The Fab Five (aka, The Fort Lauderdale Five) alliance consisted of Derek Prince, Bob Mumford, Charles Simpson, Don Basham, and Ern Baxter. Holy Spirit Research Center, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa. Endnotes: Third was Bob Mumford who, together with his family, took residence in Fort Lauderdale in 1970 and started building his family, ending up with four children. Currently, there are many Charismatic churches led by women and they are doing well. In agreement with broad evangelical ecclesiology, Mumford (1980: 33) drives the point home that the church should be a community of believers exhibiting the fruit of the Holy Spirit by worshipping, praising, and serving God selflessly as individuals and corporately. Kraft (1997:96) correctly points out that ' authority is misused whenever it exalts the person to whom the authority is given, rather than the Lord, the source and giver of authority'. Networks always have a common vision, and from the hierarchical leadership, there is no dictatorship regarding methods, values, philosophies, and goals (Cannistraci 1996:190). [Links], Cannistraci, D. 1996. The Premier Book on Authoritarian Abuse in Neo-Pentecostal Churches! 17:45-47), ________________ Jesus is the Head, but we are His Body. He is the founder/Overseer of Ephesians Four Network (ephesiansfour.net) and its subsidiary, Ephesians Four Network of Deliverance Counselors (efndc.ephesiansfour.net). I put no qualifications on the fact that I did things wrong. Christian radio and television, though used moderately by a small number of preachers previously, really came of age, even spawning whole new networks and exclusively Christian, independent stations. The CBM was founded in 1986 by Oral Roberts, and as of 1988 had a membership in excess of 1,200. The pulpit has become the platform for egoistic elevation. Church polity for the movement entailed that the authority in the local church rests and ends with elders for the administration of local church affairs, while the apostolic ministry rests and operates through the invitation from the local presbytery of elders. According to biographical information published by one of NCMs members, Dr. Bill Hamon (President, Christian International-Network of Prophetic Ministries), the NCM was birthed and established to promote the networking of certain individual ministers and ministries who are willing to co-labor together in endeavors of mutual interest. After completing his high school education in the Navy, Mumford graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Bible from Valley Forge Christian College. 2017. He attended the University of Delaware and then received his Master of Divinity degree from the Reformed Episcopal Seminary in Philadelphia. What is the Shepherding/Discipleship Movement (SDM)? The church became an instrument of commercial gains. Tap the Share icon (the square with an arrow pointing out of it) at the bottom of the screen. Towards the end of that decade (the 1980s), Baxter, Basham, and Mumford officially discharged their followers from their pyramid authority structure. However, it soon surfaced that their particular brand of theology of maturity and church-building included unproven, unscriptural, and excessive concepts regarding authority, submission to established authority, shepherding, and discipleship, all of which, in their proper perspective and within the bounds of Biblical propriety and Divine intent, are bona fide and important precepts in true Christianity. 15,16, February, 1990, Strang Communications, Inc. At the age of 80, in March of 1996, Prince redeemed himself from his involvement in the Shepherding error and its proliferation with a series of talks to his ministry staff that were later compiled into a book, Protection From Deception. He was ordained in ministry by the Disciples of Christ in 1955, and pastored churches in North America. The residents in these areas are poor and are living in unhygienic squalid conditions with inadequate health facilities. According to Barret (1982:429), around 100,000 people were associated with it. Discover the Truth Bob Mumford A closer look at shepherding - Cont. The Alpha Course Alpha Roots Chart Data Table Biography for the Fort Lauderdale Five (Don Basham, Ern Baxter, Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, Charles Simpson) by Dusty Peterson & Elizabeth McDonald PLEASE NOTE The following is merely a limited collection of useful but essentially random facts on the subject in question. There are some who have defected from the Charismatic cults which espouse these doctrines and employ these practices, and been liberated from the throes of the enslavement they engender, fortunately, but there are many more who have not than there are who have. Furthermore, they considered their ecclesiology to be theocentric while at the same time geared to the times, not stuck in the old mold or traditions (Moore 2003:68). Whichever is true, what was absolutely clear was that a discernable trend toward reorganization, whatever the reasons may have been, did indeed gradually develop. In the article it is pointed out that the Shepherding movement was not familiar with the latter practices, but they paved the way for it by emphasizing the extra-biblical revelation with the emphasis on charisma that revolves around the leadership. Subscribe to Spirit Life Magazine Email List! The teachers taught frequently on the fivefold ministry referred to in Ephesians 4:11-12. A closer