“I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord.
-Jeremiah 23:4, NIV
One of the sad lessons I have picked up over the years is how to spot bad, spiritually abusive pastors.
The probably biggest clue to a pastor operating in an ungodly way is the use of fear on his or her congregation. Fear has no place in God’s house as far as “leadership” is concerned.
When reading Jeremiah 23:1-6, this spiritual truth really hit me:
God wants His shepherds to alleviate the fears of the sheep and truly care for them!
So, do you have a pastor who is doing that in your life? Does your pastor stoke fear or alleviate your fears? What spiritual fruit do you notice coming from your relationship with your pastor?
