Diotrephes is the anti-pastor. He appears once in Scripture, in 3 John, where the Apostle John describes him in stark terms: "Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church" (3 John 9-10). Every generation of the church has its Diotrephes: men who love the title, the platform, the preeminence, more than they love the truth or the sheep. They excommunicate those who challenge them. They silence critics. They build their little kingdom inside God's kingdom and demand loyalty to themselves rather than to Christ. The name became proverbial in church history for arrogant, self-promoting church leadership. Diotrephes is the warning label on every pastor who forgets whose flock it is. The cure is the example of Christ, who though He was God "did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation" (Philippians 2:6-7). Preeminence belongs to Christ alone (Colossians 1:18).