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Where
are we going?
At the end of a year all sorts of clairvoyants, pundits and would-be
prophets seek their moment of fame by making predictions for the
approaching New Year. Sometimes they are so vague and general they’re
bound to hit a few correct guesses. Most know enough about the general
population’s memory failures to claim later in the year that they had
predicted certain – especially dramatic or outstanding – events after they
have occurred.
The vast majority of people trust the word
of these self-proclaimed prophets and don’t bother to check the evidence
to see if there is any direct supportive evidence that they DID in fact
predict the events long before they occurred and not simply claimed to
have done so after the event. Many also know that the more brazen you are
and the more dogmatically you make your claim, the more many people will
be to accept the claims without question.
When would-be prophets make their
predictions, many of them are simply reading the trends and adding
past performances or developments to future probabilities.
To some degree we all do that.
The end of one year and/or the beginning
of a New Year is often a time of reflection, anticipation, goal setting
and planning. We look at where we’ve been, and where we think we’ll be
going. This is often done: personally as individuals; in business,
industry and government; in organisations and societies; in denominations
and local congregations.
Consideration of the past often enables us
to anticipate some developments and trends in the future. That is how
budgeting is done in the financial area. It is how defence and law
enforcement agencies plan their strategies. It is how statisticians and
urban planners prepare for community developments.
As we, at CCG Ministries, look back over
the past year, and indeed the past 24 years plus, we can see developing
trends that, we believe will seriously impact the Christian community in
the future – including 2004. These various trends include, in particular,
changes in Christian leadership.
For many years we have been using the
following definition of a cult in our writings, as well as in court
testimony, stating that a cult is:
‘A leader, or
leadership, centred and dominated independent religious group that
deviates from religious orthodoxy and accepted socio-cultural patterns in
its beliefs and practices, and seeks the conformity and submission of
members in obedience to the leadership.’
Leader, or leadership, control and
domination are the major concerns and issues in cultic and extreme
religious fringe groups. Again and again, it is the damage done to
relationships, and personal rights and freedoms, by manipulative and
controlling leaders that cause most of the hurt and trauma suffered by
followers and members. This damage can be physical, is always emotional
and psychological, and ultimately will also be spiritual.
For a number of past decades controlling
and manipulative tendencies have developed, particularly amongst some
sections of the Pentecostal Christian community. Quite a number of
pastors have been guilty of demanding unquestioning submission and
obedience from members – many claiming, that as the Lord’s ‘anointed’ they
were only answerable to God, and no one else had the right or the
authority to question them, their teachings, their behaviour, their
lifestyle or their manipulative demands.
Part of that trend became known, for a
time, as the ‘Shepherding Movement’. It was also known as the
‘Discipleship Movement’ and the ‘Submission Movement’. Its leaders became
well-known. Their claims of power and authority were used to bring
followers into total submission, and they controlled the lives of
followers in almost all areas and aspects.
In September of 1975, Kathryn Kuhlman
expressed her concern about this movement:
‘There’s a new
doctrine called “the discipleship and submission movement.” You may have
never heard of it before. But it is so subtle and doing so much harm that
if somebody doesn’t do something to rebuke Satan and stop this movement,
it is going to absolutely destroy the great charismatic movement...Not
only do they tell you to give your money to the shepherd, but to become
involved in cell groups and to “reveal your deepest thoughts.” I’ll tell
you one thing. I’m not going to tell anybody my inner thoughts.’
Out of concern for the growing misuse of
leadership authority and the psychological and spiritual damage caused to
individuals, the Assemblies of God General Presbytery in the USA adopted a
committee report as an official statement in response to this ‘Shepherding
Movement’ in August 1976.
The report pointed out that:
‘well-known Bible
teachers are promoting a new concept of shepherding, discipleship, and
submission to authority.’ It
acknowledged that there were some good things happening, at the same time
‘there have
been serious abuses…Much has been…destructive and divisive.’
The report deals with the misuse of the Scriptures, revealing that there
are real dangers by such teachers when
‘selected passages are
spiritualised or allegorised in a way that will support their teachings.’
After dealing with the misuse and
misinterpretation of several specific Scripture passages, the report warns
that ‘there
is a current tendency to downgrade democracy in the church in favour of
submission to authority.’ It
refers to erroneous claims about the supposed authority and power of the
apostles and elders in Jerusalem and how these incorrect claims are then
used to justify current claims of power and authority.
