There are things that ministry leaders should be conscious of to protect the ministries entrusted to them by the  Almighty.

There will always be those that craves in your position as ministry leader.  They think it is so exciting to stand in front of a group of people that are committed to the vision the Father has given you. Especially if they are under the impression that there are lots of money going around. Little do they know that there is no glory in being a leader; all the glory must go to the Almighty.

How do you recognise the false members?

1. They will always try and help you their way, not the way the Holy Spirit are leading you.
2. The will push for the 'best' jobs.  The jobs in which they think they will be seen the most.
3. Ambition is a sure sign, you will see a desire to be in control; they will say things in such a way that you will think it is to give you the support to achieve the Lord's goals for you.
4. Like Judas,  they are after the money and will push to run the finances. They will even divert the funds in such a way that they can invest it to their own benefit (commission). Even the finances you are paid when you minister elsewhere must be handed to them to invest. They will control the finances and will decide what your salary will be; manipulation through finances is their main purpose.
5. They will push the business side of the ministry. Money is their main objective. You will notice their way around you as if they care about your ministry, but beware! There is a hidden agenda to benefit themselves at your expense.
6. Some of them will hang back until you are in a crunch and then move in to 'help' you. They will  act as if you are their are best friend and that you deserve the best, but meanwhile they are ready to cut you out at the first opportunity.
7. They want you do the unimportant things while they will run the ministry. They will  offer you a contract to be able to pay you; what they will not tell you is that they will then control you.
8. People think they can get away with trying to steal your calling, anointing and vision. I shudder to think what will happen when the Almighty asks them about it.
9. They will try and convince you that they are better qualified than you to do the job and even that they have the greater anointing.

Mat 20:20-28 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshiping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom."
22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. (Jealousy - What about me? I am more qualified than he is.)
25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

There was pride at the bottom of it, a proud conceit (self-importance, vanity, superiority) of their own merit (advantage), a proud contempt (contempt, dislike, disapproval, disrespect) of their brethren, and a proud desire of honour (admiration) and preferment (promotion, advancement, elevation); pride is a sin that most easily besets us, and which it is hard to get clear of. It is a holy ambition to strive to excel others in grace and holiness; but it is a sinful ambition to covet to exceed others in pomp (showiness, pageantry) and splendour (magnificence, brilliance, majesty, grandeur, luxury). (Mathew Henry's Commentary on the whole Bible)

We saw all these things and didn't realise what they were up to.  For the last number of years I asked for help from the leaders but they never came forward. They sat in the leadership positions looking important. You will notice when you are away they will do the most wonderful things and even achieve the almost impossible. My question is: Where were they when you were there and needed things done?

Mat 23:2-8 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever he bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. (Don't do what they say you should do; do what Moses said you must do.)
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.*
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi (Pastor or Doctor).
8 But be not ye called Rabbi (Pastor): for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

*Some of the 'leaders' will not keep up their financial commitment to the body but they will be quick to demand it from the other members.

When you select the leadership, make sure you are led by the Holy Spirit.  Choose men and women that are not after leadership or full of vanity but has a heart for serving.

God does not seek leaders when He calls people, because He is the Leader; He seeks servants who will let Him lead. (Henry Blackaby)

Let us look at Judas:

John 12:3-6 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?*
6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
*We see a false care for the poor by Judas, in the same way you will see in people that wants to undermine the ministry you are involved in. They will say what you do for the Lord is a waste of money and they will try and convince you that you are handling the finances unwisely. They will do their utmost to carry the purse - like Judas.

What happened to us:

While I was in hospital for 7 months and 1 month in Rehab the leaders made serious changes in the Fellowship:

• They changed the Executive Board - members that was included before was excluded and not notified of any meetings.
• Members that we for specific reasons didn't appoint to the Board, was appointed as directors in the new Art 21 co that was registered.
• Junior members of the Board that we were busy training for leadership and some that were not fit for senior leadership, was appointed as directors, even as vice-president.
• Ungodly systems was introduced into the Fellowship with the excuse that a for a group of leaders, name is not important.
• They were planning to manage the Fellowship as a business because of the registration as a Art 21 Company, with the emphasize on "company".
• Denominational systems was introduced into the Fellowship; all new applicants were to be interviewed and approved by the system.
• New applicants and even a church where we hold our conferences were told that Thys died and that everything has come to a halt until the New Art 21 Co's structures are in place. Notice how low some people are willing to go just to be important.

