The Emperor's New Clothes

Exposing Failed Leadership: The Emperor's New Clothes

 Back in 2021 while on a road trip, I had a dream in Livingston Montana. This dream echoed the old children’s story by Hans Christian Anderson, "The Emperor's New Clothes”

  I am bringing it up now because it is well-suited to many of today’s issues in the charismatic world.

  In the dream, I and a few others were moving some stuff around. Then I noticed on a raised platform with an ornate banister a well-known Christian leader in today’s modern prophetic world by the name of Rick Joyner. He had his entourage of various other "lesser" leaders around him honoring him and hanging off his every word. Most of these other leaders I did recognize as elders, assistant pastors, and support staff. 

  Then the leader announced he was putting his son in charge of a major aspect of the ministry with a budget for him to use of two million dollars. You could have heard all the lesser leaders gasp in astonishment at his words when he announced the two million. His son then stepped up onto the platform, and with much pomp, his father proudly stepped back.

  His son then, with his chin held high in arrogance, started to slowly walk away as the assembled crowd of “lesser” leaders hung on his every move as if he were god himself. As he walked, his clothes fell off until he was fully naked. The other leaders noticed, but in a twisted thinking, they saw it as a sign from god.

  I watched them walk by, a bit confused that no one in leadership did anything, so I turned and saw Ed Sniadecki, an elder of the church. Bringing the subject up to him, I asked, “So… his son is walking around naked. You're an elder are you going to do anything?”

  “Well, you don’t understand. He fell into a pit of manure, so he had to take his clothes off.” Ed responded back.

  “No, I do understand. But this place is a hotel, how come no one offered him at least a bed sheet?” I asked.

  Growing irritated, Ed Sniadecki responded back, “Well, it’s not your place to question the leadership. Consider it a stretching and a test for you; there is nothing wrong here!” he informed me.

  Growing irritated myself I responded back, “Nothing wrong, how about Biblical principles? How about common decency?”

  Stepping away from me, this elder angrily pointed his finger at me and yelled, “You have no right to challenge him. If you're so bothered by it, then why don’t you talk to him?”

 {Note: this is the first sign of fear in his eyes, and I believe eldership was scared of the ministry leader over him who sent his son.}

  So I responded back, “You the elder, and you want me to do your job?”

  At this point the elder quickly turned around and left, not wanting to have any more of the conversation.