Sonship in the Gospel

Sonship of Ministers
Raising True Sons of The Gospel
Eliminating Church Splits Caused By Novice Preachers
To True Apostolic Pastors from the heart of Pastor G. Reckart
"But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served me in the Gospel. Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me" (Phil 2:19-23).
The problem stated:
Many Pastors seek during their ministry to raise up a son who might one day be the heir over their life's work and accomplishments. There are such sons born to each Pastor. But not all endure the spiritual test that come and fall away. As Pastors get older they often find themselves with no birth sons remaining under their ministry. At the same time Pastors take in men who are not their birth sons, men born under another man's ministry. The ministers who come in generally have already inherited the spirit and mindset of the pastor whom they were born under. These spirits and mindsets can be destructive when turned loose inside and upon a Church. Pastors adopt these men and call them sons but really they will likely NEVER be sons. It is these adopted men brought in who over the past 80 years that primarily have caused Church splits, destroyed Churches, ruined families, caused marriages to be broken up, and who have been the source of nearly every wind of false doctrine that has blown through our ranks. Church splits may not be totally eliminated but many of them can be avoided.
Mark them which cause divisions:
The very first time an adopted son causes trouble between a member and the Pastor or opposes the Pastor behind his back or to him in public or in the Church service, ...MARK HIM (Romans 16:17). If he barks back at you Pastor when you are preaching: MARK HIM! All wolves will bark back so they can be heard across the Church. His barking will encourage other wolves present to bark also. He is a division maker and he will come to no profit to the Church or the work of God.
These men are still among us seeking a place to call home until they can gain the advantage to do their pernicious deeds (2Peter 2:1-2). Many come in as men unknown throughout the Ministry and use the Pastor's name and contacts to expand their circle of recognition. They want to become "known" at the expense and price of the Pastor's years of good name and character. But if they are rebuked they try to destroy all they had hope to use to promote themselves. When their promotion scheme is destroyed they will attempt to destroy the Pastor. Then the Church could be in for a long time of hardship, war, and financial distress depending on its size. Neighboring Pastors are subject to take the side of the vagabond Cain and oppose the Pastor. You can count on this because Pastors with the spirit of Cain will welcome likeminded men in their churches.
These enemies of righteousness know just when to attack to split the Church, when to strike, and they plot their actions to put them into play when the Pastor is absent from the congregation. They learn just which members they can influence by observing which ones the Pastor has trouble with. With the fake use of home Bible studies with these Church members or just plain fellowship, they maneuver themselves to a position of war against the Pastor. Pastors should NEVER allow adopted sons to hold Bible studies in homes of Church members: NEVER! Church members need to get their spiritual Bible studies at Church from the Pastor.
When these enemies of righteousness strike at the Pastor with their tongues the Man of God will be shocked to learn who all accepts it. In observing this trend I came to the personal revelation that the only safety a Pastor has is to raise up a spiritual son who is born and trained under his own ministry. In all my years of working with adopted sons I have not been successful in making one of them into a real Man of God. I could not because they were not quality material. Also, I made the mistake of not making these men earn their respect as a Man of God. I have time to reminisce 30 some years of working with young men and come to see very clearly that I wasted my time trying to rehabilitate men who were not my sons in the Gospel. I looked at those sons born under my Ministry and I can say these men although some of them are now backslid, were in their time the cream of the crop. The ones who backslid into sin NEVER DID RISE UP AGAINST ME AND TRY TO SPLIT THE CHURCH. On the other hand, again and again I have adopted sons who did rise up against me and their plan was to split the Church to start their own. They will announce they are going to a certain city or place to start a work just to test who among the Church might run off with them.
I have come to that place where many Pastors finally arrive: we get out of the Minister training business except to a select few and close the pulpit to ourselves and those men we feel are true Sons of God of the Apostolic Faith. We will grow the Church the way it was supposed to grow with Pastor's at the headship and members working together for the glory of God. Pastors are under no obligation to be a foster parent to Ministers who were not born under their Ministry. If a Pastor does decide to be a foster parent to one or more of these ministers he should be aware of the pitfalls and dangers. He should be on guard because his benevolence will be attacked if he makes this adopted son angry or mad. There is little or no loyalty from adopted sons who have a foster-care mentality. All the psychological problems that exit in foster-care of children are entwined in the relationship of a Pastor to an adopted son. Pastor's should make themselves aware of these problems. Talk to a foster-care parent and get educated. Learn the signs of acting-out and what they mean. When adopted sons start acting out know what to expect. Know what their message is to you by their actions. Pastors should close their pulpits to all outsiders except those he knows are Men of God. The time has come to know them who labor among us and when we know men are not honorable, not loyal, not humble, not under subjection to authority, only a show and on a personal ego trip: WE MUST REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE THEM OR THEIR MINISTRY! They deserve this treatment since their breed has been the cause of more destroyed Churches then any other thing. The love that goes into foster-care of children is often not appreciated and most times abused. When I saw my last episode of an adopted son acting out like a rebellious foster child I got a revelation from God. So, I decided to write a short study concerning the Sonship of Ministers. Not every Minister has a spiritual father. Not every Minister will make a Man of God who needs not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth. Sonship is humble submission until the time the father removes the need for tutorship and governing because maturity and respect for heritage has come.
The Apostle Paul:
The Apostle Paul had many men in his life who worked with him. Here is a list as I found them:
Barnabas: (Acts 9:27, 11:25, 13:2, 15:39) ended when Paul refused to take John Mark in Acts 13:13. John Mark rebelled and departed from Paul and went back to Jerusalem. Whatever the reason for John Mark to rebel, it was of such a nature Paul did not want him ever on the mission field with him again. Paul was right in his judgment. Young men who travel with a seasoned Man of God need to be humble and fall in line with their Pastor's goals, purposes, plans, ministry, and authority. Paul tells us in Acts 15:38 that John Mark departed from him and "went not with them to the work." Young novice ministers in training do not have the right or the authority to determine where they will work or where they will preach. They must be assigned and work at all times in harmony under the direction of the Man of God. If it is missionary work, they must always work under the direction of the Man God anoints with the missionary calling. In Acts 15:39 Paul refused to give John Mark a second chance on the mission field. There is no doubt it was John Mark's rebellious spirit that Paul would not tolerate. In Acts 15:39 Barnabas took the rebellious John Mark and fled the mission field on a ship headed to Cyprus. Two things are of interest here: 1.) Barnabas disappears from the pages of the Bible. We never hear of him ever again. Paul on the other hand went on to become the greatest Apostle of the New Testament. 2.) The Church at Antioch in Syria made a spiritual judgment between Barnabas and Paul. Barnabas was not chosen by God to be the Apostle to the Gentiles. He was never chosen by God to be the leader of the Gentile revival. Although he was in the Church before Paul it gave him no advantage. The calling and anointing was upon Paul. Even the Church leaders in Antioch recognized this. They did not agree with Barnabas or his attitude. He was going against an Apostle's decision. He disagreed with an Apostle when he should have kept in his place as a subordinate. Here is where we learn that disagreement is behind EVERY SPLIT of a work or Church. It shows that those who disagree are IN THE WRONG! Those who disagree are first wrong in their beliefs, then wrong in their spirits, and then wrong in their split actions. Here is what the Scriptures say immediately after Barnabas went through these three stages and stomped off with John Mark under his arm:
"And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God" (Acts 15:40).
