CHAPTER I

ROLE OF THE SHEPHERD AND SHEEP IN THE LOCAL CHURCH


When we left Jacksonville, Fla. in 1975 to attend Rhema Bible Training Center we were aware that most of our local Charismatic Churches and home groups had become involved in the "Shepherdship Discipleship" teaching and many had submitted to one of the national leaders of the movement.

At Rhema that year Bro. Hagin told the students that he had seen this same basic error rear its ugly head four different times in the years of his ministry because the devil is not original. Bro. Copeland spoke out sharply against it and all the faith-teachers were terming it nonsense and sheer heresy. Jerry Savelle, Hugh Smith and John Osteen made tapes against it, and Bob Buess wrote two books exposing the error.

When we returned to Florida in 1976 to pastor a new work things looked better on the surface. Many local pastors were denouncing extremes in the movement and most had withdrawn submission from the national leaders.

In the course of pastoring here we began to counsel various people and receive "feedback" from other churches . It soon became very clear that SEEDS OF ERROR HAD BEEN SOWN AND NEVER ADEQUATELY DUG UP. Most every group which had been involved was still teaching the basic errors of "delegated authority"*, "covering", "unquestioned submission to the shepherd & his teaching", "covenant commitment to the group", etc. However, within the error each pastor had a different emphasis. Some required strict obedience, others controlled more subtly through disapproval, manipulation and peer pressure.

This error has continued in many Charismatic Churches to the present day yet these pastors refuse to admit that they teach Shepherdship at all. This seems to be the international trend. Terms have been changed to camouflage the error. For example, submission is now called "commitment" or "covenant relationships" or "divine order in Church government." The movement has gone underground where it flourishes, drawing many into deception and bondage without their realizing what they're involved in.

The best way we can describe the attitudes we encountered is to illustrate with a hypothetical conversation which is very typical of many we have had with local Charismatics. Every attitude and response is totally authentic and true and it gives insight into the thinking of those who are in bondage and don't realize it.

Q: I overheard you mention that your pastor is your "covering". Does your church still teach Shepherdship doctrine?

A: Not anymore. Our pastor is no longer submitted to those national leaders. That was really bad error, lots of extremes. God has sure blessed us since we got out of that teaching.

Q: But you were just talking about submitting to your pastor as your cover- ing. Those are shepherdship terms.

A: Well, now the shepherdship movement did have lots of truth. We've kept all the good scriptural truths we learned and we still enjoy their magazine and our church uses many of their tapes.

Q: Which "good scriptural truths" are you talking about?

A: The Bible teaches that our pastor is God's delegated authority over our lives and our "covering". We submit to him and open up our lives to him so he can rebuke and correct us so that we can grow to maturity.


Q: What do you mean "submit" to your pastor Does he tell you what to do and make decisions for you ?

A: Oh, no'. We are taught to be led by our spirits. We go to him for confirmation after getting our own leading.

Q: What if you get an important leading and your pastor doesn't get a confirmation?

A: Well, then I would know that I was wrong. After all he knows how to hear from God better than I. God has set him over my life and will show him what is right for me. Why, year-before-last I thought God was leading me to go to Bible School but my pastor said that I was not yet ready. I am to stay and be discipled by him for a while longer.

Q: How long have you been in his Church ?

A: Seven years.

Q: You are 27 years old, love to minister to people, and you have a great teaching gift. Didn't it occur to you to question his leading ? Maybe he just hates to let you leave his church . Haven't you noticed he never gets confirmation for anyone to leave. That could be flesh and not spirit.

A: I'll admit I was very upset and disappointed at first, I was so sure I was being led to go. Then some of my friends at church helped me understand that I must have rebellion in my heart against God's authority over my life. I decided to get my heart right and wait until God shows my pastor it's the right time for me to go. I don't want to be rebellious and question his motives because the Bible says "Touch not mine anointed." I certainly don't want to get on the wrong side of God by questioning my pastor. If I don't submit to him my faith won't work and there is no telling what the devil might do to me or my family if I got out from under his covering.

