This article was co-authored by How.com.vn staff writer, Hannah Madden. Hannah Madden is a writer, editor, and artist currently living in Portland, Oregon. In 2018, she graduated from Portland State University with a B.S. in Environmental Studies. Hannah enjoys writing articles about conservation, sustainability, and eco-friendly products. When she isn’t writing, you can find Hannah working on hand embroidery projects and listening to music.
There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 11,785 times.
Learn more...
Your church leaders are supposed to be sources of solitude and strength—how, then, do you deal with a pastor who doesn’t seem to be right for the job? Bad church leadership can lead to a bad church, and ultimately, doesn’t foster a healthy environment. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to recognize a bad pastor and encourage them to change their behavior. In this article, we’ll not only share with you the signs of a bad pastor, but we’ll also tell you how to proceed and make your church feel like home again.
Things You Should Know
- A bad pastor might be manipulative, be a poor role model, or flaunt their wealth, among other things.
- They might be arrogant, hold grudges against the congregation, misuse church funds, or drink or take drugs.
- You may want to confront your pastor if their actions are affecting you or your church.
- Talk to the pastor in private and lay out your concerns. Offer solutions to help them move forward as a better pastor.
Steps
How to Take Action
- Talk to the pastor directly. Ask to speak to the pastor alone, then lay out your concerns. If they’re a new pastor, there’s a chance that they didn’t realize their actions were being received so poorly.[16]
- “Could I speak with you privately? I wanted to share some concerns that I had about the recent use of church funds. I’m not sure they’re being used appropriately.”
- Involve other members of the congregation. Talk to other people within the church to see if they’ve noticed your pastor’s behavior, too. If so, bring them with you when you talk to the pastor. Your words may have more of an influence if they come from multiple people.[17]
- Try to avoid gossiping about the pastor or talking about them behind their back. Instead, involve others by saying something like, “Have any of you noticed some odd behaviors from the pastor lately? I wonder if we should talk to him as a group.”
- Provide solutions to the pastor. You might ask that the pastor and the church leaders make a business plan or strategy to help with transparency. Or, you could suggest that the pastor stops leaning on the congregation to do church duties. Try to phrase your suggestions as helpful pointers rather than commands to avoid making your pastor defensive.[18]
- “I think it would be helpful if you and the other leaders shared the business plan for the church. That way, we could all see how the money is being spent, so there’s no more confusion.”
- It’s a good idea to get other church leaders on your side here. The more others agree with you, the more power your suggestions will have.
- Inform higher authorities if you need to. If your pastor’s behavior is illegal, it’s time to involve the authorities. Call the police and explain what your pastor has been doing. If you have any proof, hand that over as well to support your case.[19]
- It’s important to contact actual authorities for illegal activities rather than relying on church leaders.
- Leave the church as a last resort. It’s not ideal, but if your pastor won’t change and church leaders won’t do anything, you may be better off finding a new church. Look for one where you feel safe and respected so you don’t have to deal with a bad pastor anymore.[20]
Expert Q&A
Tips
References
- ↑ https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/signs-times/bad-priests-all-kinds-chase-people-away-christ-and-church
- ↑ https://www.inc.com/suzanne-lucas/bad-boss-of-the-week-gossip-in-the-office.html
- ↑ https://research.lifeway.com/2018/10/31/9-ways-to-spot-a-manipulator-in-your-church/
- ↑ https://christianindex.org/stories/an-older-pastors-view-about-drinking-alcohol-unintended-consequences,1371
- ↑ https://www.christianitytoday.com/karl-vaters/2015/november/eight-ways-to-deal-with-control-freaks-in-small-church.html?start=1
- ↑ https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/g201211/flaunting/
- ↑ https://www.sharefaith.com/blog/2011/07/bad-pastor/
- ↑ https://www.crosswalk.com/church/pastors-or-leadership/9-warning-signs-of-a-pastor-losing-his-way.html
- ↑ https://www.crosswalk.com/church/pastors-or-leadership/9-warning-signs-of-a-pastor-losing-his-way.html
- ↑ https://www.sharefaith.com/blog/2011/07/bad-pastor/
- ↑ https://www.crosswalk.com/church/pastors-or-leadership/9-warning-signs-of-a-pastor-losing-his-way.html
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KasjZCKbw88&t=122s
- ↑ https://www.crosswalk.com/church/pastors-or-leadership/9-warning-signs-of-a-pastor-losing-his-way.html
- ↑ https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/signs-times/bad-priests-all-kinds-chase-people-away-christ-and-church
- ↑ https://www.sagu.edu/thoughthub/dealing-with-difficult-leaders/
- ↑ https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/moral-failings-pastor/
- ↑ https://www.sagu.edu/thoughthub/dealing-with-difficult-leaders/
- ↑ https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/10-ways-to-resolve-conflict-with-your-pastor
- ↑ https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/10-ways-to-resolve-conflict-with-your-pastor
- ↑ https://www.placefortruth.org/blog/10-ways-to-resolve-conflict-with-your-pastor
About This Article
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.