Pride in the Church

In today’s blog I want to talk about pride, not just any pride. I want to talk about pride in terms of Christian leadership and members within the church.   Have you ever attended a church long enough to get to know the leadership and some members to sense that there were a bunch of people wanting to run things and perhaps for the wrong reason? In fact, in their thirst for power they actually create dissension and a level of competition amongst church members and attendees.

Quite frankly, I have only encountered this briefly before, and the situations were isolated.  But more recently I was exposed to it and I watched it wreak havoc in a church. About a third of the small congregation wanted some kind of leadership role.  Even the smaller tasks were filled by someone, and they were not willing to give up or share their post.  So what's wrong with that, you may ask?  After all, many church leaders complain that there aren't enough people willing to help out, let alone relieve a busy church leader once in awhile, and be willing to preach, teach or lead worship.

First of all, no one should ever feel left out and that they have nothing to offer the church since all the roles are already filled.  Scripture is very clear that every person in the Body of Christ is necessary to the functioning of the whole Body, just as is true with our physical body.  

Scripture says that within the Body of Christ (and in every body of believers) there are many parts:

1Co 12:14  For the body is not one member, but many.

1Co 12:15  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

1Co 12:16  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

1Co 12:17  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

1Co 12:18  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

1Co 12:19  And if they were all one member, where were the body?

1Co 12:20  But now are they many members, yet but one body.

1Co 12:21  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

1Co 12:22  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

1Co 12:23  And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

1Co 12:24  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:

1Co 12:25   That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

If we look at verse 25, it makes it abundantly clear in how we should treat our brother or sister in the Lord.  We are to care for one another, not compete with one another for positions of authority or any other position for that matter!

Also, the Lord has something to say to those who want to be the head and the first in line:

Mat 20:25  But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

Mat 20:26  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

Mat 20:27  And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

Mat 20:28  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Wow! Look again at this profound statement Jesus made in verse 28:

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Is it right for a person to take on a prideful attitude and want self-gratification and attention when even the Lord came to minister and not to be ministered to?

My friends, we are called to a much higher status, and the way to that place is the opposite of what we would think -- it is through brokenness and humility.  We need to pray for those two things in order for the Lord to promote us.  Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness learning humility and the Lord's ways before he led the children of Israel out of Egypt and slavery.  Paul was smitten blind and stripped of all of his self-importance before the Lord could use him so mightily.  All throughout Scripture men of God were stripped of self before they were of any real use in the Kingdom of God.

Within the Body of Christ, believers need to strive to shed off pride and put on humility. Pride was the devil's downfall and man bought it hook, line and sinker.  One example is when people state that they are a good person, and yet, we are all sinners in need of salvation.  Works are not enough.  Pride is how the devil gains entrance into our lives if we're not careful. Pride is when we want the attention and we want to take credit for our own goodness and abilities rather than give glory to God for dying for us and forgiving us of our sins.  Here is what Scripture says:

Jas 4:6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Power can only come from brokenness.  It is not gotten by "adding to" self for personal gain, but by “shedding off” self so that God can work in and through us.  If we shed off pride God will exalt us.  If we add pride, God will resist us.

It is God we want to exalt and worship, not self.

1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.