Martin. It's interesting to look back over my decades of church attendance and see which Scriptures were highlighted and which Scriptures were subverted. In the case of leadership, "Don't touch the Lord's anointed," was highlighted often. In the last evangelical non-denominational church I attended, a member asked to see the financials and was denied. The pastor then let everyone know that if they didn't like it, they could leave. I heard that many did leave, but he seems to have built it back up with innocent, naive people again.
Yes it is the innocent and naïve people that are the most in danger, which is why Christ hammered the point of looking after the innocent and young both physically and spiritually, particularly in Matthew 18:1-35.
Christ told the Apostles to particularly take care of the weak and young, and he warned the leaders that:
whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receives me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matt 18:5-6)
The responsibility is on both the members to judge the leaders and the leaders to not dominate and abuse the membership. Both leaders and members need to look to God not to men is the gist of what he is getting at.
It is interesting in your example that you said "but he seems to have built it back up with innocent, naive people again." This just shows it was his church, not Gods, or the congregations church.
Why did they leave, why not just kick the bum out!? They were the ones paying the money, he did nothing, not even tell them how the money was spent!
They should have risen up on mass and got rid of him, but sheep are not good a doing that sort or thing. They were trained by him not to think for themselves, nor to have any self confidence or trust in other members.
Yeah….this was a start up of his own with help from an organization (I won’t say which one here) that gives “seed” money to start the church, then the church pays the money back plus a tithe for as long as the church is operating, so, of course, no way to kick him out.
Exactly. It is the responsibility of the congregation to test and remove the leaders if they are shown to be false or sinning in any blatant and obvious way.
However, too often the leaders just kick out those who want the truth, and through their deceit and guile the ministers drag in more gullible and ignorant new people to pay for their lavish lifestyle and support the emotional foundation of such churches.
Such churches are not God's church but are the ministers church- as you say "their congregations let them"... it is the ministers congregation that he has cobbled together, it is not God's called out ones, whom he calls to know the truth that will set them free.
Martin. It's interesting to look back over my decades of church attendance and see which Scriptures were highlighted and which Scriptures were subverted. In the case of leadership, "Don't touch the Lord's anointed," was highlighted often. In the last evangelical non-denominational church I attended, a member asked to see the financials and was denied. The pastor then let everyone know that if they didn't like it, they could leave. I heard that many did leave, but he seems to have built it back up with innocent, naive people again.
Yes it is the innocent and naïve people that are the most in danger, which is why Christ hammered the point of looking after the innocent and young both physically and spiritually, particularly in Matthew 18:1-35.
which I mention in this post, which you liked : https://friendswithgod.substack.com/p/the-greatest-in-the-kingdom-of-heaven
Christ told the Apostles to particularly take care of the weak and young, and he warned the leaders that:
whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receives me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matt 18:5-6)
The responsibility is on both the members to judge the leaders and the leaders to not dominate and abuse the membership. Both leaders and members need to look to God not to men is the gist of what he is getting at.
It is interesting in your example that you said "but he seems to have built it back up with innocent, naive people again." This just shows it was his church, not Gods, or the congregations church.
Why did they leave, why not just kick the bum out!? They were the ones paying the money, he did nothing, not even tell them how the money was spent!
They should have risen up on mass and got rid of him, but sheep are not good a doing that sort or thing. They were trained by him not to think for themselves, nor to have any self confidence or trust in other members.
Yeah….this was a start up of his own with help from an organization (I won’t say which one here) that gives “seed” money to start the church, then the church pays the money back plus a tithe for as long as the church is operating, so, of course, no way to kick him out.
hmm... franchising the Gospel, the modern approach!
So it seems!
They exist because their congregations let them...
Exactly. It is the responsibility of the congregation to test and remove the leaders if they are shown to be false or sinning in any blatant and obvious way.
However, too often the leaders just kick out those who want the truth, and through their deceit and guile the ministers drag in more gullible and ignorant new people to pay for their lavish lifestyle and support the emotional foundation of such churches.
Such churches are not God's church but are the ministers church- as you say "their congregations let them"... it is the ministers congregation that he has cobbled together, it is not God's called out ones, whom he calls to know the truth that will set them free.