There is something deeply compelling about strong leadership. For some reason, many people are drawn to that type of personality. I appreciate a pastor who leads his church bold and unashamed. “… but the righteous are bold as a lion” – Proverbs 28:1. As a whole, I would go as far as to say that spirit-filled boldness is lacking in our churches today. I appreciate a decisive pastor who will tell it like it is. Moses led Israel out of Egypt and strongly rebuked the Israelites for their wicked idolatry. Joshua courageously and obediently led Israel through their military conquests. Nehemiah, the visionary, “so built we the wall” with disciplined leadership despite continual opposition. I have nothing against a strong leader! In fact, I personally find myself gravitating towards that leadership style as well.
But there is a line.
A line between leadership and control. A line between authority and domination. A line between shepherding the flock and spiritual manipulation. And when that line is crossed, what begins as something good and biblical can rapidly turn into something far more dangerous: a leadership style that begins to replace Christ as the authority in the church.
This is where authoritarianism begins to take root.
Authoritarianism rarely begins as a blatant grab for control. More often, it starts with a man who was once spiritually in line; he was faithful, zealous, and sincerely used of God. This Pastor who once trembled at the Word of God slowly began to crave something else: preeminence.
John warned of this very Spirit in his third epistle:
“I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.” (3 John 9)
Diotrophes was not a pagan ruler – he was the pastor of a church! His desire was not simply to lead, but to have the preeminence. He wanted to be first, to be unquestioned, to demand undying loyalty, to control access, to control influence. John really gets to the heart of authoritarianism when he said “…loveth to have the preeminence.” It is a leadership style corrupted by self-exaltation.
This pattern is definitely not new. Scripture traces it back even further to the fall of Lucifer.
In Isaiah 14, we are given a glimpse into the pride that led to his downfall:
“For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” (Isaiah 14:13–14)
Lucifer’s fall was due to his prideful self-exaltation. He was not content with his God-given place. He wanted prominence, recognition, and ultimately authority that didn’t belong to Him. And this same seed of pride can take root in all our lives. A pastor may begin with a genuine desire to lead and feed the flock of God. But over time, that desire can shift without him even realizing it. The work becomes HIS work. The ministry becomes HIS ministry. The church becomes HIS church. His commands become the final authority for all of HIS congregants. Questions are no longer accepted. Correction is no longer welcomed. Accountability will be heavily resisted. Loyalty becomes defined not by faithfulness to Christ, but rather by submission to the leader.
This is the textbook definition of authoritarianism. And it is dead wrong on every level.
The example we should follow is that of Jesus, the complete opposite of Lucifer. Matthew 20:28 says, “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister…” Authoritarian leaders have it completely opposite. Jesus came to minister; He is the perfect example of a strong leader who was strong and bold, yet humble and meek. The danger has never been strong leadership. The danger has been a heart that desires preeminence instead of submission.
Major Biblical Problems with Pastoral Authoritarianism:
- It Usurps Christ’s Headship
Colossians 1:18 – “And he is the head of the body, the church… that in all things he might have the preeminence.”
Pastor, you are not the head of your church. CHRIST IS! You don’t own the church, nor the people in your church. When your word becomes unquestionable, you take on a role that belongs to Christ alone.
- It Commands Beyond What Scripture Commands
1 Corinthians 4:6 – “…that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written…”
Pastor, you are wrong if you enforce extra-biblical standards as if they carry divine authority. When your personal convictions and wishes are elevated to “Thus saith the Lord!”, Scripture is no longer the final word – you are!
- It Replaces Shepherding with Manipulative Control
1 Peter 5:2-3 – “Feed the flock of God which is among you…Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.”
Pastor, you are called to feed the flock of God, not to control it. Your role as a shepherd is to guide, not to dominate every decision of a person’s life. Your role as a shepherd is to lead, not to demand unquestioned and unfaltering loyalty. You are required to be an example, not forcing compliance through fear.
- It Discourages Biblical Discernment
Acts 17:11 – “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
Pastor, you should strive to lead a healthy church full of members who desire to search the Scriptures. You’re wrong if you’ve created an environment of dependent followers who are discouraged and looked down on for questioning. People in authoritarian cultures are no longer encouraged to think biblically, but simply to agree with the leader. Any questions raised are viewed as disloyalty to the “Man of God,” and what should be careful examination is replaced with a blind trust for the leader.
