Leaders: Control, part 1

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/control-part-1/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p>Inappropriate forms of control, 1-3</p><p>Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)</p><ul><li>Big decisions require approval of church minister?</li><li>Must trim vacation not to miss Sunday.</li><li>Overweight people cannot be up front on Sunday.</li><li>Send in stats Sunday night: visitors, missing members, etc.</li><li>Threaten with disfellowship just because disagreed with the leader's decision.</li><li>Removing people from the membership list for missing midweek.</li><li>Can’t come to leaders’ meeting unless you had a visitor that week.</li><li>Must provide (free) house-cleaning or babysitting services to leaders.</li><li>Must attend all events—even if scheduled at the last minute.</li><li>Control in other areas: relationships, finances, employment, domicile, marriage, family…</li></ul><p><i>Are the people serving the leader, or is the leader serving the people?</i></p><p><strong>1) Heavy loads</strong><br />They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them (Matt 23:4).</p><ul><li>“No physical food before spiritual food”—personal devotional rule.</li><li>“One-a-day challenge”—and other evangelistic rules.</li><li>Financial control—encouraging people to go into debt in order to make contribution. Or group leaders seeing what everyone has given (standing around in circle).</li></ul><p><strong>*** Negative evangelistic impact</strong><br />“Woe to you, teachers of t