Below are 15 newly discovered reasons why Christians worship pastors instead of giving the Lord God the glory. Making anything more important than Jesus Christ, to include family members and yes, your pastor, is the sin of idol worship.

As always, please verify the below with the provided biblical texts at the end of sentences.

1. Wives allow a pastor more authority over her than husbands

There are reasons why only 22% of the church consists of men and the other 78% are women. Men understand that in a certain way, a pastor has authority over their wives that they do not.

There are many issues with this, but one above every other: nowhere in Scripture does it indicate a wife is ever released from the ‘law of her husband’—and certainly not to the local preacher (Eph. 5:22-24, 1 Pet. 3:11 Cor. 11:3).

Men, especially black, men see the open admiration and worship of us pastors and are stuck between a rock and hard place. They know attending church is righteous but what is going on is not of God.

Husbands, not pastors, are the head of household (Gen. 3:16, 1 Cor. 14:34-35, et al).

2. The personal needs of pastors outweigh those of everyone else

The Bible instructs us to ‘prefer another over ourselves,’ however, Scripture never says to neglect our homes so a preacher/pastor can have nice things (Rom. 12:10, Philipp. 2:3-4).

According to the Bible, these are the actions of an ‘infidel’ (1 Tim. 5:8). I become righteously indignant when I hear, for example, that churches provide a pastor’s children with private school access—which academically outperform public schools everywhere—while their own attend failing public schools.

3. Pastors are treated as celebrities while everyone else is ignored

It breaks my heart each time I am greeted by Christians who afterward act as if no one else is worth acknowledging (Acts 10:34-35).

Furthermore, the Lord God speaks against it (Jam. 2:1,9). There is no biblical case to be made that church leaders (such as me) are more loved by God and therefore special than the lowliest sinner (Rom. 5:8).

4. Christians rebuke other Christians yet remain silent when the pastor sins

With no hyperbole intended, someone who works in the food pantry or outreach ministry could commit a sin with the pastor’s involvement, and the congregant would be treated much worse than the pastor.

There are many reasons for this, but this mindet boils down to favoritism—which is a sin (2 Chron. 19:7). More accurately, pastor worship over-rules any form of truth.

However, especially among black folk, there is a superstitious belief that telling a preacher they are wrong is equal to offending God.

5. Pastors are provided with wealth while the needy are rejected

Recently, a well-known Christian in this city had his home destroyed by a police raid through no fault of his own. The damage cost tens of thousands, yet despite being a deacon and a multi-decade member of a wealthy church, no financial assistance was offered.

Meanwhile, the same church took on an exorbitant mortgage to house their pastor in luxury. I’m not suggesting churches act as banks, but when long-time members—who’ve tithed hundreds of thousands—are ignored in their time of need while leaders live lavishly, something is deeply wrong (Amos 5:11-12, 1 John 3:17).

This Christian hypocrisy reveals a serious failure to abide in the Lord's will.

6. Church Pastors are allowed to operate as dictators with no biblical precedent

Another reason people worship pastors instead of God is the unchecked authority granted to them—directly contradicting Scripture (Acts 10:25-26). In Acts 10, a Gentile named Cornelius bowed low before the apostle Peter and Jesus's disciple told him not to do so!

I don’t dismiss the role of leadership, but it is never biblical to strip others of free will (Deut. 30:19, Rev. 22:17). It’s an abomination for anyone to declare, “If the pastor says it, it’s right—end of discussion.” This happens due to a critical misunderstanding: pastors are called to be the greatest servants in the church, yet many have become the most served (1 Pet. 5:2-3, 2 Tim. 2:24-25).

7. God’s Word Is disregarded in favor of pastoral orthodoxy

I define theology as the truth of God’s Word and orthodoxy as a leader’s interpretation of its intent (Prov. 30:5-6, 2 Pet. 1:20-21). The existence of countless denominations—including 'non-denominational' churches, which function as 'undeclared' denominations—proves that Scripture is often discarded for man-made rules (Rom. 3:4, Num. 23:19).

Pastoral orthodoxy goes beyond denominational differences, corrupting even the teaching (or rather, misrepresentation) of God’s Word (Gal. 1:8-9, 1 Tim. 6:3-5).

For example, nowhere does Scripture say three (3) wise men visited baby Jesus in the manger (Matt. 2:1-12). Yet every year, Christmas sermons and religious artwork worldwide repeat this lie, disregarding biblical truth and God’s holiness (1 John 2:21).

When tradition overrides Scripture, faith becomes about human authority rather than divine revelation. This elevates pastors—not God—as the final arbiters of truth, a dangerous inversion of biblical authority.

8. The Bible teaches Christians to judge, but pastors demand we don't

Christians increasingly worship pastors rather than God by blindly following leaders who twist Scripture - particularly those who preach that believers should never judge.

This heresy directly contradicts Christ's command in Matthew 7 to 'judge righteous judgment' (Matt. 7:1-7).

The tragic irony is Scripture repeatedly commands God's people to exercise discernment (1 Cor. 5:12, 1 John 4:1). Furthermore, righteous judgment isn't merely permitted - it's essential for maintaining purity in Christ's body and the Lord commanded it (John 7:24)!

