In fact, I posted this yesterday in a thread about "False Prophets"
I have seen some stuff out of the Prophetic movement in the Charismatic movement that has caused me some concern. Overall though I have been more concerned with people who have things like Narcistic Personality Disorder and other kinds of related disorders taking advantage of certain Bible passages and Christian culture etc. I encountered 2 pastors who I think had an orientation like that in my past and it was very educational to say the least.
Help!, My Pastor is a Narcissist
For that I note a few things to beware of when dealing with such people even when you think you got them "dead to rights" these little tricks they do to bamboozle you.
1) People who call you to have strict accountability but kind of do whatever they want because they are "the shepherd", "have the anointing" etc. Our relationships including in the Church should be a two way streets and not one way streets where leadership is exempt because they are a special chosen person.
2) Motive Questioning to side step problems. In Philippians saint Paul said he was OK with people preaching the Gospel for selfish gain, or to get him in trouble with the authorities etc. because "at least the Gospel is being preached". Anyway Biblical truth is valuable no matter what the motivation but I point this out because of motive questioning as a cheap tactic to derail and distract you by such people.
3) The use of the "Go to your brother in Secret" gospel verse claimed when you are complaining about stuff they are doing in public! This is another cheap trick that can easily bamboozle someone confronting such folks for their very blatant and often open misdeeds if they are not prepared for it.
4) If you really got them locked in they will probably push your buttons if you are prone to empathy saying "That you judged them etc." and acting like they have severe hurt feelings etc. which will suck you in if you are Mercy gift etc. Be careful of this. It is best to not overplay or exaggerate any claims you make against, and be as professional as possible when you first deal with them. But beware, they can really pull at your heart strings and will use this as there last ditch attempt to put you under their thumb. (They however are not very smart, and will immediately gloat over such a victory which may help to wake you up that you were manipulated).
1) I haven't seen it said elsewhere, to my memory, but I have noticed the change that comes over one, when they are handed what they take to be a great spiritual responsibility over others (almost as though we aren't also spiritually responsible for how we affect others, but I digress). Strangely, I have seen the same sort of thing in salesmen and politicians. I can go into a hardware store I have used for decades, and finding a new salesman there, ask him if they have a 3/8" cold chisel, and he will say something like, "Yes,
I do stock those." What a politician will say is more than I want to get into, but mostly they have inflated egos, and do their best to appear humble. The change in them is remarkable, though, from when they first begin their tenure and almost always by 3 years afterwards. And, oh my goodness— radio talk-show hosts: "I'm the only one!".
Elijah thought he was "the only one!". (I know of a self-declared "Apostle" on another forum site, who is more narcissistic than anyone else in my recent memory. With him, I don't know which came first, the chicken or the egg, but I think he is a certifiable mental case. In fact, while I told him that some of his posts clearly demonstrated sin, he said that he never sinned anymore. (When pressed, he said that when he does it, it is 'stumbling', but when I do it, it is 'sin'!)) Preachers are almost always, being under God's thumb, sensitive to the fact that much depends on them, (the thoroughness of their study; the conviction of the fact that no matter how well they understand they still fall short of truth, yet are responsible to be accurate in their delivery; the 'governing feel' of being overseer; etc.) so they become self-important. I noticed a change coming over me when I first began to teach a Sunday School class for adults, and found it almost impossible to shed it. It still gnaws at me.
3. I think public floggings, and even public executions, including the old Israel use of stoning, and such public humbling of a person, was for the good of the community. (The visceral reaction against it, I think, is partly because of the notion, probably not altogether unwarranted, that what should make the onlooker sick to their stomach and serve as a warning, instead becomes 'old hat' or even barbaric entertainment.) The 60's 'Christian' notion of "save each man's pride", even as a teen I thought that while it felt nice, it didn't feel quite clean.
