Pastoral Dictatorship Hinders Unity & Autonomy

 What God says about Unity and what He does not say about it: 

Unity does not mean you have to ALWAYS submit to your church pastor, but you must ALWAYS submit to what God is telling you in your spirit about whether or not that pastor is displaying biblical principles in his actions related to the shepherding of the church, which is the most important role he has been given over the members. 

Unity does not mean you have to give up your own identity or be silent and just always "comply" and agree with all changes happening and occurring in the church. (If there are SO MANY changes happening constantly for multiple years, and campuses are constantly getting new pastors, and / or ministries are constantly ending or getting eradicated, without any consideration for how other members feel or say about it, if it hard to plant roots or keep a ministry going, if it is hard to feel guided by a pastor because your church has had 6 different pastors within the past 3-4 year, also because your main pastor does sermons on a teleprompter that gets televised to all the screens on all his campuses, instead of being live in person, etc.. ) 

Unity does not mean getting treated like an outsider unless I agree with all these crazy changes my pastor is making. hurtful words like, "Well, everyone else is happy about this except for you." or  "Well, if you don't like it, we can use your parking space!" or "What our statistics are showing is that may new people are responding well to our ____ program, so we are going to end your current _________ program to make room for them instead." oh, okay so you're putting all that emphasis on the new people so much so that you are putting their so-called interests BEFORE and AHEAD of the interests of your already faithful and loyal church leaders. Why? Why would you do that and kick us out and make us feel so disregarded and disrespected? That hurts. There should be a healthy balance of caring for the already existing members versus new members. There should be a healthy balance to care for both, not completely eradicating everything the existing members are doing to only make room for new people and ministries for the new people and that's it. What kind of church only tends to the needs of new members only. Then the existing ones feel unloved and forgotten and neglected and leave, then you will only be left with new and/or rotating people only, and , well do I dare ask the obvious question then which is: how in the world is a church supposed to plant their feet strongly in anything they do when all your people are either new or keep coming, leaving, getting hired, then moved to central campus, then they leave too. It's chaos in a nutshell and only Satan is the god of chaos. 

The 1st key topic in the letter to the Ephesians is on hope. The 2nd key phrase of the book is on UNITY in the church. This is coupled with the instruction in Ephesus 4:14-16 where Paul stresses increased love. So, he instructed them to have & show increased love that results in unity. He encouraged hope to be shown in SUCH A WAY that will allow the church to FEEL loved and UNIFIED.

The new creation was now the new church after the Resurrection & meant both Jews & Gentiles were now incorporated together-a previous barrier that had now been broken down, leaving a result of a church that demonstrates UNITY far beyond anything the world could comprehend.

Paul also addressed personal relationships, one of them being individual believers & their spiritual warfare relationship with Satan, following it up by an illustration of a Roman soldier to describe the resources a believer has to fight Satan with when the warfare occurs.

The key weapon is prayer, and Paul asked for prayers for his own ministry.

What unity  should & should not look like/feel like:

Oneness and Oneness:
Unity is described as a state of being "one". This isn't about uniformity, but rather a shared identity and purpose rooted in faith and love.

Spiritual Connection:
Unity is a spiritual concept, emphasizing the relationship between believers and God, as well as among themselves.

Harmony:
Unity strives for a state of balance and cooperation, where differences are embraced and celebrated rather than causing division.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27:
This passage uses the image of the body to illustrate how believers, like different parts of the body, should work together in unity.

Unity doesn't mean that everyone must give up their unique identities or cultures to be one.

Unity doesn't require everyone to be the same. It allows for differences in personalities, gifts, and experiences while still being united in purpose. 

what do you call a pastor that abruptly ends important ministries and shows no kindness or compassion to the people it was important to?

A pastor who abruptly ends important ministries and lacks compassion is often described as displaying poor leadership, a lack of discernment, or a failure to prioritize the needs of the congregation. These actions can be seen as a lack of care for the individuals whose ministries are discontinued and a disregard for the established practices and values of the church.

Here's a more detailed look at why these actions are considered problematic:

• Poor Leadership:

  Abrupt changes without explanation or compassion can erode trust and create a feeling of instability among church members. 
• Lack of Discernment:

  A leader who acts without consideration for the impact on others may be seen as impulsive or not fully understanding the needs and well-being of the congregation. 
• Failure to Prioritize:

  Showing a lack of compassion for those affected by the ministry changes suggests that other priorities (perhaps personal or professional) may be overshadowing the needs of the people. 
• Disregard for Established Practices:

  If the ministry was important and established, ending it without proper transition or consideration for the people involved can damage the church's reputation and create resentment. 

what it is called when a main pastor controls the local campuses like a puppet and the campuses do not feel as though they are being properly shepharded due to this: 

That situation can be described as unhealthy centralization of leadership, pastoral overreach, or lack of campus autonomy in a multi-site church setting. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

1. Unhealthy Centralization of Leadership:

• This describes a scenario where a central pastor or leadership team exerts excessive control over the various campuses of a multi-site church.
• Key decisions, even those that should be made locally, are often dictated from the central location.
• This approach can stifle creativity, limit local adaptation, and lead to dissatisfaction among campus leaders and members. 

2. Pastoral Overreach:

• This term suggests that the main pastor is exceeding the boundaries of their role and inappropriately controlling aspects of campus life that should be managed by local leadership.
• This can result in a lack of trust, resentment, and a feeling of being micromanaged by the main pastor. 

3. Lack of Campus Autonomy:

• Each campus of a multi-site church should have a degree of autonomy to tailor its ministry approach to the unique needs and context of its local community.
• When the main pastor overly controls local campus operations, it can hinder the development of authentic community and effective ministry at the campus level. 

