Not every man who wants to lead a church has been called by God. Some men are drawn to ministry because they sincerely want to serve Christ and care for His people. Others may be drawn to the trust, attention, authority, and control that often come with the position.
That is difficult to say, but Scripture does not allow us to ignore it.
A pastor may stand before people every week and speak with spiritual authority. Church members trust him with their fears, failures, marriages, children, money, and private struggles. He may be treated with great respect and rarely questioned. In the hands of a faithful man, that trust can be used to protect, teach, and strengthen the church. In the hands of a selfish man, it can be used to control and harm people.
Psychologist Delroy Paulhus of the University of British Columbia studied a group of harmful personality traits sometimes called the Dark Triad. These traits include narcissism, manipulation, and a lack of concern for others. Later research added sadism, forming what is called the Dark Tetrad.
That research did not prove that churches attract predators. We should be honest about that. However, it does help explain why some people seek positions that give them admiration, trust, access, and control. The church is not the only place where this happens, but it is certainly not protected from it.
The Bible warned about such men long before modern psychology gave names to their behavior.
John wrote about a church leader named Diotrephes:
“I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say” (3 John 9).
Diotrephes did not merely want to serve. He loved being first. He rejected godly authority, made false accusations, and tried to remove people who opposed him. His position in the church became a way to increase his own importance.
That same spirit can still enter the pulpit today.
A man may preach about humility while demanding unquestioned loyalty. He may speak about serving Christ while building everything around himself. He may claim to protect the church while removing anyone who asks reasonable questions. He may use phrases such as “Touch not God’s anointed” to place himself beyond correction.
That is not spiritual leadership. It is control dressed in religious language.
Peter gave pastors clear instructions:
“Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not with greed but with eagerness; nor yet as domineering over those assigned to your care, but by proving to be examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2–3).
A pastor has authority, but it is not unlimited authority. The church belongs to Christ, not to the pastor. The pastor’s authority comes from the Word of God and must always remain under the Word of God. He cannot demand what Scripture does not demand, excuse what Scripture condemns, or use his position to protect himself from honest examination.
A faithful pastor points people toward Christ. A controlling pastor makes people dependent upon himself.
A faithful pastor teaches people to examine everything by Scripture. A controlling pastor treats questions as rebellion.
A faithful pastor admits when he is wrong. A controlling pastor always finds someone else to blame.
A faithful pastor protects the weak. A controlling pastor uses the weak to strengthen his own position.
This is why the biblical qualifications for pastors focus so heavily on character. First Timothy 3 does not say that a man is qualified because he is a gifted speaker, has a commanding personality, draws a large crowd, or knows how to raise money. It says he must be above reproach, self-controlled, respectable, gentle, free from the love of money, and able to manage his own household well.
Talent can hide bad character for a while. Charisma can attract people who do not yet recognize danger. A powerful sermon can make listeners overlook what happens behind closed doors. But God sees the whole man.
Pastors must examine their own hearts. A man may begin ministry with sincere motives and slowly become proud as people praise him, trust him, and depend upon him. He may begin believing that the church cannot survive without him. He may stop listening to correction and surround himself with people who always agree.
Power does not always reveal itself through shouting and threats. Sometimes it appears as wounded pride, quiet pressure, spiritual guilt, or the suggestion that disagreeing with the pastor means disagreeing with God.
Every pastor needs accountability. He needs godly men who can question him, correct him, and tell him the truth. He should not control the church’s money without oversight. He should not counsel vulnerable women in private without wise safeguards. He should not hide accusations to protect the church’s reputation. Protecting the name of a ministry is never more important than protecting people.
A pastor must also guard against the sin he thinks he can manage. Sin can take a good man and turn him into someone he never thought he would become. One “little” compromise can lead to another. A hidden sin may lead to a lie, and that lie may lead to using his authority to silence anyone who gets too close to the truth. A man who once protected the sheep may begin protecting his sin instead.
Pastor, stay prayed up. Live with a repentant heart. Stay humble before God and willing to receive correction. Do not wait until sin becomes a public scandal before dealing with it. Confess it, turn from it, and seek help when needed. “Therefore let the one who thinks he stands watch out that he does not fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). Your position does not make you immune to temptation, and your preaching does not replace your own need for repentance.
Paul warned the elders in Ephesus:
“I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:29–30).
Some dangers come from outside the church. Others rise from within it. That is why churches must examine a man’s life before giving him authority and continue holding him accountable after he receives it.
Wanting to be a pastor is not proof that God called a man to be one. A genuine call will be supported by biblical character, sound doctrine, humility, faithfulness, and a willingness to serve when there is no applause.
God did not call pastors to rule His people. He called them to serve, protect, teach, and lead His people toward Christ. The pulpit is not a throne, and the congregation is not a personal kingdom.
A true shepherd uses authority to protect the sheep. A false shepherd uses the sheep to increase his authority.