scrutiny to this notion leads to the conclusion that the movement promoted what Young (2019) calls, a 'pyramid scheme for discipleship', through which a 'Christian submitted himself [sic.] If their ministry is of divine origin, it will stand the test of time, but if it is of human origin, it will never survive (Ac 5:38-39). The pursuit to get big numbers of congregants on Sundays has the underlying motive of financial gain. 13 Mumford Repents of Discipleship Errors, Op. The second tenet in the theology of the Shepherding movement is the male leadership. That movement cautions today' s church to pay attention to the theology of leadership, accountability, and liberative approaches to family life and women' s roles in church leadership. One thing that has always struck me as being odd about this whole authority structure proposed by these men as the paradigm for the whole Body of Christ that warrants pointing out is its striking resemblance to certain secular, pyramiding, multi-level sales organizations that have come to be so prominent over the last thirty years or so. Pat Robertson (CBN Founder, President) banned the CGM leaders and erased all tapes that included them. Apostate Rob Bell, The Bell Tolls For Thee! During this period of time, I became . We are all prone to that inner desire for power, control, and recognition' (Sherman 1990: 24). It is a pyramid church structure with the congregation at the base, followed by house-group leaders, elders, pastors, and the apostles at the top (Moriarty 1992:76). His remarks were reflective of sincere repentance, regret, and chagrin, but also rich with invaluable insight concerning the denouement of spiritual deception as well as avoidance and protection from it. He addressed five movements emerging post-WWII in which he had some personal involvementLatter Rain, Manifested Sons of God, Children of God, William Branham, and the Discipleship/Shepherding Movementenumerating his estimation regarding the common root causes of these movements derailment. PhD thesis, Department of Theology, Dogmatics and Christian Ethics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria. He leads as a monarch and surrounds himself with a team of faithful devotees. Moreover, there is a significant amount of interrelations between these organizations, and some of the more prominent leader/speakers are frequent speakers at conferences sponsored by the different organizations. [Links]), All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License, https://thouarttheman.org/2015/12/26/is-9marks-the-new-shepherding-movement/, https://jacobyoung84.medium.com/the-shep-herding-movement-a-summary-5883c3d27e9f. In many cases, as a way of dominance, ' the (apostolic) covering concept is still viewed as being vital to the restoration of the church' (Moriarty 1992:78; original emphasis). The FCMC theology of covenant is similar to that of NLC, except that a functional commitment (not regarded as a covenant) is made between the pastoring pastor and the pastored pastor.10. The Neo-Charismatics became and still are obsessed with these five titles. The temptation of realpolitik and vox populi in the ecclesiology of the emerging Apostolic churches with special reference to the fivefold ministry. It would seem fairly obvious that the spiritual effects of the covenant relationship between Baxter and Simpson is the source of Simpsons inability to renounce and repudiate the hyper-authoritarian teachings and practices of the movement they, along with the other three of the Fab Five, spearheaded. The connection between shepherds and fellow Christians is demonstrated through commitment and loyalty, accountability, and service within and for the community. This neopentecostal movement, led by popular Bible teachers Ern Baxter, Don Basham, Bob Mumford, Derek Prince and Charles Simpson, became a house church movement in the United States. Though Simpson and the FCMC deny being a denomination, the organization with 350 church-members has nonetheless become a protodenomination of significant and on-going influence within Christendom. Soul-winning is replaced by sheep-swopping, which is the migration of church members from their original churches to the new churches led by these Charismatic leaders. These are the only sources available to formulate research conclusions about the Shepherding movement (Barret 1982:431). New Wine Magazine, March 1973: 11-15. This abuse comes in different cloaks such as deceptively collecting monies from people, invading people' s privacy and dignity by forcing them into strange practices such as asking them to strip naked or touching their genitalia publicly, eating grass or snakes, drinking petrol, and spraying them with insecticides. