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Heavy Shepherding under the guide of "MENTORING"!!!
Don't get me wrong. Mentoring is a good thing and of course relevant today if carried out in the right (Biblical) way, for the right reasons. Titus 2 v3-5 shows older women basically how to mentor younger women correctly. Furthermore neither the young pastors (meaning shepherds) Timothy or Titus were novices in their Christian walk yet Paul gave them Godly counsel inspired by the Holy Spirit.
The problem today is that in some churches there is a serious problem with what mentoring involves (what Biblical guidelines are there really?) and the way it's done. This mentoring turns into heavy shepherding.
A shepherd in David's time would lead from the front and use his staff sparingly yet when necessary use it without hesitation always for the good of the sheep. Jesus is obviously the Good Shepherd and Elders and Pastors should use His example and not turn mentoring into 'life coaching' and impose restrictions that would impose on freedom in Christ.
Christians should live not under law or license but in freedom as absolute freedom leads to chaos! What would happen if you could choose what side of the road you drive on?
We need to be wary of trying to marry up humanistic psychology with Biblical counselling. Psychology is a Godless science founded by perverts heavily founded on occult principles namely Freud and Jung with an overemphasis on loving oneself where Scripture reminds us to take up the cross and deny oneself.
Mentors are often giving so called instruction in a controlling, unGodly and unbiblical manner that is certainly not helpful, putting a greater yolk on those they are counselling, than our Lord Jesus did!
The mentor says 'God told me' so the person concerned feels they have to do what the Pastor says even though the Bible contradicts it and the inner conviction from the Holy Spirit tells them otherwise. In such cases it is true that God has appointed people in authority, but I would take a leaf out of Peter's book -'we ought to follow God rather than men' (Acts 5v29)
A few examples
Extreme emphasis on tithing
Yes tithing is Biblical and I would be one of the first to re-echo Malachi's admonishment and I am persuaded we should be tithing, but when it agrees with the prosperity gospel that the more you give the more you get back then you're probably giving out of guilt and for the wrong reasons and its opening up the door for the health and wealth gospel and we easily forget Jesus said foxes have holes, birds have nests but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head (Matt 8v20)
Be no man's debtor
Be no man's debtor is taken to the unhealthy extreme of getting rid of a mortgage to automatically move to a smaller property or rent instead of buying by normal means and is not helpful. I know of examples where its been advocated to not bother with insurance policies by the leadership as 'God will look after you' and the same leaders have been caught taking out the same policies.
Controlling decisions
Controlling decisions on who you go out with and who you marry. I'm not talking about Christians with non-believers. We can seek God's counsel on these decisions and He has given us His Spirit who is the greatest counsellor of all, period! Advice is useful but heavy shepherding isn't.
Excessive rules about dress conduct in church.
Obviously members should dress appropriately and modestly that goes without saying and sadly in churches it often needs addressing, but there is no need to go back to the Victorian age. You can look good and still wear clothes!
The above often applies also to where you live, where you work and how you spend your time. If advice is given it still needs to be tested (1 John 4V1, 1 Thess 5V21) It doesn't matter who it comes from - somebody can say great things from the front but their personal life can be godless! Obviously we should respect our elders, but we are accountable to God first and foremost and we should never bury our heads in the sand!
Let Peter have the last word!
'Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly: not as being lords over those entrusted to you but being examples to the flock: and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.' (1 Peter 5v2-4)
By the way elders means 'undersheperd', pastors are 'shepherds' and they are all accountable to the Chief Shepherd. No prizes for who He is!
Amen! |