- It Creates Fear Instead of Freedom
2 Corinthians 3:17 – “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
Pastor, when your members live in a state of fear in the house of God, you have a problem. They might fear disagreement because speaking up against your decision would lead to public rebuke. They might fear discussion because they know that any dialogue that might disagree with you would be “to touch God’s anointed.” They might fear leaving the church because they couldn’t possibly serve God anywhere else but Authoritarian Baptist Church. They might fear to ask questions because curiosity or desire for understanding is perceived as disobedience. They might fear expressing doubts without being labeled as “sowing discord” or as a dissenter. They might fear confessing struggles or sins for fear that it will be used against them later as leverage. In authoritarian churches, fear attacks the very foundations of the liberty that we already have in Christ.
The Authoritarian Gatekeeper
In many cases, this authoritarian environment is sustained by keeping the congregation spiritually dependent. When members are not encouraged to study Scripture deeply for themselves, or to think carefully and biblically, they become reliant on a single voice to interpret truth for them. That dependence is not accidental; it reinforces the authoritarian’s control.
In some situations, this control is further strengthened by the subtle (and sometimes explicit) claim of special spiritual authority; the idea that the pastor has a unique or elevated access to God because he is “God’s anointed.” While the Bible certainly teaches respect for spiritual leadership, it never teaches that one man becomes the exclusive sole arbiter for God’s will for the whole church. Yet authoritarian leaders often lean on this language to protect their position, especially when questioned.
Disagreement is then reframed not as a matter of biblical discernment, but as spiritual rebellion. To question the leader is to question God. To seek clarity is to “touch the anointed.” This creates a powerful psychological phenomenon in the person’s mind called cognitive dissonance: members sense that something is wrong, but feel that raising concerns would put them at odds not just with a man, but with God Himself.
In reality, the authoritarian’s appeal to “divine access” often serves to shield himself from accountability. It allows him to preserve his authority without ever having to answer hard questions or submit his teaching to people’s diligent searching of the Scriptures. Rather than standing on the strength of God’s Word, his authority is propped up by his own perceived spiritual status.
But the biblical pattern is very different. There isn’t one pastor who stands between God and His people as a mediator, for that role belongs to Christ alone (Romans 5:8). Believers themselves are invited to come boldly to the throne of grace, to search the Scriptures, and to grow in their own understanding. Spiritual leadership is meant to point people to God, not position itself as the gatekeeper to Him.
So what does strong, biblical leadership actually look like without authoritarianism.
It isn’t weak. It isn’t passive. It isn’t indecisive. But also, it’s not controlling!
A Better Way for Biblical Leadership Without Authoritarianism:
- Lead with Authority under God’s Authority
A Pastor should decisively lead, but always in submission to Scripture, not his own personal preference.
- Let the Holy Spirit do the Work
Preach the truth clearly. Teach convictions passionately. But let the Holy Spirit apply it individually. Not every standard needs to become a rule.
- Invite Examination
Encourage people to search the Scriptures for themselves. The truth will never be threatened by a question.
- Build Accountabiliity
Leadership should crave to be surrounded by godly counsel and accountability. The devil desires isolation, so errors can grow unchecked.
- Shepherd People
The Bible says to care for the flock – not to control them. Church members are not assets to be managed, they need spiritual leadership.
I want to be clear that this has never been about singling out one man, one ministry, or one isolated situation. My burden is with the authoritarian spirit that has been allowed to run unchecked within the IFB movement. This is not about personalities; it’s about a pattern that is out of step with Scripture and harmful to the very people Christ died to shepherd.
Pastor, if this describes you, even in part, this is not a call to defend your position, but to examine your heart. If there has been a drift toward control, toward preeminence, toward silencing rather than shepherding, the answer is simple, though not easy: repent before God, and make it right with your church family. Step out from behind authority that demands trust, and instead earn it—through humility, through truth, and through a life that consistently aligns with the Word of God. There is no strength in maintaining control at the expense of Christlike leadership.
Church member, if this is the environment you find yourself in, you must take it seriously. You are not called to live under fear, confusion, or spiritual suppression. You should strongly (very strongly) consider whether you are in a place where you can truly grow in grace and in the knowledge of God. A healthy church will not center itself around a man, but around Jesus Christ. It will not demand preeminence for a pastor, but will faithfully give that place to Christ alone.
At the end of the day, this post is not about tearing down leadership. It’s about restoring leadership to the model God intended. Leadership that feeds, not controls. That guides, not manipulates. Because where Christ is truly preeminent, His people will not live in fear… they will live in freedom!