The men of God at Antioch who knew the situation refused to give Barnabas a spiritual recommendation. Barnabas departed from the Church in a spirit of rebellion and went back to his home country. According to Acts 4:36 Barnabas was a Levite and from the island of Cyprus. Where did Barnabas head when he was rejected by the brethren for taking in a rebellious John Mark and adopting a like rebellious spirit? HE RAN AWAY HOME! Many failures who refuse to work under a Pastor in a subordinate position will often sell their homes and move rather then humble down.
Silas: This young man comes into the New Testament record in Acts 15:22. Silas was identified as one of the "chief men" among the brethren. According to Acts 15:32 he was a Prophet. He was chosen by the Elders and the Apostles to go to Antioch and deliver the epistle with Judas (Barsabas who did not make the choice of Apostle in Acts 1). Silas stayed after he delivered the epistle and joined Paul in his missionary burden. Paul was the missionary and Silas was his fellowhelper. Silas never usurped the missionary calling of Paul unto himself. He went to the missionary field but he was not a missionary. He was not called or sent to this work, he just wanted to go and Paul chose to take him after Barnabas fled home to Cyprus in a childish tantrum.
One thing I noticed in the Acts record is that although Silas was a Prophet we do not find him out in front of Paul trying to show out or show off but he remained BESIDE HIM! It is a great virtue and a sign of honor and respect for young ministers not to try and outshine the Man of God for attention or ego. Silas did not get in front of Paul, did not make himself equal to Paul, did not try to take over from Paul, did not sow discord or try to influence people to follow after him; but instead took a place of a subordinate, a servant and fellowhelper. Silas went with Paul and ended up in Jail in Acts 16:24. Paul had cast a demon spirit out of a young girl. When her witchcraft "masters" saw their prize fortune-teller could no longer tell fortunes they ran to the law to have Paul and Silas arrested for doing unlawful acts. Apparently in Greece at that time, to interfere with a man's slave was illegal and Paul casting out the evil spirit was against the law because she was not his property. Her owners convinced the magistrates and the people and these arose and beat Paul and Silas and threw them in jail. Now please note here that Silas has done nothing. He was not involved in the casting out of this demon spirit. He was with Paul and being fellow-Jews he refused to turn tail and run. He refused to allow Paul to suffer alone for this work of God. He had no part in the incident but he had a part in the Gospel that caused the persecution.
Silas did not abandon Paul. He did not see the success of Paul and plot to go out on his own and use Paul's contacts as his source of self promotion. He did not say to Paul that God sent him to take over the work and for him to now go home. He did not ask Paul to train him so he could take over or come back later and strengthen the saints or the churches. Novices know how to plot their take-over of a Man of God's ministry but not smart enough to have their own ministry. Silas went with Paul and this included sharing in whatever blessings and persecution that might arise. Silas was such a wonderful missionary companion that when Paul was sent to Berea in Acts 17:10 to get him out of harms way: Silas remained there in Thessalonica with the brethren. Paul then went to Athens where he sent back a message for Silas and Timothy to meet him (Acts 17:15). The last we read of Silas is in Acts 18:5 when he comes with Timothy to Paul who was then at Corinth with the Corinthian Church. Silas was with Paul when he rebuked the Jews for their rebellion and hatred and he told them he would turn to the Gentiles. Silas was a Prophet and not one time do we see him against Paul. An Apostle and a Prophet worked together for the cause of souls. This is two sons of the same mother's birth water working together that the world may receive the Light sent forth to the nations.
Timothy: This young man was won to the Gospel in Acts 16:1. He was living in the city of Lystra one of the Galatian region towns. He was the son of a Jewish girl and his father was a Greek. We are not sure how he was saved or his background. We are told only that he had a great personal testimony from those who knew him. The Scriptures say this about him: "Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium" (Acts 16:2). Paul saw something in this young man's spirit. He desired his company on the mission field. Timothy also was drawn to Paul and his spirit. The dedication of Timothy to join Paul was so great he agreed to circumcision. Why did Paul do this? Simple: he wanted Timothy to be able to go into Synagogues with him and not suffer rejection among the Jews. How could a son be heir and not be committed all until he spent time under his tutor and mentor? Since Timothy's father was a Greek he would not be accepted among the Synagogues unless it could be verified he had been circumcised. Paul wanted Timothy to be used fully in the work of God to reach Jews and Gentiles and circumcision was the only way he could help with Jewish conversions to Jesus Messieh.
Timothy is also called Timotheus. The Greek "Timo" is from the word "time" and means "valuable." The other part of his name "theus" is the Greek for "God." Therefore his name means "valuable unto God." How fitting this young man was named.
There are not many men Paul called his "sons". In fact, I can only find three of all his missionary fellowhelpers and companions. He calls Timothy his son in 2Tim 2:1: "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." He calls Titus his own son after the common faith (Titus 1:4). And last, he calls Onesimus his son whom he had begotten in his bonds (in Philemon 1:10 ).
Titus: We know nothing of the conversion of this great Man of God. We know only he was a Greek (Galatians 2:3). His name is the same as the 70AD Roman General who demolished Jerusalem. His name is of Latin origin that we know. He came under the Apostleship and pastorship of Paul. We find him mentioned in 2 Corinthians more then any other book. He is mentioned in Galatians 2:1-3, of course Titus 1:4, and in 2Tim 4:10. Here are the text where his name is mentioned. Notice how Titus moves from being a "brother" to a "son":
2CO 2:13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
2CO 7:6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
2CO 7:13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
2CO 7:14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
2CO 8:6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
2CO 8:16 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.
2CO 8:23 Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.
2CO 12:18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
GAL 2:1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
GAL 2:3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
2TI 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
TIT 1:4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
It appears Paul appointed Titus as the Pastor over the Corinthian Church after the problems in his first epistle. It looks like he took Titus to Jerusalem for the Acts 15 show-down with the law-keeping Judaizers. Titus was such a son in the Gospel that Paul sent him to ordain Elders and even Bishops (Titus 1:5). Now it is my understanding a Bishop cannot ordain any higher then he is himself. This means Titus was a Bishop. Now a Bible Bishop does not have to be a Pastor although many are. A Bishop is a man with authority over faith, doctrine, and practice. He has authority to ordain Deacons, Ministers, Teachers, Elders, Evangelist, Prophets, Pastors, and Bishops. A man cannot ordain himself any more then he can baptize himself. Novices will claim self-ordination or take up the women-preacher doctrine they are anointed by the Holy Ghost and this is their authority to claim ordination. Do not preach these men they are trouble and will sow trouble. Do not adopt these men or allow them a place in the Church. Send them on to their next place.
