By the end of Chapter Six, Mira starts to realize that her pastor is a “force to be reckoned with.” This realization is based on the rapid way in which Pastor R. worked to break down Board unity, undermine their decisions and win the support of some against others. Clearly he intends to conquer and he intends to rule.
Since the Board is elected to serve as a governing body to which the pastor reports, undermining the Board is rebellion against legitimate authority. The pastor is in rebellion. That rebellion may be one of the ways that dark powers have gained access to this congregation. Rebellion is a sin that the Bible compares to witchcraft. (1 Samuel 15:23)
Witchcraft is playing with ungodly forces and listening to and obeying voices other than God. Saul is rebuked for not listening to the voice of the LORD (Samuel 15:9). God told Samuel: “I deeply regret that I have set up Saul as King, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.”
God committed Himself to Saul but Saul did not commit himself to listen to God and obey the commands of the (Prophet) Samuel. Saul broke the covenant relationship that he had with God and God withdrew His anointing from Saul and looked for another to anoint as king…Samuel says: “for you have rejected the Word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel
Every Christian baptized into Christ and into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit and who has received the Holy Spirit is “the anointed” of God. Hear this Body of Christ – YOU ARE GOD’S ANNOINTED! The anointed is anyone of God's children filled with the Spirit of God.
Pastor Rutherford does not show ‘the anointing’ else we would see more fruit of the Spirit in his life. We would not see a man so thoroughly focused on self-image – 'it is all about me'. We would see care and kindness for employees and his flock not just using people for what they can give financially or in volunteer service to ‘the church.’ This is not life, love and the Spirit of God.
If it is not life then there is death. That is the choice in the Bible to choose life or death. Moses makes this choice plain to his listeners in Deuteronomy 30:14-20. See, I have set before you life and good, death and evil, says Moses (verse 15). Failure to obey God’s plain law is to “worship other gods and serve them.” Serving other gods means dark demonic forces.
Pastor who is overly controlling or in rebellion against the governing Boards of the local congregation he serves is in a from of witchcraft, is rejecting God and may be serving ‘other gods.’ Think of yourself as being in mutual submission relationships with others in the Body of Christ. No matter what the position in the church, the attitude of God’s servant should allow for mutual submission. Christ calls none of us to “Lord it over others.”
Do not be manipulated into thinking Christ wants one man to rule the local church and that one man is ‘God’s anointed’ and, therefore, no one should ever question his decisions. It is not true that anyone who appropriately asks for accountability is ‘touching God’s anointed.’ Do not let one who is to serve the local body deflect healthy accountability and attack those whose position required them to raised legitimate questions. That is a misuse of something David often said: “touch not God’s anointed.”
You, my love, are God’s anointed if you are one of his little ones committed to Christ and filled with His Spirit (and living in the Spirit.)
No pastor should be ‘a force to be reckoned with’ in the way Pastor Rutherford is in “Demons in the Sanctuary.” Each of 'God's anointed' should acknowledge the special anointing on others in the Body of Christ and not insist that they alone are 'God's anointed.'
God is not committed to a pastor in rebellion just as he withdrew His commitment to Saul as King when he was in rebellion. God moved on. David became His new anointed one.
Other posts in this series on Demons in the Sanctuary: 1. Masculine Tough and Feminine Soft, 2. Narcissistic Personality Pastor, 3. Nicolaitanism – triumph over the lay people, 4. Church Scandal and Financial Wrongdoing, 5. Attitude of a Good Pastor. 6. The Blessing of Unity. 7. Touch Not God's Anointed, 8. Spiritual Covering, 9. Control Exit with Threats,
See also the blog on "What do we know about Ralph Rutledge?" The wolf in Sheep Clothing, Character Issues to Observe, Good Boundaries make Good Ministers, Thesis, Method, Observations and Conclusions about Ralph Rutledge, Ralph Rutledge Defrocked
See also the blog on "What do we know about Ralph Rutledge?" The wolf in Sheep Clothing, Character Issues to Observe, Good Boundaries make Good Ministers, Thesis, Method, Observations and Conclusions about Ralph Rutledge, Ralph Rutledge Defrocked
5 comments:
My pastor always calls me his daughter even while praying over me n I think he calls everyone in our church sons and daughters is that something to look out for
My pastor always calls me daughter especially while praying for me n I think he calls everybody in the church sons n daughters is this something 2 look out for
Calling people daughter or son is traditional in some Christian circles and is respectful and not a problem.
Moving in to a very close relationship with a pastor and Christian leader in which they are your special 'spiritual father' or 'spiritual mother' can cause problems. Expectations in these relationships always get confused and people get disappointed.
My mentors, John and Paula Sandford, found that it was unwise to establish people in the position of 'mother or father in Christ.'
Jesus said: "call no man father."
The church's hierarchy and labels for people are in disobedience from our master - Jesus Christ.
I do have a caution, however, against getting into a relationship where you are calling someone "mom" or "dad" or "mother" or "father."
Those designations set up deep unconscious expectations which no one can fulfill. Stepping in to such a relationship is stepping into a potentially unstable relationship. There are not good boundaries.
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