Elitism and the Spirit of Control

Have you ever been around a church or group and gradually began to feel left out, excluded? Not part of the "in group" or inner circle? What is this exclusiveness or elitism and where did it come from? How did it get there? What opened the door for this to enter? Elitism is a form of pride and the Bible says, "God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble" (See James.4:6)