This Man of God was in my opinion the heir of Paul above Paul's other spiritual sons. He does appear to have given Timothy some ministerial qualifications (1Tim 3:1-6). Paul instructs his spiritual son Timothy about novices and how they can be lifted up in pride and fall into the condemnation of the devil. This is the biggest sin of young ministers. This shows us that young men need to humble down under a Pastor and be subject under a tutor and governor until the time the Pastor feels he is qualified to go out and be on his own.
Titus was there when Demus took off hot-headed for the world. He had enough of being under subjection to the Apostle Paul and he wanted out on his own. How many men I have seen in my own ministry who rebelled, wanted out on their own, and departed with Bible in hand and car packed. These cannot Pastor themselves, and all of them ended up over time backslid and in a spiritual ditch. Most ended up divorced and their homes torn asunder. Rebellion against the House of God will be reaped in the house and home of the young man who goes his own way. Demus was such a self-serving renegade he departed from Paul and went straight to the world. Demus forsook Paul. That was a sin. Demus loved the present pleasures of the world more then he loved living for God.
I cannot count on my fingers and toes the number of young men I have seen do the very same thing. All of them were hot-heads of one level or another and would not submit to authority or leadership. It reminds me of a vision I had years ago in Texas when I was building a work and had some ministers under me. In that vision I was trying to build a Church and had in my hands a piece of siding wood. I was hammering a nail into it to place it on the exterior wall. But the nails would not hold it and it kept falling down. I would put it back up nail it again, down it would fall when I stepped away. In the vision I ask the Lord why that wood would not stay where I nailed it. The Lord spoke to me I was trying to build with rotten lumber that would not take a nail. I ask the Lord what does this mean. He told me I was trying to nail young ministers in place in the Church and I could not do it because they were rotten wood. They would not take a nail. From this I learned a valuable lesson. I learned to test a minister by giving him a job to do and see how well he puts his heart into it. See if you can nail him down. See if he will value his commitment. See if he will take a job and stay in it and prosper the Church. Assign him some spiritual responsibility and see if his faith fulfills the task. Let him work without recognition and see how he takes it. Pastors do years of hard work with little appreciation or recognition. One thing a novice who has plans to destroy a Pastor will never do and that is head up a Pastor's appreciation committee and give him recognition as the greatest Man of God in their lives. Yes, there may be great men in the Apostolic ranks, but no man is greater to a congregation THEN ITS PASTOR!
See if the novice or adopted son is willing to be a servant so that he may be a leader. If he does not serve well do not allow him to Minister AT ALL! If you have any minister who fails his examination DO NOT USE HIM FOR ANYTHING, NOT EVEN TO PRAY OVER OR COLLECT THE OFFERING! Thank God for the men who are a Titus. They will not seek self-glory and "their own alleged ministry." Yeah, I've heard that so many times from young novices when I hear them say "my ministry" I want to puke. These have no ministry until they are out from under a Pastor and on their own. They have an ego they call a ministry. Let the hot air out of their ego and they will turn on you like a snake! Openly preach against their tactics and they will bark back at you throwing their comments in your direction so others can hear their barking. Poke at a wolf and watch him bark! He has no sense to keep his mouth shut. No, he is a wolf and wolves will do what they do best: ...bark! Wolves bark back sheep are silent and quiet, thereby ye may know them among you.
These men actually think a Pastor is going to use his good name and influence to open doors for them and let them get acceptance among the Brethren. When I discharge or disfellowship a preacher from my Church membership or fellowship I expect all my friends to back me up and if they do not, that is the end of my relationship with that Pastor or Minister. When Paul turned over two men to the devil he expected all his minister fellowlaborers to back him up and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. I give accountability to my Pastor peers and I demand it back. I am not covetess of their members and I demand they not be covetess for mine. What is all this about? It is about avoiding Church splits.
Onesimus: We do not know much about this good brother. We do not even know if he ever became a Minister. All we know is Paul converted him while in prison. It is likely this brother was in jail also for some problem. This man fell in love with Paul. When Paul was taken prisoner to Rome, Onesimus ran away from his master to go see Paul and encourage him. Onesimus was a slave. We know not how he fell into this state. But he was a believer and one of Paul's converts. So was his master, his owner, Philemon. Paul was very good friends with Philemon and he sent Onesimus back home to his master. He ask Philemon for mercy because Onesimus had run away only to come to Paul's assistance (Philemon 1:11-13). Paul loved this Brother enough to call him his son. This shows us two things: Paul would not keep a man under his Ministry who belonged to another man. Paul was not a manstealer. He was not covetess, something Pastors are guilty of when they scheme to get men and members into their Churches from other Pastors. He was not a sheep stealer either. Would to God many Pastors would have some ethics and not take in other Pastor's sheep when he should send them back home in a state of repentance. But no, in modern times the lust and coveting for another man's sheep and Ministers is tremendous. When a sheep strays and enters into his sheepfold he makes sure they do not go back home. This is a sin that God will judge. Covetness is a sin that God WILL judge. Paul did not covet Onesimus. And just because he won this young man to the Lord gave him no advantage over his master Philemon. Paul did not try to split Onesimus away from Philemon. He sent him back home and showed us the ethics of a Man of God! Where are the Paul's among us? Where are the Onesimus' among us who have the humility to go back home in repentance and be under subjection to authority?
Here are the names of other men under Paul:
Crescens, Artemas, Tychicus, Zenas, Luke, Erastus, Trophimus, Aquila, Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia, Archippus, Nymphas, Epaphras, Epaphroditus, Clement, Euodias, Syntyche, Epaenetus, Andronicus, Amplias, Urbane, Stachys, Apelles, Aristobulus, Herodion, Narcissus, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis, Rufus, Asyncritus, Phegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, Philologus, Nereus, Olympas. There are more names but my point is made. Paul turned two men over to the devil to show his other workers and sons that he demanded they walk in doctrinal purity. Novices and run-amuck ministers today will chase after all winds of doctrine and expect the Pastor to tolerate this weakness in character and wisdom.
