Comments on: How do we follow God’s authority as a Church? http://coveringandauthority.com Sun, 04 Dec 2011 04:19:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: LT http://coveringandauthority.com/covering-and-apostolic-authority/difficult-questions-about-covering-and-authority/how-do-we-follow-gods-authority-as-a-church/comment-page-1/#comment-6193 LT Sat, 06 Nov 2010 07:46:37 +0000 http://coveringandauthority.com/?page_id=260#comment-6193 Robert I try to keep things from getting personal on this website and it is a little disappointing that you have here. First of all you really know very little about my past. My difficult experience didn't actually involve covering theology and it was more than 10 years ago. Most of the theology you see here is very consistent with my faith tradition (Mennonite/Anabaptist), and it isn't a long drawn out rationalization for why I don't want to submit. What is motivating me isn't hurt or rebellion. I'm trained in the interpretation of scripture and I've observed a global movement that holds to a false teaching. I'm motivated to provide a safe place for those discerning the truth of this theology to get another perspective. I also desire to expose this false teaching for what it is. I`m motivated by my love for the church and my love for the truth. I'll acknowledge that someone in true rebellion might read my words and they might add fuel to the fire. But what I've taught here is biblical truth as far as I can tell. I wouldn't stop proclaiming the love and grace of Christ just because people my misinterpret and misapply it. In my ministry I've personally come across dozens of people that have terribly wounded through the application of covering theology. I`ve personally walked with people that took years to recover from their spiritual abuse. I get email and comments every month from people thanking me for this website. If you really want to convince me to change my website then study the scriptures and come back and post a solid biblical critique. I have changed my material on this website based on constructive criticism in the past. Robert

I try to keep things from getting personal on this website and it is a little disappointing that you have here. First of all you really know very little about my past. My difficult experience didn’t actually involve covering theology and it was more than 10 years ago. Most of the theology you see here is very consistent with my faith tradition (Mennonite/Anabaptist), and it isn’t a long drawn out rationalization for why I don’t want to submit.

What is motivating me isn’t hurt or rebellion. I’m trained in the interpretation of scripture and I’ve observed a global movement that holds to a false teaching. I’m motivated to provide a safe place for those discerning the truth of this theology to get another perspective. I also desire to expose this false teaching for what it is. I`m motivated by my love for the church and my love for the truth.

I’ll acknowledge that someone in true rebellion might read my words and they might add fuel to the fire. But what I’ve taught here is biblical truth as far as I can tell. I wouldn’t stop proclaiming the love and grace of Christ just because people my misinterpret and misapply it.

In my ministry I’ve personally come across dozens of people that have terribly wounded through the application of covering theology. I`ve personally walked with people that took years to recover from their spiritual abuse. I get email and comments every month from people thanking me for this website.

If you really want to convince me to change my website then study the scriptures and come back and post a solid biblical critique. I have changed my material on this website based on constructive criticism in the past.

]]> By: Robert Petersen http://coveringandauthority.com/covering-and-apostolic-authority/difficult-questions-about-covering-and-authority/how-do-we-follow-gods-authority-as-a-church/comment-page-1/#comment-6190 Robert Petersen Sat, 06 Nov 2010 00:47:41 +0000 http://coveringandauthority.com/?page_id=260#comment-6190 Sir, Your entire website reminds me of a person that has been through an abusive bad marriage and has now decided to develop a ministry/website to tell everyone the dangers and downfalls of marriage. I read and understand that you were under a bad situation and there are a bunch of them in the church world, denominational or independent. There are the toned down versions of Jim Jones wanting people to follow and believe them simply at their word. The ignorance of people today in church is unfathomable to follow some of who they follow. I understand all of the misuse but the authority structure of any organization, religious or secular, is it's strength. Somebody has to be in charge and those following will not always fully understand every decision. There will be a number of different opinions on how anything should be done but someone has to make the final decision. God's kingdom is not a democracy either. The church world has tried to use this model because it seemed to be the best for secular government. God's kingdom is a theocracy and He does call and appoint leaders. The problem is that the main body of the church today is, as I said, ignorant of His word and ways. It seems clearly taught by John Bevere that the highest authority is the bible and when any person or institution tells you to violate what the bible says you should never listen to them and moreover get out from under their teaching. I read John's book and didn't have any trouble at all with it. For you to take such a radical step to develop an entire website around this issue and matter of factly say that it is definitely wrong seems more harmful that anything I read in the Under Cover book. It looks like it hit the part of you that has not healed from obvious abuse. On the other side, what if God is dealing with the rebellious side of someone that He has called. They simply need to submit under their authority in or out of church. They decide to research biblical submission and authority and run across your website. Your material would allow the rebellion to set in and they possibly will miss the advancement God had for them because now they can't be trusted with any position due to the fact that they've allowed an unsubmissive, rebellious attitude to set in. And again, I don't mean following biblical error or submitting to what is biblically wrong (and I didn't see where John said to either). Just simple church rules and procedures the person just doesn't want to follow. I do realize that after developing an entire website and making all this to do about this issue it will take an enormous amount of humility to back away from it but I really think you need to re-evaluate what you're saying here. Thank you for your time and because I flew through the typing there are probably gross spelling and grammar errors I apologize for the mistakes. Sir,
Your entire website reminds me of a person that has been through an abusive bad marriage and has now decided to develop a ministry/website to tell everyone the dangers and downfalls of marriage. I read and understand that you were under a bad situation and there are a bunch of them in the church world, denominational or independent. There are the toned down versions of Jim Jones wanting people to follow and believe them simply at their word. The ignorance of people today in church is unfathomable to follow some of who they follow. I understand all of the misuse but the authority structure of any organization, religious or secular, is it’s strength. Somebody has to be in charge and those following will not always fully understand every decision. There will be a number of different opinions on how anything should be done but someone has to make the final decision. God’s kingdom is not a democracy either. The church world has tried to use this model because it seemed to be the best for secular government. God’s kingdom is a theocracy and He does call and appoint leaders. The problem is that the main body of the church today is, as I said, ignorant of His word and ways. It seems clearly taught by John Bevere that the highest authority is the bible and when any person or institution tells you to violate what the bible says you should never listen to them and moreover get out from under their teaching. I read John’s book and didn’t have any trouble at all with it. For you to take such a radical step to develop an entire website around this issue and matter of factly say that it is definitely wrong seems more harmful that anything I read in the Under Cover book. It looks like it hit the part of you that has not healed from obvious abuse. On the other side, what if God is dealing with the rebellious side of someone that He has called. They simply need to submit under their authority in or out of church. They decide to research biblical submission and authority and run across your website. Your material would allow the rebellion to set in and they possibly will miss the advancement God had for them because now they can’t be trusted with any position due to the fact that they’ve allowed an unsubmissive, rebellious attitude to set in. And again, I don’t mean following biblical error or submitting to what is biblically wrong (and I didn’t see where John said to either). Just simple church rules and procedures the person just doesn’t want to follow. I do realize that after developing an entire website and making all this to do about this issue it will take an enormous amount of humility to back away from it but I really think you need to re-evaluate what you’re saying here. Thank you for your time and because I flew through the typing there are probably gross spelling and grammar errors I apologize for the mistakes.

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