Passive Pews, Silent Voices: The Crisis of Church Authority

The email arrived on a Tuesday morning, and it stopped me cold.

"Susan, I've been reading your book, and I have to ask—are you saying that everything I was taught in seminary about biblical authority is wrong? Because if male headship isn't God's design, then what does that say about pastoral authority, church hierarchy, and everything else we've built our ministries on?"

The writer was a pastor friend who had been wrestling with the implications of what I'd shared about mutual submission and the true meaning of biblical headship. His question cut straight to the heart of something I'd been seeing for years but had been afraid to name.

What if the problem isn't just how we understand marriage roles? What if we've gotten the entire structure of spiritual authority backwards?

The Empire Strikes Back

Jesus could not have been clearer about the kind of kingdom He was establishing. When His disciples started arguing about who would be greatest, He didn't give them tips on benevolent leadership or servant-hearted authority. He completely flipped the script:

"The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that" (Luke 22:25-26, NIV).

Not "be like that, but nicer." Not "be like that, but more humble." Just... "not like that." Period.

Jesus was introducing a completely different operating system for human relationships—one where power flows upward instead of downward, where authority serves instead of rules, where leadership empowers instead of controls.

But somewhere along the way, we forgot. The Church that was supposed to be the alternative to worldly power structures became a mirror image of them.

The Seduction of Structure

I understand the appeal. Hierarchy feels safe, orderly, predictable. When everyone knows their place and stays in their lane, there's a certain peace that comes from that clarity. No confusion about who makes decisions. No messy processes of seeking consensus. No need to trust that the Spirit might speak through "lesser" voices.

But this kind of peace comes at an enormous cost. It's the peace of the graveyard, where nothing moves because nothing is truly alive.

I've watched this dynamic play out in churches across the spectrum—from traditional denominations to cutting-edge church plants. The pattern is always the same: a few people at the top making decisions for everyone else, while the majority sit passively in the pews, consuming religious services but never fully engaging their gifts.

We've created a system that requires the many to submit to the few, rather than all of us submitting to one another as Paul commanded (Ephesians 5:21, ESV).

The Professional Christianity Problem

One of the most damaging developments in church history has been the professionalization of ministry. We've created a class system where "clergy" are seen as God's special representatives and "laity" are relegated to supporting roles.

This wasn't Jesus' design. He chose fishermen, tax collectors, and zealots—not seminary graduates or ordained professionals. He told His followers they would do "greater works" than He did (John 14:12, ESV). He promised that the Spirit would guide them into all truth (John 16:13, ESV).

But we've taken this priesthood of all believers and turned it into a hierarchy where only the "qualified" get to hear from God on behalf of everyone else.

The result? Spiritual passivity. Undeveloped gifts. Silenced voices. And leaders who carry burdens they were never meant to bear alone.

The Gender Connection

Here's where it gets particularly interesting: the same thinking that creates male headship in marriage creates pastoral lordship in the church. Both systems rest on the assumption that God has designated certain people (men, pastors) to have authority over others (women, congregants).

But what if this entire framework is wrong? What if God's design has always been about mutual submission, shared leadership, and the priesthood of all believers—not just in theory, but in practice?

When we correctly understand that husbands aren't meant to rule over wives, it becomes much easier to see that pastors aren't meant to rule over congregations either. The same Greek words, the same biblical principles, the same Kingdom values apply in both contexts.

The Control Addiction

I've noticed something fascinating: the most controlling church leaders are often the most insecure ones. They hold tightly to their authority because they're afraid of what might happen if they let go. What if people make bad decisions? What if things get messy? What if they're not needed anymore?

But this fear reveals a fundamental lack of trust—not just in people, but in the Holy Spirit's ability to guide and lead His own people.

True spiritual authority isn't about controlling outcomes; it's about creating environments where people can encounter God for themselves. It's not about having all the answers; it's about asking better questions. It's not about being indispensable; it's about making others more capable.

The Early Church Alternative

Want to see what Jesus' model actually looks like? Look at the early church described in Acts. Yes, the apostles had unique roles and responsibilities. But notice how decisions were made: through community discussion, prayer, and consensus-seeking.

When the Jerusalem Council faced the question of Gentile inclusion (Acts 15), they didn't have Peter make an executive decision. They brought together leaders and laity, heard testimony from multiple perspectives, debated the issues, and reached a conclusion together.

Even Paul, with all his apostolic authority, consistently worked in partnership with others. He planted churches with teams, not as a solo operator. He asked for input, welcomed correction, and adapted his methods based on local contexts.

This wasn't chaos—it was the Kingdom of God in action.

The Fruits of Hierarchy

What has our hierarchical approach produced? The statistics are sobering:

• Record numbers of people leaving the church, especially young adults

• Widespread spiritual abuse by leaders who believed their authority was unquestionable

• Silenced voices and wasted gifts, particularly among women and minorities

• Passive congregations who wait for professionals to do ministry for them

• Brittle structures that collapse when key leaders fall or fail

Meanwhile, some of the most vibrant, growing, effective churches I know are those that have embraced more collaborative, participatory models of leadership. They're releasing the gifts of all believers, creating space for multiple voices, and trusting the Spirit to guide through community discernment.

The Path Forward

This doesn't mean we eliminate all structure or leadership roles. Paul clearly recognized that different people have different gifts and callings. Some are called to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11, ESV).

But these roles are functional, not hierarchical. They're about equipping others, not controlling them. They're temporary assignments in the service of the body, not permanent positions of power over it.

What would it look like if we took seriously Paul's vision of every believer being equipped "for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up" (Ephesians 4:12, ESV)?

What if we structured our churches around the gifts and callings of all members, not just the preferences of a few leaders?

What if we made decisions through community discernment rather than executive authority?

The Revolutionary Implications

If we take Jesus' teachings about authority seriously, it changes everything:

• Pastors become equipper-servants rather than CEO-rulers

• Congregations become active participants rather than passive consumers

• Decision-making becomes collaborative rather than dictatorial

• Women are released to use all their gifts rather than being limited by gender

• Young voices are welcomed rather than told to wait their turn

• Creativity flourishes rather than being stifled by institutional control

This isn't about creating chaos or eliminating godly leadership. It's about aligning our structures with the values of God's Kingdom rather than the patterns of worldly empire.

The Choice Before Us

We stand at a crossroads. We can continue building religious institutions that look impressive on the outside but operate by worldly power principles underneath. Or we can embrace the revolutionary implications of the Gospel and create communities that truly embody the Kingdom of God.

The first path is easier, more familiar, more predictable. But it's also more brittle, more limiting, and ultimately more destructive.

The second path requires courage, humility, and trust in the Spirit's ability to lead His people. But it offers the possibility of seeing the Church become what Jesus always intended: a community where every voice matters, every gift is valued, and every person is empowered to fulfill their divine calling.

The Babylon system of religious hierarchy is crumbling around us. The question isn't whether it will fall—it's whether we'll have the courage to build something better in its place.

What has been your experience with church hierarchy? Have you seen the difference between controlling leadership and equipping leadership? What would it look like for your faith community to embrace more collaborative, Kingdom-centered approaches to authority and decision-making? Share your thoughts—I'd love to continue this conversation.

Blessings,
Susan 😊