Spiritual warfare for every Christian: How-to live-in victory and retake the land. Thats the only qualification, he said. The pursuit to get big numbers of congregants on Sundays has the underlying motive of financial gain. [Links], Quebedeaux, R. 1983. For these leaders, submission involved the sharing of one's life, including decisions on any changes that may affect one's life direction. Christian radio and television, though used moderately by a small number of preachers previously, really came of age, even spawning whole new networks and exclusively Christian, independent stations. (This matter of covenants with demons, however, will be discussed in greater depth later in this book.). And, that hand is extended to every victim of this demonic perpetration, which, I believe includes Mr. Simpson and the other surviving original propagators of the Discipleship doctrines and practices, those who remain proponents and participants, as well as those who were unwittingly captivated in the throes of deception. I CANNOT DO THAT as a matter of CONSCIENCE. I believe he spoke the absolute truth herehe literally CANNOT renounce those covenant relationships because the demonic spirits behind them, to which he has subjected himself over many years, have him bound. Charles Simpson, Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, Don Basham and Ern Baxter were gifted teachers and authors who found some common ground in their spiritual passion, teaching, and alternative views of church life The five men were closely asso- ciated with the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida . The church as the redeemed community was to be the vehicle of evangelism. 4:6), and presumptuously intrude into affairs and create agenda which are beyond the bounds of Divine appointment and human propriety, God Himself, though usually not until sufficient time has elapsed to allow for the exhibition of the utter foolishness of the perpetrators, will eventually intervene and bring such vain and empty attempts to an abrupt halt. He was older than the others and ' the most experienced seasoned preacher' in the Shepherding movement (Resane 2008:53). This is an engagin history of the Shepherding Movement, an influential and controversial expression of the charismatic renewal in the 1970's and 1980's. This neopentecostal movement, led by popular Bible teachers Ern Baxter, Don Basham, Bob Mumford, Derek Prince and Charles Simpson, became a house/cell church movement in the United States. Understanding the fivefold ministry. Every weapon of spiritual warfare is deployed herewith, and precisely trained to score a direct hit against these demonic powers, in order to expose and totally annihilate them. Certainly the stations of authority and ecclesiastical ascendancy these men occupied for a season were never established by God, despite their empirical claims and explanations to the contrary. This essay focuses on the history, theology, and demise of the Shepherding movement, a discipleship network pioneered by five teachers, Charles Simpson, Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, Don Basham, and Ern Baxter, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Unlike the usual Pentecostal reservation regarding academic pursuance, the five founding leaders of the Shepherding movement were academically astute. The litany of known Church leaders publicly denouncing the Prince-Baxter-Mumford-Simpson-Basham consortium was by no means limited to those cited in the article quoted above, but also included a host of others, e.g. This was further enhanced by a belief that this community had to be a place of loving disciplinary and corrective instruction towards healthy personal growth. Decisions on petty issues were to be consulted with shepherds. Joining him were Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, Don Basham, and Charles Simpson, and was loosely based upon parts of William Branham's doctrines that pastors are to be authoritative and in full control of their congregations. One of the leaders was Don Bashan, whose gentle character and teaching methodology are explained by Moore as 'clear, strong, and laced with stories and humour' (Moore 2003:35). [Links], Moore, S.D. FCMC, with approximately 350 members, represents the sector of the discipling-shepherding ministry of CGM that survived the final dissolution of the old CGM team in 1985.9 Without question, FCMC member churches are the most overt and ardent subscribers to and practitioners of the Discipleship teachings and practices. Some key concepts of the Shepherding movement that impacted the Neo-Pentecostals will be discussed, namely submissions to authority; male leadership; ecclesiology; pastoral training and formation; and church polity, emphasizing the apostolic and prophetic ministries. But I CANNOT RENOUNCE all of the [covenant] relationships I have. These leaders aimed to provide meaning and order for their movement through home fellowships or cell groups. 