(This series on corruption is my most popular blog posting/series ever. However, it was ten years old. I decided it was time to update it and redo it. This week is the first installment.)
Since local Church leadership is lay leadership, local Church leadership is us – YOU and ME. My intent with this series is so people can evaluate their own behavior, not label or malign others.
Since local Church leadership is lay leadership, local Church leadership is us – YOU and ME. My intent with this series is so people can evaluate their own behavior, not label or malign others.
 |
| A meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Accessed May 25, 2020 from https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/image/chapel-46088b4?lang=eng |
Introduction
Most scripture and commentary deals with either the Church itself going astray or individuals going astray. This series deals with individuals going astray while serving in Church leadership positions.
In the July, 2010, Ensign, there is an article entitled, “Recognizing Righteous Leadership” by Elder Paul E. Koelliker Of the Seventy. The article’s title assumes that unrighteous leadership exists and can be a stumbling block for us.
In these last days we know that there will be extreme wickedness and every imaginable sin. It stands to reason there will be corruption amongst unit leadership as well. It is inevitable. The scriptures provide us with examples of both. As Church members we will need to react to it.
Saul & David
Perhaps the best scriptural example is Saul and David.
Perhaps the best scriptural example is Saul and David.
Saul was the Lord’s anointed and the best of men, in the beginning at least. Saul became wicked, but the Lord had not yet removed him from his divine calling. Everyone could agree Saul had fallen, but it was still the Lord’s responsibility to remove him.
David did nothing to undermine Saul’s authority. He fled. He protected himself. He removed himself from Saul’s power, but he did nothing to undermine Saul. Consumed by jealously, and every conceivable demonic behavior, Saul pursued David intent on killing him.
Clearly, the message for us is to look to our own behavior. Heavenly Father must have had a purpose in allowing Saul to remain. He did remove Saul in his own due time. Heavenly Father knows when his called leaders are corrupt. It is not for us to seek their removal, despite having popular approval amongst the members to do so. We must wait for the Lord to act. We will not be held accountable for their actions, only our own. It is unlikely that local Church leaders will try to kill us. The corruption will probably be evidenced in other ways.
What form will unit leadership corruption take in these latter-days? Some assumptions can be made. The following list is not intended to be exhaustive, only illustrative:
What form will unit leadership corruption take in these latter-days? Some assumptions can be made. The following list is not intended to be exhaustive, only illustrative:
Types of Corrupt Behavior by Unit Leaders
 |
| A bishop interview. Accessed May 25, 2020 from https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/ image/bishop-interview-06bdb96?lang=eng |
Leaders have titles such as Stake President, Bishop, Branch President, High Councilman, Relief Society President, Gospel Doctrine Teacher, etc. Corrupt leaders wave the title and its accompanying authority, power, and privilege as a flag, perhaps using it in secular settings, as well as religious ones. They will insist that people acknowledge their privileged position.
In reality, these titles represent tremendous responsibility. A truly humble person would seek to be worthy of the title, not flaunt it. (See Mark 9:35. Matthew 23:11-12. God is no respecter of persons, Alma1:26)
Seeking personal acclaim
Seeking personal acclaim
Corrupt leaders will seek inordinate acclaim for anything that is done by those in callings under them. They will not allow others to appreciate the talents and skills of others or even know about them.
This inability to share the limelight suggests that the leaders want the glory for the efforts of others – priestcraft in its purest form. Seeking the limelight by anyone is not Christlike. It is His Church, His Gospel, His scriptures, etc.; no one should seek His glory. In the premortal life, it was the same story because Satan wanted the glory. Seeking personal adulation in the Church now is no different from what Satan did then (See Moses 4:1).
Hoarding power and authority
Hoarding power and authority
Corrupt leaders seek to sabotage, or render powerless, those they see as competitors for leadership positions, both now and in the future. This robs the Church of skills and abilities that could otherwise be used to build the Church here on earth because certain people never get called to these positions. In effect, corrupt leaders subvert the Lord’s will; if it is His will that these callings should be extended, but never are.