There were many men under Paul but he did not count them "sons." They were fellowhelpers and many of them did a good work. What happened to them all we do not know. We do know that Paul tells us in 2Timothy 1:15 that all they in Asia had turned from him. He names Phygellus and Hermogenes. These may well be the two demons who came into the Galatia region and damaged Paul's work when he was away from the field back in Jerusalem. When Paul was away from his work men crept into the Galatia region and began to sow discord and undermine Paul's preaching and teaching. These men crept in while Paul was away and took advantage of his being absent. While Paul was in Jerusalem these wolves crept in and did their dirty work. Here is how one wolf said it: "The Pastor has no right to be on the mission field he needs to stay home." Then the same wolf began his work of usurping the Pastor's authority and undermining him. This is how the damage to the Galatian Churches took place. If indeed Phygellus and Hermogenes are the culprits who bewitched the Galatians into another Gospel, then Paul was correct to curse them with eternal damnation. When he said "cursed" be any one who came and did not preach the Gospel as he preached it, he was cursing forever into hell those who perverted his teachings for their own personal gain. Yes, this is a case where the shepherd had wrath upon some wolves. These were not sheep. Paul had a lot of followers but he only had three men he called sons. A good man of God will not raise a wolf! And he will not send a wolf out to do missionary or evangelist work. It is the responsibility of all young Ministers to make sure they do not develop into a wolf in sheep clothing. If they do, be sure the Pastor will sooner or later box their ears and send them howling out of the Church. Yes, they will stand off in a distance and bark back, but that only shows us the more they are wolves. They will weasel into other Churches and bark back and throw their punches. But the Man of God who remain faithful and does not get bitter will be BLESSED! What is all this about? It is avoiding Church splits.
Here is the simple fact of this study:
Not all men under a Pastor are his begotten sons. When a Pastor wins a man under his ministry and is able to train him from his birth, born in his house, he can raise him properly. A son so raised learns respect, honor, and love for his spiritual father. He will be a loyal son, a faithful son, and would never raise up against him in any manner. A spiritual son such as this is valuable as an heir. You can be sure such a son begotten and raised in the house will continue the legacy of his father. These are real sons! They are seed of the Pastor who were birthed though his sowing the Word of God into the Church. These sons come forth and are proper. These are the kind of men a Pastor will turn over his Church when he dies or retires. These are the kind of men whom the Pastor can leave to preach as he takes vacations, goes to conventions, or on missionary trips. These sons know their place and do not try to usurp authority away from the Pastor. If any man is under a Pastor and wants to know why he is not left in charge of services, or designated to preach in the Pastor's absence, herein the mystery is solved. Such are simply not trusted. Woe unto the man who departs from his Church and leaves in charge or designated to preach a man WHO IS NOT HIS SON!
Here is another fact of this study. I have been a Pastor since 1972. I have had a lot of men under my Ministry who were preachers. This past week as I was studying Galatians 4 for Bible study God revealed something to me I had never comprehended before. It was the verse where an heir is under tutors and governors and differs nothing from a servant until the time APPOINTED BY THE FATHER. I observed in this many things. First, young men need to know they are under tutorship and government of the Pastor until the time appointed. They are not to take the heirship and sonship rights to replace the father until he so designates. The son although he is the heir will wait for his father to turn to him the sonship rights. He has no need to replace his father. He can enjoy all the benefits of sonship without usurping the father's place or role. This is an important rule of faith and practice when a Pastor is looking for a young preacher to someday replace him. How well does the young man stay in his place. How obedient is he? How loyal is he? How does he treat his spiritual father? Is he covetess for followers and attention. What value does he place on his sonship? How well does he serve his spiritual father? Does he try to usurp the Pastor's place in counseling and giving advice to visitors and church members? Is is a soul winner or soul destroyer? How well does he relate to the children in the house? If he is to be heir he must learn to be like his spiritual father. Any Pastor who does not demand this from preachers under his ministry will have a wolf on his hands in due time and may suffer a church split, and will see rebellion and lots of it. These kind of men wait until they can get the advantage over the Pastor. They will warm up to Church members with zeal and affect them so that when the time of advantage comes they can separate them from the Pastor and the Church. This is how the Judaizers came in the Galatian region and did their dirty work. And many Pastors accepted them. This shows me that not all Pastors are ethical and do not have the same burden for Truth and proper Ministerial conduct. Beware of these wolves in sheep wool. Beware of Pastors who pet them and invite them to come in and preach! They come not to our Churches to be subject to authority and be honorable sons but to steal, kill, and destroy. Do not let them destroy your Church Pastor, keep them out of the pulpit!
Now what of preachers who were not born in the house as a possible heir, who are not spiritual sons of the Pastor, who are the seed and sons of some other Minister or Pastor who is no good and has a history of false doctrine and sin? I can say from experience and observation that 99.9% of these will never mature to be an heir although the Pastor sends years working with them These are adopted sons, taken in by the Pastor because he feels he may in some way influence them to a Godly future and great use in the Kingdom of God. These adopted sons may come in like they want a home, they want a Pastor, they want a spiritual leader, they want to be subject to the father image. This honeymoon will end abruptly the first time the Pastor has to discipline or set down an adopted son. It is right here that the spirit of a bastard child will come forth. An illegitimate child that becomes a loner will not want anyone to rule over them. They will get a run-away spirit and not only threaten to do so, they will run away and there is always some unethical Pastor who will take them in and baby them. When disciplined by the Pastor they will usually walk out on the Pastor, and then run straight to his enemies. I've seen it over and over and over. They head straight to his enemies thinking by doing so they are hurting the Pastor they just quit. Before they do this, they will miss Church, stop giving tithes and offerings, and start visiting and calling Church members to sow discord and lies. Usually an adopted spiritual son will wait until the Pastor is not in town to take advantage of the Church and do their dirty work. These will find fault with the Pastor, his wife, his children, and those who stand by the Pastor. It is has been my experience that most spiritual adopted sons cannot be trusted and if such is ever trusted he will show right away if was not worthy of the Pastor's faith in him. These vagabond ministers if you have two or more, will team up against the pastor. The first sign you have one of these is when a Church member calls them and tells them things they do not discuss with the Pastor. You have a vagabond and it is purge the olive tree time.
Neighboring Pastors who through covetness sin:
Neighboring Pastors are part of the problem of adopted sons and slip-off members not being able to be brought under subjection. The adopted sons will warm up to neighboring Pastors to try and get into these pulpits to show off. The purpose of this demonstration is to prove to anyone who will notice that he is right before God and has the real power and the real Holy Ghost. This is the desired outcome of such preaching, but these men and the Pastors who invite them to preach do not acknowledge they are in sin. Yes, they are in sin if the Pastor of a Minister HAS NOT GIVEN PERMISSION FOR THIS MINISTER TO BE AT HIS CHURCH! These neighboring Pastors are sowing seeds of destruction by allowing such men to attend their Churches. In recent years this running from Church to Church rather then take discipline and correction has created strife and disfellowship between Pastors who would be able to get along if it were not for these renegades every year messing things up. These kinds of demons masquerading as preachers will turn two neighboring Pastors against each other which in the end neither Pastor will be able to retain as a member. Ministerial trouble makers eventually create strife and trouble where ever they sit down and play Church. The renegade adopted sons laugh and scorn the Man of God as they observe the trouble they have stirred up and his struggle to overcome it. God is not pleased with this. So in short time God will allow the renegade adopted sons to fall into gross sins and errors and like the shooting star Jude mentions, they are headed toward the midst of darkness forever. These can never be saved. The damage they cause makes the judgment of God final. These have sinned against the Lord's Passover Table and this is not a sin against the Body of Christ easily forgiven. God is not the author of confusion and anyone who hurts the Church, God will judge that person.
