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Rating: 
Summary: Review Clips from Respected Christians
Review: After I wrote my original review of this book I found this summary and these quotes from some familiar and respected Christian leaders: Summary:
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(from T & T Clark, back cover of book) This is an engaging history of the Shepherding Movement, an influential and controversial expression of the charismatic renewel in the 1970s and 1980s. This neopentecostal movement, led by Bible teachers Ern Baxter, Don Basham, Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, and Charles Simpson, became a house/cell church movement in the United States. The Shepherding Movement is an ecclesiological case study of an attempt at renewing church structures. Its emphasis on submission to a personal pastor, or "shepherd" as the movement termed it, brought accusations of authoritarianism. The Shepherding Movement's story provides a unique perspective on the history of the charismatic renewal in the United States and its struggle to handle a controversy that forever changed the Renewal's ecumenical character. About the author: S. David Moore is Associate Professor at the Life Pacific College in San Dimas, California. "The Shepherding Movement" Book Reviews "The major authentic and scholarly study of the Discipleship/Shepherding movememt...Moore has given us a well-written book that is a significant contribution to our understanding of the period."
-Vinson Synan, Dean of the School of Divinity at Regent University "David Moore offers a scholarly, yet warmly pastoral look at more than a piece of history, for he also gives us an insightful, prophetic resource for study and growth."
-Dr. Jack Hayford, Founding Pastor of the Church on the Way in Van Nuys, CA and Chancellor of the Kings College and Seminary "This is a cerful, objective account of a highly charged issue...an authentic insight of great importance. S. David Moore has performed a valuable service also for the Roman Catholic Charismatic Renewal, where similar issues arose."
-Kilian McDonnell, President, Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research, Collegeville, MN
Rating:
Summary: Review Clips from Respected Christians
Review: After I wrote my original review of this book I found this summary and these quotes from some familiar and respected Christian leaders: Summary:
==========
(from T & T Clark, back cover of book) This is an engaging history of the Shepherding Movement, an influential and controversial expression of the charismatic renewel in the 1970s and 1980s. This neopentecostal movement, led by Bible teachers Ern Baxter, Don Basham, Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, and Charles Simpson, became a house/cell church movement in the United States. The Shepherding Movement is an ecclesiological case study of an attempt at renewing church structures. Its emphasis on submission to a personal pastor, or "shepherd" as the movement termed it, brought accusations of authoritarianism. The Shepherding Movement's story provides a unique perspective on the history of the charismatic renewal in the United States and its struggle to handle a controversy that forever changed the Renewal's ecumenical character. About the author: S. David Moore is Associate Professor at the Life Pacific College in San Dimas, California. "The Shepherding Movement" Book Reviews "The major authentic and scholarly study of the Discipleship/Shepherding movememt...Moore has given us a well-written book that is a significant contribution to our understanding of the period."
-Vinson Synan, Dean of the School of Divinity at Regent University "David Moore offers a scholarly, yet warmly pastoral look at more than a piece of history, for he also gives us an insightful, prophetic resource for study and growth."
-Dr. Jack Hayford, Founding Pastor of the Church on the Way in Van Nuys, CA and Chancellor of the Kings College and Seminary "This is a cerful, objective account of a highly charged issue...an authentic insight of great importance. S. David Moore has performed a valuable service also for the Roman Catholic Charismatic Renewal, where similar issues arose."
-Kilian McDonnell, President, Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research, Collegeville, MN
Rating:
Summary: Fair, Incredibily Informed, and Concise
Review: I am literally a child of the Shepherding Movement, with my family joining while I was quite young. On balance, my experience was very positive, yet I know of others who believe their experiences were different. So when Professor Moore's book came out, I was interested to see how the overall, wider movement was evaluated.
Professor Moore promises a fair and balanced look at this controversial movement. In my opinion, he delivers. He concisely lays out the history of the movement from beginning to end. Writing with a historian's eye, Moore places the rise of the Shepherding Movement in its context. The Charismatic Renewal was sweeping the nation, but many of its leaders and participants were unaccountable, unattached, and simply drifting from one meeting to the next. To foster accountability and maturity, leaders like Bob Mumford and Charles Simpson began teaching about spiritual authority and covenantal relationships. Eventually, five leaders came together to emphasize these and other teachings (the so-called "Ft. Lauderdale Five"). Moore leaves no doubt that the Shepherding Movement arose in response to a real need and with the best of intentions.
Unfortunately, many of the critics also thought they were acting with the best of intentions, though a few - such as Pat Robertson - come across as self-appointed judges who felt little need to actually engage the leaders of the Shepherding movement with their concerns. Others come across concerned about losing their own turf or financial contributions to the Shepherding Movement. Jack Hayford comes across as someone concerned, but believing the best about those with whom he disagreed and attempting to engage them in direct dialogue. Indeed, it is to Moore's credit that both Charles Simpson and Jack Hayford endorse his book.
