Is The “Bishop Brand” in the Black Church Under Assault?

[Bishop Andy C. Lewter, D. Min.]

This past week, two outstanding leaders in the African American Church tradition were elevated to office of Bishop and Prince of the Lord’s church. They included, Bishop Terrell Murphy of Charlotte, NC and Bishop Johnny Withers of Los Angeles, CA. Bishop Murphy was elevated to the office of Bishop by Bishop Eddie Long of Atlanta, GA and his fellowship while Bishop Withers is the latest member to join the ranks of the episcopacy in the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship under Bishop Paul S. Morton.

While both of these persons are highly regarded and will no doubt prove to be a tremendous asset to the body of Christ, questions continue to be raised concerning the rapid proliferation of the office of Bishop and claim to the title by persons whose agendas, intentions and elevation lack the credibility of those mentioned in this article.

Since the dawn of the church, the episcopacy has been a service position that inherited the work of the church’s early apostles and has been the cornerstone for the connectional style governmental tradition of the church. It seems recently however, that the prestige and reverence for the office has been under assault by those who have no interest in its history, function and sacred place in the Lord’s work over the last 2000 years.

Unfortunately, the position has been used by some as a “code word” for successful pastor, or worse yet, by those whose appetites for titles exceed their passion for service. The result has been that in many circles the episcopacy has gone the route of the honorary doctor of divinity degree (D.D.) a generation earlier whose widespread usage diluted the prestige of the degree.

It further seems that many of the same people who sought such suspicious degrees in their earlier careers are the same claimants to the episcopacy today with no more credibility in the office of the bishop than they had with the title of “doctor”.

While judgement and validation is not the role of any of us in the body of Christ, the mis-usage and abuse of the office stands on the edge of fraud by those who ignore the sanctity of the office and propose to use it for their own self-glorification.

“Sometimes when I see so many people claiming to be a bishop, it makes me want to go back to being “Brother Morton”, says Bishop Paul S. Morton a pioneer of the paradigm shift in the early 1990’s. “Our African American College of Pentecostal Bishops is an effort to combat the plague that seemingly is attacking the church with people who do not have apostolic succession, or the other features of a valid episcopacy” reports Bishop J. Delano Ellis of Cleveland, the Establishmentarian of the group.

In cities around the country, efforts are being made by legitimate bishops to regulate and establish some order and procedure for the bishopric. Without it, the title of “Bishop” runs the risk of losing prestige and respect.

[william buchanan]

Bishop Lewter your critique of the proliferation of bishops in (Baptist and other new movements) Protestantism is very much over due. However, I think the appropriate starting point of such a critique should have been your own movement, the Full Gospel Movement (1 Peter 4:17). How many bishops are there in your movement and what are the biblical, administrative, financial, and structural criteria for becoming a bishop in the Full Gospel? Perhaps, in the secular arena we would say; "Those who live in glass houses ought not throw rocks." But, since this conversation has been frame in the biblical - Jesus said; "Do not judge, so that you won't be judged. For with the judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1. This query is by no mean an attempt to cast dispersions on you, your movement, or any other bishopric movement, but rather ask, by whose canon will any consecration be legistimated in the "Body of Christ." So, if we are going to have honest dialogue about issues impacting the "Body of Christ" we cannot do it without honest reflections and "truth telling"? The Bible teaches that the "Body of Christ", must hold itself accountable for its practices; if we don't who will. Thanks for the courage to put the elephant in the room on the table. I look forward to reading your musing!
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[Pastor Kenneth A. Brown]

Thank you Bishop Lewter!! Looking forward to viewing the videos - as I see the "Brand of Bishop" under attack for lack of "discipleship/Spiritual Fathering and Mothering" issues vs. the title being miss used. The title is being misused, in part, because the foundation of being a Christian has been misunderstood. With that in mind, why not become a Bishop? If it takes me being a CEO and not dealing with people "for real" - why not become a Bishop? God Bless!!!

[Bishop Andy C. Lewter, D. Min.]

Thank you Pastor Brown for such a well thought out response to this issue. I, like yourself am hoping that many in the body of Christ will weigh in on this topic. I have just recorded video responses from two bishops which I hope to be posting soon.

[Pastor Kenneth A. Brown]

I hated to write such a long blog earlier, but I was hoping to hear from the GospelToday community concerning the substance of my blog, based on Bishop Lewter's article. I was hoping to hear from Bishop - though I understand being busy. Yet, that goes to my point about the real "Brand of Bishop" that Bishop Lewter was addressing. Many of these Bishop led "social networks" have caused the "Brand of Bishop" to be lost. If my first call as a beleiver is to be a disciple, do I graduate from that when I become a leader, deacon, adjutant, minister, elder, Pastor, overseer, first vice, second vice, etc.? What happened to true discipleship?? I feed people too; my Church provides human services - but that is not the majority calling recorded in the Word. The Five Fold is to equip the saints - even at the Bishop level. How can the true Brand of Bishop equip the Pastors they serve with one major conference per year. Many of the state conference still do not have training and even if they do, it is once per year... I am honestly wondering and searching with sincerity. I'd love to hear from anybody concerning this thought out, thought through notion... Your Servant - KB

[DR.Marietta Brown]

We are living in the age where Pastors want fame and prestige instead of living a life that is holy, clean and pure before the Lord and ministering the true gospel of Jesus Christ to the people and training them to be strong men and women of God. We have served two Pastors for over 24 years before the last Pastor released us in Ministry.. We have provided 23 outreaches in our Community to feed and clothe those in need, worked around the clock to assist at reach at risk children. our Church open 365 days a year from 6.00 Am to 11.00 p.m. The Lord had given us favor and promotion but our motive was not to start a Church for that. We gave the first 7 years what we did not have and most of what came in in income to reaching our community.. Our motives and calls have to be pure and ordained and called by God in the proper season and time.

