Here is a scripture verse that is almost universally ignored in the Church today and if it was followed would be a check on the power that church leaders have today and especially church celebrity leaders.
1 Corinthians 6:4
4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
1 Corinthians 6 is a rebuke from Paul about the members of the Corinthian church going to court against each other to settle disputes with unbelievers as the judges. Paul says in this chapter that the Church will judge angels in the age to come so how much more the issues that pertain to this life right now.
What is surprising about verse 4 is who Paul says should be the judges in disputes. Paul says the judges should be not the elders or the deacons but the least esteemed in the church. Who would these least esteemed in the Church be? They would be those who don’t have their own power position that they are trying to defend. They would be those whose decision is not swayed by money. They would be humble servants who quietly serve their Lord.
Here is a challenge for the Church. Let the least esteemed in the Church judge as the scripture says. How about in matters of Church discipline? Yes, especially in these matters. And though all of the leaders will now say, “yeah but” instead of “amen”; the scripture is pretty clear. We just need the courage and the faith to follow.
This scripture is a protection against the plague of self serving celebrity leaders’ abuse of power.