In his "History of Middle Tennessee Baptists" J. H. Grime writes about a faithful pastor, W.H. Haile. Near the end of Haile's life and ministry, after laboring faithfully as pastor of Shady Grove Baptist Church, near Hartsville, TN for 30 years (1851-1881), one of those "deceitful workers", we are warned of so often in Scripture (J. H. Jackson), wormed his way into the church and into the pulpit. Grimes wrote, "He was a very bewitching speaker and had all the brass, deception, and treachery, which usually belong to false teachers. He soon succeeded in deceiving the majority of the congregation. "Wounded and forsaken by his brethren, to him dearer than life itself, for the sake of a glaring fraud, broken hearted, this father in Israel," the faithful Pastor Haile, was compelled to leave his "unfaithful brethren and children in the Lord, and the scenes of his life's work." A short while later, at age 78, "he died in the blissful hope of immortal glory; but with a heart saddened by having been wounded in the house of his friends." — Let every local church and every child of God be warned.

Beware of any man who seeks to worm his way into any pulpit. Any man who is anxious to be made your pastor has not been sent of God to be your pastor and should never be put in the office, no matter how attractive his gifts or his personality may appear to be. The man who is called and sent of God will not seek to make a way for himself. He will wait for God to put him where he would have him serve.

Beware of any man who seeks to turn you against the man by whom God was pleased to teach you the gospel. Rarely, will a man openly oppose the pastor he seeks to supplant. False prophets usually exercise great subtlety and "cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." They are skilled in the art, being directed by the Deceiver. If God has used a man to reveal Christ to you, to teach you, your children, and your children's children the gospel, you would be wise to hold any man and any doctrine in suspicion by which you are inclined to disavow your allegiance, devotion, and gratitude to one who has spent his life faithfully serving your soul.

Beware of any man who seeks to enrich himself by the gospel. Faithful men do not seek their own things; and they certainly do not seek the things of others. Those who follow Christ serve. Those who follow Satan seek to be served. Faithful men spend themselves and gladly have their lives spent in the cause of Christ. False prophets manipulate others into lavishing riches upon them. Faithful men are men who are used. False prophets are men who use others to their own advantage.

As you care for your soul, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves!"