There is no place that has more potential for the development of narcissistic leadership behavior than church world. Certainly, the private and public sectors have more than their fair share of narcissism but church world in many respects is a different animal. Add in a lack of accountability by boards or elders or boards and elders who have been handpicked to be “yes people” and you now have the formula for an organizational implosion.
The most important thing associated with narcissistic leadership in church world is that it affects the concept of people’s personal spirituality. Personal spirituality strikes at the very core of many people. It defines. It guides. It relates to purpose. Spirituality and one’s connection to a higher power or the even choice not to acknowledge a higher power is what sets humans apart. As previously mentioned, the concept of free will choice guided by submission to a higher power is the antithesis of relying solely on instinctual habits. This is the main flaw in basic evolutionary theory. It fails to take into account free will choice for people to do good or to do bad, i.e. evil.
In looking over those leaders throughout history who were absolute trainwrecks with the devastation they left in their wake we can see the majority were guided by their own narcissism. Further, if one takes a closer look at incidents with Jim Jones, David Koresh, or other religious leaders who brought their organizations down or close to it before being deposed we can see the rampant expansion of narcissism that even permeated upper and middle level managers. One might even hear biblical quotes or biblically based language on a regular basis but somehow leadership actions don’t correspond. For example, and this is not as far-fetched as it might sound, it’s hard for church employees or ministry volunteers to hear a church mantra ingrained in them like a POW brainwashing session, “Think the best, believe the best, think the best, believe the best,” when the directional leader or even a pastor and others in leadership are consistently dropping “F Bombs” in the back office. Incredible but there are good men and women who travel the world trying to put the church or not for profit Humpty Dumpty back together again and their plate is full many times dealing with rampant malignant narcissism in these organizations. Tragically, when an implosion occurs.
How do things that start so good in a church sometimes get so bad? The short answer is the human condition. That’s a pretty broad term but the human condition is such this thing we call free will gives options and rationalization and is very easy for the narcissistic leader. Let me preface what is about to be said with this. Few people (church organizers) wake up in the morning saying, “I feel led to start a church where people can be truly transformed for God and then I’m going to railroad it right into the ground.” Of course, this is ludicrous but something happens in between the time when one has submitted himself or herself to the will of a higher power and then slowly the cancer of narcissism spreads to a malignant state. The behaviors show themselves more and more until employees look at the situation as normal when it’s really a multi faceted dysfunctional model. Some employees who can’t stand the hypocrisy leave on their own. Others who see what’s going on and choose to stay do so because they see the positive results of their own second chair leadership. In other words, they are successful not because of leadership but in spite of it. This, however, does not hold off the inevitable. One thing is for sure. There will be an eventual downfall for narcissistic leadership in church world. It’s just a matter of time. God may have blessed the endeavor at one point but the evil that permeates the religious organization will erode its foundation. The most tragic thing about narcissistic leadership that destroys a church is that not only have people left the church but some who were at the beginning of their journey also leave God. They may have given church one more try and the damage done validates the lies told by the Evil One. How sad.
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