on achieving or maintaining the object of one’s lust. The leader is not open to allow anything to be taught that might take the focus off of him.

C. Childlike Behavior: Temper tantrums are common occurrences. The leader must have his way in all things and will often act childlike in an effort to control his members.