"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD."
(Isaiah 55:8)
"Of course I know where I'm going! I went to the
New Wine Cymru Leaders' Conference, didn't I?
We sang 'Dancing Queen' by Abba. It was great, mun!"
These days, you can't move very far around the "Christian" scene without coming across organizations with a special interest in holding courses or conferences or providing resources for Church LEADERS. Existing leaders, emerging leaders, youth leaders, women leaders, prayer group leaders, cell group leaders... leaders are seen to be the essential ingredient in the preparation of a delicious, piping-hot Kingdom stew. Leaders are to be trained, mentored, equipped, anointed... and released... to do what? Well, to lead, of course! Or should that really read, to lead OFF COURSE?
A QUESTION. How many times do you think the word 'LEADERS' is found in the Bible (KJV)? I did a search to find out. The result was more than interesting!
Would you believe the answer is three? THREE! And would you also believe that all 3 references to 'leaders' are NEGATIVE ones? (And if you think that maybe by chopping the 's' off the end, 'leader' singular would fare better, then think again. 'LEADER' also appears in the total Text only three times!) For anyone who believes that the Word of God governs our lives and lays out where our priorities really lie, should not this fact give serious pause for thought? Here are the references to 'leaders':
"And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land."
(2 Chronicles 32:21)
"For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are led of them are destroyed."
(Isaiah 9:16)
"Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."
(Matthew 15:14)
ALL REVEAL WRONG ACTIONS ON THE PART OF 'LEADERS' WITH DIRE CONSEQUENCES!
"232 : 3!"
"For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are led of them are destroyed."
(Isaiah 9:16)
"Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."
(Matthew 15:14)
ALL REVEAL WRONG ACTIONS ON THE PART OF 'LEADERS' WITH DIRE CONSEQUENCES!
I then did another search. This time to discover how many times the word 'DISCIPLES' appears in Holy Writ. The result proved to be an absolutely amazing contrast to 'LEADERS!'
THE WORD 'DISCIPLES' APPEARS NO LESS THAN 232 TIMES! (WITH ANOTHER 24 FOR 'DISCIPLE' IN THE SINGULAR).
NOW IF THOSE FIGURES WERE FLASHED UP AT FULL-TIME ON THE SCOREBOARD AT THE MILLENNIUM STADIUM, WHICH SIDE WOULD YOU THINK HAD CRUSHED THE OTHER INTO THE MUD TO TAKE THE TROPHY AND GAIN AN ENTRY IN THE GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS?
"232 : 3!"
POINT IS THIS: INFINITELY GREATER PRIORITY AND SIGNIFICANCE IS GIVEN IN SCRIPTURE TO 'DISCIPLES' THAN TO 'LEADERS!'
WHICH GIVES RISE TO ANOTHER QUESTION. WHY DOES SO MUCH OF "THE CHURCH" GIVE SUCH HUGE PRIORITY AND SIGNIFICANCE TO 'LEADERS' WHEN THE BIBLE VERY CLEARLY DOES NOT? I WILL VENTURE TO GIVE A REASON.
IN A NUTSHELL, CHURCHES ARE BEING BUILT IN THE FLESH, TO THE DESIGNS OF MAN, AND REPLICATING WORLDLY BUSINESS MODELS, CREATING CLASSIC PYRAMID STRUCTURES, WHERE LEADERS ARE APPOINTED AND TRAINED UP IN THE IDEALS OF THE HIERARCHY TO DELIVER THE DESIRED SUCCESS AND EXPANSION OF ANY GIVEN ENTERPRISE.
IT IS NOT THE KINGDOM OF GOD THAT IS BEING BUILT, BUT THE KINGDOM OF MAN! IT'S LAYING THE CLAY BRICKS OF BABEL, WHICH HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY FIRED WITH A "CHRISTIAN" GLAZING.
WHICH GIVES RISE TO ANOTHER QUESTION. WHY DOES SO MUCH OF "THE CHURCH" GIVE SUCH HUGE PRIORITY AND SIGNIFICANCE TO 'LEADERS' WHEN THE BIBLE VERY CLEARLY DOES NOT? I WILL VENTURE TO GIVE A REASON.
IN A NUTSHELL, CHURCHES ARE BEING BUILT IN THE FLESH, TO THE DESIGNS OF MAN, AND REPLICATING WORLDLY BUSINESS MODELS, CREATING CLASSIC PYRAMID STRUCTURES, WHERE LEADERS ARE APPOINTED AND TRAINED UP IN THE IDEALS OF THE HIERARCHY TO DELIVER THE DESIRED SUCCESS AND EXPANSION OF ANY GIVEN ENTERPRISE.
IT IS NOT THE KINGDOM OF GOD THAT IS BEING BUILT, BUT THE KINGDOM OF MAN! IT'S LAYING THE CLAY BRICKS OF BABEL, WHICH HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY FIRED WITH A "CHRISTIAN" GLAZING.
"What a mighty and magnificent tower this is gonna be!"
It is no coincidence that churches and organizations at the very forefront of promoting and selling this whole upside down deal are ones that have embraced and work to the Restorationist pattern of church government (as they see it). In actuality, their supposed restoration of the "5-fold ministry," claiming Ephesians 4:11 as their mandate, is effectively moving the foundations of the Faith. They are not restoring, but are actually tearing down what was built upon the solid foundations laid by Christ and His Apostles, and raising a new structure of their own with new "apostles" at the apex of that power pyramid, with prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers forming the other tiers of authority below the (self-accredited) apostles' supreme governance.
