Shepherding movement?

[Pinkie Pie]

I've seen references to the "Shepherding Movement" here during the past couple years I've been a part of the forum. I've never really understood what it was referring to but get the distinct impression it is something bad. I tried to do a search on the internet but couldn't really find anything that explained it. Does anyone know what that is?

[Willow]

Hi Pinkie Pie... have you tried a google search on the words yet? It brought up a lot of links for me. Discipleship, shepherding, control, authoritarianism. Those all describe my understanding of the shepherding movement. I was in a ministry that had extreme shepherding tendencies... and then a milder one that had those tendencies as well. When the pastor tells you who you can marry... when the pastor tells you where you can and can't eat out... what you can and cannot wear... when you have to be at church... what you do at home... etc. You might look into the possiblity that you are in a shepherding church.

Hope this helps
Amy

[ex-shep]

I've seen references to the "Shepherding Movement" here during the past couple years I've been a part of the forum. I've never really understood what it was referring to but get the distinct impression it is something bad. I tried to do a search on the internet but couldn't really find anything that explained it. Does anyone know what that is?

There is the term shepherding and then there is the shepherding/discipleship movement. Shepherding is a christian based cult type where the leadership acts as the mouthpiece of God in all areas of a person's spirtual, social and financial. Instead of the shepherd or leader being a mentor, he can be an autocratic ruler. Endemic in my groups, since there were no checks and balances what the ethic of whatever it takes to do the Lord's will, do it, and you hurt someone, don't worry because you doing God's will.

A good thumbnail resource

http://www.apologeticsindex.org/

should get you started.

Christian Research Institute and Watchman Fellowship are resources that would have reference on Shepherding and the Sheperding/Discipleship Movement.

Hope the abstract helps.

[Pinkie Pie]

Yes those responses help. Sounds eerily like my former church - though they probably had never heard of that movement either, they definitely acted like it. Thanks for the info.