...out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh
Mathew 12:34
Many people do not know that their words give them away, especially when spoken in an unguarded moment.
The BIble also tells us,
…the tree is known by his fruit*
Mathew 12:33
The next time you stand under a big tree wondering what species it is, just look out for the fruit.The fruit of the tree reveals its true nature.
In this chapter, I am going to share with you some interesting quotations that I have noted down over the years. These sayings, coming from the lips of disloyal people, strike me whenever I hear them. I remember the day I heard each of these statements.Some of these statements were said to me personally, although many of them were things I heard about.The statements tell you a lot about the personalities concerned and about the condition of their hearts
Let’s begin with this statement I heard from the right-hand man of a pastor of a very large church.
•Some of us could be head pastors.It is just that we have decided to submit
This statement comes from an associate who after analyzing his head pastor for awhile, has begun to see himself as someone just as capable as his head.He thinks that he is placed at the second or third position mistakenly or by an unfortunate play of circumstances.Such thoughts arise when assistants or associates are permitted to step into the shoes of their head for a brief season. This often happens when the head is away for a period. They had the opportunity to preach once or twice and some people said that they were blessed.This makes the associate think that he is as good or even better than his head.
•I would like you to pray with me about certain things that are going on at the office – the way I am being treated
This gentleman thought he was being mistreated by the administration of his church.He went around discussing this with ordinary church members.He solicited their prayers but in reality he was spreading dissent and mistrust.
It was a subtle way of getting other people involved in his feeling of discontent.He was indirectly gaining the sympathy and support for what he considered mistreatment.This is the political stage of disloyalty.By the time this particular pastor had finished spreading his story, the church was full of confused members who saw the senior pastors as unreasonable. This pastor eventually defected and left behind a miserable, divided, and untrusting group.It took over a year for this church to recover from the lies that had been spread.It took almost two years to regain a healthy environment
•He (the senior pastor) has deviated from the original vision and course
I heard the associate of one megachurch declare that his pastor had deviated from the principal course of the Bible.
He Doesn’t Read the Bible Anymore
He claimed that his pastor didn’t read the Bible anymore, but instead, studied secular books on leadership.This however, was a misrepresentation of the truth. This statement, although it sounded like a valid accusation, was actually a manifestation of disloyalty. This associate was simply not prepared to flow anymore with new ideas that the visionary would come up with. He had assisted for years but now a disloyal spirit made him criticize every move of his head.
•I will not come.I will not go.I will not be transferred
Remember that during the rebellion of Korah,Dathan and Abiram refused to go when Moses called for them.
And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up.
Numbers 16:12
When a person is too big to be sent, then he probably is too big for the organization. You are now too much of a big shot to be “pushed” around.When a leader declares that he will not move, decide to move him away from you permanently.
•Would you do that yourself?
In an army, if the Colonel or General asks the troops to move out in attack, no member of the platoon dare ask the Colonel or the General if he would go to such a place himself. No one would dare to ask, “Would you risk your life to do what you are sending us to do?” Although this is a legitimate question, it reeks of insubordination and defiance.These words only come from the heart of a rebel.
•Many people are saying…Even the workers and elders are saying that…
This statement, as we discussed in the political stage of disloyalty,implies that you have been talking to people about your leader in a negative way.People realize your disloyalty and the disapproval that you have for your head. That is why they are able to say negative things to you about him. A disloyal person has an ear to hear the negative things that many people are saying.Take note of anyone who comes up.
to you with these phrases – many people are saying… a lot of people are saying…
•You are not always right
I remember when one pastor told me that I was not always right. At the time, I just brushed aside the statement. But as I thought over it, I realized that nobody is ever always right. No one, apart from God, is ever a hundred per cent correct. This insurrectionist was actually giving me another message.He was saying, “You are having your way as always. But you are not right this time.” He was telling me that he did not support me in what I was doing.He was informing me that he would just flow along because I had the veto power. His eyes blazed with hatred as he said those words –you are not always right.
•You are proud and difficult to work with. You are stubborn
This person no longer admires or trusts his leader’s decisions.They are words of a person who is critical and untrusting. A good leader has to be firm and strong. When a person is full of disloyalty, he sees the strength and firmness as stubbornness and pride. If you look at your leader through eyes of love, you will see how great a person he is.However, if you look at him through the eyes of rebellion, you will see in him evil.
•A pastor colleague of mine was told, “Pastor, there is a lot of fear in this church. But I want you to know that I don’t fear you.”
This person is speaking out of a spirit of defiance. What he’s actually saying is, “I will fight you if necessary because I don’t fear you.
• A pastor friend of mine was told by his church member after service, “You remind me of my father. He is so full of himself.”
This person was telling her pastor that his confidence reeked of pride and arrogance. When a church member tells a pastor, “You are arrogant and proud,” she is not admiring him, but rather demeaning him. Her heart is not full of commitment, but filled with venom. Pastor – you are full of yourself.
•An associate pastor said about his head pastor, “When he’s away the church grows and many more people attend the services.”
This associate pastor was in other words saying that the presence of the head pastor is undesirable; and that people in the congregation dislike the contribution of the head pastor. No loyal pastor would ever speak about his head in such a way.
•I once asked an associate pastor, “How is your senior pastor doing
He replied, “I don’t know where he is.” Then I asked, “How come? Do you not see him regularly?” He answered, “Not at all.This yessa master, yessa master, yessa master cannot go on forever.” This associate pastor by saying these words was ridiculing the beautiful and orderly relationship that exists between a head and his subordinate. He was depicting it to be a demeaning slave-master relationship.I don’t even need to tell you that a short while after, this associate turned out to be an ungrateful separatist.
•I don’t see why everybody is making such a fuss about that breakaway pastor!
By making this statement, this pastor was indirectly approving of rebellion and church splits.No wonder he became a rebel in the process of time.
•I asked a pastor, “How was the visit of your senior to the town? Was it successful?” “Oh yes, it was fine.We had a good time. But you know our man, he likes expensive Chinese restaurants.”
Here again, a pastor is making sarcastic and critical remarks about his senior.It may seem like a passing remark, but it is full of contempt.
•A disloyal assistant pastor once said to his head, “You don’t have any idea what people are saying about you. You don’t know what I’ve had to tell them.”
By saying this, this disloyal pastor is letting you know that your support within the church is waning. He is informing you that he has had to stabilize the feelings of discontent that are in the congregation. He is informing you that you are unpopular and that you are not as great as you may think.
•“I admire your style of leadership. In our church, our man (the head pastor) doesn’t give us many opportunities.”
By making this statement,this pastor is expressing his dissatisfaction with his home church.By saying so openly,he is showing that he is not loyal or protective of his home.He is now openly exposing the deficiencies and shortcomings of his church