Shepherding Inoculation

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman, cutting straight the word of the truth. 2 Timothy 2:15   

In shepherding the new ones, there is a need for inoculation too. On the one hand spiritual feeding by the rich supply of the divine life through the word of God is a must, yet on the other hand, there is also a need to warn and preserve the saints from wrong and unhealthy teachings, especially the teachings that are extra-biblical and out of the way from God's divine economy.

One such family is under shepherding in the church in Gurugram. This family has veered off to Mormonism through their relative who was a member of the Mormon in Europe. When the family was contacted I presented the truth by answering their questions on the Trinity. Since then our fellowship was off and on. Whenever I visited them, I did my best to shepherd them in life using the word of God. Every visit was a wonderful time of fellowship on the word of God. But I hardly touched this matter of heretical teachings or cultism. My burden was simply to supply life by ministering the word.

Now the Lord has gradually been recovering this family into the church life. And since they have a touch of Mormonism, some of us brothers fellowshipped to help this family. I myself did some personal research on Mormonism or the Latter Day Saints. With much prayer, fellowship, and considering before the Lord, especially the past week, we felt peaceful to present the truth in a way of shepherding. 

Yesterday, in the home meeting with this family, the message we pursued together was on "The Word of Life". As we fellowshipped over the word of God, we read and pray-read the following verse:  

All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16   

After our pursuit of the lesson I felt the inward leading to speak a healthy and frank word on the need to avoid any extra-biblical teaching, especially from the Book of Mormon. I also quoted from the Articles of Faith written in 1842 by the Prophet Joseph Smith, 13 statements that explain the basic doctrines and practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Aritcle Number 8 states, "That the Bible and Book of Mormon are both divinely revealed scripture". This is a gross heresy to even dare to equate the Holy Bible with the Book of Mormon. I also pointed out some crucial extra-biblical teachings and practices including the Mormon's view of salvation, their understanding of heavens, the Temple Rituals, to name a few, as researched by other biblical researchers from www.equip.org. 

Having mentioned all these, I made it very clear to the family that my burden was to shepherd them as fellow members in the Body of Christ into the proper and healthy teaching of the Bible with basic and necessary spiritual practices and to avoid anything that deviates from the orthodoxy of the Bible. With these shepherding fellowship, we all prayed together.

By the way, this family enjoyed the weekly home meeting for months altogether now. Both husband and wife also started coming for the Lord's Table Meeting. Therefore, I have the peace to touch this matter now. I also deem it necessary and the time indeed has come. This is like a doctor diagnosing a patient and dealing with things that need to be dealt with for the sake of the health of the patient.

Shepherding also includes a healthy yet painful inoculation. The Lord has been gracing me to learn how to shepherd by feeding as well as by inoculation. I am glad that I am also learning by doing and doing by learning. I need to be diligent to present myself approved to God, an unashamed workman, cutting straight the word of the truth. And this is one such opportunity. 

May the Lord fully recover all these new ones and shepherd them into His flock.