How Do Churches End Up with Domineering Bullies for Pastors?

“But while domineering pastors aren’t a new problem, they do seem to be more and more evident in the Western church today. In some cases bullying goes on for many years, either unrecognized or unchallenged. Which raises some important questions: What leadership virtue are we mistaking bullying for? Which trait is such a priority that we aren’t even aware when it is deployed in an ungodly, and biblically prohibited, way? In short, why do we end up with bullies as prominent pastors?”

The Dangers of Domineering Pastors, Implicit Faith, and the Biblical Model of Leadership

Allberry presents a timely warning against domineering pastors—leaders who exercise coercive control rather than shepherding with love and humility. While many churches today tolerate or even celebrate authoritarian leadership under the guise of strength, Scripture teaches that true pastoral authority is not about dominance, but about servant-hearted leadership. It’s an important point, especially when we consider Reformed theology, which has long emphasized the dangers of implicit faith—the unquestioning submission to human leaders that was a hallmark of the Roman Catholic Church during the Reformation.

Domineering Leadership and the Catholic Error of Implicit Faith

At the heart of the Reformation was a rejection of the idea that believers must accept whatever their leaders teach without understanding it for themselves. The Roman Catholic Church insisted that ordinary Christians were not competent to interpret Scripture but must simply trust in the Church’s teachings—an idea known as implicit faith (fides implicita).

John Calvin forcefully opposed this view, arguing that true faith must be grounded in knowledge of God’s Word, not blind trust in human authority. He wrote:

“Faith rests not on ignorance, but on knowledge.” (Institutes, III.2.3)

This is precisely where the danger of bullying pastors becomes apparent. When a pastor leads with intimidation rather than biblical persuasion, he creates an atmosphere where people submit out of fear rather than conviction. This is not true faith—it is implicit faith in a man, which Calvin and the Reformers condemned.

When a church follows a pastor simply because of his position, his charisma, or his ability to produce results, rather than because he rightly handles the Word of Truth (2 Tim. 2:15), they are making the same mistake that the medieval church made. They are trusting in a man rather than in Christ.

Biblical Leadership: Authority With Accountability

That said, Calvin also rejected the opposite extreme—rebellion against all authority. While pastors must not lord their authority over others (1 Peter 5:3), they do have real spiritual authority, provided it is rooted in Scripture and exercised within biblical boundaries:

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.” (Heb. 13:17)

So, what is the biblical model? Allberry highlights three key principles that align with Reformed theology:

1. Plural eldership – No single leader should have unchecked power (Acts 14:23, Titus 1:5). The New Testament consistently presents churches as being led by multiple elders, not a lone authority figure.
2. Leading by example, not coercion – Pastors are called to shepherd the flock as examples (1 Peter 5:3), not as dictators. True authority comes from modeling Christlike character, not from demanding loyalty.
3. Faith must be personal, not forced – Allberry correctly warns that when people adopt theological positions because of pressure from a domineering pastor, rather than personal conviction, they are not acting from faith. And whatever does not proceed from faith is sin (Romans 14:23).

The Connection Between Domineering Leadership and Pragmatism

One of the most insightful points Allberry makes is how pragmatism fuels the rise of authoritarian pastors. Many churches measure success by numbers, efficiency, and outward growth rather than by faithfulness to Christ. The result is that pastors are rewarded for results rather than for godly character.

The CEO model in American churches and the military general model in British churches both contribute to this problem. While there are things to learn from business leadership and military discipline, neither of these secular models can define Christian leadership, which is fundamentally about shepherding souls rather than running organizations.

The Final Answer: Christlike Leadership That Inspires, Not Intimidates

The Reformed tradition, the Bible, and Allberry all point to the same conclusion: the right kind of leadership is not the absence of authority, but the presence of godly, accountable, and humble authority.

• Pastors must lead—but not as CEOs, not as generals, and not as dictators.
• Believers must follow—but not blindly, not out of fear, and not because of coercion.
• Faith must be informed—grounded in Scripture, not merely in a leader’s personality or persuasion.

The antidote to domineering leadership is not weak leadership, but biblical leadership—the kind that inspires, nurtures, and points people to Christ. As Calvin said, a pastor must both feed the sheep and ward off wolves (Institutes, IV.3.6). He must lead with authority, but that authority must always be servant-hearted, accountable, and grounded in Scripture.

When a pastor models Christ, people will follow him not because they fear him, but because they see Christ in him. That is the kind of leadership the church needs today.