Pastoral Traps: Exclusivism/ Chuck Swindoll
Do I highlight articles, posts, because I have nothing to write about? No. I have so many studies in my head to write, I have some posts written ahead of time. This is also my third post today as words seem to come spilling out here lately.
I do it because I want some truths to sink in that replace the lies some have been told. And when I find a piece that accomplishes that, I rush to highlight it. I highlight yet another good entry today by Chuck Swindoll whose topic is the Pastoral traps that, not only can ministers fall into, but any of us who are a member of a local church. I appreciate Chuck Swindoll because he tells it like it is, doesn’t mince words, yet does it in a way that you know he is saying it because he cares for those whom he is addressing. Sounds a lot like the Apostle Paul. 
Chuck writes:
A major trap pastors can fall into is exclusivism. That’s the attitude that says, “I alone am right.” It’s the “us-four-and-no-more-and-I’m-not-sure-about-you-three” kind of attitude. An exclusive spirit occurs when a pastor allows (or even promotes) a clannish, cultic kind of following around him.
Paranoia often accompanies an exclusive spirit: “Other ministries don’t do it as well as I do”—or some similar statement. Watch out for that kind of attitude. Guard yourself from too many first-person pronouns. It is nothing more than pride.
Read the rest of the needed piece here.
Amen. And may we, who claim to follow Christ remember that, repenting from it. It’s not who we are.
And this may be a far bigger problem than is apparent.
I agree Bob. It’s one reason I wanted to bring attention to it.
A major trap Churches can fall into is exclusivism too, we alone are right and they next practise now the divorce of other Christians that God hates..
http://postedat.wordpress.com/
You are exactly right. Good point thenonconformer.
Gordon MacDonald addressed this in a Christianity Today article, “Sometimes you just need to disappear.” A pastor he knew would “disappear” for up to 6 weeks at a time, known only to a few, and go get a “real job” waiting tables, pushing broom, working contract roofing, substitute teaching or whatever. It kept him in touch with what real people deal with in the real world, instead of sheltered in an office surrounded by “core leaders” and golf buddies.
And all others “by appointment only.”
PJ: That may not be such a bad idea. I think that is where I really got most of my education concerning people was at work. Having friends who were not Christian really gave me a chance to talk about my faith, and to hear their thoughts on Christianity. I think it made me a little more in touch.