A Pastor's Pride: Poison In the Pulpit
- Fred Chavis
- Apr 5
- 8 min read
Updated: Apr 7
Fred Chavis | The Liberation Movement
This is one of the toughest publications I’ve ever had to write. I do not take the words I will say lightly, but if you’ve ever heard the words “Silence is Violence” then you know allowing the abuse, manipulation, and authoritarian behavior of some churches to go on would be condoning it.
This is not about one church or a few — but a pattern of churches who have forgotten the original mission.
As a preacher’s kid, I was raised in the church. I’m so thankful for my lineage and the humility of my parents. Growing up this was not always easy — there were many days I rejected it.
Over time what I learned was God does not choose perfection. God chooses what needs to be molded and put back together. There can be no greater example than Brother Fred. Trust me when I say, God is still working on me.
I had the gift of faith at a very young age. That is why my path has been more challenging than some. I couldn’t lean on people. I had to lean on God.
If you are a chosen vessel, there is usually a person God will send for each season of your life to propel and guide you forward.
“Men” are like seasons in this work. I have zero regrets for the seasons I’ve experienced and got to know.
Men are men, vessels to be used by God.
Some of these leaders have forgotten their assignments.
So we must know when it is our time to go, just as we must know when it is time to speak.
A Pastor's Pride
In 2020, God turned my switch. I began to step into activism. My voice was full of fire, my heart was full of fire, but I hadn’t figured out just yet how to control the flames.
I was a man ready for war, believing that no matter the beast in front of me, I would conquer it. Don’t get it twisted, I am still a man of war. It was during this season, that I began to find my way.
It is in this season that many of us will come face to face with a Pastor’s Pride. This may be the very season some of you are in right now.
This is for the people who have dealt with and endured church abuse, manipulation, disrespect, and cult-like behavior to make the ‘insubordinate” fall in line.
This is for those whose past was used as a chain around their neck. For those who left toxic churches and were made to feel ashamed for doing so.
This is for those people who choose not to go to church because of what they endured from egotistical and prideful leaders.
Let’s talk about vision.
When you have a vision, you must protect it, nourish it, grow it, and believe in it. Your vision is not for you, it is for those God has sent you to.
The environment in which you live this vision can pollute it or it can water it.
Your vision will touch others — is it a breath of fresh air into their lungs or is it a pollutant slowly compromising their lives?
When a vision becomes perverted and polluted — it will hurt every population of people it flows to like toxins in the air. When a vision becomes a Pastor’s Pride, it becomes poison.
This poison is what they attempt to call anointing and prophetic messages.
However, once it has become poison, it only serves one person — to feed that Pastor’s Pride, position, and self-centered potential.
Once you see it, there is no going back. This is why a Pastor’s Pride must blame the very people who left over the very people who caused the exit.
The Trap
Let me walk you through this process:
Recruitment. A message based on your “right now” that spoke to your desires. A message that spoke to your known struggles and/or past.
Pastors don’t recruit, or appeal to one’s fleshly desires. They pray for members just as we pray for a Godly church.
Let’s be real — it can feel good to be acknowledged. But when we answer to recruitment, we have already joined something for the wrong reason.
Recruitment is about ego and control.
It’s about using your voice to build their vision.
When you join a ministry such as this, it may seem all is well. They know how to make you feel like family, but that only lasts just as long as you continue to operate in their vision.
It is a toxic cycle of you’re in then you’re out. Each new level becomes more and more draining. Yet you, endure because of how you feel for your Pastor and leaders.
Hear me when I say, this is what makes things more painful. You love these pastors, their families, and the ministry. And so you overlook the problems, convincing yourself this is what purpose looks like.
You may even try to justify their behavior, especially if you have dealt with abuse before.
And so you follow faithfully — trusting the “process”
BUT
What happens when the message becomes poison, recycled poison?
Every sermon now fits their narrative. Scriptures are misquoted and interpreted in ways to create fear and guilt in the body.
They use their pulpit to take aim at you — reinforcing their control.
You began to feel a numbness to their words, their prayers, their performances.
You feel lost in a place you once knew.
That’s when you begin to ask questions and seek out direction as you should.
Pastors and those of title will make it seem as though you can’t question them. They will downplay your discernment and gifts working in action. A Pastor’s Pride requires them to protect their position.
So what could you possibly be discerning about them when they are the Pastor and shepherd?
Do not doubt yourself. What you are feeling and what God has shown you is real.