The report points out the Biblical
injunctions of mutual submission and the need for leaders to be servants
of all. It concludes that
‘Jesus Christ must be
kept central. He is the great Shepherd of the sheep. The only covenant we
need is the one sealed in His blood’
Major personalities in the 1960s/1970s+
‘Shepherding Movement’ were referred to as the ‘Shepherds of Fort
Lauderdale’ (in Florida, USA) or the ‘Fort Lauderdale Five’.
They were Bob Mumford, Ern Baxter, Don Basham, Derek Prince and Charles
Simpson. John Poole was also part of this movement for a time but then
dropped out.
Edward Plowman wrote in Christianity
Today, Oct. 10, 1975:
‘A dispute is taking
place over issues of authority and discipleship…Discipleship involves
submission to the shepherd…about many personal decisions. In some cases,
shepherds forbid marriages, reject school and vocational plans, demand
confession of secret sins…’
This was Biblical mutual submission
distorted and abused. Leaders went on power trips, taking Bible texts out
of context to justify their claims and activities.
As controversy grew, a ‘Statement of Concern and Regret’ signed by
Bob Mumford, Ern Baxter, Don Basham,
John Poole, Derek Prince and
Charles Simpson was issued in Oklahoma City in March 1976. The
Statement opened with the following apology:
‘We realize that
controversies and problems have arisen among Christians in various areas
as a result of our teaching in relation to subjects such as submission,
authority, discipling, and shepherding. We deeply regret these problems
and, insofar as they are due to fault on our part, we ask forgiveness from
our fellow believers whom we have offended.’
Part of the statement suggested that they
weren’t fully responsible, but that others mishandled their teachings or
handled them in a less mature way. Never-the-less they apologised for that
also. In subsequent years they tried to distance themselves from the
controversy they caused. Charles Simpson issued another apology for his
teachings and the leadership abuses resulting from them in the New
Wine magazine in 1985.
While the controversy and problems of
leadership abuse of authority and submission was particularly prominent in
Pentecostal and Charismatic circles – with many reputable leaders in these
circles sounding warnings – it also grew and developed elsewhere,
including within some accountability groups, mentoring and spiritual
director programmes and the International Church of Christ.
Leader control, manipulative authority,
extreme submission were major features which led to the International
Church of Christ being labelled ‘a cult’, ‘an evil cult’, ‘a dangerous and
destructive cult’ and more.
University and other educational
authorities banned them from campuses; ex-members and parents endeavoured
to expose the abuses in as many ways as possible; all sorts of material
has been written about them by people from various backgrounds and
perspectives. Almost all (other than their own members) raised concerns
over leadership abuses.
Eventually it led to apologies, statements
acknowledging leader and discipler abuse of authority, acknowledgement of
wrong teaching and emphases on submission and more.
In the last couple of years there have
been major shake-ups in the leadership structure and relationships within
the ICOC, with the main leader, Kip McKean stepping down from world
leadership and going back to being a congregational leader.
The jury is still out on all the changes
that have occurred and how far things have or will improve. It remains to
be seen if the movement overall will become more balanced and mainstream.
From the late 1980s through the 1990s,
numerous books have been written about subjects such as ‘Toxic Faith’, the
‘Problems of Extreme Christian Fringe Groups’ through to ‘Churches that
Abuse’ – all highlighting the trauma caused by abusive leadership.
The problem seems to be that very few
Christian leaders, or college lecturers (at theological and Bible
colleges), seem to have taken these books and warnings seriously.
In recent years, at CCG Ministries, we
have been receiving more and more expressions of concern and hurt about
leader/pastor control and manipulation within mainstream churches, and not
just in cults or extreme Christian fringe groups.
Since the Protestant Reformation there has
been an emphasis, in major parts of the Christian Church, on the
Priesthood of all believers and a rejection of a special, elitist ‘clergy
class’. That seems to be changing – even in churches that held such a
mutual ministry view as a major denominational distinctive.
The growing emphasis has been on a CEO
model of leadership in congregations – with the Pastor or Senior Pastor
having almost ‘supreme’ power and authority. Some have demanded submission
and acceptance of all their ideas, suggestions and decisions – including
those made with little or no consultation with others. Their concept of
leadership seems to be that they are there to lead and everyone else must
follow and obey – or get out.
There has also been the development of
descriptive jargon to distinguish a newer (better??) class of leaders.
Terms such as: ‘anointed leadership’,
‘anointed ministry (preaching, teaching etc)’ – and more recently:
‘apostolic leadership’, ‘apostolic ministry’ – are historically and
exegetically dubious and tend to lead to a new ‘clergy class’ and
elitism. If you don’t agree with the latest directions or teachings from
‘anointed or apostolic’ leaders – then obviously you aren’t ‘anointed’ or
‘apostolic’ and therefore not as acceptable as these ‘better class’ of
leaders. As a result of some of these trends in leadership and
specialised elitist terminology many pastors have become ‘guru’ figures –
especially for younger members.