Q: You say you're not in Shepherdship yet everything you say is standard Shepherdship doctrine. It looks to me like you are being led by your pastor's confirmations, and not by your own spirit. Do you not know that the faith-teachers you respect so much teach against what you are doing"

A: Oh, no'. You must be mistaken, they all teach the same things we do. We just obey the Bible in our church. Our pastor told us some people might think we are into Shepherdship doctrine, but he says what he teaches is not the same thing at all.

Q: Several people have told me that if you don't come to church on workdays you may get rebuked publicly in church. That sounds like bondage to me,

A: Sometimes it is hard to take; but we need to be corrected and kept in line for our own good in order to grow spiritually.

Q: One sure way to tell if you are in bondage or not is to ask yourself this question: Could I freely leave my church with my pastor's blessing and the goodwill of my friends, or would I experience guilt and fear their disapproval ?

A: Why, I would never think of leaving my church for any reason unless my pastor got a confirmation. After all he can hear from God better than I and God set him over my life as my authority and God will tell him what is best for me. I don't understand why you think we are in bondage. My pastor does not tell me what to do, he just gets a confirmation.

When we talk to such people they just go in circles and are so "brain- washed" that they can't see that they are in bondage and they defend their right to be dominated and manipulated. Not every church with this error operates the same way. Some churches allow part of the congregation to come and go more freely yet keep control over the more promising- type members who aspire to leadership and also generous tithers. Some churches are so large that only the active insiders are heavily indoctrinated in the error. Some are not so strongly opposed to Bible School, but the basic Shepherdship doctrines are pretty much the same.

In this chapter we will begin to lay out the basic foundational teachings that this error is always built upon so anyone can clearly see how it deviates from God's plan for us today.


FOUNDATIONS OF SHEPHERDSHIP ERROR

Is the Lord your Shepherd, or is the shepherd your Lord? Everything rests on a totally wrong concept of delegated authority". It is argued that God delegated his own authority to Moses to lead the Children of Israel and God backed him up to the point that the ground opened up and swallowed those who questioned or opposed him. This was true under the Old Covenant because no one had the Holy Spirit except Moses and later the elders. This is not the case today. Every believer has the Holy Spirit and is to be led by the Spirit (Rom.8:14). Each of us will stand before God and give account of our lives by our self and for our self .... (Rom. 14:12). If God calls us to do something, we will not be excused because our pastor did not confirm it. Rom. 13:1-7 tells us that civil authority is ordained by God to keep order and deal with any who would harm society. Some Shepherdship teaching twists this out of context and applies it to church government.

The most frequently used scripture in Shepherdship is Heb. 13:17.. "Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy. . . ."

On the surface one would gel the impression that pastors are to rule over the sheep, but this is a wrong impression due to the mistranslation of key words in the King James Version. A brief word-study in your Strong's Concordance and W.E. Vine's Expository Dictionary reveals a different picture as follows: Both Strong's and Vine's tell us that the word "obey" is from the Greek word "peitho" in the passive, middle voice and the obedience suggested is not by submission to authority but resulting from persuasion. Strong's and Vine's also tell us that the word "rule" is from the Greek "Hegeornai" meaning to "lead or guide". The same Greek word is translated "guide" in I Tim. 5:14 referring to women "guiding" their house- This passage should more correctly read: Be teachable or persuadable toward them that lead, or stand before you and be pliable for they watch for your souls as they must give account ( of what they taught you). Here we are not told to allow pastors to rule over our lives, but only that we must keep a sweet, teachable attitude toward them. (The same holds true in all other N.T. passages that seem to imply rule, such as Heb.13:7).


EXALT YOUR LOCAL SHEPHERD ?

In Luke 10:16 when Jesus sent out the 70 he said "He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me... and him that sent me. Again in John 13:20 Jesus said "He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me... and him that sent me."

Shepherdship teaches that this is saying that the one Christ calls as pastor in the Church is the outward and visible expression of Jesus to the sheep. To question or disobey that pastor is to disobey Jesus himself.

In the context of this scripture Jesus was sending his disciples to preach the gospel to the world. He was saying men must receive His message. He did not imply that the men themselves must be received as His representatives whether or not they preached anything. The message was the important issue and the message had God's authority. God is in the business of confirming His Word, not our personalities. This teaching exalts pastors in a way akin to worshipful adoration. People have a tendency to desire to worship something tangible. This kind of attitude should be discouraged.

