“Did he actually say that?”

I can imagine one of the Ephesian elders turning to a fellow elder to say those words after hearing the apostle Paul say, “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:29–30). Every pastor can readily grasp the first part of Paul’s warning, but the second part is another story.

As pastors, we train to be watchful and alert. Inherent to our calling as shepherds is the task of looking out for the flock of God and protecting it from savage wolves and false shepherds. However, Paul emphasizes here that one of the greatest threats to the church can emerge from within its own leadership ranks, making self-awareness a critical aspect of pastoral leadership. A pastor who does not know the temptations of his own heart cannot guard his heart from what might cause him to become a source of spiritual danger to his congregation.

The question then arises: What danger signs can pastors watch for to guard against diseased leadership? Let me suggest six warning signs for pastors to pay attention to in themselves.

1. Pride

The Bible is clear about the destructive nature of pride: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). Pride deceives, turning a leader’s focus inward and corrupting his care of God’s people. For pastors, pride can be a subtle temptation, fostering an inflated sense of self-worth.

The pastor’s office comes with authority, and a pastor can easily forget that his authority is derived from Christ himself. Intoxicated by his own perception of self-importance, a pastor may develop a “Diotrephes” complex: loving to be first and not willing to be corrected (3 John 9). Both signal spiritual decay. If not dealt with, he will cut himself off from constructive feedback and accountability — essential guardrails for a pastor’s protection.

The fallen pastors’ landfill is littered with men who began to believe their press clippings, which led to them thinking more highly of themselves than they ought to think. Pastors must be on guard and never forget that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).

2. Negligence

One of the early signs of spiritual decay in a pastor’s heart is a diminishing personal spiritual life. It is common for pastors to become so consumed with the external demands of ministry — preaching, teaching, counseling, administration — that they neglect their walk with the Lord Jesus. Prayer becomes perfunctory, preaching becomes mechanical, counseling becomes shallow, and the man morphs into a carnal shell of his spiritual self. At that point, he becomes an easy target to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the boastful pride of life, and God’s people reap the rotten fruit of the pastor’s withering soul.

Paul’s admonition to “keep a close watch on yourself” (1 Timothy 4:16) serves as a powerful reminder to pastors that we cannot lead others where we ourselves are not going. Preaching about the joys of sweet communion with Christ while personally neglecting the means of grace will make a pastor a perfect hypocrite. The gap between his public ministry and private life will inevitably become a place where the devil sets his devouring traps.

In guarding his heart, a pastor will do well to heed Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s words: “It is not great talents that God blesses as much as great likeness to Christ. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God” (Memoir and Remains of Robert Murray M‘Cheyne, 243). And holiness comes through consistent holy discipline (1 Timothy 4:7).

3. Compromise

A slow drip from a leaky pipe can erode the foundation of a massive building, and small compromises can undermine a pastor’s ministry. Whether it is sexual immorality, financial impropriety, or another lapse of integrity, patterns of cutting moral corners can cause enormous damage to a pastor’s own spiritual life and infect the influence he wields on his congregation.

“One of the early signs of spiritual decay in a pastor’s heart is a diminishing personal spiritual life.”

When a pastor finds himself avoiding the company of others, operating in isolation from other leaders in the church, or pushing back against accountability, heed the warning signs of compromise. If not addressed, a pastor will drift away from the biblical standards he once held and start living and leading in the questionable realm of “gray-area” ambiguities. Slowly, convictions are jettisoned, standards are lowered, and the once-principled leader transforms into a walking contradiction and a stumbling block to his congregation.

Pastor, if this is you, the Lord of the church “who searches mind and heart” (Revelation 2:23) calls you to “be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19) before it is too late — before you shipwreck your faith, “destroy God’s temple,” and in turn have God destroy you (1 Corinthians 3:17).

4. Control

Some pastors fall into the trap of trying to control their congregation. Drunk with authority and power, rather than governed by gentleness and love, they use fear, guilt, or intimidation to exert power over the people they are supposed to serve.

Coercive tactics have no place in the church. Such tactics include micromanaging, insisting on making decisions without collaboration, refusing to listen to differing perspectives, or even manipulating and threatening others with church discipline to get them to do what you want them to do. Each of these indicates destructive leadership, which breeds fear and division. This approach to spiritual leadership creates a toxic church culture that betrays the heart of Christ, meek and humble (Matthew 11:29).

Pastor, if you desire complete and unquestioned control over the congregation, you stray from biblical leadership. Christ is the chief Shepherd to whom all loyalty and obedience is owed, and you compete with him to your demise if you exercise leadership over his flock in a domineering way rather than as an example worthy of imitation (1 Peter 5:3–4).

5. Jealousy

Jealousy is a potent danger for a pastor, a toxin that poisons both his heart and his congregation. Jealousy blinds a man to the needs of others and causes him to view fellow leaders as rivals rather than as co-laborers in Christ. Like King Saul, who allowed jealousy of David’s success to consume him (1 Samuel 18:6–9), pastors can become ensnared by comparison and envy.

Left unchecked, this sin distorts a leader’s vision, shifting his focus from faithfully shepherding God’s flock to competing for status, recognition, or influence. James warns that “where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice” (James 3:16), a reminder that the ripple effects of jealousy extend far beyond the individual pastor to cause harm to the body of Christ.

Pastoral leadership is not a competition but a shared labor of love for Christ and his bride. When pastors root their identity in Christ and his finished work rather than in their own success or public platform, they can lead with joy and contentment, nurturing their congregations with a healthy, Christ-centered vision.

6. Burnout

Burnout is a slow-growing but deadly danger for pastors. The weight of shepherding the flock and constant ministry demands can easily lead to exhaustion and spiritual dryness in a pastor’s heart, especially when he neglects proper rhythms of rest and renewal. Burnout erodes compassion, patience, and joy, often resulting in a harsh, irritable, and ineffective leader who alienates a congregation.

Even Moses needed to be reminded by Jethro of the danger of burnout: “You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone” (Exodus 18:18). When pastors fail to heed this wisdom, they risk overworking themselves, which can lead to discouragement, emotional numbness, and even moral failure. The spiritual vitality of the pastor is closely tied to the health of his congregation. The loss of pastoral joy and energy can create an environment devoid of the life-giving presence of Christ.

The antidote to burnout is cultivating a life of dependence on Christ and recognizing that the church belongs to him and not to any other leader. By trusting in God’s sustaining grace, prioritizing time with God, and practicing rest and refreshment with family, pastors can avoid burnout and lead with the energy and joy that flows from communion with Christ.

Guard Your Heart

The warnings in Acts 20:29–30 are just as relevant today as when Paul addressed the Ephesian elders. Pastors are called to a high standard of personal and spiritual integrity. To guard against diseased leadership, we must be vigilant in examining our hearts, considering the scriptural call to “pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).

By paying close attention to these danger signs of pride, negligence, compromise, control, jealousy, and burnout, pastors can fight to lead their congregations with the heart of a true shepherd — one who cares for the sheep, protects them from harm, and leads them faithfully in the ways of God that honor and glorify Jesus Christ.