SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL ABUSE (Part four)

AN  ELITIST ATTITUDE

I blessed the Lord for waking us up to see another day and to be on this land of the living to offer praise and thanks to His Holy Name. My brothers and sisters in the Lord and in the power of His might I thank God for keeping us together in the unity of His grace and the Mystical Brotherhood. We bless the Lord and thank You for saving Grace.

The deadly trait of elitism produces an “us and them” mentality. A church with an elitist attitude believes “no one else is really preaching the gospel” except that church. Or at least, no one is preaching it as effectively as they are!

An elitist spirit discourages church members from visiting other churches or receiving counsel from anyone who doesn’t attend their church. If anyone visits another church, he is viewed as a dissident.

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QUALITIES OF A GODLY MAN

“Everything you need can be found within the framework of our group,” this spirit says, adding, “Everything you need to know, you will receive from the minister and his teachings.” Consequently, there is little respect, if any, for other denominations or church groups.

One individual, in speaking about the elitist attitude within his church, said, “Although we didn’t come right out and say it, in our innermost hearts we really felt there was no place like our assembly. We thought the rest of Christianity was out to lunch.”

A healthy church respects and celebrates the other expressions of Christ’s many-membered body. A Jesus-centered church realizes that no one denomination or local church can win a city, regardless of how large it is. Christ-centered leaders who are clothed with humility recognize that the small church is as significant as the large church, the Spiritual Baptists are as vital as the Charismatics, and every racial group has a place at the Lord’s table.

A healthy church will promote other churches in the city, rather than simply promoting its own events and agendas all the time. A healthy church will promote spiritual renewal in all churches rather than further the idea that it has some kind of doctrinal superiority. A healthy church will exude the attitude described in Philippians 2:3-4:”Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also the interests of others.”

Your servant and brother,
+ Sir Godfrey Gregg
Archbishop and Presiding Prelate
Administrator and Apostolic Head
Follow me on Twitter @ArchbishopGregg
@MysticPatriarch