The Blade

During this season, the 'no-talk' rule came into its own. While it is possible that a number of people were uncomfortable at how things were developing, the 'faithful' were not comfortable voicing their feelings to each other. We believed that to do so was gossip and criticism. We held the pastor in very high esteem, as a gifted man 'set apart by God'. Even those in the inner circle or on the trust board rarely raised concerns, either with each other or with the pastor. With hindsight, it is clear that the force behind this silence was a combination of fear together with our genuine belief in honouring the pastor as 'the Anointed Man of God'. To disagree would be disrespectful, petty and unspiritual. We had been taught well how to 'love' each other. If there was anything serious to be challenged, we believed that God would show him. It was not our place to do so.