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Why Many of Today's Evangelical Pastors Are Cult-Like By Brannon Howse
 
I am very thankful for the many Bible-believing, conservative pastors in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />America that love the Lord Jesus and serve Him faithfully. Sadly, many of America's self-professing evangelical pastors exhibit some of the traits and characteristics of a cult leader instead of that of a Biblically-minded, servant leader.
 
Recently, I was sharing my concerns with a friend of mine that is a pastor and church administrator. I shared with my pastor friend the various stories of churches in turmoil due to the lack of biblical integrity, leadership and humility from their senior pastor. My friend commented that many of these pastors sounded like cult leaders.
 
A few hours after our phone conversation, my pastor friend e-mailed me a few of the characteristics of cult leaders that he had uncovered in his afternoon of research.
 
While many of today's evangelical pastors don't reject the foundational Christian doctrines such as the virgin birth, the trinity, the resurrection and salvation through Jesus Christ alone; they do however exhibit some of the following characteristics that are common to cult leaders.
 
1.      Specially appointed by God
 
I am stunned at how many church members defend the sinful actions, attitudes and beliefs of their pastor by declaring that they were appointed or ordained by God and thus should never be questioned.
 
Many of the pastors in America were never called, ordained or appointed by God, despite what their fans claim, and this is confirmed by the pastor's lack of Godly proclamations, leadership, convictions, and lifestyle.
 
Paul tells us in Acts 17:11 that the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians because they examined the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true.
 
Many of the leaders of today's churches are being enabled by the simple-minded and not Bereans. 
 
 
2.      The cult's adherents often expound the virtues of the leader and seek to cover the leader's sins and wickedness.
 
Some of the "virtues" espoused by the defenders of today's cult-celebrity pastors include:
 

1. Attendance has increased under his leadership
2. Giving has increased under his leadership
3. He is a very gifted speaker and communicator
4. He is attracting and appealing to a younger audience that has been missing from our church
5. He is so personable
6. He is a strong leader

 
While these may be commendable leadership qualities resulting in "ministry productivity," they are not a license for financial mismanagement, unaccountable authority, blatant sin, or sexual misconduct.  Followers who turn a blind-eye to this type of leadership activity contribute to the denigration of the Gospel in the minds of believers as well as non-believers. 
 
3.      Entangling Organization Structure: The less truth a movement represents, the more highly it seems to have to organize itself; the absence of truth seems to make necessary the application of the bonds of fear. Cults often demand total commitment by their converts to an organizational involvement that entangles them in a complicated set of human restrictions, giving the impression of passionate and often irrational devotion to a cause. 
 
Many of today's cult-celebrity pastors rule with an iron fist of threats and intimidation. Some of these pastors don't like to be involved in the intimidation themselves so they leave it up to some of their deacons, elders, associate pastors, or ministry representatives.
 
Biblically-minded Christians are often completely astounded by how committed the sheep will be to their cult-celebrity pastor. Even in the face of irresponsible, immature, unethical and even illegal activities by the pastor or ministry leader, the flock will passionately defend them with arguments and excuses that are completely irrational as they disregard the truth that stares them squarely in the face.
 
Those that question the pastor or ministry leader are guaranteed to be admonished by him and his leadership team to cease their criticism or find another church or ministry organization. Indeed this kind of control and manipulation on the part of the leadership entangles many of the church-goers or followers because they don't desire to give up their freedom of speech, conscience or convictions. Neither, do they desire to leave the church in which many of them were raised, married, dedicated their children and even held funeral services for their parents and/or grandparents. The church members indeed find themselves entangled by fear that the truth with banish them from what they have come to love dearly – the church.
 
 
4.      Financial Exploitation
 
 
Under the leadership of a cult-celebrity pastor, financial exploitation can take on many forms. Many of these pastors financially exploit the church by receiving salaries that are no where near the average salary of the congregation, but are more consistent with the salary of a CEO running a Fortune 500 company. I have read of pastors that receive salaries from their church that range from $250,000 to $500,000 or more.
 
I once asked a friend if it bothered him that it was reported that his pastor was receiving a salary of $500,000. I was quickly and defensively told that it not only did not bother him, but that his pastor deserved a million dollars a year.
 
Am I the only one that sees something wrong with pastors receiving $250,000 salaries or more here at the beginning of the 21st Century? Are these individuals interested in being a pastor/shepherd or a CEO?
 
The perks that many of these cult-celebrity pastors receive, in addition to their salary, continues  the financial exploitation of the church, and its members, that have given generously and sacrificial by doing without the many materialistic things that are now enjoyed by their cult-like pastor.
 
The financial exploitation can also include the pastor's strict demand that church members tithe according to his standards in order to be in good standing, hold positions of leadership within the church, or receive great financial blessings from God. 
 
If any of these cult-like characteristics sound like your pastor, you might want to pay close attention the next time your church observes the Lord's Supper. When you receive that little plastic communion cup make sure it is filled with grape juice and not Kool-Aid.
 
 
The 4 characteristics of a cult were adapted from the following sources: (1) The Marks of a Cult, Dave Breese; (2) "Roman Catholicism: Is It A Cult?," Media Spotlight, Albert James Dager; (3) What They Believe, Harold J. Berry; (4) Cults and the Church of Christ, George Faull and Brooks Alexander of the Spiritual Counterfeits Project; (5) "Patterns in the Cults," Rick Branch (Watchman Fellowship Profile, 1994); and (6) Examining & Exposing Cultic & Occultic Movements, Jack Sin, April 2000, pp. 14-16; 73-78.