NightWatch Podcast EPISODE 50: BUNGLED CHANCES PART 10 – NOT THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB: 5 MIN.

First, we had a flawed plan implemented by our Fort Lauderdale Five leaders that misdirected our course of action. Secondly, our leaders inadvertently created a “Shepherding System,” an institution, instead of an organic, Holy Spirit led, living community. Thirdly, and most importantly in my view, was the decision to appoint unqualified, untested, untried and ill-prepared men for pastoral roles. Power and authority were handed over way too easily. In many cases, that power was poorly wielded. And in too many cases, that power was abused.

Having been one of those “pastors” myself, but thank God, for only a very short time in the early days of the movement, I can understand how easy it is to let one’s ego to take charge. I think that a number of these underqualified pastoral appointees probably realized that they were in over their head. But owning up to that reality is not an easy thing to do. Peer pressure, competition for approval, pride—so many reasons to hold back and keep the machine rolling. I happen to know that many of these ill-placed men have, in hindsight, owned up to their failures and sought forgiveness.

The bad news about this story is that many innocent souls were abused and mistreated, relationships were destroyed. Sadly, some marriages ended in divorce due largely to strong-willed husbands who placed their “covenant” with their “pastor” above their marriage covenant. We even know of a young woman who took her own life because of the stress placed upon her by the “Shepherding System.”