I was impressed with the openness of leaders like Simpson and Mumford, who not only granted Moore several interviews but also turned over their private correspondence to him - a treasure of primary data that any historian would love to have. Moore puts it to good use, following the movement from its inception to the dissolving of the "Ft. Laurderdale Five," then tracking the individual men in their ministries after the fact. Moore also reminds us of the benefits this movement had on the broader Christian Renewal: Hosanna/Integrity Music; the emphasis on Covenant in understanding God; the idea of spiritual mentoring; and, the emphasis on home groups and cell groups.
I have always considered myself fortunate to have been involved in the Charles Simpson sphere of the Shepherding Movement. After reading this fine book, that belief is reinforced. Professor Moore deserves much credit for this concise and fair history of an influential movement within the Charismatic Renewal.
Rating:
Summary: A snapshot of 'the doctrine of the Nicolaitans'
Review: This book offers a well researched (David Moore personally interviewed all of the living principle players and many of the secondary players) snapshot of how "the doctrine of the Nicolaitans" challenged, leavened, edified, and damaged large segments of the Charismatic Movement of the 1970's and 1980's. Good, bad, ugly, and everything in between - it's all here! I have not read this book yet but I have purchased and listened to the audio tape edition (available directly from David Moore or from Charles Simpson Ministries at http://www.csmpublishing.org). I found the content and the author's findings in the audio edition of this book to be objective, balanced, and fair. I have several friends who have purchased this written edition and so far all of their verbal reviews, without exception, have been glowing.
On a personal note, I entered the Shepherding/Discipleship movement in December 1978 at one of the now infamous men's seminars - in my case, San Francisco.
Was I hurt during the Shepherding/Discipleship movement? Yes. However, by doing personal research, reading, prayer, and a few "Matthew 18's" I consider myself healed, sealed and congealed. And, friends, there was a lot to be healed from due to the imbalances and errors of this movement! Candidly, there were personalities back then (they are named in the book so I won't air specific personality directed dirty laundry here) that are still alive and, in my opinion, that one would be wise to be avoid. Why? Some have learned and moved beyond the lessons from Discipleship and some have not. However much GOOD also came out of the movement as well.
That is why this book is SO important. It is primarily a work of scholastic history. As the cliché' goes, "Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it." And, yes folks there are churches repeating the errors of this movement even as you are reading this review - I can guarantee it!
I say this from personal experience. You see, after I exited the Discipleship Movement (around 1990 or so) I noticed that several of the churches that we went to were practicing Discipleship - one even taught it from the pulpit - but all were in denial.
One church leadership group, in particular, was brutally traumatized when I brought this fact to their attention. I was rebuked for even suggested that they were "like them!" This told me that the errors of Discipleship weren't exclusive to, "the big four or five" or even a particular movement at a particular moment in time but were simply a formalized, doctrinized form of widespread pastoral, pastoral staff, and cult-like control issues. These errors and imbalances are common to the Church universal past, present and (probably) future. Jesus referred to it as "the doctrine of the Nicolaitans" (Revelation 2:6) the word "Nicolaitan" transliterated, I was told by David Rose (who is mentioned in the book), to mean "one who gains victory over the people". I think that you will find this "doctrine of the Nicolaitans" in whole or in part just about everywhere there are churches filled with those sinful creatures called, "the sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve" (to borrow from C.S. Lewis). If you are one such creature, you will learn much about yourself (and maybe your church) from this book.
There is also much positive to learn from the Shepherding Movement. Integrity Music was a direct by-product of the Shepherding Movement (our worship back then was legendary). Some base concepts and doctrines of Promise Keepers and the men's movement of the early 1990's were directly or indirectly derived from the Shepherding Movement as well.
Yes, we made a lot of mistakes but we got a lot right as well. To this day I believe that our ecclesiology was dead right but our application of those truths was dead wrong! Hey man, if you can get a bunch ex-hippies interested in Theology and historic, credal, normative Christianity THAT alone must be divine, can you dig it?
At the end of it all I think that we all came to realize what depraved sinners we really are. I know what I am capable of without God and daily reliance on the Holy Spirit - and it's NOT pretty! So in the end, perhaps the BEST by-product of the Shepherding Movement was humility based on heightened self-awareness of our frailties and flaws. After THAT epiphany there ain't much to be arrogant about! As Bob Mumford said, "I walked in a way that is embarrassing to me now!" In my case I can only say, "Ditto!"
Again, I have not read this book but based on the audio tapes and the verbal reviews that I have heard I can only imagine that the book is a worthy investment and study!
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