The Term SHEPHERD MAFIA as a Prediction of the CGGC Future

I remember where I was and what I was doing when I first thought the words, Shepherd Mafia.

I don't remember how long ago it was. It was years ago. I'm certain that it was before Evie's battle with cancer, which was in 2010.

I mentioned it on the podcast I was doing at the time with Brian Miller, Lance Finley and Fran Leeman but I don't remember the dates we did the podcast. It was during the time we were doing the podcast that the term came to me.

I used it a number of times on the Emerging Church blog and got some negative reaction.

I explained it to Evie and my friend Jerry and both of them advised me not to use it.

And, as time passes, I do use it less and less, not because those people have advised me not to use it, but because using the term doesn't come up as often and, more importantly, as prophetic messages sometimes require, it has lost some of its shock value.

If you doubt that God's prophets shock, following the command of the Lord, read Isaiah 20!

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But, in the wake of my defrocking and of the ERC Administrative Council's recent decision to remove Faith as a member congregation of the ERC:

Think about how accurately the term Shepherd Mafia describes the behavior of the mountaintoppers of the ERC. 

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They whacked me.

And, not being satisfied with their action against me personally, they have now whacked the whole community at Faith.

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I'll repeat what I've noted in the past.

When the Ad Council started this in 2015, I wrote to Kevin Richardson and asked him specifically, what the cause was for the recommendation of the Standing Committee and the action of the Administrative Council. He said that there was no actual cause mentioned. (He did note some things discussed by the Standing Committee--concerns, by the way, the Committee never addressed with me face to face, or in any other way.)

But, as a mafia would, the action of the mountaintoppers was based on what they wanted to do, not on any actual reason beyond their own wishes.

I'll mention, again, that I've talked to several people who witnessed the ERC deliberations which resulted in my defrocking. I've asked each what sin I was convicted of.

None of them knew.

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This morning, I read the letter from, as it turns out, Kevin E. Richardson, D. Min., informing "the Faith Community Church of God" of the decision of the Administrative Council to remove Faith from membership in the Conference.

According to Dr. Richardson, nothing Faith did, and even nothing I did, contributed to the action.

According to Kevin, everything that contributed to the decision came from the Standing Committee, the Administrative Council, and the Conference in session, based on the recommendation of the Commission on Church Renewal.

Another whack job from the Shepherd Mafia.

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And, I've pointed out, Faith and I believe and proclaim and practice the church's doctrine and mission.

We were--I, at least, still am--pleased to be a part of the CGGC.

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In the days when I first used the term Shepherd Mafia, I ignored advice from people I love and respect to stop using it because I believed it came from the Lord.

He, alone, knew this future behavior by the mountaintoppers of the ERC.

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The Lord of all power and grace and mercy and authority and love and blessing is not blessing the CGGC.

We must repent.