“Let my people go so that they may worship me!” Leaving Fodder Behind

Religious cults and sects thrive on the disenchanted.

A typical person that is attracted into new religious movements, cults, sects and/or factions (that they do not see as sects, cults or factions but as “the truth” and “the way” – few people knowingly join what they think to be a “cult”)   could be described as an intelligent, extremely passionate, spiritually hungry and idealistic individual who feels under-utilised in their present church (and possibly also their work and family life), and knows there is something much ‘more’ and far greater for them than what they presently experience in “Christiandom”.

They desperately want that something ‘more’ as they sense their calling to “more” but feel spiritually frustrated as they do not see how they can fulfil their ‘calling’ within their regular church environment.

Sadly, the most common modern church model and environment – the pastor-controlled one – making a deep spiritual distinction between the status and roles of professional clergy ’over’ the normal flock laity - is not helpful, nor is it remotely biblical. The pastor is viewed as “up there” and does most, if not all, of the work of the ministry (or attempts to dismally), and is often over-worked, depressed and stressed out. But no wonder he is stressed out, when he takes upon himself a role that is not his to own, or his to do, and deliberately or otherwise keeps the flock in a place that is not their own either. He quenches the Spirit of God by holding back the whole  people of God.

Even in the more ’open’ and less dogmatic churches, the “more lowly” congregation and laiety is considered lucky if it might be able to share a testimony, give an open tongue and its interpretation, or a word of prophecy or encouragement here or there in the services – as permitted by the pastor. If the church member is sensitive to others’ needs and is caring, they maybe pray for the person sitting next to them – if the elite militia ministry prayer team or pastor lets them that is (you know exactly who I mean!). If the church member are brave, they might do some evangelism or social work during the week – as long as the church controls it and organises it for them. Those on fire for the gospel who are not “pastors” will most often join parachurch missions organisations, and so a split between the missionary organisation and the church forms that was never meant to be, and the normal flock see even missions and evangelism work as a “professional calling” like the pastor’s instead of as their own  call. Everything becomes someone else’s job and the church is rendered impotent.

No wonder we do not see the real power we long for, for how can the body stand, let alone move, when only part of it acts disembodied from the rest like some kind of Giant Max Headroom, while wilfully ignoring I Cor 12:14-31 (*see below).

For the flock, it is largely sit and fodder it out and watch the circus ringmaster (the pastor) control it all from the front – the ringmaster often feeling deeply insecure and unable to release his congregation to become his equal co-workers, and unable to let the rest of the troupe into the ring. And the co-workers not co-workers, not really participants either, not even workers, but to all intents hand-raising happy clappy pew fodder.

Instead of pharoah holding the whole people of God back, abusive unbiblical leadership structures hold God’s people back.  

No wonder these frustrated fodder search elsewhere to fulfil their genuine  God-given calling to be something more than fodder!

However, as these fodder are vulnerable, they can look for this meaningfulness, this something more to their Christian life, in the wrong places, and there are plenty of predators and wolves to prey on such sincere people, and also plenty of sincere folk lost drifting far off course that bid others join them.

Passion can be a dangerous place. Passion is not to be despised by any means BUT it is dangerous as one can get passionately led astray.

The thing that new apostolic-prophetic cults promises to thousands of ‘ordinary punters’ is that YOU can be that something more. You can replace humdrum and do ministry with their kind of anointing and impartation. Instead of being mere pew fodder, you can become ’somebody’ and minister and heal the sick and move in power – just like you read in the gospels and the Book of Acts. However lots of distortions, spiritual counterfeits and charlatanism and false promises and even falser testimony is thrown in with this enticing biblical sounding offer – as well as a command not to think or reason but just ‘go with the flow’ (their flow that is). The doctrine of demons mingles with enticement to be a “New Testament kind of Christian”.

What is promised as a more equal New Testament church though (or an even greater end times church as per Latter Rain dogma) is rather a sick parady and distortion, and rather than leaving behind spiritual abuse and dogma and becoming unfetterred to serve God, one is led into even deeper  spiritual abuse and over-control and bound up in even darker, tighter and more suffocating spiritual chains – so though you may think you ’serve’ it is according to their criteria with the condition you must ‘touch not my anointed’  – that is an elite leader in an unbiblical lifelong covenant to an even more elite apostle - and you must follow and submit and obey even when the leader is obviously wrong. Far from the flock being more liberated and equal, the flock is more bound and less equal, considered far more lowly under the priviledged elite.

So in their break for freedom, in their search for meaning, in their bid to serve God, in their passion for “more”, instead of fulfilling their genuine God-given calling and dream, people end up serving error and getting even further  led astray and start to serve self-serving abusive men rather than God. They become decieved and they can become decievers – passionately and sincerely. And it is partly a lot due to the “regular” church’s fault.

Church leaders, if you want to help avoid the flock flocking to places like Lakeland, then as well as sound biblical teaching, sound biblical practise  is also needed. You need to let your flock ‘go’ not to Lakeland, but you need to let them ’go’ to minister as an equal and co-heir in Christ Jesus alongside  you instead of under  you. Let them fulfil their calling in “your” church which you  are only a member and servant of.

I tell you the truth, the modern church controlling structure is responsible for leading many into even deeper error (as well as of course holding God’s power back). Please in Jesus’ name, let the flock go!

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Why do so many Christian leaders ignore I Cor 12:14-31? Too many think they are the entire body!

“Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts.   And now I will show you the most excellent way…..”