¤What "possesses" a Christian?
¤What about unconditional surrender to an elder?
¤Doctrines that divide the church.
** Sound Doctrine **
Paul the apostle exhorted both Timothy & Titus about sound doctrine. To Timothy he said: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,having itching ears; & they shall turn away their ears from the truth,& shall be turned unto fables" (2 Tim. 4:3,4; see 1 Tim. 1:10; Titus 1:9,2:1).
What is the only true criterion for sound doctrine? God's Written Word. The words of spiritual teachers or "spiritual" experiences must never supersede the Word of God. Paul said,
"But though we,or an angel from heaven,preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you,let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:8).
The relating of experiences which are "fables" can never be the true basis for sound doctrine. The minute that we open the door & begin to teach from experience,we lose authority & introduce confusion. People have a great variety of experiences. If I accept one unscriptural experience as evidence for doctrinal truth,then I am bound to accept all experiences - for each one would have equal authority as basis for doctrine.
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¤ 'Shepherding' ¤
The doctrine of submission, covering, apostleship, or shepherding (or any of the numerous terms by which it is known) basically teaches that you must submit yourself to an elder or group of elders within the Body of Christ,oftentimes called "shepherds." You cannot make your major decision without their prior approval.
If you want to buy or sell a house,it's imperative that you first consult your elder. He will tell you whether or not you can buy or sell. The same is true if you want to buy or sell a car or TV,or if you want to change your job. If you want to go on a trip,these shepherds will tell you where you can go,how long you can stay,& when to be back. They seek to exercise complete authority & control over your life.
If you desire to move to another locality,they'll tell you whether or not you may have their blessings & permission. You must submit to the shepherds in all the areas of you life that they deem important & necessary. To refuse to do so is to be marked as a rebel.
The elders have set up an apostleship. The apostle has absolute & complete authority over those under his apostleship. Though he may have "elders" under his apostleship,he has the power to overrule any decision that they make individually or collectively.
On many occasions these shepherds have told a person exactly whom he or she was to marry,how much & when to give,what books to read,& which CD's to listen to. Your elder or shepherd becomes spiritually responsible for your life.
They teach that it is absolutely imperative to obey your elder - even if he is wrong. If you'll submit to & obey him,you'll be all right. What you do will be right,because you've done it in obedience to your elder. He is your covering: responsible to God for you & your actions.
In some areas this doctrine teaches that when you have led someone to Jesus Christ,you automatically become this person's shepherd. Therefore,you're not to witness or lead anybody to Christ until you're spiritual mature enough to shepherd them. Your shepherd will inform you when you have achieved that spiritual maturity. In the meantime,they emphasize that you should wait & get your act together - become perfected yourself. Once you're perfected,then you'll be able to witness.
As a result of this teaching,these elders have sterilized some who were formerly dynamic in their witness for Jesus Christ. Men who had a powerful ministry & were being used of God have been placed on the shelf. Their shepherds told them that they weren't mature enough to minister yet. They ought to stop & get their own marriages together,or get their own lives together,before seeking to serve the Lord in any capacity. I personally know of many who have been neutralized in their effectiveness for Christ as the result of this doctrine.
This shepherding doctrine also teaches that all your tithes belong to your shepherd. He,in turn,pay his tithes to his shepherd,who pays his tithes to his shepherd. It's a neat chain letter - if you're sitting on top of the pile! Someone asked, "Where did this doctrine originate?" I'm sure it originated in hell,but it came out of Florida from the same group that teaches that Christians can be demon possessed & need exorcism. In some services they passed out Kleenexes so people could regurgitate their demons of gluttony,lust,pride,anger,temper - all works of the flesh that they were calling demons.
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