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window). The scrutiny of authors such as Young (2019), Moore (2003), and Moriarty (1992) leads one to the demise of the movement: Prince ceased his identity with it in 1983. We offer credentials and fellowship for deliverance counselors. The conferences, literature, and audio cassettes served as resources for equipping church leaders. & F. Machingura 2013. Nor, was any enlightenment offered as to the reasons for the supposed Divine election of CGM as the umbrella organization for all other authorized Charismatic ministries, as they implied. Their concerns were lenient towards ecclesiology as they put their main emphasis on spiritual maturity and discipleship. This new Wind of the Spirit billowed across denominational partitions, impacting, to some degree at least, most all of the mainline churches and denominations. Since the evolution of the Shepherding movement, the fivefold ministry titles were applied. Recognizing the adverse effects of the negative publicity and notoriety of the matter, the CGM leaders did, however, put forward what many perceived to be only an appearance of having been mildly chastened and a purported acceptance of some measure of responsibility for reported excesses that transpired under their general auspices. So much so that it becomes virtually impossible, except through the supernatural intervention of God, for that person to renounce the teaching and the idolatrous covenants he has made. This shows that the movement did not emerge as a result of any theological deviations within Pentecostal or Charismatic circles. Their influence in the modern Neo-Pentecostal movement is observable through the emphasis on extra-biblical revelation, which has been promoted through personal prophecies and some falsified manifestations of the Spirit such as forcing the devotees into some strange practices. Some defenders have argued that this development was merely a natural and spontaneous transition rather than a deliberate effort toward obfuscation, and that its proximity to any public disreputation was purely coincidental, however. [Links], Prince, D. 1973. This essay focuses on the history, theology, and demise of the Shepherding movement, a discipleship network pioneered by five teachers, Charles Simpson, Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, Don Basham, and Ern Baxter, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. November 30, 2019. NEW YORK Several leaders of a movement in charismatic churches that often was criticized in the 1970s and 1980s for its authoritarian structure and rigid disciplinary requirements for members. Debunking and disproving these heretical doctrines is only a necessary precursor to this overriding objective of ministering to those who need ministry. The 'shepherd' entitlement from the Shepherding movement has made some indelible marks on the current South African Neo-Pentecostalism. Unlike the usual Pentecostal reservation regarding academic pursuance, the five founding leaders of the Shepherding movement were academically astute. People are abused when authority is used to subdue them to ungodly behaviors or practices that work against Christ's person and soteriological intentions. Prince studied the ancient languages Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic at three universities (Eton College, Cambridge, and Jerusalem). The Shepherding Movement was a destructive cult led by Ern Baxter the "Baxter" half of the "Baxter-Branham" campaigns. Did Jesus Command Ministers to Minister Without Compensation or Support? Apostles and the emerging apostolic movement: A biblical look at apostleship and how God is using it to bless his church today. Allow me to say in passing that to me, oaths such as these bear little dissimilarity to the secret oaths and pledges required of initiates into secret societies such as the Masons, Elks, or for that matter, Ku Klux Klan and the Mafia, which essentially bind the inductee to that group for life, or in other words, Til death do us part. In fact, it has been my experience in dealing with hundreds of people in deliverance from demonic powers that the pledge taken by inductees into these secret societies is precisely the same in terms of the spiritual impact it induces as those taken by members of Discipleship/Shepherding/Covenant cults (as we shall discuss later, this is precisely what these groups are cults). The main proponents - Bob Mumford, Ern Baxter, Derek Prince, Charles Simpson, and Don Basham - were known as the Ft. Lauderdale Five. The relationship among the Fab Five was further cemented when they were asked by the HSTM in 1970 to step up their role in the leadership of the organization when a moral problem and financial difficulties threatened its future.2 The Fab Five not only accommodated that request, but eventually took the matter a step further, forming their own organization, CGM, over which they installed themselves as leaders, and took over New Wine magazine as well. [Links], MacTavish, R. 2014. I have done things that I repent of and I do want forgiveness and I do want to see restoration, he said. Joining him were Bob Mumford, Derek. People are not the problem. Yet, renunciation of those unBiblical teachings and practices, as well as idolatrous covenantal relationships, is the primary requirement for emancipation from the demonic captivation they engender. They are also quick to 'suspend the rationalistic thought process, when deemed necessary, and rely on a sense of spiritual "intuition", "imagination" and "consciousness"' (Holm 1995:9). One of these networks which has come to be relatively expansive and influential behind the scenes of Charismatic Christendom is the International Communion of Charismatic Churches (ICCC), led in the United States by Bishops John Mears {sic} of Evangel Temple, Washington, D.C., and Earl Paulk of Chapel Hill Harvester Church, Decatur, Georgia.7 A development arising out of this conglomeration of ministries was the establishment of an elite and exclusive echelon of leaders at the apex of their hierarchy, a clerical clique called the College of Bishops, composed of a scant few men who apparently decided somewhere along the way, after the manner of the