This study is written to help Pastors understand that if a minister shows up at the Church and wants to join, ...beware! If an Evangelist says he wants to make your Church his home Church, BEWARE! If you take in the seed of another man's Ministry and try to be an adopted father to this man, be advised that the sooner you check his spirit with a rebuke and see if he will humble down, the better you can judge his spirit. If such refuses to humble down, to line up, to be a real son, then throw him out of the Church. The seed of the flesh, the seed of the bondwoman shall not inherit with the seed of the righteous. Even those of the seed of Abraham can sin out and be cut off. When a man refuses to line up with the doctrines of the Church, refuses to live by the Pastor's rules of ethics, refuses to be under subjection to authority, refuses to take correction: THROW HIM OUT! Yes, some other coveting Pastor seeking numbers will likely take him in. But so what, you are rid of a devil and he is Pastor of a devil. I could never understand why Pastors cry and fret over losing a devil.
Know them that labor among us:
We must know them that labor among us. We must not allow the devil to get the advantage of us by men who do not care if years of labor and tears are destroyed. When men do not care if they hurt the Church, that man is a devil! When these apostate adopted sons get the spirit of destruction they will laugh and mock the Pastor first behind his back and then to others and at last openly. They will get the spirit of Ishmael who mocked Sarah the wife of Abraham. These apostate adopted sons will begin to mock and scoff. The sooner a Pastor throws these out the better off he is. Pastors can avoid church trouble by sending these packing before they pack off a few sheep. Don't tell them to get out, preach them out so they will quit and leave. There is no humbleness or submission to a Man of God by an apostate adopted son. Ishmael did not humble down to Abraham and he did not submit to Abraham. He was a child of the flesh. He was a wild man. So, when other Pastors raise men up to be worldly and without standards of holiness and righteousness, they make these sons, sons of the flesh and Ishmaelites. It is hard to get the tare seeds planted by these apostate pastors out of these men. They will be spiritual Ishmaelites. They will manifest themselves as vagabonds running here and there thinking they are doing the will of God. Deceived is not a word strong enough to describe these men. All ministers who have a vagabond spirit of running here and there to every Church to preach, to be seen and heard will be nothing but trouble. The ones these most usually effect are women. They draw women after themselves, silly women who cannot know the beauty of loyalty to a Church and a Man of God. Paul experienced this thing with gadfly preachers entering into the homes of widows and silly women to take advantage of their ignorance and lead them away. Ministers of the flesh, who are spiritual Ishmaelites are not true sons or an heir and will always in time become adversarial to the Pastor. If a Pastor takes these in and thinks he is a house of correction and rehabilitation for them, he will hurt himself and the Church!
Pastors have a duty to the congregation not to allow Ministers to join the Church and have influence upon the members, when these preachers are not ones born and raised in the house as sons. These men will never be sons unless they accept their adopted status and remain loyal and under subjection and the authority of the Pastor. Otherwise, adopting a minister and trying to train him will produce no fruit. Pastors should not elevate these ministers above a son raised in the house no matter how good they seem to preach. It is far better to have a novice in the house raised as a son then to have an adopted minister of some other preacher's evil seed that will manifest after awhile and cause destruction. I have tried and tried to adopt ministers but my failure was I could never get out the vile seed from which they were birthed. These are strange vines and they always produce wild fruit. These Ishmaelite preachers will be on their best behavior until they are disciplined or rebuked for some reason. Then the seed of the flesh will manifest itself. Destruction will come forth like a whirlwind as these men try to take advantage with disgruntled members and destroy the Church. Should you experience this, the best way to handle it is to throw the rascal out and then forbid Church members to have anything to do with them. When Sarah told Abraham to cast out the bondwoman and her son she meant for Isaac never to have fellowship with Ishmael. She meant to have her son separated from Ishmael who mocked her. All preachers who follow after the spirit of Ishmael must be cast out. This will preserve the heir and protect his sonship.
Sons of the flesh, sons of other Ministers, spiritual Ishmaelites:
Now for the Ishmaelites, sons of the flesh, seed of some minister or Pastor who are gadfly run-abouts: if you do not humble down and be subject to the authority of a Pastor you will end up like Cain and Core (Jude 1:11). You will speak evil of those things you know not because you are a novice. Either line up under a man of God like a respectable son or hit the road. You can shout, jump, do your acrobatics before those who want a show. The elect, the promised seed do not want you and do not want to hear you. You have a chance to be useful to the Kingdom of God or you can damn yourself into a burning hell by messing with a Pastor and his Church. All you novices who think God just has to have you because of your "ministry", your knowledge in mysteries, or your ability to preach a good show, know this one thing: you will get the reward of your game, a Judas reward: eternal hell!
Son born and raised in the house:
For the son who is raised in the house as an heir, do not allow the adopted sons run you off. Stick your ground. Do not allow these jumpers and Church hoppers to discourage you. They may put on a show and the Pastor may give them time to rip their britches, but know this, in due time these men of the flesh will be out the door running to and fro and you will still be the heir. Remain under your tutor and governor until the time appointed. Waiting is not time lost it is an investment in your future. It is time invested for which there will be a great reward. Learn the ways of the Pastor. Learn from him everything you can. Submit to his leadership and let him polish you into the man he knows you should be. Submit and the Pastor will not look for another. He will let you be the rising star as he slowly retires from the pulpit. Let him exalt you and open doors for you. Do not try to force open doors for yourself and begin to run to and fro missing Church and not being responsible and filling your place in the house of God. Do not usurp the Pastor's Pastorate in anything in any way. Serve as a son because in due time all that your spiritual father has will be yours. Wait I say, wait until the fullness of your time comes. Work in the Church for all that you do is enlarging your own inheritance. If the Pastor adopts a seed of the flesh, an Ishmaelite, a minister or preacher who tries to intimidate you, do not bow to these if you see they are spiritual misfits. Above all do not become jealous! God will exalt you in his time. Build respect for yourself among your Pastor's friends. When you see any minister coming against the Pastor, rise and put the wolf on the run with the sword of the Word. Do not allow any man to come against your Pastor in private on in public. You are his armour bearer. Protect him from all foes. This will surely cause the Pastor to have great respect and honor for you.