Appointing and training 'leaders' to fill these managerial posts is an essential part of not only maintaining, but expanding the Restorationist empire. It all has its roots in the Latter Rain heresy, with its Manifest Sons of God/Joel's Army false teaching whereby a host of holy super-troopers would win the world for Christ and establish His Kingdom on Earth PRIOR to His return!
In the UK, Restorationism manifests itself through the various branches and off-shoots of the British New Church Movement, of which Pioneer, Newfrontiers and Destiny are good examples, while internationally - from its US epicentre - it is known as the New Apostolic Reformation, under its chief apostle-that-isn't, C. Peter Wagner. The movement's all-conquering Dominionist mindset and 'Seven Mountains' worldview are completely at odds with what the Bible teaches about the End Times. Scripture warns us time and again that apostasy and not revival will be the order of the day when Jesus returns for His Bride at the Rapture, the "snatching away" that Dominionists are so keen to dismiss - along with much else! - in favour of their own self-cultivated and totally unscriptural eschatology, with a Church triumphant over all things on Earth. Did not the Lord Himself declare concerning His return:
The entire Restorationist/NAR structure is shot through with Pit-deep delusion. Its leaders, having given themselves over to deceptions wrought by seducing spirits, in turn pass on these deceptions to those up-and-coming leaders who aspire to be something they ought not to be. As Isaiah declared, "For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are led of them are destroyed." (Isaiah 9:16)
GOD DOES THINGS THE OPPOSITE WAY TO THE WAY THE WORLD DOES THEM. DOES NOT HOLY WRIT DECLARE:
Though Dominionists declare their allegiance to the Lord, their determined departure from His Word sadly demonstrates that their hearts have indeed departed from Him and gone a different way, adopting the very same power structure of the world - the arm of flesh - which Jesus Himself told his disciples was the exact opposite of how things should be with them:
Appointing and training 'leaders' to fill these managerial posts is an essential part of not only maintaining, but expanding the Restorationist empire. It all has its roots in the Latter Rain heresy, with its Manifest Sons of God/Joel's Army false teaching whereby a host of holy super-troopers would win the world for Christ and establish His Kingdom on Earth PRIOR to His return!
In the UK, Restorationism manifests itself through the various branches and off-shoots of the British New Church Movement, of which Pioneer, Newfrontiers and Destiny are good examples, while internationally - from its US epicentre - it is known as the New Apostolic Reformation, under its chief apostle-that-isn't, C. Peter Wagner. The movement's all-conquering Dominionist mindset and 'Seven Mountains' worldview are completely at odds with what the Bible teaches about the End Times. Scripture warns us time and again that apostasy and not revival will be the order of the day when Jesus returns for His Bride at the Rapture, the "snatching away" that Dominionists are so keen to dismiss - along with much else! - in favour of their own self-cultivated and totally unscriptural eschatology, with a Church triumphant over all things on Earth. Did not the Lord Himself declare concerning His return:
"Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"
(Luke 18:8)
Sounds much more like He's expecting to find a world filled with UNBELIEF, don't you think?
GOD DOES THINGS THE OPPOSITE WAY TO THE WAY THE WORLD DOES THEM. DOES NOT HOLY WRIT DECLARE:
"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence."
(1 Corinthians 1:27-29)
NOTE WELL THE CONCLUDING WORDS OF THIS PASSAGE: "NO FLESH SHOULD GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE." DOMINIONISM CONTRADICTS GOD. IT SEEKS TO BESTOW GLORY ON THE FLESH, MAGNIFYING MAN ABOVE GOD AND MAKING HIM THE DELIVERER OF THE KNOCKOUT BLOW AND SECURING VICTORY OVER THE WORLD INSTEAD OF JESUS, EFFECTIVELY ROBBING HIM OF HIS RIGHTFUL GLORY!
"MINE is the Kingdom, the power and the glory!"
Men are following men, putting them on pedestals and trusting in their leadership. Fatal mistake! As Scripture warns:
"Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD."
(Jeremiah 17:5)
"But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all."
(Mark 10:42-44)
OUR CALLING SHOULD BE CLEAR. NOT TO BE 'LEADERS' BUT DISCIPLES! WE ARE TO SERVE GOD AND MINISTER TO EACH OTHER, IN A SPIRIT OF HUMILITY AND THANKFUL RECOGNITION AND REMEMBRANCE OF ALL THAT THE LORD HAS DONE FOR US. IT'S ALL ABOUT HIM, NOT ABOUT US!
WE ARE TO BE SERVANTS, TO DO HIS BIDDING, NOT HAVE SERVANTS TO DO OURS! THIS IS OUR CALLING IN HIM. THIS IS WHAT IT IS TO BE A DISCIPLE!
ASSUREDLY, IF WE BLINDLY FOLLOW BLIND LEADERS, IT IS ONLY A VERY DEEP DITCH THAT AWAITS US!
WE ARE TO BE SERVANTS, TO DO HIS BIDDING, NOT HAVE SERVANTS TO DO OURS! THIS IS OUR CALLING IN HIM. THIS IS WHAT IT IS TO BE A DISCIPLE!
ASSUREDLY, IF WE BLINDLY FOLLOW BLIND LEADERS, IT IS ONLY A VERY DEEP DITCH THAT AWAITS US!
"Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples."
(Isaiah 8:16)
"According as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the LORD."
(1 Corinthians 1:31)
