Some leaders stop learning the moment they receive a title. Worse, they begin believing the title made them wise. They treat their position as proof of intelligence and use it as a shield from correction.
They are insecure, yet act infallible. This is a dangerous combination.
These leaders may not read deeply, reflect honestly, or listen well. They reject questions and silence feedback. They confuse loyalty with blind submission, quickly labeling anyone who thinks critically, asks hard questions, or brings real expertise as proud, rebellious, or "not submissive to spiritual authority."
This misunderstands what biblical submission actually requires. Scripture calls for submission to godly leadership, not to leaders who refuse accountability or growth. True spiritual authority invites questions because it rests on truth, not position.
This is not spiritual leadership. This is intellectual insecurity wrapped in church language.
They mistake their position as authority over everything—not just ministry, but the personal decisions, convictions, careers, and callings of their members. They offer guidance where they have no training and speak like experts in fields they do not understand. They overstep boundaries and call it discipling.
That is not mentoring. That is control.
Some of these leaders fear competence. They fear anyone who might outshine them, so they dismiss insight and isolate initiative. They protect their position by surrounding themselves with yes-men while sidelining anyone who dares to think independently.
In the name of humility, they demand silence.
In the name of unity, they shut down dissent.
In the name of authority, they trample wisdom.
But authentic leadership is not afraid of intelligence. It is not threatened by capable people or the need to control every detail of someone's life. Instead, it encourages, supports, and guides others to flourish.
This doesn't mean leaders cannot be decisive or confident. Healthy leadership can be both strong and teachable, both authoritative and humble. The issue is not whether leaders should lead, but whether they can lead while remaining open to growth and correction.
The church does not need more leaders who believe they are infallible. It needs leaders who remain teachable—who know how to say, "I was wrong," who welcome people smarter, more experienced, and more gifted than themselves. Leaders who use their title not to silence others, but to serve them.
Yes, believers need guidance and structure. But they also need leaders who model intellectual humility and spiritual growth. Young Christians learn more from watching leaders handle correction gracefully than from blind deference to authority.
Because if your confidence depends on your position, you are not leading. You are posturing.
And if your leadership begins to feel like ownership of people's choices, relationships, or callings, it is not mentoring. It is control masquerading as care.
That is not spiritual authority. That is fear dressed in the garments of wisdom.
The Kingdom of God is built on courage, humility, and truth—even when that truth comes from someone without a title.
If this makes you uncomfortable, ask yourself: Who have I silenced? Whose growth have I stalled? What questions am I afraid to hear?
This isn't written out of bitterness, but out of concern for the Body.
The call here is for all leaders, not just "those other people."
Real unity isn't threatened by truth—it's built on it.
And yes, followers also need humility and teachability; this cuts both ways.
This is not a license for prideful rebellion or rejection of all authority. The goal is not to tear down legitimate leadership but to distinguish between authority that serves and authority that controls, between confidence that invites growth and arrogance that stifles it.
If you cannot handle questions, growth, or gifted people around you, then step aside. God is not waiting for permission from your insecurity. He is already raising up the people you refused to recognize.