Unethical Coveting Pastors:
Most of the trouble with adopted sons is caused by unethical neighboring pastors. In recent years I have come to realize even more the covetness of Pastors for people attending other Churches. These kinds of manstealers, ...sheep stealers, are always looking for young married couples they can get under them to help grow their Church. In addition they look for musicians and preachers who might add some spirituality or fire to their Church. If they see such persons as members of a Church they fellowship or have an acquaintance, they will allure them to their church like a harlot does her trick. He will treat them real nice just like a harlot does. Let me deal with this covetness of Pastors:
No Pastor should solicit members of another man's Church to visit his Church for any reason unless this is discussed with their Pastor FIRST! If a Church member or minister from one Church should visit for whatever reason another Church with whom the Pastor is in fellowship, the Pastor should call and tell the Pastor one of his members attended his Church. This is not only protocol it is ethical. Pastors must learn how to avoid having their fellowship split by rebellious members and ministers. If a Pastor does not call about a Church member or minister visiting, it is the sign he covets them or he has broken fellowship with the Pastor friend and sees no need to be ethical any longer.
It is a long standing rule among Apostolics that no Pastor invites or allows a minister-preacher to preach at his Church unless that man's Pastor has been asked and granted permission. And should such a member or minister-preacher "just show up" at a Church the Pastor should not allow such in his pulpit to sing, testify, or preach at these unexpected "show-up" visits. He is expected to ask the visitor, if he is a preacher, if his Pastor knows he is there. If he answers no he does not know, the Pastor, to be ethical should ask why he is there and what his purpose is. Such a "show-up" minister is unethical for being there without his Pastor's knowledge and consent. If a Pastor has such a minister in his Church who shows up at other Churches without obtaining permission to visit, counsel him and if he does not humble down THROW HIM OUT. This son shall not inherit. Let him go to the Church where he is being coveted and where he is slipping off to attend and obtain his inheritance and ordination there.
If a Pastor would like for a minister-preacher from another Church to come preach for him, he should first consult with his Pastor and get permission. If such a Pastor does not seek this permission it is a sign he is coveting this minister-preacher and he is no longer in an ethical relationship with this man's Pastor. Break fellowship with this Pastor he is not a true man of God he is a manstealer with no ethics or protocol.
To the Pastors who refuse to be ethical and who covet the members and ministers under another Pastor's work; be warned, God will not honor your ministry or your Church. For every soul you damn or cause to be damned by petting rebellion and or sin, your manstealing or sheepstealing God will judge. He will take away one for one out of your congregation and IT JUST MIGHT BE ONE OF YOUR VERY OWN SONS OR DAUGHTERS WHO ENDS UP LOST IN HELL. Remember if these are not your sons or daughters, born in your house, ...LEAVE THEM ALONE! "DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU."
Pastors who have known to violate these ethics should not be fellowshipped. They should be treated as manstealers. They should be rejected. None of their members should be allowed to fellowshipped any member of a Pastor's Church. These must be cut off or they will try to steal all the sheep they can to grow their own house.
The tares among the wheat:
The tares in the parable of Jesus were sown into the same field the wheat was sown in. An enemy did this. I believe the interpretation of these tares is simple. They are not wheat so they are not real members of the Church. They are put into the church by the devil. They come in among the wheat and grow there with the nourishment provided by the Pastor. Even as it rains on the just and the unjust, so the nourishment the Pastor gives causes both the wheat and the tare to grow. I have observed these tares over the years. They are church members and ministers who come to the Pastor from other Churches. God did not bring them into the church the devil sent them. Yes, they were looking for a place to settle down, take a root, let the Pastor cultivate and dig around them and receive the blessings and nourishment of the Word. But all along these members and ministers were tares. They will not be trouble makers UNTIL HARVEST TIME COMES. Pastors, beware of harvest time! I say BEWARE PASTORS AT HARVEST TIME!
Many a Pastor has struggled in his field of labor sometimes for years to get a move of God and a good collection of members together. In this growth if he does not pay attention to the tares among his wheat he will suffer loss. If he does not observe the tell tell signs of a tare among the wheat he will lose members and maybe his whole church later on. I have pointed out several times the dangers of bringing in an adopted minister as a son. I have pointed out that these men are the cause and source of nearly all church problems over the years. Pastors take this advice from me: Before you engage in a building program remove all adopted son ministers from places of authority and power in the Church. Do this months before you begin and do not make a big deal doing it. You are moving possible tares away from the roots of the wheat. Occupy these ministers in external Church evangelism in jails, nursing homes, street ministry. If you need pulpit help bring it in from outside the camp from men you know will not cause you any harm. If you have a faithful son or a true faithful adopted son use these. Close down the pulpit. There are more church splits during building programs then any other time because this is the time the tares have an opportunity for disagreements that can be used to tear down and destroy. Jealous of what a Pastor is accomplishing which they DO NOT HAVE is the root of an adopted son to disagree and split a Church. What he cannot do, does not have, HE WILL DESTROY THE FIRST MINUTE HIS JEALOUSY GETS OUT OF CONTROL. Tare ministers expose themselves when they are the chief ones or get involved in the middle of Church disagreements. They will circle other Church members and get them to disagree and oppose a Pastor on simple things. This is the time these tare ministers can split the Church and take off a whole bunch of people. Pastor if you do not identify the tares and wolves and remove them before you start your harvest thrust you will regret it. If you must be absent from the Church for any reason over a few services, do not leave your church in the hands of ministers. Leave it in the hands of your hand-picked deacons. Make sure they are loyal men of God. Never give any power in the Church to any minister not even for one service. Put the Deacons in charge of the pulpit and the whole Church. If you select a minister to preach or teach that is all he has authority to do is preach or teach. If he wants more power then this with the wheat he is a tare. Mark him! When you can safely do it pull him up and cast him forth. God will burn him later.
There are far to many tare ministers being allowed to preach and do things that gives them power and recognition among the wheat. When the wheat get their roots entangled around these tares they will likely be destroyed if you try to deal with this tare minister at the wrong time. Here is how the tare works. He grows up with the wheat and is seldom or never seen as a tare. He appears as a wheat to the wheat. The wheat does not distinguish a tare that is the farmer's JOB! All the wheat knows is this is someone CLOSE TO ME AND IF YOU HURT THEM YOU HURT ME! So they become protective of the tares. When a tare can get the wheat to be protective of them this causes the tare to become bolder against the Pastor to the point eventually to revolt and take members away. The Pastor must preach in such a manner that the wheat does not become protective of tares. When the tares lose their protection from the wheat you can jerk them up. So, wisdom says know who protects who. Now a tare will not fully manifest himself until harvest time. What some men have discovered is that when they left the Church for a night, a week, or a missionary trip to do harvest work, while they are gone the tares COME TO HARVEST and manifest themselves. Wow, while the Pastor is away doing harvest work the tare comes to its own time to be ripe unto harvest. If this tare comes to harvest when the Pastor is home he will be able to deal with the situation. But if he is not home there may be destruction in the Church before he returns. Tares have their own harvest time when they love destroying wheat. I will say this clearly: tares most often are adopted sons who come in among the wheat and the Pastor lets them grow with his wheat. Pastor BEWARE WHAT YOU ARE DOING WHEN YOU BRING IN AN ADOPTED SON and you know his birth was under a man who was not the same kind of man you are. A rule of safety is this: if you would not preach a Pastor do not preach his sons! If you preach a son and did not call his Pastor for permission I know you will not invite him to come preach! So, STOP COMMITTING SIN! If you bring in a minister whose Pastor you would not preach and allow him to preach you are setting up yourself for destruction. DO NOT DO IT!
