3. Examining IHOPKC leadership organization and practices
There is a pattern for Church Government Structure in the New Testament. When a church is trying to follow this pattern, we call that church a New Testament Church. There are many churches who brag that they don’t follow the Bible’s pattern. Here are a few modern-day examples.
The Baptist pattern of democratic voting for their leadership- Congregation rule.
The corporate pattern where leaders are labeled by their Corporate Titles
The Authoritarian group where the main leader “Lords it over” the congregation.
Celebrity Leader churches – is Jesus really leading or is the latest Celebrity?
Cult-like churches – imposing man-made organization – manipulation and control.
Item #2 of this paper, addresses the fact that Mike Bickle stated from the beginning, “We are not a church.” That would mean that this subject might be considered irrelevant. But once again the idea that the church assembles to do God’s will, directed by God, in one or many meetings without being “THE CHURCH,” is simply stupid.
Of course, IHOPKC is a part of the church and assembles as the church in ALL its prayer meetings. So, if not New Testament Government order, pick from one of the other patterns in the above paragraph or find what you think IHOPKC’s order was – Maybe Chaos?
My spiritual fathers in the prophetic movements taught (and I agree) that all Organizations that have “church” meetings but do not follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance from the New Testament are one form or another of Babylon Organizations. And one thing they all have in common is confusion.
NEW TESTAMENT DIVINE ORDER
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13 NASB 1995
But Jesus called them (the future leaders of the New Testament church) to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant… Matthew 20:25-26 NASB 1995
Be imitators of me just as I also am of Christ. (Paul exhortation)
1 Corinthians 11:1 NASB 1995
FEW Pastors At IHOPKC
New Testament Churches have leaders who are there to serve the members of the church, as Ephesian 4 above states. This ministry SERVES and helps each member fulfill their callings and navigate the storms of life to be victorious.
In Cult-like groups, the members are there for the greater good of the Organization. Each member was there to serve, promote and continue the prayer movement at IHOPKC. You don’t need a lot of pastors when you just need “followers.”
The ministry to the sheep of anointed, seasoned and gifted pastors would have balanced the heavy emphasis on prophecy. Seasoned Pastors move in wisdom and discernment. Every group needs ALL five ministries of Christ from Ephesians 4, but there were few pastors and a whole lot of sheep. Many local pastors attended the prayer meetings and then would go back to their groups and SERVE their people. BUT few functioned within the IHOPKC body of believers.
Seasoned and true shepherds (pastors) would have brought correction when the sheep were being mistreated. Starting a practice of Divine Order in leadership that would threaten the control of the main leaders who were not leading as New Testament type leaders.
New Testament leaders do not “Lord it over” the people. Matthew 10:42-44. If after hearing a message from the pulpit, you feel that someone has “beat you into submission” that was not a New Testament ministry. Sheep are led, cattle are driven.
Special speakers were asked to teach but were NOT given “leadership positions” with the sheep. Nor were the guest speakers allowed to function in an Eldership – overseeing the local Body of Christ. This is a 20th Century practice that leads to no real Eldership that should be the foundation of the church.
In the church that I served for decades, we would seek out seasoned, anointed men and women to not only teach our congregation but also be a part of our multiple Eldership. We were clear that these non-local ministries were a part of the Eldership of our church. This brought accountability to everyone, since they were NOT local but accepted as the decision making – overseers.
In Cult-like Celebrity churches, there is no “Apostolic Team” - the non-local members of the leadership team. There is no outside input into leadership practices. The elders have little oversight.
In a group that is NOT a New Testament ordered church, Rules and Administrative mandates are repeated and followed without anyone knowing who started them and why they were being followed. This is the description of Babylon – confusion and unknown rules controlling without any understanding of why. Most people were afraid of asking the obvious question, “Why are we doing it this way?” “Mike wants it this way,” is the one response I occasionally heard. Also the ELT were also sighted as the group forming the rules. ELT stood for Executive Leadership Team – a 20th Century Corporate term.
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