"6. Wolves desire the perks of the organization without paying the price for the organization. I have learned that those who really have a sincere heart will function in any capacity without a title or position as long as they are properly stewarding their gifts. Since wolves don't want to pay the price over the long term, they position themselves to receive accolades, prestige and a platform as quickly as possible--even over those who have paid the price for the organization for many years. Senior leaders have to be wary of those who constantly crave position, titles and authority without proving themselves over the long haul." -- Joseph Mattera
Now there are people who crave titles and to look more super-spiritual than everyone else in the church. No question about it. It is not too surprising when the church today encourages the look at me egocentricity from its people. Worship is no longer about God but instead about you. The heroes of the bible are all reduced to references to your life. The cult of personality pastors make it about them so why shouldn't you make it about you? Despite all of this Mattera misses the larger point. That none of these people are wolves.
"7. Wolves camouflage their motives and actions with spirituality. These people are not open and broken regarding their personal flaws. Rather, they attempt to put up a veneer of super spirituality to fool others to the point that even the senior leader is not really spiritual in comparison to them. Their criticisms are not outwardly slanderous but involve subtleties and innuendos that involve second-guessing senior leadership decisions, implying the church isn't spiritual enough or that the senior leader doesn't really hear from God and doesn't pray much and so on. Basically, a wolf is trying to do anything that can successfully instill seeds of doubt about the senior leader in the minds of the people around them." -- Joseph Mattera
"8. Wolves use and abuse people to accomplish their own agenda. Although wolves come off as if they love everyone around them, they are only using these people to gain influence and power. As soon as they have what they want from these naive people, they eat them, spit them out and move on to the next person who can deliver them the platform they desire." -- Joseph Mattera
Paranoid much? Now these wolves must be busy! They are now slandering Mattera to anyone who will listen in the church. The veneer of super-spirituality is the entire church, usually starting with the leadership! I remember my old church went through a Jewish Prayer Shawl phase where all the super-spirituals started wearing them to service. You want to see who the super-spirituals are in your church? Just look at who is shouting in tongues the loudest, who is the most dramatic being slain in the spirit or who prays as if their target is deaf. Actual wolves do not camouflage anything. They are preaching a false gospel and are trying to get you to follow it.
"9. Wolves can't be led but must be driven away by shepherds. Some senior leaders attempt to rehabilitate every person who comes into their church or organization. This is a huge mistake! A wolf will always be a wolf, a sheep always a sheep and a horse always a horse, no matter how much you fast and pray for them. Once a person is identified as a wolf, a shepherd should confer with other leaders for confirmation of this fact, then monitor this person closely and not allow them any harmful leverage in the church. In most cases, senior leader can't just throw the wolf out. If the senior leader does this, innocent people who have already been influenced by the wolf will get hurt as well. The senior leader has to wait until the wolf reveals their true motives by "giving them enough rope to hang themselves." When the issue is manifest, the wolf can be driven out." -- Joseph Mattera
Ahh, the old enough rope to hang themselves admonition from the Sermon on the Mount. That is really the point here. None of this remotely comes close to the bible. Look at his remedy! Once you believe that someone is a wolf you should gossip about them to other leaders so you can get "confirmation" and then set them up and be ready to pounce to kick them out of your church. Wow. All based on your carnal interpretation of your unbiblical definition of wolves.
"10. Wolves attempt to destroy the shepherd as a way to consume the sheep. By and large, wolves are in competition with the senior leader of an organization they are a part of, instead of serving as their promoter and protector. The reason for this is because the shepherd (senior leader) has what they crave: the most influence in the organization. Because of this, wolves will do everything in their power to tear down the shepherd so the sheep are vulnerable to their wishes." -- Joseph Mattera
