An open letter to Randy Shankle

The following is an open letter to Randy Shankle. If you do not understand this situation I advise you to read my webpage on the subject here:

http://www.kingdom-gospel.com/shankle.html

or even check out the blog categories here:

http://kingdomgospel.wordpress.com/tag/randy-shankle-the-church-in-marshall/

Randy,

First and foremost, I want you to know I appreciate you and what you have done for me in Christ and that I love you in Christ and desire God’s best for you.

The problem that many of us have with you is diverse by some, and complicated to a few, but I cannot speak for others, although I can communicate the judgments made by others in authority. Paul tells the congregation in the book of Romans, and not just to the elders, to mark them…

I know you may have defences and rationalizations for many of the accusations, but not for all.  I discuss the differences between consequences and condemnations here:

 http://kingdomgospel.wordpress.com/consequence-vs-condemnation/

And I know you believe in your cause and believe in the vision God gave you. I am not denying either of these as genuine. But of the last few years you have forgotten some of the things that you yourself have taught and proclaimed.

Rv:2:4: Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

5: Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Randy you spoke about evangelists and ministers who would travel and do many mighty works for God, but would have a woman in every city waiting for them. And you spoke about how the gifts of God are without repentance.

On Aug 13th 06, in your broadcast, Judah during worship said that God has entrusted to us (the CiM) dominion. You eluded to these matters when you discussed that God changes not.

Just because you cried to God to give you men, when He gave you a vision, does not mean that He has kept that bishopric open indefinitely. Did not Judas lose his place? While you may retain your gifts, and while the vision may burn in your heart, these things do not testify to your continued right or an authority to continue. You may continue to have authority as men give it to you. But that is the same abused church authority that has gone on through the church age in corrupt churches for centuries.

Rev2:4-5 also shows that you can lose the authority and the presence of being God’s church.

My beef with you is not about the mistakes you have made, or matters of doctrines. Although the actions you took were probably made from doctrines you believe in. Although some of the actions or inactions by you that have caused harm may have been mistakes and not those of your theology. I am not going to dissect these matters cause I do not know the cases. I am sure it is true on both counts.

The problem is Randy that you have caused divisions and divorces. Some were direct and some indirect, but many have happened because of your actions. Scripture is clear that after following the pattern given to us in Math 18 over these problems that you need to be brought before the church if you fail to repent (true repentance is 180 degree turn).

I know you confessed to the accusations I and others have published on the internet but you have failed to repent of them. As well as your administration, in particular when Jeff claimed that the errors you and the administration made were God ordained. How arrogant and prideful is that?!

I know that you sorrow over some of these things, and have made half hearted attempts to fix some of them. But this is not enough and why judgment has come. Further judgment may come by God as Jesus warns in Rev 2:4-5.

You warn over and over again, as I do on my website to willingly fall on the rock before it smashes you to pieces. Randy, do not be fooled in the metron you seem to have. It is given to you by men. This does NOT confirm spiritually your place in the Body with Christ.

You know this, or knew this. I heard from your mouth in person with my own ears, that you said you would not build the temple because you were a man of war.

You may continue to grasp onto your dominion as men give you rule until Jesus fells your tree, but I would suggest you humble yourself before that happens.

Many believe you are beyond restoration or beyond the qualifications of being a bishop. Remember that a bishop is an office given and taken by men, based upon scriptural qualifications. But men can cheat to gain or hold that authority, and have done so through out history. I do not have the authority to say if you are beyond ever being qualified again. But I know God can still reach you and use you.

You spoke about the worthless sons of Eli. You spoke about how many sold you out and ran after that which was not of God. I was judged by CiM’s administration and had opportunity to elope and marry elsewhere. I did not. I chose to wait and hope on the administration instead. I did not sell out my inheritance. I lost that opportunity of marriage waiting for the elders. I am not bitter over what the church did to me, because I was charmed by your Kisser/Cleaver message to disobey God, and through the failure of your administration I learned God’s will for my life.

Therefore my voice to you is one of thankfulness and not bitterness. I have taken what you have taught me and put much of it on my website. I am grateful for those things.

But Randy you need to humble yourself, before the light at CiM gets extinguished or your light as an elder. It’s not too late. There are those who don’t follow you and still care about you.

You cannot trample the sheep continuously and hold onto your position as an undershepherd indefinitely.

Randy I pray God’s will be done in your life.

God Bless,

Steve L.