[Bishop Mary E. Adams]

Thank you Bishop Lewter for sharing this article, it is very timely and appreciated. A true Bishop is one who desires to stretch him/herself toward achieving excellence in every endeavor; oversee and shepherd the church of Jesus Christ, faithfully lead others with an example of trust, integrity and accountability and is committed to bringing unity to the body of Christ.

[Pastor Kenneth A. Brown]

I share the same concern as you do Bishop - in principle, but likely with a different twist... I blog as one who is quite aware of Full Gospel and with the Baptist Church, the Episcopal parliments of other denominations. Very familiar with the formal and informal doctrinal relationship between pentecostalism and apostolic order and how it has shifted over the years. Yet, my view and my concerns about the Bishopric is from another angle. From what I have seen, read and experienced, we have at least three types of Bishops - none of which - do I stand in judgment of. #1 - the "State Bishop" - he/she that basically runs an organization; one that meets with other clergy leadership to promote organizational interests/conferences/leadership recognition related events... Frankly, those with larger organizations - from my experience, that is how most of those bishops serve - they serve the organization (yes, in turn the people-but one would have to examine those agendas to see how "people" are being directly helped - check it out). This is evidenced by the lack of care expressed/budgeted allotments and shared fellowship amongst larger and smaller churches within the fellowship - one to another... Example, if Pastor A is running 2500 members and Pastor B in the fellowship is running the national average of 100 members, will Pastor B ever get invited to preach or teach or even to come to the roster at Pastor As Church? Or if Pastor B invites Pastor A, does he even get a return phone call without calling back 5-10 times.... Bishop #2 - you have folks who just want the title. They have no real organization, no true administrative skills, they likely do not have the experience or age to substantiate the office either. Their epistle interpretation of the Pastor and Bishop is one in same - that the titles are the same. Bishop #3 - you have the bishop that is both "support pastor and church" focused. This type of Bishop actually provides a "spiritual covering" that can keep his/her support pastor's "spiritually warm." Not talking about financial allotments from the organization/not talking about being somebodies daddy either. I'm simply talking about being a Spiritual Father/Mother, which is a difference. The Church members under the supported Pastor who is served by such a Bishop - the members/leadership actually feels the impact of that Bishop's influence. That Bishop does not have to receive a set love offering to come, but he/she views the sharing of their Bishopric gifting and experience as an obligation - which is directly from the Doctrine of the Five Fold ministry, but for the Bishop, it is to Pastors usually. The Bishop is to work with Pastor and Churches until spiritual maturity. If that is the case/the real assignment, merely preaching annually for a supported Pastor/Church is a small deposit toward the greater requirement of "maturity support." Such a Bishop, when he/she goes to a Support Church, he takes capable leaders from his Church's leadershp team (deacons, presidents, coordinators, directors, etc.) with him/her to bless the leaders of that Supported Church. The Bishop not only goes to preach, but the leadership of that Church has opportunity to set down with the support Church's leadership during the usual church dinner time, before or after that afternoon worship experience... Basically Bishop Lewter, the Bishop still holds to the essence of the "discipleship mission/the five fold mission." Show me a Bishop that mostly works for the organization and I will show you a Bishop that has no real impact on the lives of the Support Pastor or the Support Church in which he/she is suppose to be serving. A Pastor and a Bishop is still suppose to disciple. That usually does not take place from merely going to preach for a support Pastor's anniversary service. Ok - Ok - the Bishop talks to the Pastor during the week... Ok - Ok, assuming that that actually occurs, do they really ever truly talk. Its very easy to keep that conversation at surface level. Hey, if that Pastor ever really told the Bishop (his upline - who else is he/she suppose to tell and trust within the apostolic order) what he was really wrestling with (drugs, pornography, money issues, whatever) he/she may not be included on the annual revival guest preacher list... C'mon now... It is very easy to suggest that we are too busy to talk. Very easy to keep the appearance that the support Pastor is really being spiritually "warmed" by the organization, but if we are so busy going to conferences and meetings, we can all be fooled into thinking that this is a "real" relationship, but if we ever really looked at it for real, we would see it for what it is and it is not... How and when can a Bishop serve me or know me if that Bishop's Church is 500-3,000 miles from my Church... Am I under that Bishop because I'm being warmed or because of name reconnection. If we are really going to talk about the "Bishopric" Bishop Lewter, lets talk about it...

Hey, just one brother's opinion, but I'd like to see a "real" relationship based, discipleship based - Jesus Based, c'mon now, organization that meets such needs.

Your Servant in Christ,
Pastor KA Brown