1992. The Neo-Charismatics became and still are obsessed with these five titles. He was ordained in ministry by the Disciples of Christ in 1955, and pastored churches in North America. The believer's church. Unfortunately, due to its dictatorial or dubious canonical justification, it opened a wide door for 'misuse of authority, false teaching, domination, elitism, pride, and other abuses' (Moriarty 1992:77), as followers were pressurized to conform without questioning, while they had to tolerate the emotional and spiritual oppression, due to the demanded submission to the shepherd. This is also confirmed by Simpson (1972:24-27) that submission to God's delegated authority is necessary in all spheres of life. He is the founder/Overseer of Ephesians Four Network (ephesiansfour.net) and its subsidiary, Ephesians Four Network of Deliverance Counselors (efndc.ephesiansfour.net). They did not have their own biological children but adopted eight girls from different racial groups. 2005. Together these individuals formed the organization that would be the center of one of the most violent controversies (i.e., the Discipleship/Shepherding controversy) in Protestant charismatic history,1 Christian Growth Ministries (CGM), headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. In his statement, Mumford admitted that he had not heeded earlier warnings about doctrinal error from Hayford and two others. They instead 'work with their experiences that they have and assume that it can be regarded as biblical' (Menzies 1985:13). & F. Machingura 2013. The stress on the covenant community enlarged the people' s sense of belonging - the need for modern humanity who is living in isolation, navel-gazing all the time. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. (Accessed on March 25, 2021. In other words, anyone who makes a spiritual covenant with anyone other than God, covenants with demons, whether they intend to or not, for You cannot drink the cup of (fellowship with) the Lord and the cup of (fellowship with) demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons (Ibid, v. 21, parenthesis added by author). An engaging history of the Shepherding Movement, an influential and controversial expression of the charismatic renewal in the 1970s and 1980s. The fundamental fact is that since its inception, today's Pentecostalism does not start with the biblical text to formulate a theology. 6 P.D. Robertson, drawing from Juan Carlos Ortizs Call to Discipleship, charged the leaders with placing personal revelations (rhema) on par with Scripture. All in all, it is now relatively evident that this whole elaborate scheme of the Fab Five was a grandiose, vain-glorious, and humanly-contrived ruse by which they intended, whether with sincere motives or not, to place the entire Charismatic Movement, with its multitudes of new adherents and myriads of ministries and churches under their personal and exclusive dominion and sovereignty. One cannot just kerygmatically call upon the poor person to be wealthy, without being diaconally involved. [Links], Barret, D. 1982. The methodology of Pentecostal theology: An essay on hermeneutics. In 1990, Mumford issued a formal repentance statement to the body of Christ (Wilhelm 2015). As the Discipleship/Shepherding tempest swirled, it was not long until a number of other prominent leaders within the Charismatic Movement came forward to announce their opposition to the basic tenets being proliferated by the CGM leaders and their constituency. 1975b. Resane (2008:52) indicates that Bashan's ministry focus was freedom from demonic oppress-sions, and the baptism in the Holy Spirit. In Chitando, E., M. Gunda & J. Kugler (eds. Basham (1986:189-190) adds and stipulates that interpersonal ministerial conflicts 'should be handled according to the Matthew 18 guidelines'. 4. Frankly, things were basically sailing along amazingly well for the first decade of the Charismatic Renewal until a group of four (later expanded to five) men emerged from relative obscurity to stake their claim on the burgeoning Charismatic conglomerate. First, the focus of the movement's theology was on submission to authority. There are also issues regarding pastoral training and formation. Prince and Mumford specifically abandoned the movement and started to denounce the movement's teachings. In the case of those who have, their rescue required the supernatural intervention of Godwith God all things are possibleto excise the spiritual cancer growing within their soul and to bring recovery. None of these require exclusive affiliation, which means that a minister can be affiliated with more than one, and indeed most are. [Links], Mumford, B. In most cases, these polities are concocted to articulate structured or organized systems for the church government along the corporate lines. Precautionary measures to be taken are the apostolic exhortation that these teachers should be left alone. As far as they were concerned, the greatest spiritual protection was guaranteed by submission to spiritual authority. 