Lessons learned from the Jesus movement and the Shepherding movement

Hi saints,

Here is brother Blaine's message from Monday night. It is well worth listening to and is a timely exhortation and warning...................bro Frank

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/viewcat.php?cid=1424

We are thankful for brother Blaines heart in sharing this message. There is certainly the need for meetings of believers where there is fellowship and Jesus Christ is exalted and not one brother. Yet in the Church there are leaders who are gifted of God and we need to not exclude that truth in the Scriptures.

I believe the burden of brother blaine is that we simply need more meetings of true believers where true fellowship and strenghening can occour and if this means meeting without any shepherds (1 peter 5) etc then this is ok.

But we must not despise leadership for in the end God will raise it up to help the work of God. But as brother Blaine so wonderfully shared that at times leadership can squelch what God is doing. Even good leadership can. So there are great lessons to be learnt from our brothers sharing.

I was personally very encouraged by the message, yet at the same time realize the Biblical precedent for servant leaders in the body of Christ. So a balance is good in this. Though the need is greater right now to see true saints meet and strengthen each other in the midst of growing apostasy in Church leadership in North America.

I hope many can listen to this word from brother Blaine.

I agree with brother Greg that leadership is both Biblical and necessary. Anyone who despised leadership would be both foolish and be found to be working against the clear dictates of Scripture. The kind of leadership brother Blaine alludes to in the shepherding movement is the self proclaimed leaders, much like self proclaimed prophets. The people who feel that they know better and have a need to control, like brother Blaine alluded to in his message. Organic leadership is a beautiful thing, leadership that grows out of being identified as being full of the Holy Spirit.

It's interesting to note how Scripture gives us instruction on how the organic churches chose leadership.........

Act 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Act 6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
Act 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
Act 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
Act 6:5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Act 6:6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
Act 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

The gatherings themselves chose them whom they knew to be , honest, full of the Holy Spirit and wise. The apostles then ordained those chosen. We see this again in Acts 14 when Paul and Barnabas come and they ordained( not chose) elders.

Tit 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

How do we avoid the wolves in sheeps clothing? By following men whom the Holy Spirit has raised up amongst them, as opposed to wolves who " enter in." When we trust in the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us, He raises up the name of Jesus amongst us and Jesus takes His rightful place at the very center of everything and He alone is preeminent and He raises up men who will follow this. It's a beautiful thing..........bro Frank

A good brother just got this in the mail, it's a piece by Sparks, it seems to fit well with the thread.........bro Frank

Just this morning saints this affirmation of the “remnant” from none other than Brother Sparks comes into my email box -

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1 NIV)

There is another word, which just means that which has escaped from slavery and is breathing free air. That is a fine picture, a fine portrait for Overcomers – that which has escaped from slavery and is breathing free air. I dare not stay to interpret that. Some of us, even in our Christian lives and histories, know what it is to escape from slavery. Oh, the old bondage of the Christian system and order, expectation and demand, all the old rota and legality! – to be free of it all! Not only to be raised with Christ, but to have the grave clothes taken off and to be breathing the free air of the spiritually emancipated! That is what this word calls a “remnant,” and that is not something extra to Christianity. It is exactly what you find at the beginning with the Church.

The Lord had cried in the midst of a burdened, tyrannized, religious nation – “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30). What is the old yoke, the old burden, which has harassed and worn these people so that they are weary to death, drawing out His compassionate appeal – “Come unto Me, and I will give you rest”? It is the old yoke and burden of legalistic religion, ‘thou shalt’ and ‘thou shalt not’: ‘you must’ and ‘you must not’ – the whole system built up like that; a great burden. “They bind heavy burdens,” He said, “and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with their finger” (Matt. 23:4). And this word for “remnant” means such as have escaped slavery and are breathing the free air. You find them in the beginning of the book of the Acts. Overcomers are those who go back to the beginning in experience. They do not take up something further which is deeper teaching or fuller light. It is the primal freshness and fullness of Christ that Overcomers represent – unfortunately, in contrast to the general situation.

By T. Austin-Sparks from: Overcomer Testimony – Chapter 2

In Luke Jesus speaks of new wine being put into new wine skins. The new wine is the Holy Spirit that must be carried in new venues. The old wineskins of religious structures cannot contain the new wine if the Spirit.

But in Luke Jesus mentions something else. He mentions that those who have tasted of the old wine do not want the new. For they say the old is good enough. There will be those who drink the old rotgut of religion. Their taste buds have been dulled. The sweets taste of the Holy Spirit will not excite them. They will cover their ears and say "no " to the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit.

Bearmaster.

This past Monday night on our prayercall brother Merle Weaver shared with us the amazing work God is doing among the Amish. Or as they are sometime refereed to "the plain folk". It seems that a remarkable work of revival is taking place among these folks.

After coming to the gospel the Amish may be ostracized by their communities and churches. Thus they are meeting in home fellowships under the name of Jesus. Thus an organic movement of the Spirit births house churches without man's involvement. Truly something to reflect on.

Blaine