Guided by their own desires
Corrupt leaders allow their own desires to guide their decision making, rather than the Lord's. Conceivably, the Lord may direct a leader to extend a calling he does not want to or elevate a person the leader does not personally like. It is a test of the leader’s mettle whether or not he or she can rise to the challenge and implement the Lord’s will rather than his or her own.
Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac. Nephi completely subordinated his personal will to that of the Lord’s. We must subordinate our will to His.
Corrupt leaders will probably not seek revelation or guidance on directing the affairs under their jurisdiction, because they would not follow it even if they knew what it was.
Inordinate control of information
Corrupt leaders will probably not seek revelation or guidance on directing the affairs under their jurisdiction, because they would not follow it even if they knew what it was.
Inordinate control of information
Corrupt leaders will control information flow in a unit in order to handicap those he or she wants to disempower.
Obviously, this involves denying people information they should have in order to properly do their callings.
Manipulation or misrepresentation of information
Corrupt leaders manipulate information. Information is power, so whoever controls the information has the power. This could include misrepresenting information about, or to, members or misrepresenting statistics.
Unrighteous use of funds
Corrupt leaders will use the purse strings for their own ends. This could include something extreme like embezzlement or something seemingly innocuous like not wanting to fund a particular event or type of event for personal reasons.
Control of others' assignments
Corrupt leaders structure Church assignments to their own likes and dislike and for their own ends. This could include a leader making ministering assignments themselves or forcing their own counselor selections on their subordinates.
This also involves doing tasks or making decisions oneself that is under someone else's jurisdiction. (The world calls it micro-management.)
Inability to keep confidences
Inability to keep confidences
Corrupt leaders do not keep confidences. Obviously, certain information needs to be conveyed to certain leadership in particular positions, but no leader should ever betray confidences to ordinary members concerning other members.
Cliquish behavior and actions
 |
| A Sunday School teacher projects her laptop display onto a screen to use for a lesson in a meetinghouse. Accessed May 25, 2020 from net-e-learning-5d2eed6?lang=eng |
Personal aggrandizement
Corrupt leaders that teach in the Church are more concerned with being considered good teachers, than with teaching as the Spirit dictates. Personal acclaim for one’s teaching prowess often subverts more righteous goals.
We all want to be good teachers; but people should leave a teaching event thinking that the Gospel is wonderful, not that the teacher is. Righteous teachers are more concerned with teaching the Gospel, not the personal rewards for doing so.
Using position to collect perks and prestige
Using position to collect perks and prestige
Corrupt leaders tend to use their positions to acquire personal resources, influence and prestige. The “perks” of office may include restricted tickets to events, knowledge or access to prestigious persons, etc. Corrupt leaders will seek these privileges exclusively for themselves or their chosen others.
Not following guidance
Corrupt leaders are unlikely to follow scriptural or Handbook guidance, especially if it conflicts with what they personally want to do.
Corrupt leaders are unlikely to follow scriptural or Handbook guidance, especially if it conflicts with what they personally want to do.
Corrupt leaders are not likely to access it or even read it. There is no point in doing so if they have little intention of following it.
If the Lord has made his will known either in scripture, modern revelation, through his chosen servants or in policies and procedures contained in the Handbook; then there is never a reason to deviate from this inspired guidance. If a leader does so, he is elevating his or her own judgment above Heavenly Father’s.
There is a tremendous amount of latitude in applying principles to particular circumstances at the local level. However, when the guidance is unambiguous, it should be strictly followed.
There is a tremendous amount of latitude in applying principles to particular circumstances at the local level. However, when the guidance is unambiguous, it should be strictly followed.
If a deviation occurs once, it may be an exception. If it occurs more than once, it is intentional disobedience.
Not respecting jurisdictional lines
Corrupt leaders will seek to influence those outside their unit jurisdiction. This could be with members or non-members. When dealing with other unit members, protocol requires that they work through the individual(s) designated unit leader. Church leaders only have authority inside their congregations or under their particular calling. Corrupt leaders often go outside their jurisdictions for their own ends.
Promoting pet political causes or candidates
Corrupt leaders may encourage their flock to pursue a particular political cause or candidate that they favor. This is simply evidence that leaders are using their position to further their own ends, rather than the Lord’s.
Continue reading at the original source →