2003. [Links], Mzondi, A.M.M. Hocken, loc. They are open to criticism for eisegesis that allows their experience to precede their biblical hermeneutics. Additionally, apparently there are many who came to the Lord prior to the development of the Discipleship movement who, nonetheless, have no awareness or only a vague awareness of its existence. Grand Rapids: Baker Books. M.A. The Shepherding movement: A summary. Undoubtedly, this pyramidal structure established order and encouraged maturity through discipline. An engaging history of the Shepherding Movement, an influential and controversial expression of the charismatic renewal in the 1970s and 1980s. FCMC churches make little bones about espousing Discipleship doctrines and employing Discipleship practices, and often defend same with an overt stridency, unapproachability, and pugnacity. A PayPal account is not required to use the PayPal gateway, you can pay with debit/credit card or an e-Check from your bank. Disciple position paper. They were expected to be submissive to their husbands. The number of voices swelled as criticism came from Dennis Bennett, Ken Sumrall, Thomas F. Zimmerman (General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God), and David duPlessis. Bamberg: University of Bamberg Press. When the dust settled, the only thing that had changed was not the plan itself but the method of implementation, which was now even more covert and esoteric than before. Subscribe to Spirit Life Magazine Email List! According to the article, Mumford read a statement in November of 1989 to a gathering of pastors at the Christian Believers United meeting in Ridgecrest, North Carolina,11 in which he said: I repent. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lords and He will give you into our hands. (1 Sam. [Links]), All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License, https://thouarttheman.org/2015/12/26/is-9marks-the-new-shepherding-movement/, https://jacobyoung84.medium.com/the-shep-herding-movement-a-summary-5883c3d27e9f. A charismatic Bible study that met weekly in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the "Fort Lauderdale Five" ( Don Basham, Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, Charles Simpson and Ern Baxter) evolved into The Holy Spirit Teaching Mission. Rather, these were things that were just to be recognized and accepted by one and all without question. Hocken, Charismatic Movement, DICTIONARY OF PENTECOSTAL AND CHARISMATIC MOVEMENTS, p. 137, Zondervan. They were also concerned about the spiritual development and growth of the believers. [Links], Prince, D. 1973. The 'shepherd' entitlement from the Shepherding movement has made some indelible marks on the current South African Neo-Pentecostalism. The deception permeates the entire belief system of those indoctrinated by it. The pulpit has become the platform for egoistic elevation. These public recantations should, one would think, speak loudly and clearly to all those who continue to espouse these doctrines and in any way participate in the practices they engender, but incredibly, that has not been the case. A paradigmatic analysis of authority within Pentecostalism. I have done things that I repent of and I do want forgiveness and I do want to see restoration, he said. Many of these poor souls, because of the indoctrination they have receive, are literally petrified at the thought of departure from the group of which they are a part and the covering of its leaders, for fear that they would forfeit rightstanding with God, incur His wrath and curses upon themselves, and be eternal damned. The apostle - God' s master builder. It was never their intention to secede into a denominational formation, but in the middle of the 1970s and early 1980s, theological thoughts led to new ideas of breaking out of the shell. The shepherd was to act as lord over the disciples, in order to interfere and intervene in their personal matters. [Important Note: As you read this article, please keep in mind that the scenarios described herein are as they were when the book from which this article is taken was first published in 1996.]. Moreover, due homage and obeisance (plus your tithe, if you were a minister and wanted to be recognized and approved) were also expected. FROM SHEPHERDING TO UNDER COVER. When a seeker or a devotee needs assistance or some form of divine intervention in a personal crisis, it is expected that whatever diagnosis is prescribed by the shepherd, there should be unquestioned compliance. As observed in some current cases presented at the Commission for Religious and Linguistic Rights, human trafficking and women abuses are all undertaken by declarations of submission under the authority of the pastor. Tap the Share icon (the square with an arrow pointing out of it) at the bottom of the screen. (ed. The second part of the essay highlights the current Neo-Pentecostal movement and how it has taken over the legacy of extra-biblical revelation from the Shepherding movement. In his formal statement of repentance Mumford said: These are men and women who directly or indirectly pledge an allegiance or commitment to the 'servant of God' and must ensure that the vision of the pastor is carried out by all the followers.
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