"Covering"

[New_Wineskin]

This Gothard-created “covering” belief has proven itself to be a false and destructive doctrine in the fruit it produced—i.e., the now defunct Shepherding Movement. When control freaks got hold of a theology that supported their desire to control people through authority-submission, it flourished like a weed that sprung up in the night (and perished in the day). The leading teachers, the infamous “Fort Lauderdale Five” (Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, Ern Baxter, Charles Simpson, and Don Basham), were, of course, the “authority”, the “covering” for the rest of Christendom, and the rest of us were, as it turned out, to be in “submission” to them. Lesser “shepherds” (coverings) with smaller “flocks,” got to be the big dogs in their little ponds.

And it all started with this Bill Gothard promulgated, skewed-biblical “covering” doctrine, a doctrine that apparently remains in its death-throes and needs to be put out of the misery it causes others.

Over time, this shepherding/covering movement really got ridiculous. People could not make decisions, any decision (from obeying a call to be a missionary to what color drapes to buy for the house), without first clearing it with their shepherd, their “covering,” and getting it approved or disapproved. Congregations became rubber stamps to their pastors. Wives became nothing more than extensions of their husbands. Children became little clones of their parents (ultimately, their fathers>>pastors>>the Five) without the privilege of developing their own natural gifts as God had created them.

Of course, this was great for self-appointed/anointed “shepherds” who got to control everybody. But it was disastrous for many who subjugated their will to men and not God. Within a decade of its inception it had ruined the lives of so many people that it caved-in. Prince and Mumford, recognizing the evils such a covering doctrine caused by appealing to the baser pride of controlling men, eventually publicly recanted and renounced the doctrine. But a residue of it still exists in the vocabulary and beliefs of far too many Christians.

~Jim

Believe in miracles but don’t depend on them.​

Ah yes , that takes me back - Gothard .

Yes . The fear of not disagreeing with the leaders because they could expel you from the group - out from under the covering . Also , fear of leaving the group without the leaderships blessing . What does that sound like ? I am not to say .

 

[ARBITER01]

Ah yes , that takes me back - Gothard .

Yes . The fear of not disagreeing with the leaders because they could expel you from the group - out from under the covering . Also , fear of leaving the group without the leaderships blessing . What does that sound like ? I am not to say .

[churchlady]

Hmmmm,.... could it be satan?

[/churchlady]

 

[EyezOFire]

Well, tonight was the last night for my wife and I at our church. We informed the leadership and they released us from our obligations. I asked the Lord to release us if we were supposed to leave before the end of May. There was much peace throughout the day and toward the end when they had a passover meal the Lord was really confirming the timing. Leaving sometimes is not easy. So now we step into the unknown following Christ..

 

[KleinerApfel]

A blessing on your pilgrimage brother:


May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
May the rain fall softly on your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.

Traditional Gaelic blessing.