The ManicaPost
Pastor Lee Fore, Kingdom Matters
Many Christians around the world are through with their traditional days of fasting and praying.
The foregone 10 days of fasting and praying remains a tradition to many and others who proved that first 10 days of the first month of the year is just general divorcing themselves from observing the days ascribing them to the one of the fastest growing church in Zimbabwe.
Most Christians who adhere to spiritual covering believe they should be accountable not only to God, but to a spiritual leader as well.
This earthly authority figure serves as an intercessor, and in extreme cases, as a substitute for God in the life of the person being “covered”.
It has become a norm for leaders of the Pentecostal churches to name their churches after themselves, a far cry from traditional churches.
It is saddening that the ministry leader claims ownership of their respective churches, abusing power and authority vested upon them by God.
The subject matter of this ordeal raised many questions than answers for these new Pentecostal movement.
The covering of the church, who covers the church? Do ministers have a part to play in covering the congregation, does the word shepherd denotes covering.
The Bible talks about the role of a pastor that his mandate is to feed, protect and lead the flock.
In this episode I set out to investigate where this claim of covering the church comes from? I have learnt that there is misinterpretation of the role of a minister to the church, thereby ministers abusing and threatening the congregation.
However, it is not everything that seems good is good no matter who is saying it.
As long as it doesn’t resonate with the word of God, it’s heresy.
The Shepherding Movement is presumably trying to use the word in a biblical sense, since all major shepherding teachers use the Bible as their basis of authority.
If the Bible is the basis for Christian doctrine, then we must say that any doctrine contrary to the Bible is heresy.
What we must do, then, is to use the word “covering” in the context in which it is meant.
There are three major Hebrew words which have been translated as “covering”.
For someone to act as our “covering”, this must encompass part or all of the meaning of these words, depending on the sense which is intended.
The first Hebrew word, sakak, means “to cover or hedge in”.
Figuratively, the word means “to protect”, having the meaning of “to cover, defend, hedge in, join together, set, or shut up”.
In other words, men can protect themselves by joining together, shutting themselves up or fortifying their position, or hedging themselves in so that the enemy cannot see or reach them.
The Bible says the Lord, and not a man, is our covering in the sakak sense.
Psalm 91:3 says the Lord does the following things: “He rescues you from the snares of fowlers hoping to destroy you; he covers you with his feathers, and you find shelter underneath his.” (Jerusalem Bible)
The second Hebrew word that means “to cover” is kasah.
The primary meaning of this word is “to cover for clothing or secrecy.” It also means “to cover over, conceal.” Proverbs 10:12 says that “love covers all offences” (JB).
A leading biblical commentator says that by love we will “overlook the offence that is given us, and cover it, and by this means strife is prevented”.
The sin thus is not removed, but merely concealed.
However, the idea that a shepherd can protect a Christian (sakak) is unscriptural.
The Bible says: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped…” (Psalm 28:7). It also says: “Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.” (Psalm 146:3).
As unscriptural as the teaching about sakak covering is, it is a far worse error to say that a shepherd is a Christian’s atonement (kaphar). Imagine how grieved Jesus Christ is when others claim to be the “covering” after He gave His life to be the covering for sins.
There are some believers who are victims of threats, because of ministers claim that they have covering for the congregation.
Some victims are told that if they leave the church the covering of a man of God will depart, and he has acquired wealth everything will vanquish.
Please Apostles and Prophets let’s stop these threats and go to the foundations of the teachings of Christ.
Let’s be serious with the body of Christ, there is no revelation in covering the congregation, it is only God who covers his church, because man of God also needs this covering.
This subject will lead us to the next article we need to touch base on spiritual fathers, because most of those claiming to have a covering over the congregation believe in spiritual fathers.
Therefore, many believers in these Pentecostal churches being led by self-styled apostles and prophets, most of them have become celebrities rather than ministers of the gospel, it’s a new development within their circles of showing off their beautiful wives, and are given titles same as the husband like prophetess as if ministry is sexually transmitted, some showing off flashy cars on social media, wearing the latest brands and brag of prosperity while their congregation are languishing in poverty.
These threats by these ministers have reached a level that believers are in fear to leave the congregation because of negativity even if the minister has reached a plateau and has nothing new to offer.
However, to everyone who is being threatened it’s time to make an informed decision; follow the direction of the holy spirit, John 10:10: “I have come to give life and life in abundance.”
True Christians be warned and be always on the guard. Make the word of God your canon.
This season we will be tackling serious matters about the Kingdom Matters, and bring back the Glory of God as we unleash the mysteries of Christ.
Let church be the church. And to God be the Glory.
Follow us and send your feedback as we sort to tackle hot kingdom Matters.
Pastor Lee Fore is a religious commentator and can be contacted on [email protected]
