Today when Randy spoke, God really began to show me a distinction of the problem. It is Consequence vs Condemnation and Disqualified vs Punitive Sentence.
Randy spoke today against those that are condemning him. And he is right, partially. He said that Jesus came not to condemn the world and that He took judgment away from us.Randy spoke directly about the internet accusations and judgments. Having been involved in these I know there are a lot of people angry at him. Some of these people are condemning him and judging him. But there needs to be a distinction. Jesus has not come to bring such judgment. As long as Randy is a christian, he won’t be judged and sentenced to hell or the Lake of Fire.Let me explain this difference. I have a friend who has a brother who committed a felony. He has been out of jail a long time, he paid his penalty, but now he can no longer vote or hunt. He has disqualified himself from these privileges. Here’s another example, my dad was in a car accident years ago. A young woman hit him without a license. Now she can never drive again unless my dad legally excuses her. Another example, I was discharged from the Navy. My discharge was not punitive (dishonourable) but nor was it honourable, it was an administrative (other than honorable) discharge, and I cannot get any veteran benefits from the Navy because of that.You see there is a difference between punitive sentence or judgment verses disqualification of privileges from the consequences of actions.Randy can remain close to God, and have a relationship with God despite his errors. This can be done through the work of Jesus by seeking forgiveness and mercy. But Jesus Himself has set up governmental qualifications. And just as women cannot be doma/5-fold ministers, neither can those men who are disqualified. See my page on women ministers here:
http://www.kingdom-gospel.com/doma2.html
Randy is disqualified from being an elder. Thus his current ministry is illegitimate. But this does not mean he is in punishment by God. A church position is different than heavenly position.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
While women may not become elders and bishops, they are equal in Christ. And there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.
The next point is, has Randy repented? Has Math 18 been followed to the point where Randy should be treated as a heathen and publican?
Math 18:
17: And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
The word here to discern is “neglect”.
3878. parakouo par-ak-oo’-o from 3844 and 191; to mishear, i.e. (by implication) to disobey:–neglect to hear.
1) to hear aside
a) causally or carelessly or amiss
2) to be unwilling to hear
a) on hearing to neglect, to pay no heed to
b) to refuse to hear, pay no regard to, disobey
Some have claimed that Randy has done this, and that his repentance has been a show, and not real. Some claim that many of his testimonies are fake and made up. I have no evidence of this, nor has any meeting I know concluded this.
This is what Clarence Hill said in his letter afterwards:
Randy would give an arrogant display of control and non-submission to my apostolic authority, thus, bringing very little real fruit of restoration (their words were true).
It seems to me, we do not have enough public evidence. Today, Randy acknowledged publicly that the accusations on the Internet are true! He has repented before God. He even said that while he may still fall into controlling, that it no longer rules him.
This is evidence that Randy did not neglect the Math 18 meeting. However, he has been shown to have failed the qualifications of being a bishop/elder, negating his ability and privilege to minister as an elder or bishop.
From the Amplified Bible:
1 Cor 13:7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
We must believe the best until proven otherwise. So if I have called CiM a cult, that would be equating Randy as a heathen. CiM is not a cult, but Randy’s ministry is illegitimate, because he is disqualified. While he may be disqualified as an elder/bishop, he is not disqualified as a doma. A doma is a gift and gifts are without repentance:
Rom 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
I myself have a doma gift, but am disqualified from eldership because I fail to meet the requirements. Randy could have a Internet or street ministry, but he should not have eldership rule because he is disqualified as a bishop. The role he has now is by man and not by God. Men set up church governments, and throughout history we have seen the abuse of church government and we cannot put such authority in God. This is a failure of the church. I discuss church failure here:
http://www.kingdom-gospel.com/churchfail.html
So what now? All I can do, and you can do, is call for Randy to step down, or for CiM to set him down. We also can call for a stop on the broadcasts of his service. I discuss how to do that here:
http://www.kingdom-gospel.com/internet.html
I also advise boycotting any of his products, and do not give to his ministry. If you have strong interest in his books, get them used from 2ndary markets like Ebay and the like. Do not promote his ministry.
PART 2
After rereading this and remembering some of Randy’s comments lately. It has come to me, that Randy might be trying to circumvent the whole process I discussed above by declaring he is leading as a spiritual father and not as an elder.
You can hear such clues to this in his messages. The problem is, no matter how much he tries to dismiss the church age, Jesus Himself set it up.
We are in the church age until the rapture, and even afterwards, the tribulation saints will still be in the church, albeit more along the lines of the 1st two chapters in Acts, but nonetheless there will be elders governing the church.
This is where Randy begins to cross into cultic behaviour and teachings and I discuss such leadership problems here:
http://www.kingdom-gospel.com/doma3.html
Randy has flirted with the Shepherding Movement for years, it began to manifest with his teaching “Kisser/Cleaver”. As of Sept 24, 06 he still confessed to having problems controlling others, although he claimed it does not rule him. This is why he sways back and forth between fathering and bishoping. I think his conscience is slightly aware of this in his diminished repentive attitude, but being in control makes him take this very weakness and flip-flop positions when it suits him.
November 30, 2007 at 10:53 pm |
comment about 11/23/07—A primary strategy of the enemy is to keep us focused on the evil, partaking of the Tree of Knowledge, and away from the glory of God– in the face of Jesus Christ and the cross. This tactic comes in the form of a religious spirit. This religious spirit is the leaven of the Pharisees of which the Lord warned His disciples. Leaven does not add to the nutitional value of the bread–it only inflates it. such is the by-product of the religious spirit. One of the most deceptive characteristics about the religious spirit is that it is founded upon zeal for God. We tend to think that zeal for God can’t be evil, but that depends on WHY we are zealous for Him. The religious spirit seeks to have us serve the Lord to gain His approval, rather than from a position of having received our approval through the cross of Jesus.
November 30, 2007 at 11:40 pm |
comment re: 11/23/07 cont. Therefore, the religious spirit bases a relationship to God on personal discipline & performance, rather than the shed blood of Jesus. The motivation for doing this can be either fear or pride, or both. Our motivation to please the Lord is because He FIRST loved us, not to earn His Love—while were yet sinners Christ died for us. I pray that God would grant repetence to the acknowledging of the truth to some at cim. By their fruits you will know them. The wisdom that is from ABOVE is first pure then peaceable, gentle, and EASY TO BE INTREATED, FULL OF MERCY AND GOOD FRUITS. I pray that those who remain at cim would have the blinders removed and come away in secret until all is made clear. (My sheep hear my voice, and the voice of another they will not follow.)
December 1, 2007 at 12:18 am |
Thank you so much for this site. I pray that Randy and those responseable for hurting God’s sheep would really repent. Instead of making the sin of being offended worse than the the original wrong doings against them. That is a perversion. Jesus stood up to the wrong doings of the leaders in His time, and was the most angry with the religious who were also abusive to others. Better for a millstone be tied around their neck and cast into the midst of the sea than to offend one of his little ones.— Paul spoke out against and warned others in his day, against those who did wrong and caused harm to the body. I pray that every person at cim be delivered from the false fear the leadership there places on the people. Bless you brother, may God grant you more grace & wisdom to strenghten the seeking and hurting to complete truth and wholeness.