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Do I really need more than the Good Shepherd?

FJRB
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Do I really need more than the Good Shepherd?

In my sophmore year of high school, a friend invited me to a weekend retreat put on by the local congregation of the International Churches of Christ. Having been on other retreats before, I looked forward to going. I was told that it would be a fun weekend and a time for drawing closer to Jesus; and I really looked forward to that. Well, Friday night was fun. There were group activities, including games, singing, and eating; and I enjoyed it. Friday night, everyone at the retreat slept sleep-over style at the houses of various teachers in the church. These people were a little strange; but I tried not to let that bother me. Saturday morning, in each house, we all met together for devotions and prayer. Each person was put on the spot to confess their sins (the more dramatic the better); and then we broke up into groups of two to walk and pray. I don't suppose that there is anything wrong with walking and praying (out loud) in the presence of another human being; but I was never allowed to be alone to think for myself. When all teams of two returned to the houses, we ate and then all went to the main meeting place where we were taught a twisted version of the gospel (i.e., a false gospel) and made to feel that we had murdered Jesus and could not be saved until we accepted this church's views and doctrines. I don't think there was a dry eye in the room by the end of that meeting. When I told the leader that I had been saved as a young child ( age 4 ), he told me that I couldn't be saved without being baptized by immersion into his church. For the rest of the day, various teachers in this church sent me on guilt trips about my faith in Christ, my failure to accept the doctrines of the ICOC, my failure to witness to others in the style approved of by ICOC, my unwillingness to worship the fallen human beings in this group (or its fallen international leader), and my failure to be perfect. Sunday was just like Saturday; but there were baptisms (in alphabetical order by the last names of the people being baptized ["salvation" is done in alphabetical order in that group] )When I returned home, I called a friend from my own church and told her how I was feeling and where I had been that weekend; and she told me that the reason I was feeling so badly was that ICOC is a cult group. Later, when my friend invited me to another meeting at that church, I felt obliged to go; and I went; but they manipulated everyone there spiritually, psychologically, and financially; and I never went back. My friend also left after several more months in that group.

The bottom line here is that neither I nor anyone else needs more than one Shepherd. Pastors are undershepherds; but Jesus is the only Shepherd of my soul. The leaders in the ICOC are fallen just like I am; and many may not even be saved. We do need to be accountable to one another, but not in a leader-follower sort of way. The Holy Spirit is my Guide and tells me when I am right with God and when I need to repent. I don't need someone who is on an ego-trip to try to take His place in guiding me in spiritual matters. If any other human being guides me in such matters, that person needs to be closer to the Lord than I am (and I am sure there are many people who are). But no human being should ever try to take God's place in anyone's life.

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Solely in the service of Yeshua Ha'Mashiach,
Renee

12/4/2006, 6:23 am

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FJRB
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Re: Do I really need more than the Good Shepherd?

The University Bible Fellowship is another shepherding cult to watch out for. It is very similar to the ICOC; but it was started in Korea. Instead of having "disciplers" and "disciples," UBF has "missionaries," "shepherds," "shepherdesses," and "sheep."

UBF has representatives on various college and university campuses around the world who seek out students who seem to be lonely and searching. They begin with one-to-one Bible studies and, as soon as possible, invite recruits to their Bible conferences. The UBF conferences are similar to ICOC retreats; but UBF holds their conferences on university campuses; and the pressure isn't as great as it is in ICOC. There is still one-to-one accountability of a "sheep" to his/her "shepherd/shepherdess/missionary". But a person isn't immediately made to confess to horrific sins as soon as in the ICOC, though such a confession eventually is elicited. In UBF, a person can praise the Lord and be OK; but if a person's testimony doesn't speak highly of UBF itself, a person is not allowed to publicly share his/her testimony.

I've also noticed that the people in UBF take on many new names, given to them by their "shepherd/ess" or "missionary." And the older members guard the newer ones one-to-one at the conferences (no privacy). And there is extremely high accountability (even in trivial matters). When I went to a Bible conference with UBF in the summer of 2002, I was also surprised to find out that I had become a "church member" in UBF. I had thought that I was just studying the Bible with a UBF "missionary" once a week at school (like I studied the Bible in a non-coercive way with a whole other group of other students from different churches). I was still a faithful member of a local (and questionable) Independent Fundamental Baptist Church and considering returning to the Assembly of God denomination. I had no idea that UBF had claimed me as a member; and I left shortly thereafter.

The Lord is my Shepherd; and I shall not want.

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Solely in the service of Yeshua Ha'Mashiach,
Renee

12/4/2006, 6:42 am

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FJRB
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Re: Do I really need more than the Good Shepherd?

I found another group today that seems to be a shepherding cult, although it may go along with the Unification Church (Moonies), too.

So far, I've found only 2 names for this particular group:

1. The Church of Almighty God; and
2. Judgment Before the Throne

Here's the link to their homepage:

http://english.judgmentbeforethethrone.org/home.php

Anyone visiting any site by this group should be careful, though. They have all the signs of a cultic group.

Last edited by FJRB, 2/9/2007, 7:49 pm

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Solely in the service of Yeshua Ha'Mashiach,
Renee

2/9/2007, 7:25 pm

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FJRB
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Re: Do I really need more than the Good Shepherd?

I have recently learned that it is not necessarily wrong to have an "under-shepherd." Every pastor is supposed to be an under-shepherd. Also, as the Apostle Paul said, "Follow me as I follow Christ." So it isn't necessarily wrong to be in a shepherding situation, just so long as it doesn't get out of hand (just so long as there is no abuse of any kind involved). I have to go now, but I will say more about this later.