Definition of the word IT - "IT: // the thing, act, or matter about which these words are spoken or written." -Marriam Webster

False teachings are destroying the hope of a better existence in Christ Jesus. The Covering Theology incorporates the actions and doctrine that a Christian needs spiritual covering other than the spiritual covering of God through the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Many believers are held in submission and spiritual bondage under the Covering theology until it destroys the essence of liberty and joy in the Holy Spirit. Leaders who practice this as a part of their ministries are not teaching under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, they have incorporated what is known to be the Shepherd Movement which has been denounced by the organizers of the movement to being unbiblical and hurtful to all who followed and accepted the movement as doctrine for their church.

The Shepherd movement is the single most catastrophic teaching of the Charismatic Movement in the 20th century; it permeated despair and submission to “church leadership” as they used a hierarchical or pyramid schematic of covering and overseer mentality, which totally usurped the spiritual order of the Christian faith that Jesus Christ is the main reason for the Christian faith and the Gifts of the Spirit are just tools to help Christians proclaim Christ and the true Christian theology. The Shepherd movement believed that everyone was subject to paying tithes to the church as an important sacrament to Jesus; also, they believed that all of the congregants must obey and seek their leader’s approval in all matters. If they continued with anything without their leaders’ approval, no one would be blessed.

The Shepherd Movement, tailored with the Covering Theology, believed that a congregant was not saved unless they were baptized in Jesus name and then “Baptized in the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues.” This was taught to many of the believers as “Spirit Baptism.” This doctrinal teaching caused many believing Christians to leave the faith due to them not receiving the gift of tongues as evidence of their belief in Christ. Many Christians under this teaching were also dangerously subjugated in believing that sanctification and holiness can only come from “laying hands” on a person who is sinless. As a result of some not living up to the doctrinal expectation, they were left to feel undesired by God.

The ultimate result of this movement and the Covering Theology opened the door for many leaders to effectively caused millions to lose hope and fall away from God. During the Charismatic movement and the Apostolic Faith movements; many were programmed to believe that there is such evidence of being saved, sanctified, and baptized in the Holy Ghost; this evidence was often validated by the leaders of these movements with what was called “evidence of speaking in the gift of tongues.” This was invaluable to them to know for sure that a person is truly committed or submitted to the faith. This was their pinnacle for acceptance into their doctrine and considered as the one true nature and the manifestation of being sealed in the Holy Ghost. Additionally, speaking in tongues for these two movements was essential to the growth and development of their doctrine, but it was not essential to the overall Christian faith. Many scholars believed that there is no such evidence of the Holy Spirit relating to speaking in tongues as a mandatory qualification to verify a person’s salvation.