YE SHALL NOT BE SO


Luke 22:23-27 "And he said unto them, the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors but YE SHALL NOT BE SO, but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he that is chief, as he than doth serveI am among you as he that serveth.

Shepherdship teaches that your pastor is set as a delegated authority over your life for your benefit (benefactor). Jesus explains that we are not to have an authority structure in the Church like the Gentiles, but pastors are servants and should take the position of the younger. Jesus repeated this again in Matt. and Mark. Shepherdship clearly violates this plain teaching of Jesus and is therefore HERESY AND ERROR. I Pet. 5:2- 3 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind. Neither as being lords (in authority) over God's heritage but being ensamples to the flock.


ONE HEAD OVER EQUAL MEMBERS

I Cor. 12:12 tells us we are all members of the same body. Eph. chp.5:23 and Col.1:18 tell us Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. He is the one and only authority. Think about your human body. Do your hands have authority over your feet? I can do more with my hand than with my foot, yet my hand does not tell my foot what to do. The five- fold ministry (Eph.4:11) including the pastor are the hands of the Body of Christ yet they are not to rule the other members. We are all an equal brotherhood of believers with differing functions, the head has all authority and He is Jesus.


TOUCH NOT MINE ANOINTED ?

Ps. 105:13 . . . "Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm." Shepherdship teachers use this passage to keep their sheep afraid to question them. This particular concept is so twisted and groundless that it would be downright funny if it was not so sad.

If we read the context of this passage beginning in verse 9-15 we will see that it refers to God's protection of the patriarchs and particularly to an episode in Abraham's life in Gen. 20:6 when Sarah was about to be taken into Abimelech's harem but God reproved him for Abraham's sake. God was protecting his covenant people from heathen interference. Today all spirit-filled believers are anointed with the Holy Spirit and God will protect us from the ungodly as we follow Him. This could never be used to apply to the idea that sheep should not question their leaders. A good leader should be honored and respected, but we are instructed to "prove all things" (I Thess. 5:21). Deacons must be proved (I Tim. 3:10. even apostles should be tried, (Rev. 2:2; how much more should pastors be proved. We are to follow them only as they follow Christ.

If we want to get technical about it God has always been more concerned to warn shepherds not to abuse His sheen (Ezek. 34). A pastor is supposed to be more mature than his flock. Often he is the spiritual father of some of them. Have you ever heard of laws being passed to protect fathers from their babies ? Jesus used strong language to warn us not to offend the little ones (Matt.18:6). This "touch not mine anointed idea" is a clear case where God's Word is twisted out of context to keep the sheep from obeying God's Word and questioning their setup enough to realize it is error and get out of the bondage.


MAN CENTERED OR GOD CENTERED ?

We have talked to many Christians who were able to recognize this error and escape out of it. Often they have told us that they went through great emotional and spiritual conflicts breaking free, similar to coming out of occult bondage. Some have felt that it affected them like a divorce or the death of a loved one. Looking back they have told us that when their pastor smiled they felt God must be pleased with them, but when he frowned they wondered what they had done to offend God and expected to be rebuked for some unknown crime.


YOU CAN'T BALANCE ERROR

Many churches feel they have found some truth in basic Shepherdship doctrines, thus they have attempted to modify the doctrines and achieve a good balance, but there is NO WAY TO BALANCE ERROR; For example we would not be so foolish as to try to bring in some of the better ideas of the occult and balance them with Christianity! These basic teachings of "delegated authority", "submit your spiritual life to your shepherd", "covering" etc., are all sheer error and must be categorically rejected if we would follow Jesus in our lives. Furthermore we are not to make a covenant commitment to a certain group of people, but rather we are to make a covenant commitment to God among a certain group of people. The commitment is to God, not to the people. Thus keeping us free enough to be led by His Spirit.


WHY THIS WASTE ?

We have often wondered why would pastors perpetuate doctrines of which they are apparently ashamed, because they deny having them. We wonder why their sheep would permit their lives to be dominated and manipulated refusing to face the truth. We certainly do not have full insight into that mystery but we see some possible reasons. We believe some pastors enjoy the control they have over their people allowing them to get more things outwardly accomplished for God, thinking the end justifies the means. False cults have proven that much can be accomplished by enslaving people in religious bondage thus keeping them there through fear. We can take slave labor and build a huge pile of wood, hay and stubble with no eternal reward '. (The Pharaoh used slave labor and built the pyramids which are one of the wonders of the world). Some dominate because they are immature, one child "lording it" over his little brother.

