STEP4: I recognize that God is not the abuser; people who misuse their authority are the abusers.
Somewhere in time, the idea of being called to the ministry has changed—at least for many. In this change, which at first is subtle in a person, the seeds of religious abusiveness become fertile. In the early church and in the Scriptures, being called to the ministry means that a person is called to serve others, regardless of how others respond. Because a minister is serving the Lord, while serving others, that person is fulfilled by fidelity to Christ—fidelity to His calling.
Being the servant of others is what a minister is or, at least, is supposed to be. In our generation, that has flip-flopped. It is now the minister who is served and not the other way around. Because of the minister’s position and oratory skill, they have been elevated to a class above those to whom they have been called to serve. This has become so entrenched that ministers have become celebrities, adored by their followers like rock stars and sports figures.
This transformation has become so accepted that few realize how far it has deteriorated from the original model. Part of the problem is that the terminology has remained constant. Ministers still obsequiously refer to themselves as servants but, in their hearts, they are anything but servants. They are the lords, and when someone gets in their way, that person is castigated and discarded.
The problem has become so serious that millions have been abused in the name of Christ by those who have been called to serve Him.
Agreed…the middle-men are messing everthing up!