Minister dependency - The Minister Dependant Church
By Maria Wade
The Holy Spirit within me confirms that………. minister-dependency is an early warning sign of decline and possibly fatal illness in the church.
In order to discern it (it is more subtle than you think, as you will see) one's own heart must be broken of the idolatry of the minister...because minister-dependency is the Christianized form of pagan idolatry.
First and foremost, minister-dependence is a mindset, a stronghold of the mind, a series of thought patterns. With the mouth one may voice a God-focus, but in the heart/mind the same person bows low before the pastor-idol. This means that only God, the Holy Spirit can reveal what is in the heart. Minister-dependence stems from idolatry of the minister instead of dependence on God the Holy Spirit. And it seems to be encouraged by the structure of the pastor-headed church, the pastor-dominated service, a great mental gulf between clergy-laity, church ministerial staff-church members.
Signs of Minister-Dependence can include:
*sermon-focused service
*"sermon" usually given by same man instead of each one having "a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, an interpretation." (1 Cor 14:26, also Col 3:16-17)
*members vie for attention of the minister
*members perform for minister
*members focus on minister and his family
*a mindset of "We MUST have a minister/pastor or we can't have church."
If the ministry of a church is not primarily what the minister does, but how the members live their lives throughout the week, then teaching in the church will focus on HOW to live in intimacy with God and HOW to walk in the freedom and victory that Jesus Christ died and rose again to give us...When our eyes are off the minister and on God Himself, Jesus through us will teach how to live the abundant life, how to be an overcomer in all the circumstances of life.
The teaching will not primarily be ABOUT various religious topics or WHAT we should and shouldn't do, but will focus on the HOW.
This will ensure that the teaching of Sunday is totally relevant to life on Monday.
Yes, we are God's ministers, actively fulfilling His plan on earth. We Christians are not simply spectators; we are active participants in Jesus' work on earth.
A word of caution....there is a distortion of this truth that is as follows. Some ministers will encourage members to be "participators, not spectators" to get people involved in supporting his agenda, what he wants them to do. This is a controlling type of Saul pastor who does not encourage each one hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd on his own. He will want to tell you what God is telling you to do.
Contrast this with ministers equipping and encouraging Christians to 'draw near to the Father' and doing only what they hear Him saying (and God IS CAPABLE of making Himself heard by 'every' believer). Isn't this the way Jesus lived while on earth? (John 5:19, 5:30, 12:49-50) This minister will support, undergird, and encourage each believer in their anointing, calling and gifting. These enable believers...this is the enabling of a David-hearted ministry.
Dear God,
As Your Holy Spirit searches Your mind and Your heart on these matters, we ask that You would by Your Holy Spirit reveal to us areas in our churches where these lessons, this discernment applies. You are our only source of wisdom and discernment and without You we know nothing. Let nothing in us or our churches hinder the glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ and Him only. Amen.