Nicolaitans in the first century of the Church (more on this in a subsequent chapter), that they were of sufficient superiority over their fellows to merit the ecclesiastical status of Bishops. After thus honoring and installing themselves, the founders over time have hand-selected and inducted into their imperial and exalted ranks certain other individuals with expansive ecclesiastical kingdoms composed of large numbers of subjects, which made them worthy of such a status of ascendancy and preeminence over everyone else of lesser status. The second part of the essay highlights the current Neo-Pentecostal movement and how it has taken over the legacy of extra-biblical revelation from the Shepherding movement. The Shepherding Movement had started in 1970 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida when five men, popularly known as The Fort Lauderdale Five, came together to bring maturity to the Charismatic Renewal. [Links], Quebedeaux, R. 1983. Baxter never attended high school fulltime, but was an ardent reader, and became an itinerant international preacher. Among the more prominent and influential networks of charismatic ministers and their ministries which have formed since the eruption of the Discipleship controversy are the National Leadership Conference (NLC), the International Communion of Charismatic Churches (ICCC), the Network of Christian Ministries (NCM), and Charismatic Bible Ministries (CBM). Thank you! General # 1 Bob Mumford. Modifications were primarily only cosmetic, aimed at defusing the controversy and rehabilitating the public image. Bob Mumford June 27, 1975 Page Three In other words, the small group of charismatics in any city will have revelation from God on a par with the written Word of God. Robertson said that in a recent visit to Louisville, Kentucky, he found cultish language likesubmission rather than churches, shepherds not pastors, and relationships but not Jesus. M.A. This 'Papa' or 'Mama' cult is impressed through a commanded demand on the devotees to submit to the authority under the man or woman (cf. 1992. The abuse encapsulates the overriding of feelings and opinions of another, disregarding the emotional trauma that the seeker might consequently go through. We offer ministerial credentials and fellowship for Fivefold Ministers. Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers. Covering of the Lord. According to Resane (2008:53), Mumford was the movement' s spokesperson and the frontal image. Moreover, apparently, they were the anointed ones who had been called upon by God to assist Jesus and the Holy Spirit in getting the Charismatic Movement organized.. According to Quebedeaux (1983), Prince emphasized Christian growth and behavioral change through the teachings of God-commissioned elders (shepherds) - always male. Moore (2003:37) points out that Baxter participated directly or indirectly in three waves of Pentecostal revivals. In his book, Christ in Session, Mumford (1973:82-83) claims that believers should be active participants, not just spectators. Mumford decided that he needed to publicly repent of his responsibility in setting up a system where so many people were hurt by misuses of authority. Charismatics were informally connected as independents, therefore needing some form of formal organization to facilitate their discipleship processes towards Christian maturity. In most cases, these polities are concocted to articulate structured or organized systems for the church government along the corporate lines. The NLC was formed in 1979, largely under the initiative, ironically enough, of one of the staunchest critics of the Discipleship theories, Ken Sumrall of Pensacola, Florida. 2019. Grand Rapids: Chosen Books. I ask for forgiveness, Mumford said about his involvement in the discipleship movement. Most of what God does, He does through willing members of His Body. Theological education for ministerial assignments was therefore never a priority or emphasis for the Shepherding movement's leaders. He quoted a devotee as saying, If God Almighty spoke to me, and I knew for a certainty that it was God speaking, and if my shepherd told me to do the opposite, I would obey my shepherd.5. A plethora of spirits of bondage, witchcraft, and idolatry saunter right through the door willfully opened by the person who enters into such demonic covenants of allegiance to men. These people have apparently made this choice despite the fact that the Discipleship/Shepherding philosophies, doctrines, and practices have been unequivocally repudiated and proven to be utterly false, and their originators have long since been discredited and fallen into disrepute. However, what has transpired over the course of time is that in order to avoid the adverse effects of controversy, the majority of Discipleship proponents and practitioners have gone underground, so to speak, employing less overt and less conspicuous methods and means of propagation, cloaking and camouflaging their operations behind more subtle and euphemistic, cryptic language. Don Basham and Bob Mumford. Today's Neo-Pentecostal preachers, disguised as prophets, indulge in people's personal and private affairs. Secrecy and esotericism should always be viewed with suspicion, for bona fide operations of God are never done in a corner (Ac. New Wine Magazine, February 1980: 30-33. In all their literature and audio sources, shepherds only were referred to as men.
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