im not painting the entire christian world in anything.
Just the sunday system of dominance and control.
The Sunday culture can be a way for non-Christians to have a place to hide from the Jesus people. They are not controlled, at all, in a number of cases. They can go where they go, but all week do what they jolly well please, because their pastors have no say about them, do not know them personally, and have no legal or other power over them. Ones might put in a dollar.
But in case ones believe the Bible is God's word, and they and the pastor know each other and other leaders and members, ones can keep track of them, so they can feel social pressure to do things the pastor and others say a Christian has to do. It can be obedience because of feeling pressure. Some might even be told to search the scriptures to see if they are being told to do what they do; but they feel pressured not to differ from what they have been told.
But Hebrews 13:17 does say >
"Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you." (Hebrews 13:17)
So, God does have His rulers whom He Himself trusts to take care of us. So, we need to find out who these people are. And He leads them to have His sheep doing what He is leading His sheep to do.
But yes there are less mature pastors who still need to find out how to walk with God; they are not mature examples like Paul describes in 1 Timothy 3:1-10. So, we do need to be able to tell the difference, about what is God leading us and what isn't >
"Test all things; hold fast what is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
the theology of church leadership is very controversial and must be examined.
Well, what is the first issue?
"nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3)
And we have who is qualified just to be considered to "take care of the church of God" > 1 Timothy 3:1-10.
These are leading by example. But they do rule. Paul says a man needs to know how to rule his own house, or else how can he know how to take care of God's people? But ruling is not only controlling. Control is or can be mainly an ego problem. Jesus has so much more than only control. But He does have all-control. But what is God really about? > we are destined to be conformed to the image of Jesus > Romans 8:29. And I see this is the focus of the ministry of Paul > Colossians 1:28-29.
So, there is the world's focus on control, and Christianity's focus on conforming to the image of Jesus. Control does not produce this. Plus, copy-catting doesn't
So, we can spend all day talking about what worldly people are doing, in their control gaming, and this can keep our attention away from what needs our attention . . . what does work, what God is doing.