Elitism
There is always a select group or groups within a church organization that perceive themselves to be a step above everyone else. These groups perceive themselves to be more spiritual, more gifted, more special, and more endowed with God’s grace. The select group can be comprised of anyone but will almost always have someone in the group who is narcissistic in nature. These narcissistic types lead and teach the group the ideals of what it means to be elite.
Cambridge Dictionary defines elitism as “the belief that some things are only for a few people who have special qualities or abilities”. This is exactly how I have encountered elitist groups in churches to behave … as if they are special and above everyone else because they are endowed with special gifts and qualities. These groups show this elitist attitude by sticking their noses up in the air and looking upon anyone not a part of their elite group as beneath them. They treat others not a part of their groups with disdain and condescendence, and they lack regards for the feelings of others.
I have been on both sides of the group, but being a part of an elite group certainly did not make me elite. In fact, being a part of an elite group simply made me realize how painful it is to be outside of those who consider themselves to be better even when I knew that I was just as gifted and loved by God as them. For whatever reason, these elite groups within the church believe themselves to be God’s chosen ones all while doing work that is against God’s ordinances and character.
The elite cast shadows of shame upon others for even glancing in their direction. Many of the elite actually believe themselves to be God’s anointed ones, and should, therefore, not be touched or spoken against by anyone, even when they do wrong. They believe they are a step above everyone else and do not need to be accountable to anyone but themselves. They believe that they should receive first dibs on everything just because of who they are, and they believe they have controlling votes over what goes on in the church. Often times, they do.
If these elite have money, then their money talks, and talks loudly. Their money gets them positions in the church that are often best given to those with the true gifts to hold the positions, but the elite do not care as long as they get their way. They perceive their words to be bond, and whatever other members say against them will be weaponized against them. They use scripture to subdue and harm others under their control. They are often wicked and hateful individuals who are nothing more than the bullies of the church. My experiences with these groups reminded me of a grown-up version of high school.
Holier Than Thou
One church I visited believed that as a church, their members were holy. They sincerely believed that God had chosen them as a church to be the example. The pastor of the church pointed out different scriptures to prove this point, but I knew a few of the members personally, and there was nothing remotely holy about them.
Now, I know it is often said that we are not to judge others, but I read the bible, and the bible clearly states we are to righteously judge others and speak the truth to others in love. Often times, people throw a particular scripture out to keep from others speaking truth to them so that they do not have to be accountable. This is how the elite of the church operate. They want others to do as they say but not as they do.
In this particular church, the pastor was calling out other churches in the area that were not as holy by comparing all the things that their church did compared to what other churches did not do. They were measuring their good deeds against the deeds of other churches, but surely they could not have known what these churches did specifically unless they had spies attending these churches. It was the attitude of arrogance that made this pastor believe that their church was better in how they worshiped God, how they went out into the community, and how they prayed and read their bibles, yet if zipped lips could unlock themselves about the secrets carried out in that church, that pastor would have been preaching a different sermon.
I will never forget the meet and greet time of the service. It was a time which my introverted nature cringes about because I do not like large groups, and I grow socially anxious when I have to do small talk. Needless to say, two of the members greeted me in a disdainful manner and asked what church I attended, and when I told them, they both made a scoffing sound with their throats, threw up their heads and walked away from me. I felt mortified as I stood there wondering what I had done wrong. Obviously, I had attended one of the churches that was on their less-than-holy list, and this did not go over well.
Needless to say, these elites with the elitist attitudes were nothing more than prideful and arrogant church members who behaved as if they were better than everyone else. I guess they skipped over the passages of scripture that detailed that even God is not a respecter of persons and that Jesus spoke of taking the less prominent seat at the table. Just for the record, elitism is the opposite of humility, and narcissistic types are never humble. These are the types that keep church atmospheres rifled in strife, animosity, envy, greed, jealousy, and a host of other “sins”.
My Voice Unchained 