Do not tell a Pastor’s Pride your dreams and visions. They can’t speak on it but will do so to keep you where you need to be.
You were meant to go through this season and grow. God can work out of a rock if that is what God desires.
Do not ever let a Pastor with pride make you feel as though God can’t use you.
Do not ever let a Pastor make you feel as though the only way you will become what God has for you is through them.
A Pastor attempting to take credit for what you’ve become, and take ownership of you is a Pastor you need to get away from.
Any Pastor unable to accept questioning is not because of your rebellious nature but because when you confront an abuser — they must deflect the accusation and make you feel worthless and delusional.
It is the narcissistic behavior of Pastors that is crippling the journey of people seeking an authentic Godly journey.
A Pastor’s Pride will:
Make obedience a currency of approval
Reject accountability
Downplay your spiritual gifts
Discourage questioning
Use vulnerability as leverage
Spiritual Warfare is Real
It shows up right where you worship and pray.
How many have felt bound? Trying so hard to pray and worship through it.
What about the sick feeling in your stomach?
The worst part is when a Pastor and their groomed leadership speak on spiritual authority. These two words are the most misused and abused.
These kind of pastors rule their churches through fear. They claim to have spiritual authority over you and so you must be obedient. They will say it is up to them to give God a good report on your behalf as the messenger.
In reality, it is them that must have a good report amongst the people. It is them that must be accountable and not fall to their pride and ego.
Just like in this revolutionary work, where you are not free you must stand and fight for liberation. There are many of you right now that being abused and misused.
A Pastor should be a protector - a shelter for the vulnerable. But many have become tyrants with a mic. They use your past against you.
This is not how God works and this is not how a church is supposed to work. I know churches right now, where Jesus would have flipped over your tables.
A man is not in charge of your calling. God is. These papers signed by men mean absolutely nothing.
It just creates a bunch of paper-pushing pastors poisoning the people from their polluted pulpits.
A Pastor's Pride wants to be seen and worshipped as a god abusing their influence.
Much of the abuse comes in the form of tithes and offerings and what one is obligated to contribute to the church and Pastor.
You need to know the scripture for yourself so that you do not be misled, misused, and abused.
What Happens When You Wake Up?
The church under this authoritarian nature will try to bind you, silence you, and hide you while also trying to claim your vision and work as their own.
They will go out of their way to try and show you are replaceable.
They will gossip just like those they condemn to convince the masses you should not be trusted and that you are the problem.
They are master communicators with a way with words.
They are skilled in presentation.
What Does It All Mean?
It means you must stand on business and know the day will come when you are vindicated. Debating a Pastor’s Pride is a losing battle. They have no accountability and must always present themselves as an alpha and in control.
A Pastor’s Pride will kill you if you stay. It will kill your growth. It will poison your faith.
See the church for what it is —
Is there deliverance taking place or perceived performances of deliverance?
A Pastor’s Pride is poison to the flock.
For those who made the courageous move to leave and were persecuted for it — I salute you.
Continue your journey in God knowing you do not need to convince any man of your choices, of who you are, and what God has for you.
Walk confidently in your journey of faith.
To those still in the midst of a Pastor’s Pride — fight to leave.
Trust what God is showing you and be ready when you receive your instructions.
I love so many of you. I hate that you are being abused and controlled by perverted and poisonous ministries that only serve a Pastor’s Pride.
I pray for your liberation.
What’s the next move you ask?
TV Off
A Pastor’s Pride won’t allow them to not react to what was said. They have already been taking shots at you. Strategically, it would be best they not say anything else — but that pride and ego are a great burden to bear.
They will use titles and messages rooted in your identity so you know they are speaking to you.
They will give a passionate performance on Sunday to show their position and that they are untouchable and unfazed. There will even be a moment where they will show a slight vulnerability to convince the congregation they are human and humble — that pastors are always the victims.
They will try to convince their leaders to show unity — through mass hashtags and prideful instructions to even telling you what to speak on Sunday that reinforces their leadership.
They will say they prayed for you, fought your demons for you, sacrificed for you….
Here is what you need to remember:
A Pastor’s Pride is their prison.
They can shout and sing all they want behind their bars, but it is up to you if you want to use your visitation.
Pray for those Pastors who have lost their way, pray that God brings them back to work.
Trust God enough to know you were placed where you were supposed to be. You went through what God intended. It was a part of your process.
God intended you to come into the presence of a Pastor's Pride--that when you reach a certain level, you won't become it.
