• • The members only obey the leader instead of depending on the word of God.

• • Only the “leader” knows what to do next and the others follow blindly.

• • The members will have the same weaknesses as the leader, because they only follow his instructions.

• • If the leader is found in some moral failure, the members are shocked and begin to leave.

• • The members cannot mature because they are always dependent.

• • The more able members may feel unmotivated instead of doing all they are capable of.

• • If the leader disappears, no one knows how to continue.

• • If the congregation grows, the leader receives the credit.

• • If the congregation dwindles, the leader is blamed instead of each member analyzing what part they may have had in the failure.

• • All eyes are on a man instead of being on Christ. Hebrews 12:1-2 instructs us:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

You are all brothers, we read in Matthew 23:1-12:

1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Let this mind be in you Philippians 2:3-9:

3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,

When according to the word of the Spirit, God places elders in the church, He never puts only one. Titus 1:5:

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you.

Paul in Philippians 1:1 spoke of elders in plural:

Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

When one exalts one person over others, he is violating God’s word. We do not need another Diotrephes in the congregation as we read about in 3 John 1:9: 9 “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.” For someone to try to exalt himself in the things of God is the work of Satan, as we see in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 and 2:8-12:

3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The rule of men in the things of God never is approved by God, and always exists in opposition to Christ as the only head of the church. The church of Christ is to be guided by His word. The word comes to all in the pages of the Bible, and each one must take his place in the body of Christ in obedient response to that word.