When I was an elder I thought that the congregation I served was the only congregation that was involved in heavy religious politics. The alpha elders continually battled each other. These alpha elders continually plotted against each other. The CO was the boss. Even if he went against the WTS directions, he was always right.
When I spoke to another elder in a different congregation, he told me of the same power struggles in his congregation. After he visited a doctor, he was told that the stresses of being on the elder body was ruining his health.
Amazingly the congregation did not know anything of what happens in the elder body. If they knew, some would certainly come to realize that God's holy spirit was not with this organization. I told my wife some of the power struggles and she did not believe me. She still feels that the organization does no wrong and thinks that I have all the wrong perceptions.
There was a brother who served in the congregation for years, approximately 8 years. He really busted himself to serve the congregation. He did everything he was asked to do and more, but he was never appointed as a servant. He did not kiss up to the right elder. There was always that one power elder that would hold this brother back. This brother switched to another congregation and became friends with the boss elder in the congregation. He was appointed a ministerial servant within 3 months. How could this brother qualify in one congregation and not another when nothing was different with this brother? It had nothing to do with the holy spirit, it all depended on who one kissed up to.
