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I received an email from Karen Dickens who is (i suppose) from the United States.

Here is what she has to ask:

Name: Karen Dickens


Email: karen42dickens@yahoo.com

At a church… a preacher preached this message. This is a summary of the message.


Can you tell me if you would label this the true church or a cult or what from
examining this message preached about the authority in the Church? Jesus gave a
ministry unto the church to pastor the body, because we can not pastor ourselves.
When we get saved, we have to submit ourselves to the ministry. You can not just
submit to Christ, and not His Body. Mt 7:29, People in Jesus’ time were used to
reasoning about the scriptures, much like a lot of people do today. They like to pick
their favorite preacher, one who agrees with their opinion, pets them, and is always
kind to them. Actually our favorite preacher should be the one that does not
understand us. Jesus taught with authority and he is able to give authority to others.
Those chosen people are supposed to teach, preach or sing with authority. If you
are not sure what you do or do not know if you are able to, you should just not do
it. 1Co 12:28, Jesus gave gifts to the church, a government, where He sets the
members. He doesn’t ask you or anybody. He just puts the members, as it pleases
Him and we have to be obedient, Mt 22:13; Mt 16:18-19; Mt 18:18 The Lord gave
authority to the ministry in the church to bind and to loose things. They’re not just
able to put judgment on cigarettes, alcohol or rap music, but they have the authority
to tell you in your experience what you really have and what not. (John 20:23) This
is a side that is peculiar for the Church of God. The ministers recognize, if someone
is out of order and have to put it in order and the church is supposed to support
that. They have the key, which is the spirit and the word, and they are not going
against the key. Through this power, that God has given them, there’s a lot of
security for the church, thank God for this precious place.

Dear Karen,

This kind of preaching comes from a preacher who wants to have a hold on you as
a lord to his servants; not giving them the benefit to ask questions. This kind of
authoritative leadership is prohibited by the Bible (1 Peter 5:2-3).

“Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by
constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as
being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.”

Christians must submit themselves to their leader; willingly and not by force
(Ephesians 6:6)

“Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will
of God from the heart…”
Even in contributing to the finances of the Church, Christians must do it without
intimidation (2 Corinthians 8:3-5).

“For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing
of themselves; Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and
take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not
as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of
God.”

A Christian authority must not force himself on you. Instead, you have to submit
yourself to him. It is the essence of the gospel (Luke 16:16)

“The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is
preached, and every man presseth into it.”

We have so many members in the Church of God International, where I am the


presiding minister; but never did I force anybody to accept my leadership (2
Corinthians 13:7).

“Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but
that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.”

Leaders of the first century Christian church ‘beseeched’ did not forced members to
submit themselves to them (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

“And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are
over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love
for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.”

The word ‘beseeched’ used in the verse is er-o-tah’-o in Greek, which means, by
implication, to request. What they do is to give examples of obedience and not force
anybody to obey (1 Peter 2:21).
“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us
an example, that ye should follow his steps…”

(THE ACTS 20:35-New Living Translation) “And I have been a constant example
of how you can help the poor by working hard. You should remember the words
of the Lord Jesus: `It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

The ministers given by God the authority to bind and to lose are those that have the
keys. The keys are symbolic of understanding: understanding the word of God. A
key is a device used to open something that is locked. The words of God are shut or
locked (Daniel 12:4).

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the
end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”

The wise, with their understanding will unlock or understand the words (Daniel
12:9-10).

“And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the
time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked
shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall
understand.”

The kind of preacher and his preaching you are telling me implies that he has no
understanding of the scriptures. The connotation that “our favorite preacher should
be the one that does not understand us” is blatantly wrong and unbiblical. A pastor
or a shepherd must fully understand the plight of his flock (Acts 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.”
God Bless.

EFS

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