It seems to us that Shepherdship teachings often look good to pastors because they operate on the top of the totem-pole. Most have no idea of what it would feel like to have their life ruled by someone else. The original "submission message" of the early 1970's was designed to put everyone in submission to someone else, even pastors were to submit and answer to a direct superior lo the point of opening up their lives to him to be rebuked, corrected and ruled (which is not scriptural). It is amusing to note how quickly many pastors got the "revelation" that they did not have to submit to anyone over them, yet their sheep were still duty-bound to submit to them as pastors. Some other pastors followed a different plan and vowed "submission" to someone who lived out-of-lown who did not have time or energy to keep up with what they were doing or have any meaningful dealings with them at all. This provided an ideal arrangement for those who enjoyed "dishing it out" but preferred not to "take it" themselves (a very human trait). But why would the sheep go alone with such an arrangement ? Many people enjoy having someone else take responsibility for them and make their decisions. Some people will put up with almost anything as long as they can stay in a familiar church where all their friends and relatives attend, but that isn't following Jesus! The problem is complex and we need to intercede pulling down demonic strongholds of deception here in Florida, across our nation, and around the world. The more light we have on the subject the better we can deal with it, which is our purpose for explaining this error at such length.


THE ROLE OF THE SHEPHERD

Now we want to look into the positive side of our subject to understand what God's Word teaches about the right and proper role of the shepherd and sheep in the local church.

Acts 20:28-30..."Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers, to feed the Church of God which He hath purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples alter them." (Shepherdship ??)

The word "shepherd" is the same as the word "pastor" and there is only one true shepherd...Jesus. He is called the GOOD Shepherd, the GREAT Shepherd and the CHIEF Shepherd in the Bible. Human pastors are only under-shepherds not having any sheep of their own. They are only to take care of Jesus' sheep for Him. When a pastor gets possessive and seeks to build his own church at the expense of Jesus' purposes, he is in trouble. We can see that the role of the shepherd is to:

  1. Feed
  2. Lead (as an example) I Pet.5:2
  3. Oversee, that is to steer the general direction of the church, as a pilot steers a ship (without ruling the lives of the passengers)
As overseer he must keep order in meetings, deal with heretics (Tit. 3:10), deal with divisions (Rom.16:17), and deal with known sin in the (I Cor.5:13)

The pastor should be available to counsel when needed but God has given us His Word and His Spirit to deal with our personal lives. (If we needed someone to rebuke and correct us in order to grow spiritually, all we would have to do would be get married. Wives and husbands are always willing to point out faults and weaknesses.)

Nowhere does the scripture teach that a pastor should be governed by a board. God has given him the responsibility to seek God's vision for His local church and make the final decisions in matters that effect the direction of the Church. Even at that, a pastor would need to seek the prayers, wisdom, council, and advice of those who are spiritually mature in his congregation when seeking direction on important decisions. His God-given role in no way gives him authority to govern the personal lives and decisions of church members.

A problem will sometimes arise at this point: What about pastors who use their position to waste the church's money and continually make unwise decisions? Do they not need to be governed by a board ? The real answer lies in the fact that such a person is not mature enough to be a pastor in the first place. A church with this situation needs to face that fact and seek God to send them a pastor they can trust. (I Tim.3) No human is perfect, but a pastor should be reasonably mature and trust- worthy or he should not try to function in the "office" of a pastor at all. (I Tim.3:6)


ROLE OF SHEEP TO SHEPHERD

Here are some brief points on our responsibility toward our pastors:
  1. Be teachable, cooperative, have respect, count him worthy of double honor (I Tim.5:17-18).
  2. Don't muzzle the ox, share material things (I Cor.9:9)
  3. Pray for him and see him with the eye of faith, don't criticize, but follow him only as he follows Christ.
  4. Say "amen" when you can during his sermons to encourage his pulpit ministry.
  5. Do what you can to help, find your place of service in the Body of Christ.

