There are a number of toxic Christian leaders who are poisonous personalities. They will drain you for every ounce of your life and feel no remorse over it. They create entire systems to prop up their power, make you feel crazy and ensure they are untouchable.
What should you look for?
Next, I will give you 10 signs, but first know this – this isn’t just a one off misbehavior. This is often a persistent and consistent pattern of behavior because it is ingrained in their personality.
Here is what to look for:
- They are the sole authority.
- They confuse themselves with Jesus in 1 Peter 5 where Jesus is the chief Shepherd
- They surround themselves with sycophants and highly agreeable people who will not challenge them.
- They create systems that inherently cast doubt on any accuser
- Loyalty is paramount
- Codependency and enmeshment are high
- Comparison is the culture
- They constantly feel threatened due to their own personal insecurities but will play it off on others
- They will hire weaker talent so they don’t feel threatened
- They can’t handle criticism
In their eyes, you are beneath them and you are fortunate to have ever met them. Cross them and you can expect retaliation in ways you may not be able to prove or will be doubted if you do due to who they surround themselves with.
What would you add?
I am sorry if you have ever been through this!
3 Responses
Went through this as a new Christian. There were no Elders in the congregation, but one man was called leader. He was not well educated and knew only basic things. For him and his backers One Cup and baptism was all that anyone needed to live a godly life. When I and other young men began to grow in the Lord we went from being friends to being troublemakers and were marked as young men with sharp tongues. The MO of the congregation was not to deal with issues (questions about Romans, why were other Christians called digressive etc.) just get rid of the people causing confusion. I left as did many others; congregation went from 120 to 6 people last I heard.
The church needs good leaders who love the Lord and their brethren as well as the lost. One of the best decisions I’ve made as a Christian was leaving that group and the poor leadership found within it.
Well said Matt. I would add I two other comments.
Few leaders will display all of those characteristics. But if just one or two of the most significant items you mentioned are present, that’s a huge red flag.
These bad leaders early on warn their listeners that sincere people will attempt to convince them that what the false teacher is teaching — is false.
The toxic leader is future proofing. He or she she is doing the preventative work required to keep his followers in the fold of deception.
The false teacher very much wants to get the message out first that there are wolves in sheep clothing, when in fact, they themselves are that Wolf.
Amen!!