Part of this trend in church leadership
relates to another issue – that of marginalisation.
Older Christians have been around longer
and have seen fads come and go – in both the community and church. Many
are also more cautious about accepting things unquestiongly. Many also
tend to be more Biblically literate and can see how the Bible is being
abused and misused in order to support erroneous claims of power and
authority in church leadership – as a result many older people – in many
church congregations – across the denominations – are being marginalised
and even told that there is no place for them in the church. The young
are more open to new ideas, changes and leader control.
Along with expressions of concern about
leader/pastor authoritarianism and control, CCG Ministries has been
receiving an increasing volume of expressions of concern from middle-aged
and older Christians who feel ignored, marginalised and rejected in
congregations where they have faithfully served for years, and where they
still would like to be actively involved.
It raises serious questions – not just
about cultic control and manipulation – but questions about the future of
church leadership and growth; passion and compassion; outreach and
nurture; Biblical balance and integrity – and much more.
It has been refreshing, and challenging,
to read: BROTHERS WE ARE NOT PROFESSIONALS – A Plea to Pastors for
Radical Ministry (2003:Mentor), by John Piper.
John Piper
studied at Wheaton College (USA), then graduated from Fuller Seminary in
1971 and completed his Doctor of Theology degree at the University of
Munich (Germany) in 1974. He taught Biblical Studies at Bethel
College for six years and then became
Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in
1980. He is still there. He leads a ministry team of almost 20, has
written numerous books, and formed an additional specialised ministry:
Desiring God Ministries to make resources available for others –
including Christian leaders. Bethlehem Baptist Church has a long history
of planting other congregations, and currently is one church meeting at
two locations with a total of five services each Sunday.
In his recent book John Piper expresses
deep concern over the direction of church leadership in recent years and
calls for a return to Biblical models and approaches. He states:
‘The beginning of
the twenty-first century is a good time to be a pastor, a time full of
uncertainty and danger. The political and religious atmosphere of the
world pushes us – if we have hears to hear – relentlessly toward the
unprofessional centre of faith and ministry: the brutal, bloody, hideous,
heaving, crucified God-Man Jesus Christ. We are driven more and more in
these years to say with the apostle Paul, “I decided to know nothing among
you accept Jesus Christ and him crucified”…Insulated Western Christianity
is waking up from the dreamworld that being a Christian is normal or
safe. More and more, true Christianity is becoming what it was at the
beginning: foolish and dangerous.’
He warns Pastors:
‘Beware of replacing
real truth-based tolerance with spurious professional tolerance…[and]
the pressure to fit in to the cultural expectations of professionalism…[and]
the pride of station and against the expectation of parity in pay and
against the borrowing of paradigms from the professional world. Oh, for
radically Bible-saturated, God-centred, Christ-exalting, self-sacrificing,
mission-mobilising, soul-saving, culture confronting pastors! Let the
chips fall where they will: palm branches one day, persecution the next.’
He sets the course for his book with the
observation:
‘We Pastors are being killed by the professionalising of the pastoral
ministry. The mentality of the professional is not the mentality of the
prophet. It is not the mentality of the slave of Christ. Professionalism
has nothing to do with the essence and heart of the Christian ministry.
The more professional we long to be, the more spiritual death we will
leave in our wake.’
Piper’s book is a challenging
re-examination of the Biblical role, message, life and leadership of
today’s Pastor. It calls for Biblical authenticity and integrity in
ministry. He pleads for radical and courageous servanthood and
Christ-likeness in Pastors. His book deals with the relevance and content
of preaching – including Biblical preaching; the ‘worship wars’ and joyful
worship; confronting culture instead of cultural conformity; preparing
people for suffering; breaching the ‘so-called generation gap’ and much
more.
(Some of the chapters of this book are
available as a series of Internet articles
See: http://www.desiringgod.org/library/topics/leadership/leader_index.html)
If Pastors across the denominations were
prepared to read books like this and re-evaluate their role as Pastors and
Ministers in light of Biblical principles and sound exegesis, trendscould
change and trauma removed from being a church member for many.
All church leaders – Pastors, Elders,
Deacons and others - can benefit from reading and reflecting on:
Matthew 20:20-28;
Mark 10.35-45; Romans 12:1-21; Philippians 2: 1-11; 1 Peter 5:1-6.
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