6 Warning Signs Your Pastor is Building His Own Kingdom

The word pastor comes from a Latin word which means “shepherd.” In Ephesians 4:1, Paul identifies shepherding “pastors” as one function in the Church along with teaching, missionary work, evangelism and prophecy. The importance of this role is seen by the emphasis that Jesus puts on it in John 21:15-17 where Jesus charges Peter to feed and tend to His sheep. How is a pastor supposed to feed and tend to the flock of God? He does this by being able to oversee and teach the flock the Word of God (1 Timothy 3:1-2), to bring the flock into maturity. He also has a responsibility to guard the doctrine of the church. Preserving the integrity of the Gospel is one of the pastor’s highest callings. Some pastors consider the title “overseer” as a command to have their hand in everything and the command to rule the church is sometimes taken to extremes as well. So what are some of the warning signs that a pastor is building his own kingdom rather than Christ’s kingdom? Here are six warning signs.

Your Pastor is Always Right

When your pastor is always making himself or herself right, this can be very problematic for a number of reasons. No one is always right, including pastors. A pastor’s responsibility isn’t to interpret the Bible; their job is to preach the Gospel. It’s not based upon what th4ey think. It’s based on what God says. If your pastor is unwilling to acknowledge or admit their mistakes or doesn’t accept an obvious mistake, that should be a major red flag. Also, if there’s a problem in the church, your pastor should be approachable. If a pastor is so unapproachable and unopen to constructive concerns or criticisms, then he his heart is not in the right place concerning the ministry.

Your Pastor Resists Accountability

Accountability is defined as “the quality or state of being accountable; an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.” Sadly, pastors are not excluded. You should pay attention to a pastor who has stopped being accountable for job responsibilities. This is a huge red flag that he is building his own kingdom and not God’s. Pastors set the example for accountability. Remember, a pastor’s official responsibility is to govern the church along with the elders, and his focus should be primarily spiritual, attending to matters such as edifying believers and equipping the saints to do the work of the ministry.