Another silent idol in the church today is the over-dependence on spiritual leaders. Many times, we depend on them so much that we begin to think they have everything we need for a proper Christian walk, forgetting that they are only a part of the body of Christ.
Imagine the eye thinking it is all the body needs, or the legs saying they do not need the heart. That would be chaos, right? Yet this is exactly what we do in the body of Christ.
Many believers miss this—hidden forms of idolatryin modern Christianity explained
We trust and depend on our spiritual leaders to the point that if someone is not following them or listening to them the way we do, we see such people as not being true children of God.
This mindset has made many Christians accept everything their spiritual leader does or says as correct without checking it against the Scriptures.
As good as it is to trust and follow a spiritual leader, this is what the Bible says:
1 Corinthians 11:1 (KJV)
“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
This means we should follow them only as long as they are following Christ. Once they step outside the Word of God, our followership should stop.
We should not idolize any man of God. No matter how anointed a pastor or prophet is, none of them has everything. They are only a part of the body and do not carry the complete message of the Kingdom. Each one preaches the portion God has given them.
This is why we need all genuine ministers who preach the Word. Some are strong in teaching holiness, some in faith, some in healing, and others in different areas. None has it all.
Check yourself: are there particular Christians you cannot relate with simply because you think their beliefs are different from yours? Those beliefs may not necessarily be wrong; they may only be different from what you are used to. Because you do not understand them, you condemn them.
For example, I hear believers condemning Word of Faith preachers, and I wonder—what is wrong with faith messages? Is there no faith message in the Bible?
Many also condemn healing messages, and I do not understand why. Much of this comes from idolizing one preacher above others.
There are believers who feel powerless without a specific pastor. They believe their prayers will not be answered unless they reference the man of God in one way or another. Some feel they must go to the man of God to pray for them before God can answer.
Many Christians believe only a certain “man of God” can hear God for them. They do not train themselves to hear from God; they depend entirely on someone else to tell them what God is saying.
This has created unhealthy dependency. Before traveling, choosing a course, marrying, building, or making any decision, they must first “hear from the pastor.” The pastor must tell them God’s mind before they act.
Train yourself to hear from God. He wants to speak to you too if you are His child. Remember, God does not have grandchildren.
For many, their spiritual leader has become a mediator between them and God.
This has led Christians to obey spiritual leaders blindly, even when what is said clearly contradicts Scripture.
There are many unscriptural practices people obey simply because they have placed a man of God above the Word of God.
For example, it is not scriptural for a pastor to ask a member to take the microphone and announce how much they are “launching” for a building project, yet people do it in the name of obedience.
Another example is washing feet with anointing oil. Where did you see that in the Bible?
Another one is the teaching that you must sow a seed to get anything from God. Once a message touches them emotionally, they sow into it to “tap into the blessing,” forgetting that a man did this in the Bible and was severely rebuked.
Acts 8:17–23 (NKJV)
Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also…” But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money…”
Some even sow seeds to receive the anointing on a man of God’s life.
There are many of these practices today, but we can only be delivered from them when we understand that pastors are gifts to the church, not another God. They are not mediators.
Let us treat them as gifts, not replacements for Christ.
The Bible is clear:
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
— 1 Timothy 2:5
When any human being replaces Christ’s role in your spiritual life, idolatry has crept in.
Has your pastor replaced God in your life?
In the next study, we will be talking about ritual Christianity without a relationship. See you there.
If this message has spoken to you, here are some related teachings that will help you understand Silent Forms of Idolatry more deeply:
1. Silent Forms of Idolatry Practiced by Christians Today: Trusting God “Plus” Something Else (Part 1)
3. Silent Forms of Idolatry Practiced by Christians Today: Fear-Based Faith (Part 4)
6. Silent Forms of Idolatry Practiced by Christians Today: Self as an Idol (Self-Worship) (Part 7)
8. Hidden Forms of Idolatry in Modern Christianity: The Subtle Enemies of True Worship.
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