What we experienced

• We attended an Executive Board meeting that started with communion; within 20 minutes, blatant lies were told to our faces that was heard by the fellow leaders and not one of them stood up for the trust. (We were told that the Art 21 company that was purchased had a constitution that had a CEO defined as part of it and that they were forced to use it.  It was later mentioned to us that there was never a constitution in the company when it was purchased, the constitution was written by one of the directors.)
• Most of the things they planned was done in the same way as secret societies are doing things (behind the scenes and the information will be kept away from you).
• Once their membership was terminated the lies en deception was rife. Letters and sms' was sent around to convince the members that everybody should join the 'new' fellowship. One of the people that phoned the members with deceptive lies was confronted by a member and he admitted that the story he told was not the truth.

The Almighty is always faithful and there is answer in the Scriptures:
Act 20:30  Some of your own men will come forward and say things that distort the truth. They will do this to lure disciples into following them.

• Also of your own selves - From your own church; from those who profess to be Christians.
• Speaking perverse things - Crooked, perverted, distracting doctrines. They would proclaim doctrines tending to distract and divide the church. The most dangerous enemies which the church has had have been nurtured in its own bosom, and have consisted of those who have perverted the true doctrines of the gospel.

       (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible)

• Men under the influence of ambition, or from the love of power or popularity, form parties formed in the church, produce divisions and distractions, and greatly retard its internal prosperity, and mar its peace.
• The church of Christ would have little to fear from external enemies if it nurtured no foes in its own bosom; and all the power of persecutors is not so much to be dreaded as the plans, the parties, the strives, the heart burnings, and the contentions which are produced by those who love and seek power, among the professed friends of Christ.

    (Mathew Henry's Concise Commentary)
What should you do?

While in hospital, the Spirit revealed to me that things were going badly wrong and and began to reveal to me some of what they were planning.  As I was laying there, I saw two pictures: the first of Elisha being mocked by young [maturing and accountable] boys (Ampl) and forty-two boys were ripped apart by two she-bears.

2 Kings 2:23-24 He went up from Jericho to Bethel. On the way, young [maturing and accountable] boys came out of the city and mocked him and said to him, Go up [in a whirlwind], you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!
24 And he turned around and looked at them and called a curse down on them in the name of the Lord. And two she-bears came out of the woods and ripped up forty-two of the boys. (Amplified)

The second was of David and his son Absalom.  When Absalom and his army came to attack David in the city, David was concerned for his son.

2 Samuel 18:5  The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, 'Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.' (Amplified)

It was as if Father said to me: Choose how must they be treated; like the 42 boys or will you pray as David did? My prayer was immediately: Lord, please be gentle with them, do not touch their lives, rather give them another chance.

Handle everything in the spirit. Search the scriptures to find the Almighty's answer to the problem and DO it!

Numbers 10:9 And if you go to war in your land against the enemy who fights against you, then you shall blow with the trumpets. And you shall be remembered before Jehovah your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies.

Remember, they are never your enemy. They are still the Almighty's anointed - do not touch them.  Rather pray for them. By attacking you they declared themselves to be your enemy but you dare not attack them in the flesh rather take it to the Almighty in prayer.  Forgive them and pronounce them as free that you can walk in righteousness before the Almighty.

What Father expects of us:
Mat 18:15-17 If your brother wrongs you, go and show him his fault, between you and him privately. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.
16 But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed and upheld by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
17 If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a pagan and a corrupt collector.
Remember, you should let them be to you "as pagans and corrupt collectors" and you should not spread it around to others to give them a bad name.

1Tim 5:20 As for those who are guilty and persist in sin, rebuke and admonish them in the presence of all, so that the rest may be warned and stand in wholesome awe and fear.

Thys van Rensburg
FCCA-Int