Those who leave a Pastor in a Church split:
If you are a person who followed a Church split away from a "good Pastor" you are accursed and a curse will follow upon your whole house including your children. The apostle Paul taught that all saints are to be under subjection to the Pastor who has the rule over them (Hebrew 13:7,17). Now this is part of the Gospel Paul preached. Anyone who does not follow this Gospel is accursed (Gal 1:8-9). This curse will follow everyone who is part of a Church split and who departed from a Pastor to follow a man who is not a Pastor but who all of a sudden appoints himself as a Pastor to steal his father's sheep. Here is the history of a church split and the curse:
Around 1983 a Pastor friend of mine took in an evangelist who had preached for him and done what appeared a very good job. The evangelist became familiar and cozy with a couple families in the Church very rapidly. The Pastor allowed him to continue preaching from time to time and it became evident he was trying to out-shine and out-smart the Pastor before the people. He did not build the Pastor up he built himself up. The Pastor being a kind and loving man ignored his show-offs. After about six months of being in the Church the evangelist had worked his way among the families sufficiently to make his move. He spoke to the Pastor that God told him the Church was to be given to him. The Pastor replied God did not tell him that and he wasn't giving the Church to any one. A couple weeks after this a family began some church trouble with the Pastor over something that was an unimportant matter. The Pastor corrected the family and a disagreement arose that was the catalyst for a church split. All Church splits begin with someone disagreeing with the Pastor followed by these polarizing Church members against the Pastor. Polarizing is what Core did against Moses. Anyone who polarizes Church members against the Pastor is a Core! This is the sin of Core and all who do this sin will die lost under the judgments of God just like him. Some think that just because they are of the seed of Abraham, born in the house, that they cannot be a Core and go to hell. Remember novices: Core was the seed of Abraham also, but he sinned against another seed of Abraham who was more important to God then he was! God does have choices and no, ALL MEN ARE NOT EQUAL IN GOD'S EYES OR PLANS! Core was born in the house and he went to hell. Do not boast in your birth it cannot save you when you are in transgression and sin.
Having been rebuked and rejecting it, the family called Brother Evangelist for his pity and comfort. He was more then eager to give it to them. He told them if he was the Pastor they would not be treated this way. They held a pity party at this family's house and invited some other family members. In short order there were over 40 people involved with Brother Evangelist telling them how wrong the Pastor was and if he was the Pastor he would not do them this way. All of a sudden it was suggested they pull out and Brother Evangelist could make himself their Pastor and they would start their own Church. They sealed the deal. There was no Holy Ghost tongues and interpretation to authenticate this. It was all flesh; all carnality; the spirit of witchcraft. No one was to go back to the Pastor's Church. They were to meet on Sunday at one of their homes and the new Evangelist could start collecting the tithes for himself and they would raise some offerings to go rent a place to have their own Church. Imagine when the Pastor found out Brother Evangelist, an adopted son had bushwhacked him. Imagine the hurt, the sorrow, the grieving, the crying and the shock! Yes, the devil knows how to attack a Pastor. He knows how to hurt them for standing strong on doctrine and holiness AND CORRECTION! Satan knows to destroy most Pastors he has only to split the Church and let some sheep get carried away by a wolf. This is the devil's work and anyone who plays the devil's game will PAY!
Brother Evangelist took his rebels and they rented a place. They whooped it up, shouted and danced, and some of them crooned "Thank God I am free, free, free!" We can have TV and wear short sleeves now they cried. Our new Pastor sees nothing wrong in these. This whooping went on week after week as Brother Pastor continued to minister to the handful that remained. These accursed rebels would make sure they got the word back to the faithful how they were being blessed. How they were getting ready to build a church. How they were raising money. The whole purpose of these boastings was to entice these faithful to shipwreck with them. But they remained faithful. The Pastor went over to their meeting place and walked around it in tears. He prayed: "God if you are in this bless it. If you are not curse it and bring it to naught." Very soon afterward the Evangelist who anointed himself as Pastor got up suddenly and announced he was quitting and going back to another state to his home. We do not know all the reasons but it was rumored there was some adultery involved. He took off and the prize show-boy was gone. Their hero had dispatched himself to another promised land. The flock was now in a wilt. One of their own arose and appointed himself the priest. He could not preach his way out of a wet paper sack. In short time the whooping and shouting stopped. The blessed church came to its end. Now the accursed who sowed the wind would reap the whirlwind.
The twenty year ago split is now becoming history. Of the families who were party to this split, there are now homosexual sons. There are lesbian daughters. I think all the families but three ended up in divorce. One minister's wife is dead. Marriages where broken up and homes destroyed. The curse would come upon their house just as they had brought their curse upon the house of God. One year no curse. Five years the curse is in full bloom. Ten years the curse has destroyed and destroyed. Twenty years has come and gone and the curse has nearly destroyed all who shouted and danced that first year. Now there is weeping and gnashing of teeth because some are dead and in hell. Be sure, God will not allow any man or a group of people to do his anointed or Prophets harm. He will not allow people to hurt the Church without hurt coming back on them seven fold (the number of tribulation and wrath of God justice). Some of their sons went to prison or jail. Some daughters became harlots. And some have now died and never did get this curse off their soul. Here recently I got the sad news that Brother Evangelist has been smitten with a disease and illness that is unto death and he may already have died. He is not even 60 years old. The end of this spilt was death and destruction UPON EVERY HOUSE THAT WAS A PARTY TO THE SPLIT FROM THE PASTOR. But what of Brother Pastor? O, he is in his 70s now and doing a great work as a missionary where he is seeing many souls repenting, being baptized, and filled with the Holy Ghost. He is building Churches over seas and his love for Truth has not stopped. He got over his hurt. He retained no bitterness. He picked up the pieces and worked until God told him to go in another direction. God said to Abraham and his seed: I will bless them that bless you and curse them that curse you. We who are in Christ are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Be sure, if you mess with a Man of God you ARE CURSED! And if you are in Abraham's seed and mess with the Man of God you will go to hell just like Core!
If you are part of a Church split away from a Pastor be sure you are accursed every day of your life. The only way to remove that curse is to go back and humble down, repent, and line up. Do not stay in a split one more day. Go back! Call the Pastor and go back. Hit the altar and pray through. Get back with God and the Pastor. If you do not, you will have sowed the wind but you will reap the whirlwind. I can promise you this: If you tear up the house of God, God will tear your house DOWN! It may take one, five, or ten years but judgment will come to your family and your house. Pray, the man of God is still alive so that you can repent. If you are a part of a split that totally destroys a Church, know that God will totally destroy your house. What you sow you will also reap. Do not curse your children, your marriage, your home, or your future. My advice is never be part of a split away from a good Pastor. You will die someday if you do and you will die lost!
