The church is called to build people. Not manage them. Not control them. Not silence them. Jesus never used fear or pressure to keep people in line. He used truth. He used love. He used authority that came from the Spirit, not a position.
Today, too many leaders use their titles to control hurting people. They speak as if they guard the kingdom, but their actions weaken it. They call this accountability. It is not. True accountability restores. False accountability restricts.
You see the difference when someone falls. A mature leader lifts a person back to strength. An immature leader protects their image and pushes the person away. That is the misuse of power. It crushes the wounded. It damages trust. It sends broken people back into the world without healing.
Boards and councils often sit in rooms and make decisions about people they have never prayed with or walked with. They hide behind anonymity while claiming authority. They hold power but refuse to hold responsibility. When this happens, the kingdom takes the hit. People lose faith. People lose hope. People walk away. Not from God. From the people who misrepresented Him.
The misuse of power never builds disciples. It builds fear. It builds compliance. It builds silence. None of that produces life. None of that reflects Jesus. He rebuked the systems that placed heavy burdens on people. He confronted leaders who loved authority more than people. He spoke truth to rebuild, not suppress.
The kingdom advances through humility. Not force. Through relationship. Not rules. Through love that takes time to listen, understand, and walk with people through their pain. Power used to protect an image harms the very mission leaders claim to defend.
If you lead in any capacity, you carry a responsibility. People are watching how you treat the hurting. People are watching how you respond when someone disagrees. People are watching how you handle conflict. You either strengthen their faith or weaken it. There is no middle ground.
The misuse of power damages the reputation of the gospel. It tells lost people they have no place. It tells wounded people they must stay silent. It tells the next generation that God’s house is unsafe. This is not kingdom leadership. This is control.
Real strength comes from lifting people. Real authority comes from serving. Real influence comes from consistency, humility, and love. These are the seeds that grow fruit. No board. No council. No title can replace that.
If you want to protect God’s kingdom, then protect the people in it. Be the leader who restores. Be the voice that heals. Be the one who listens. Be the one who refuses to hide behind titles or decisions made in secret.
Power is not the enemy. Misused power is. And when leaders choose control over compassion, the kingdom suffers every time.
Write this on your heart. Every step of leadership will rise or fall on how you treat people. If your leadership draws people to Jesus, you are building the kingdom. If your leadership drives them away, you are damaging it.
The fruit tells the story. Every time.
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