ROLE OF SHEEP IN LOCAL CHURCH

Believers have a God-given responsibility to watch out for one another in more ways than we have understood. It can be summarized in the new commandment Jesus gave us to love one another. (John 15:12)

1. (Eph.4:15-16) We are to be fitly joined-together and compacted, express truth in love, build up one another, the body makes increase in proportion to the proper working of each part.

2. (Heb. 10:24-25) Consider and give attentive and continuous care to watching over one another. Study how to stir up and stimulate one another to love and good works, helpful deeds and noble activities. Don't forsake assembling together, more and more as we see the day approaching.

3. (I Pet.4:8-10) Above all things have intense and unfailing love among yourselves, which throws a veil over many sins. Extend ungrudging hospitality towards one another. Whatever gift God has given you, use it for one another's benefit.

4. (I Cor. 14:26) When you all come together everyone has something to contribute for upbuilding.

5. (Eph.6:18) Pray in the spirit and watch faithfully for all saint?

6. (I John 5:16) If you see your brother sin a sin that does not lead to death, ask God and He will give you life for him.

7. (I John 3:16-17) We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren and share this world's goods if they have a need.

8. (Col.3:12-16) Show mercy and kindness, forebearing (putting up with one another). When we feel critical think 5 good things about that person and pray for them.

9. (Heb.3:12-13) Beware, lest you have a wicked unbelieving attitude toward others. Warn, encourage and urge the brethren every day lest you be hardened into settled rebellion against God.



We are to walk in love and minister to our circle of friends and acquaintances and make every effort to expand that circle to include more and more. If we walk in genuine love, we'll desire gifts so we can meet needs. The pathway of loving and giving leads right into finding our place in the body and in some cases right into developing our own ministries.


HISTORICAL PROSPECTIVE

A brief study of Church history reveals that the Early Church flourished as long as believers followed the Holy Spirit. As time passed the teaching gradually changed to the concept that believers must submit to human authority figures. This false teaching gave rise to an empty ecclesiastical hierarchy structure and a dead Dark Ages Church.

Then came the mighty Protestant Reformation recapturing the lost truth that each believer must follow God for himself. One wave of revival after another swept throughout the Western World giving rise to each of our major protestant denominations and rekindling the flame of spiritual life in successive generations up to today.

Now we see history repeating itself as we are confronted with the same error which killed the Early Church and kept it buried for centuries. No, the devil is not original.

Several years ago a handful of nationally known teachers in Florida were deceived. Here is how it happened: they watched a fellow-leader and friend fall into pride and sin yet he wouldn't listen when they tried to help him. Because of that painful experience they decided to devise their own insurance plan to protect themselves from a similar danger. They would vow submission to one another. This would enable them to check and balance one another, keeping each other straight and deception- proof. They felt the Bible supported this idea and they began to develop what has how become known as Shepherdship or discipleship teachings.

These were precious, talented, gifted men yet if we look closely we can see where they missed it. (1.) They were acting out of fear and a desire to protect themselves yet John 12:24-25 tells us that if we try to save our lives we will lose them. (2.) They wanted to be deception-proof without humbly trusting Jesus alone. Jude 24 shows us that he is the one who is able to keep us from falling. (3.) The plan they came up with was entirely of the flesh and out-of-line with the clear teachings of the New Testament. It only took a few little turns to end up off the path, sidetracked in darkness and bondage, being deceived and deceiving others.

The role of the shepherd and sheep is not a totem-pole arrangement with the shepherd on top, but is horizontal, with all of us seated with Jesus at the right hand of the Father, all of us having equal access to Him. The role of the sheep is to receive God's Word, be led by His Spirit and follow his shepherd only as he follows Christ, and we are to love and look after one another. No, shepherds are not to dominate the sheep, but as an equal brotherhood of believers we are to ALL SUBMIT ONE TO ANOTHER in the fear of God. (Eph.5;21)

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Serious issues are at stake in the matter of truth versus error and the devil's main advantage has been in clouding and confusing the issues involved. In Chapter II we will look into the book of Acts and the Epistles to see how the Early Church related to their leaders so we can see God's truth by both precept and example, knowing that light dispels darkness and truth makes men free.