Raising a true heir:
A son who is born under a Pastor's ministry or who is trained by the Pastor as an adopted son should be the true heir. No Pastor should install over his Church any minister who was not born to him unless that adopted son is a true son indeed. If you have no son of your ministry in the house and there is no honorable adopted son remaining, then go get one of these and make him the heir that was born or raised in the house! Such a son may not be attending the home Church when the decision must be made, but go get that son and bring him home. If he is worthy let him inherit his place! Never place over the Church a man who did not serve with you as a son!
A Pastor should also extend his guardianship over the flock to visiting Ministers and Evangelist. Qualify these men and do not preach any man who does not have a Pastor to whom he is accountable. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER allow a man to preach who does not have a Pastor. And NEVER allow such on the platform or pulpit to testify or exhort. These are unworthy servants who should not be allowed to get before the people in any manner. Keep the pulpit sanctified and pure. God will honor this and the people will respect the leadership.
There are some adopted sons who are great Men of God. They never gave the Pastor trouble from day one. They came into the house and became family. They took up many chores of the Pastor around the Church like a son would for his father. They will do everything possible for their spiritual father to work in the Church. They will take assignments and with faith and heart fulfill them with great success. They will not be slackers. They will show themselves among men as a prince with a heart of meekness and yet strong in faith and Word. They will be altar workers and labor to bring forth other sons and daughters into the family. An adopted son who is not an altar worker needs to be instructed where he is to do his praying. The first time he dodges for a sunday school room to do his praying separate from the Church family, or refuses to bow at the altar and instead does his praying at his seat, this man is in rebellion. The altar is the place where true humility shows its beauty. I have seen adopted Men of God who have shown themselves to be worthy of fellowship. They had some good seed put into them and they came up wheat. These men are the ones I seek to fellowship. These men I seek to have in my company because they will refresh my spirit. They do not seek their own, they seek to be a blessing to the Pastor who is the only Man of God in his life. These do not take sides with protesting enemies. They rather disagree and rebuke contention and rebellion and have no part with it. To these men who give honor to the great work of God, it is you we desire to replace us old-timers when we can Pastor no more and when we pass from the scene. We will know with confidence we passed on the fire and the blessing to a man who is not only qualified by a calling: yea, he is honorable and will not change that which was delivered unto him.
I can remember back in the days of the old Apostolic Ministers Fellowship (AMF), when as a young man I would sit like a little bird with its mouth open listening to the wisdom and words of Truth from the old Men of God. I observed their methods, their style, their keen attention to detail, the way they expressed themselves in Scripture, the manner of their life, and the way they put Holy Ghost strength into my soul. They refreshed my soul over and over as I heard that CERTAIN SOUND! The more I was around them the more I desired to be like them. One day as I saw they were one by one leaving the scene I prayed to the Lord let me replace one of these great men of God. I cared not to replace a backslid liberal. I did not care to replace a rebel. I did not care to replace a trouble maker always stirring up strife among Brethren, and I did not care to replace a show off. Now that I am reaching my own senior years I saw that I have indeed replaced some great man of God not by kicking him out of his Church and trying to drive members to my preaching and take over: no, I replaced them by standing for the Truth and remaining clean in my character and life. They are gone now and I am standing in the pulpit preaching with the same spirit, compassion, and anointing. Now, to whom shall I transfer all this? Who desires to have it? Out of 51 men standing by Elijeh at the river of Jordan the day he was taken up, only one went with him across when he had smitten the waters. Elisha followed while 50 men stood on the banks watching. Yes, there are some who claim the title Prophet, Preacher, Minister, Elder, but they never follow close to the Man of God to catch the mantle when it falls back. They stood off watching. But that is what they had been doing all along. Young men if you want a real Ministry walk where other men watch but do not walk. Cross over while others stand behind. Get the mantle. Get the second power. Get a double portion. Success or failure with God is in the choices men make!
Raising a son in the ministry as Paul did, is a great thing. These sons will bring honor to the Church and the Kingdom. Everything about these sons is honor. They give double honor to their Pastor who labors in Word and Doctrine. They will wait for the day of their own honor. This is a great mystery to novices who think honor comes from just being called a preacher: HONOR PROMOTES HONOR! Those void of a Biblical spirit of honor will be nothing but a mockery, a shame, and bring a reproach upon the Church and the Pastor. At last they will be a reproach unto themselves.
Thank God for Sons born in the Church who will one day be released from tutorship and take over the father's heirship. Blessed be ye approved adopted sons who are indeed a group of men that will suffer a lot because of other unscrupulous men who are devils in sheep wool. But do not despair approved adopted sons, show yourselves as sons worthy of being an heir and I promise you if your Pastor does not let you replace him he will set you on high with his standard of righteousness and other genuine Pastors of God will accept and receive you. Your legacy of faithfulness will pay off some day. It may show off one day when someone turns over a church to you, knowing your life and character is vouch-safe by a Pastor who knows your years of labor and love. Time waiting is not TIME WASTED! Protect your investment and avoid those who cause division and have no part with them. In these last days as many Core's step forth, stand on the side of the Man of God, the Pastor. Withdraw from those who walk disorderly. You will not regret it!
Pastors: you are the frontline soldiers and you are the one to take the hits when an enemy stands up. You have suffered a lot of hardships, a lot of suffering, and a lot of burden that souls may be saved. The devil hates you but the Lord Jesus Christ loves you. Feed the sheep, feed the lambs! One thing is certain Pastors: wolves DO NOT LIKE SHEEP FOOD, ...sheep are their food! Eliminate all possibilites of a Church split. Stop the Core's from polarizing the Church. Separate the wheat from the tares and jerk those tares up when harvest time comes. Box the ears of a wolf and send him out of the Church howling. If a novice will not work where you assign him send him down the road. If a neighbor Pastor violates his ethics and preaches your ministers without permission CUT BOTH THIS PASTOR AND THE MINISTER OFF! Do not give either a second chance. At last Pastors, love for the Church and the members can never be destroyed by any rebel or tare. Do not become bitter. If you could build a work one time YOU CAN DO IT AGAIN. Start with revival and have as many as you need to get REPLACEMENTS. God is in the replacement business. Go for the replacements. Have revival. Forget those things that are behind and press toward those things God will do in the futute. PREACH YOUR WAY OUT OF YOUR TROUBLE.
May the manifest sons of God come forth in their hour in the Church. Cursed be all men who hurt the Church to elevate themselves above the Pastor.
I love all you true Apostolic Pastors and this is from my heart,
Pastor Reckart