4. Impact on "Shepherding":

• "Shepherding" refers to the pastoral care and guidance provided by church leaders to their congregation.
• When a main pastor's control prevents local campus pastors from effectively shepherding their congregations, members can feel neglected, uncared for, and disconnected from their local church community. 

In summary, the issue you describe highlights a common challenge in multi-site churches: finding the right balance between central leadership and campus autonomy to ensure healthy church function and effective pastoral care. 

what does God say about mega pastors that excessively overreach their control and dictate too much over their local campuses: 

The Bible emphasizes servant leadership and the autonomy of local churches, suggesting that mega-pastors who excessively control or dictate local campuses may be acting contrary to biblical principles. While elders are given respect and honor, they should lead through teaching and example, not through dictatorial control. The focus should be on fostering independent growth and ministry within each local congregation. 

Here's a more detailed look at the relevant biblical principles:

• Servant Leadership:

  The Bible emphasizes that leaders should serve, not be served. Jesus' example of washing his disciples' feet highlights this principle. Excessive control and dictation undermine this concept. 
• Autonomy of Local Churches:

  Each local church is considered a distinct body, with its own leadership and responsibility. The Bible doesn't support a single pastor controlling multiple congregations or dictating their internal workings. 
• Leadership through Example:

  Leaders are to lead by example, demonstrating their faith and commitment to the gospel. Dictating policies or practices without demonstrating them first is a deviation from this principle. 
• Honor and Respect:

  Elders are to be honored and respected, especially those who work hard in teaching and preaching. However, this respect should not be confused with blind obedience or allowing them to become dictators. 
• Encouragement of Independent Growth:

  The goal of church leadership is to foster the spiritual growth and development of each individual within the local congregation. When a main campus controls or dominates the local campuses, it hinders this growth and development. 

In essence, the Bible promotes a model of leadership where pastors are guides, teachers, and mentors, empowering local churches to flourish independently, rather than becoming centralized control systems. 

https://inthegospel.com/dictating-or-discipling/

As a young man who grew up in an extremely legalistic and authoritarian form of church, it is only by the grace of God that I survived to write about the journey.  Now, many years later I find myself pastoring, leading and doing everything I can to love others with a more balanced approach to ministry. In my first few years of pastoring, going back about twenty years, I found myself repeating a model which I believed to be right, but over time I came to realize that it was broken.  

This realization came one day through personal study as I was preparing to teach from the Gospel of John. The following verse jumped off the pages of the Scriptures in a new way and began shaping a vision for who I would want to be as a leader and pastor—one whose ministry is modeled after the ministry of Jesus Himself.  

John tells us these words about Jesus, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth,” (John 1:14). Did you see it?  Read it again? As a fellow leader or pastor of people, did it jump off the page that time? Hold that thought…. We will circle back around in a minute, but for now I want to share two simple thoughts on why the dictatorial approach to leadership is flawed.

Dictating Modifies—It Does Not Transform

This ministry approach lacks genuine faith. In the contexts where I experienced the “dictator pastor” model, both as a churchgoer and staff member, this approach was an attempt to control and change people into the image of the leader rather than letting God’s Spirit do His work in the life of people. It is His job to bring change not ours.  In Philippians 2:12-13 Paul says, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” 

It is God who works… We follow His lead, pointing others to the truth of Scripture and then we let Him complete the work of changing hearts. Unfortunately, from the human perspective, this biblical approach is not as controllable or measurable as dictating people what to do or think, and it also takes a lot more patience and a ton of faith.

Dictating Lacks Genuine Investment 

It’s lazy!—I know this sounds harsh but let me explain. I’m not implying that the dictator isn’t working hard, leading forward and breaking a sweat. What I am saying is that it is easier to give a list to follow orders, than it is to walk together with  the people one is leading. The discipling form of leadership takes time, is based on relationships with real people and demands a commitment to join in the journey with others towards life change. 

Rather than giving your membership a set of rules and regulations to follow, loving leadership steps off of the pedestal of power and enters into the real world of real people. It’s messy, challenges our routines and can be uncomfortable, but I believe it’s Christ-like. How did Jesus do it?

Let’s circle back now to John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” There are two principles that guide leaders who want to avoid the dictator, “just do what I say” trap.  

First, “… He was made flesh, and dwelt among us…” As I mentioned earlier, leaders need to lead from a life that is lived among their people. God himself, in the form of Jesus the Son, put on human flesh, related with humankind and jumped into the nitty gritty, dirty work of loving people in the context of where they lived.  

He didn’t give that first group of disciples a simple list to follow—no—he said to them “follow me…” and then they sat together, laughed together and did life in a way that raised some eyebrows. Remember what those religious leaders accused him of? Way too often leaders are so far removed from the real world that they cease to be relevant. Let’s get back to the hard work of life on life ministry, realizing that we are all on this journey together.

Second, “… we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” That phrase was the game changer for me. Jesus was the perfect balance of unquestionable truth, coupled together with unimaginable and undeserved grace. Can you imagine what it would look like for churches who are led with this type of resolve? Pastors who are set on modeling Jesus and leading people to look and live like Him, rather than conforming into our own image?Pastors who extend the grace needed so that people can have time to truly conform to Biblical truth?

So, Pastor/Leader… as you look to serving your people, what’s it going to be?  Are you ready to dig in for the hard work of messy discipleship or is it easier to just make the clean list of rules, a new law, so to speak?  

As for me and my house, we choose the messy!