“And what do you have that you did not receive?”(1 Cor. 4:7, NKJV)
We are currently offering an overview of the various structures of church leadership that exist, and have already discussed the Episcopalian hierarchy, the Presbyterian church structure, as well as the democratic church leadership model.
The fourth leadership structure that is found in churches is the autocratic-independent model. This model works with a specific leader figure, often very charismatic and with strong leadership characteristics. He/she is often self-appointed, completely independent and considers themselves as the so-called set man of the church. There are often other people who serve as part of the leadership, but they are actually only there to fulfil the calling, vision and anointing of the so-called set man. The function of the members of the church is also to help fulfil the calling and purpose of the set man.
This concept of set man is derived from Scriptures like Ezra 5:2, in which iterations of the phrase “rose up”, are embedded, which we’ve discussed in the previous couple of teachings. It is the Aramaic word qûm, which, according to Strong, means “appoint, establish, make, raise up self, (a-) rise (up), (make to) stand, set (up)”.
In his book The Ministry of the Saints, Mark Hanby provides an explanation of this concept: “Set ministry is the one who is set over a work by God. Unlike religious systems, God establishes any work (including a local church) by giving a vision to a man and commissioning that man to establish the work. The set minister may be gifted in any of the fivefold ministry gifts, but the office of a set minister is the office of an apostle. God always chooses a man, never a system. Those who aid the set minister in the establishment of a work can also be viewed as part of the set ministry.” (p. 162).
There are many random statements that are made concerning the legitimacy and spiritual stature of this so-called set man position:
- they often refer to the set man as king, as if all born-again believers are not called to kingship (Rev. 5:10)
- he/she is referred to as “the anointed”, and often Ps. 105:15 is presented as warning to the church, or to outsiders: “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.” With this they mean that the set man is untouchable, can actually do whatever he/she pleases, as they carry the unconditional sanctioning of God. This is obviously not Scripturally rooted in any way. According to Eph. 5:21 we should all be “submitting to one another in the fear of God”, and this includes all leaders, too. Phil. 2:3 makes it clear: “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” We do indeed need to pay heed to Heb. 13:17, which reprimands us: “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” But this does not mean that the set man has carte blanche merely because he/she is a so-called “anointed one” – we do after all know that the entire Body of Christ are “anointed” under the headship of Jesus, the Anointed (Dan. 9:25-26; Acts 4:26; Ps. 133).
- all believers in the church who are not strictly submissive to the set man are seen as “the blind and lame”. On a website that propagates this dogma, the following is said about these types of church members: “The lame symbolizes those who cannot walk into the vision of the set man. The blind represent those who cannot see the vision of the set man. These mentalities prevent the church from executing the purposes of God. A sentimental leader will tolerate these mentalities at the expense of the purpose of God.” (http://www.apostolicleader.co.za/index.php/abc-1-complete/38-14-set-man-principles). The arrogance of this notion speaks for itself. But it is clearly not a Biblical position to take. In 1 Cor. 4:7 Paul makes it clear: “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” John the Baptist frames it in even starker terms in John 3:27: “John answered and said, ‘A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.’” This should be read with 1 Pet. 4:10, which argues that, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
A good prototypical example of the mentality of such a set man is found in 3 John 1:9: “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.”
This church system is in truth nothing but the practice of narcissistic, autocratic behaviour, even despite the presence of other individuals in the leadership. Tendencies commonly found in these types of ministries include:
- Only the anointed leader is allowed to preach. He for instance flies around the country to preach at various affiliated churches in the same day, or videos or internet streaming of his public appearances are presented to audiences across the country. Almost no one else is allowed to minister the Word.
- Often the wife of the anointed leader is appointed as deputy leader of the church, usually ranking higher in authority than the other elders.
- Prophecy is often used to control and manipulate the church. The prophecy is not tested, but presented as “thus sayeth the Lord”.
- The leader makes decisions without being held accountable by the rest of the church, based purely on his/her prominent status.
- The set man makes autocratic decisions regarding finances, personnel, general matters – his word is law and is considered equal to the word of God.
- The church system brings forth slaves, not sons of God.
- The set man is clearly building his own kingdom, and not the kingdom of God. The set man often preaches that the anointed are particularly blessed, and that their houses, jewellery, properties, clothes and cars must reflect this blessedness.
It is absolutely clear that this set man theology holds a serious danger for God’s blueprint of what church should be. There are indeed “gifts of administration” (1 Cor.12:28, NIVUK) in the Body, but this is service, and not a means of control.
- Selah: Do you recognise this leadership structure?
- Read: Ruth 1-4; Prov. 30-31; Ps. 129.
- Memorise: 30:4 (and answer the question).
