Abuse of Power

[Amanah]

so, I like this preacher and wanted to share with you what he had to say on the abuse of power. What do you all think?

In business, family and ministry, I have learned my lessons the hard way. There are basic rules to protect yourself against being one who abuses power and or being an enabler of one who abuses power.

First, being an enabler. Do not let yourself get lazy. Do not believe things because they were told to you by good people. Believe them because you found them to be true. Do not allow yourself to worship men, places or ideas. This is the greatest danger that most people will find themselves in. Being in AWE of someone to the point of attaching your worth to being attached to their worth. Love great men, admire them, follow them and have confidence in them. But judge for yourself every single word, work and deed. When a man is right 50 times and then wrong twice, those two wrongs are just as wrong as anyone else’s. You greatly harm the youngest generation that is present, when you pretend that a good man’s mistake is not a mistake because he was a good man.

As far as abuse of power…two things. Spread the authority and spread the wealth. No one man will always be right. Nobody is so good at anything that they won’t make mistakes at it from time to time. If you are at the very top of an entity with no direct oversight you are in the greatest danger of abusing power. If there are 2 or 3 of you at the top and you get little to no input, oversight or corroborating with others, you too are in jeopardy, perhaps not quite as much.

Surrounding yourself with peers, elders, oversight and constant input that you will listen to, is one of the greatest things that you can do for your success, your chances at being right and for the health of those under you.

Lastly, no one ever needs a 10 bedroom house, 250,000 dollars worth of vehicles or to have a personal worth of tens of millions of dollars. I have had friends that meant well and tried to do good and great things with large amounts of money but they ended up hoarding it, keeping total and complete control of it and they ended up believing that they were the only ones that knew best how to use it. Some of them just slowly developed fancier and fancier lifestyles and absorbed much of the wealth to themselves. One man had the means to do great and incredible things with an abundance of wealth but the people that he wanted to share it with wouldn’t “obey” him enough so he never surrendered any of it. He died a wealthy, lonely and greatly mistaken man.

When you have what you need, find the best possible causes that you can and spread the rest around. Use wisdom, do some research, but get it out there and give it a chance to do good. If mistakes are made it is not the end of the world. I have found that the mistakes of the sincere are often times more successful than the successes of the insincere.

Ministry leaders, be wise and beware. This isn’t the good ol boys family church days anymore. The people are coming back to their causes and their senses. It happened with Luther, it happened with Washington and the continentals, it happened with Trump and if it keeps up…it will happen at the churches, in the meetings and in the fellowships. It is scary, but it is mostly a good thing.

Take head, make notes, use wisdom young people. Pray through and follow Christ and Christ alone. Brother Todd is staking everything he has on you.

http://hmaministries.blogspot.com/20...oughts-on.html

[Amanah]

When I read the blog post above, this is what I wondered about:

Are we harming younger people when we don't allow them to question what is being taught, i.e., in the areas of standards and eschatology?

A few years back I was attending bible college (because of a desire to learn and grow) and when I questioned something that was being taught, and asked if another scenario was possible, I was told "that is not what we believe"

I quit attending, because I thought, what is the point of an education, if you can't ask questions.

I know that it is more important to be in church and be saved than to have all our questions answered. But, if our younger people are told "this is what you believe" and they don't get an understanding for themselves, what is the result?

First, being an enabler. Do not let yourself get lazy. Do not believe things because they were told to you by good people. Believe them because you found them to be true. Do not allow yourself to worship men, places or ideas. This is the greatest danger that most people will find themselves in. Being in AWE of someone to the point of attaching your worth to being attached to their worth. Love great men, admire them, follow them and have confidence in them. But judge for yourself every single word, work and deed. When a man is right 50 times and then wrong twice, those two wrongs are just as wrong as anyone else’s. You greatly harm the youngest generation that is present, when you pretend that a good man’s mistake is not a mistake because he was a good man.

[Tithesmeister]

Originally Posted by Amanah

When I read the blog post above, this is what I wondered about:

Are we harming younger people when we don't allow them to question what is being taught, i.e., in the areas of standards and eschatology?

A few years back I was attending bible college (because of a desire to learn and grow) and when I questioned something that was being taught, and asked if another scenario was possible, I was told "that is not what we believe"

I quit attending, because I thought, what is the point of an education, if you can't ask questions.

I know that it is more important to be in church and be saved than to have all our questions answered. But, if our younger people are told "this is what you believe" and they don't get an understanding for themselves, what is the result?

What do I think? I think he nailed it.

Wow. This man has been infected with the honesty virus.

He probably has fewer preacher friends than before he posted this.

I hope he’s not an evangelist, or has any future plans to be. I think it’s possible that he may be the real deal.

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by Tithesmeister

What do I think? I think he nailed it.

Wow. This man has been infected with the honesty virus.

He probably has fewer preacher friends than before he posted this.

I hope he’s not an evangelist, or has any future plans to be. I think it’s possible that he may be the real deal.

[jediwill83]

Originally Posted by Amanah

We do people a disservice to send them out unable to argue and reason their beliefs to a world that couldnt care less who their superstar highly pedigreed pastor is and will laugh in their face if they pull a,"Well my pastor preaches it this way."


Hopefully a generation of Bereans will rise up and demand answers to their faith and beliefs and dilligently search scripture to see if what is being taught is contextual and true.

[houston]

Originally Posted by jediwill83

We do people a disservice to send them out unable to argue and reason their beliefs to a world that couldnt care less who their superstar highly pedigreed pastor is and will laugh in their face if they pull a,"Well my pastor preaches it this way."


Hopefully a generation of Bereans will rise up and demand answers to their faith and beliefs and dilligently search scripture to see if what is being taught is contextual and true.

They think they’re berean. Lulz

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by jediwill83

We do people a disservice to send them out unable to argue and reason their beliefs to a world that couldnt care less who their superstar highly pedigreed pastor is and will laugh in their face if they pull a,"Well my pastor preaches it this way."


Hopefully a generation of Bereans will rise up and demand answers to their faith and beliefs and dilligently search scripture to see if what is being taught is contextual and true.

[Godsdrummer]

Originally Posted by Tithesmeister

What do I think? I think he nailed it.

Wow. This man has been infected with the honesty virus.

He probably has fewer preacher friends than before he posted this.

I hope he’s not an evangelist, or has any future plans to be. I think it’s possible that he may be the real deal.

Originally Posted by jediwill83

We do people a disservice to send them out unable to argue and reason their beliefs to a world that couldnt care less who their superstar highly pedigreed pastor is and will laugh in their face if they pull a,"Well my pastor preaches it this way."


Hopefully a generation of Bereans will rise up and demand answers to their faith and beliefs and dilligently search scripture to see if what is being taught is contextual and true.

[Aquila]

We need a "Bible Revival". A concerted effort to cleanse all traditions of man and get back to the book.

Perhaps every generation or two needs this.