The pastor did not see it coming.
Sure, there were some hints and signs, but nothing to prepare him for the meeting on Saturday with the personnel committee.
He was told he needed to resign. There was no explanation given. He had only been given positive reviews to this point. Some of the people on the personnel committee had been his supporters and friends.
He was shocked.
The pastor was leading change in the church. The church was growing and vibrant. But a couple of weak staff members didn’t like the direction and expected accountability. They teamed with the known church bully and went before the personnel committee. They presented their perspectives.
The pastor never was asked his perspective. He could have fought the weak personnel committee and likely won. But he didn’t want to tear apart a church he loved.
He resigned.
For the sake of the church he loved, he resigned.
He was yet another victim of the church cartel.
A church cartel is an alliance of bullies, bully-followers, carnal Christians, and even non-Christians in the church. Its ultimate goal is to get its way. It feeds off of selfish power.
We don’t like to talk about church cartels. After all, it’s not the Christian thing to do. But they exist in too many churches. And if they are not exposed, they will continue to wreak havoc.
Here are five of the very dangerous realities of the church cartel:
- When a cartel is allowed power, the church is already unhealthy. The cartel is, by its definition, self-centered and power-driven. A church is already very sick if members remain silent and do not confront this evil directly.
- A church cartel leaves carnages of wounded and dying people. If you have any doubts about this danger, please see my post on “Autopsy of a Deceased Pastor.” See the comments. See the pain and questions and defeat the cartel leaves behind.
- Church cartels drive away healthy leaders. Some of these leaders are driven away by the cartel. Others leave on their own accord because they want to be in a joyous and healthy church. Their departure exacerbates the problems in these churches.
- Church cartels cause church leaders to work from a posture of fear. Instead of moving forward in faith, church leaders often spend more time worrying about how their decisions will impact the cartel. These leaders know the cartel will come after them if they go contrary to the carnal group’s wishes.
- We are told in Scripture to manifest the fruit of the Spirit; the church cartel causes the church to do just the opposite. Galatians 5:22-23 is clear about the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Church cartels bring hate, discord, anxiety, impatience, evil, fear, brutality, and chaos.
Churches that have cartels usually know they are present. They know who the bully is. They know who the bully followers are. They see them. They hear them. And they often fear them.
Courageous leaders must confront and stop church cartels. If no one is willing, the church is already on a path toward decline and death.
Posted on November 30, 2016
With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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143 Comments
I felt called to a church that the cartel had left the church prior to my arrival leaving about 30 folks. As I began my ministry I had determined that I wasn’t going to try to get any of those that left. Within the first year the Lord brought me to the realization that it was indeed the cartel that stayed but it was what I had to work with. It has been very slow at times but the Lord never released me from this ministry so I stayed and stayed and stayed. Well, 30 years later I will retire and leave a healthy, loving, and giving congregation of about 150 to the next Pastor. My secret, love God and love others! I loved my enemies when I didn’t feel loved in return. I loved when I was despitefully used. It was a slow and long process but I now feel the love of not only God but the unconditional love of this congregation. So much so that they do not want me to retire. I pray for the pastors that are dealing with the same sort of things I had to endure. Great article Thom!
God bless you.
…and then, you can just stick it out and deal with the cartel in private, because in reality, the majority of the church knows nothing about the cartel’s goings and doings. If they do know, they’re not going to get involved because they don’t want to be a part of the mess. Meanwhile, you just have to trust God to move in hearts and lives. Some times you’re surprised that they actually leave because they realize you’re not going to budge from continuing the leadership God set before you. It’s a life changing experience when a pastor and family has to deal with “murmur.”
So good! By God’s grace, I have survived a couple of these cartel “hits”. I will repost this on our ministry FB page. Excellent!
How can a question be asked without he whole world seeing and responding?
Yikes! Good to examine myself and make sure I am not in anyway contributing to the problem.
There is phenomenal book by Crouch on power called Redeeming the Gift of Power. No one including pastors or leaders should be allowed in the door until they have read this book and are committed to the principle that Gods view of power is that power should be shared, expanded, -and used for the flourishing of God s creation and never hoarded. People’s gifts are for the blessing and growth not to be “used” in an effort to build an institution or promote someone’s agenda.
Praying for a new heart for the church.
Love your use of “cartel” for the “deacon bully” crowd. The main reason that the traditional church has declined in SBC is the “cartel”. It has destroyed spirituality within and discouraged young pastors from wanting to pastor the main line church with a cartel structure. Speaking from 47 years of experience. Happy, healthy churches don’t operate through the “cartel.”
First ___ Church of _____. Family owned and operated since ____.
Seriously, sometimes people are this way because of fear. They may be true Christians, but have let fear so control their personal lives, that they bring that into the church. And so they control because they are afraid.
This doesn’t make their actions right, of course, but may help in finding a good solution.
The congregation I currently attend just went through and are still after two years feeling the affects of successfully dissolving a cartel.
Members of church cartels are typically deeply entrenched and with a long history with the congregation, as a result, dealing with cartel members can be a very messy business.
What we learned from our experience is that it must be addressed head on and immediately and let God deal with the fall out. We were told by church advisors up front that challenging the cartel could mean losing half of the congregation or more but challenge needed to take place regardless of the consequences.
The existence of cartels within the church is a definite symptom of a very toxic condition that needs immediate surgery.
Typically cartel members will reveal their spiritual fruit….or lack of it….real fast when challenged. In fact be prepared to repair some holes in your roof, because their heads exploding will go right through it.
I watched this happen to my father when I was young. I watched as the money people of the church tore apart Gods house and break a servant of Christ with all their might. I’ve seen it happen in other churches as well. I’ve also seen the cartel be the pastoral staff leading a church with mans wishes and inhibiting those who desire to serve God by keeping them out and only allowing in those who are part of the cartel or related to it. I’ve prayed for the last year and asked God how to deal with broken churches and God just keeps reminding me that churches are broken because people are broken and that if his grace is sufficient for me, it’s also sufficient it is for all in the church. In watching over the last couple years I’ve watched how horrid communication leads to these situations sometimes due to perception which is not headed off at the pass and people become bitter.
Been there. Confronted bullies (a family cartel). Got steamrolled anyway. My sanity and my ministry was saved by the ministry of the MTM Foundation. Ministering To Ministers has regional retreats for pastors and spouses victimized by congregations. They are lifesavers. http://Www.mtm.org
Sorry – made a mistake in the link. It’s http://www.mtmfoundation.org
I’ve experienced the cartel from the lay perspective twice.
The first time it was a strongly evangelistic pastor who had to battle the cartel. He won and the church thrived for a time–until he and his yes men formed their own cartel and people left for churches where they could “breathe free.”
The second time it was really a stealth takeover of one theological school of thought. Church had held theology “A” since its birth in the early 50’s. New pastor held theology “B” and made it sound like opposing THAT change meant opposing God. He also made changing literally everything, from the church constitution to the way the seats were arranged to the music to the parking to who taught what crucial matters of “salvation.” The founders and long time supporters left, he got the building and brought in new people (not nearly as many as before he came attend there now), then walked away after a huge debt was amassed. Church seems to be dying now.
Cartels are evil, but not all are lay bullies. Some are clergy bullies. Some are combinations.
Dear Pastors: I’ve never been a pastor and can’t imagine the pain you and your families have experienced as a result of having to deal with the flesh and spirit eating cartels discussed in this blog article.
May you all receive a double-blessing of God’s favor.