Yet modern pastors, desperate to avoid accountability, have convinced congregations that criticism is 'unloving' and throwing stones in a satanic twisting of Jesus's defense of a sinner woman (John 8:3-11).

This isn't protecting the flock, it's pastoral cowardice disguised as piety. When shepherds silence the flock's God-given duty to test teachings, they elevate themselves above Scripture itself (Acts 17:11).

9. The Bible’s Ephesian 4 leadership model for pastoral supremacy

Regardless of Ephesians 4’s model (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers) and 1 Timothy 3’s deacons, modern pastors wield unchecked power (Eph. 4:1-13, 1 Tim. 3:1-8).

When the church discards biblical precedent, handing authority to unequipped men—especially in prophecy—it betrays Scripture and is fact worshipping something other than the source of truth (God).

Think about it like this—the Bible clearly intended husbands and wives to raise children together as a family (Deut. 6:6-7, Prov. 31:27-28 et al). Yet in America, the divorce rate averages 53%, and for Black households, 78% are led by single mothers.

Is it any surprise that the nation with the highest divorce and single-parent rates also has the largest prison population? We reject God’s design for family, so it’s broken—and the church, abandoning biblical leadership, is too.

10. Referring to the pastor’s family as the ‘first family'

This elevates pastoral supremacy, contradicting Jesus’ example of servanthood and His words: “The first shall be last, and the last first” (Matt. 19:30). Reflecting on this, I realize it’s a sin I must confront—both in our church and my own speech.

God, forgive me, for I know Your Word in Romans 2 warns against “judging others while doing the same” (Rom. 2:1-3). Like Paul cried: “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death" (Rom. 7:14-24).

11. A pastor's needs will always be put before anyone else's

Where would we be if Jesus had prioritized His own desire when He prayed, "Take this cup from me; yet not My will, but Yours be done" (Mark 14:32-42). Pastors claim to be servant leaders - but only until service requires tangible sacrifice that might cost them comfort.

Congregants mistakenly believe that because a pastor shows up and performs paid duties, they're being served. Nothing could be further from truth. If you doubt this, your church simply hasn't faced budget cuts threatening what your pastor considers something he is 'owed.'

The moment leadership's privileges are challenged, the servant leader facade often crumbles, revealing an expectation of preferential treatment that contradicts Christ's example of true sacrifice.

12. Christians depend on preachers to read the Bible for them

Christians worship pastor to the point they take preachers 'at their word,' and place trust that should belong solely to the Holy Spirit—not flawed men (like me).

Scripture never commands this blind reliance (2 Tim. 2:15). The Bereans modeled accountability, searching Scriptures to verify teachings—refuting today’s unhealthy dependence on imperfect leaders (like me) to do all the spiritual labor (Psa. 119:105, 2 Tim. 2:15).

Refusing to even read the Bible yourself while deferring to a leader is dangerous. In this way, believers surrender what belongs only to God—inviting eternal consequences. That misplaced trust risks hellfire, for no man (including me) deserves the faith owed to God alone (Isa. 42:8, 1 Cor. 10:31).

13. Pastors receive all prime location considerations

From reserved parking spots to head tables at banquets and premium sanctuary seating, pastors enjoy privileges unmatched even in corporate America. The parking issue alone reveals much.

While churches with resources provide handicapped parking, many disabled members still struggle with access. Often, wheelchair users and those with mobility challenges must walk farther than perfectly healthy pastors and their families.

At our fellowship meals, we do have what might be called a 'head table,' but with a crucial difference: it's never reserved exclusively for clergy. That table remains open to all, and typically fills with God's people from all walks of life.

This small but meaningful practice maintains the biblical principle that in Christ, "there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free" - and certainly no special caste for church leaders (Gal. 3:28, Col. 3:11).

14. Loyalty to God is measured by the 'Yes Pastor' culture

A dangerous belief persists that obedience to God requires just two words: "Yes pastor!" Leaders routinely claim "God gave me a vision" - 95% of the time abusing the text "without vision, the people perish" (Prov. 29:19).

But we must ask: Whose vision is this (Ezek. 13:2-3, Lam. 2:14). Pastoral worship thrives on the illusion that clergy possess exclusive divine access unavailable to others (Mark 15:37-38).

When congregants reject this toxic culture - seeking truth rather than blind submission - they become outcasts. This very mentality has fueled the church's modern apostasy.

True faithfulness requires discernment, not unquestioning allegiance to fallible men (1 John 4:1). The biblical model shows believers testing all things though not surrendering their spiritual agency to self-appointed visionaries (1 Thess. 5:21).

15. Setting apart a 'special' area (pulpit) where no one else is allowed to enter

While contemporary churches grant all worship leaders pulpit access, traditional congregations - especially Black Baptist churches - treat it as "sacred space," even calling the lectern a "sacred desk!"

To such notions, as elders would say: "Oh, bless their hearts." Neither claim holds truth. Unlike Moses removing sandals on holy ground, believers today carry God's Spirit within them - making all ground holy where Christ's people gather.

Pastor worship effectively rebuilds the temple veil that Jesus' death tore down, suggesting only clergy may enter God's presence. Scripture knows no such distinction!

The point stands clear: Christians must flee this idolatry. We cannot elevate leaders like myself above the Lord. Most don't recognize their complicity, but repentance is needed by all.

Let us return glory to its rightful place - with God alone.