I was made aware of this article from a Raleigh TV station that detailed a pastor who is charged with killing his wife. I was reading the article when this one statement caught my attention:
Investigators said members of the congregation were afraid of Bynum and his bodyguards, or so-called armor bearers.
Have these pastors got so caught up with their egos that they have forgotten what is the real war to fight? I think so. Have these pastors forgotten that the armor bearer of the Old Testament is replaced by the armor wearer of the New Testament? I think so. I have received numerous e-mails from people who have left churches with the armor bearer concept because of the abuses they saw and also what they saw. Big men trained in using firearms with concealed weapons permits carrying their pistol in a sholder holster concealed by a sportcoat. People trained in combat tactical training and martial arts to protect their pastor at all costs.
These men are fighting the wrong war. Because they are fighting the wrong war, they are wearing the wrong armor. Instead of wearing the spiritual armor described in Ephesians 6
and wrestle against spiritual wickedness in high places. They wear the armor of Glocks, kelvar vests, martial arts training, etc. and choose to fight flesh and blood. This bad teaching has to stop. We need to be Armorwearers Not Armorbearers when we wear Spiritual armor described in Ephesians 6.
Here is what is really sad. How do people get their minds so twisted that they attend a church where they are afraid of the pastor? Hello??
Unbelieeeevable. I never thought such things were possible! :P People can justify their actions with whatever sections of the bible, often quoted out of context. They conveniently forget other parts of the bible … I distinctly remember a verse exhorting leaders not to lord it over other people.
We need to realize that everyone who “leads” or attends a church, is not neccessarily in the body of Christ. These types of members may be just that: wolves in sheep clothing.
I am an Armorbearer and I can uderstand some of the concerns. What we have to remember is that we face an enemy who does not abide by any rules. Pastors are attacked! I am reminded of Pastor Fredrick Price (Crenshaw Christian Center, Los Angeles, Ca.). My Pastor teaches us and trains other churches Armorbearers, and one thing we have to be is SPIRITUAL and humble. We do not go looking for someone to attack, but know this if someone does try to harm my Pastor, I will defend him! We do not attack people, if there is an incident, we simply escourt the person out of the church.
There is something else that is not being considered. Women also serve as armor bearers. I myself have been called and appoinointed by God to serve my Pastor in this capacity. At first I was intimidated by the title since it so closely relates to the concept of the bodyguard (I also pictured the bouncer at the club door). Then I remembered that not all bodyguards are braun and muscle. Some serve in very adept and unique ways.
It is rather sad to hear about that Pastor and the fear the people had of the armor bearers. I pray that these ‘men’ do walk in the call of God as it is primarily a spiritual calling. I also pray that that congregation and it’s Pastor will reassess themselves according to the Word and move forward. If they are truly of God, they’ll flourish, despite this ugly stain. If not, then may we as believers diligently seek God for the spirit of discernment (an increase for some), because as intercessors, our ferverent prayers reveal these wolves in sheeps clothing and God will indeed give us guidance to cast them out of the body.
I also am an armor-bearer, and what I teach others on it is that it is a spiritual war that we are fighting, not flesh and blood. There are people out to harm those that are preaching the truth, but as a rule, we battle in spirit, and not the flesh. That is where the trouble originates and where we need to concentrate. I have never had to do anything physical—I am not really made for that. I have only had to pray and warfare and things have straightened up. God is the one that will fight the thing…..
I dont understand what the church is comming to. We have lost focus of what Jesus has apointed us to do. Armor Bearing is nonsense! I dont mean to hurt anyones fealings, but it is true. Let us look at this from two possable angels(and please excuse my spelling). The first is the issue of pride. 1Peter 5:1-6
is a must read when dealing with this subject. 1 ¶ The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
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2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
5 ¶ Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
This passage states that Leadership in the church is to be a humble example to the people! Verse 5 ststes “that God resisteth the proud” This means that he opposes them. You can not work with someone you oppose. This is kind of like a house bieng devided against itself, it can not stand! If you will be honest with yourself, you have probably have been in some of thease services and noticed lots of people think the service is anointed when you sensed the Holy Spirit was grieved. We have learned well how to act out the presence of God. The church at sardis (Ravelation 3:1) They thought they were alive but Jesus said they were dead! mooving along verse 3 of the above text states they are not to be lords over Gods heritage(Gods church). The funny thing is that even most lords never had a armor bearer, they were for Kings in a Theocratic dictatorship. If you will remember it was never Gods plan to give Isreal a king in the first place, he wanted to be their God and king. We must also look at Matthew 20
25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. The word minister here in the greek is 1249. diakonov diakonos, dee-ak’-on-os
Search for 1249 in KJV
probably from an obsolete diako (to run on errands; compare 1377); an attendant, i.e. (genitive case) a waiter (at table or in other menial duties); specially, a Christian teacher and pastor (technically, a deacon or deaconess):–deacon, minister, servant.
This passage of scripture is self explanitory. The highest position in the church should be ready to wash our feet, ready to serve not be served! This is the example Jesus left to us and he is the son of God!
Now the way to look this thing is much better then the first. Some have argued that the pastor needs some to stand by him, to pray for him, and give him insight full of wisdom. They say this is the job of the armor bearer. No!!! This is the job of the elder. I have noticed that most places that practice things like armor bearing(which are not instructeg by the apostles for the church) do not have elders(which is clearly given by the apostels to the church). It is important to follow the clear path of the bible for the church before we ever start new things that have to be interped and explained to make sense of. I have much more I would like to say about this subject but I must go foe now. May God bless you all
Did Jesus Christ have a Armor Bearer?
I wholeheartedly agree with Evangelist Moonie. I think maybe the original intent of the current day armor bearers was more figurative than literal. That is, the figurative fight was to be likened to the spiritual warfare we engage in on a daily basis. We battle againnst the unseen forces of evil in this world. Christ did not even condone Peters’ resorting to physical violence when Jesus was being illlegaly arrested in the middle of the night after the final communion.
I believe that the “Armor Bearer” concept on a spiritual level can be a good teaching in conjunction with a “Spiritual Warfare” message. Seeing that we are all kings and priests, we should all expect that particular advantage. Yet, as we each esteem one another as greater than ourselves, becoming the servant to even those “beneath” us, so to speak, we are in theory the armor bearer of each other in this spiritual warfare. We protect one another in unity. We ALL need an armor bearer, spiritually speaking, because we all need to “bear one another’s burdens.” One of the first questions ever asked in the Bible is, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The answer is yes. I am. And so is he MY keeper.
THAT message on the armor bearer is correct in a scriptural sense.
Carrying guns … that’s just nonsense. What part of “offer the other cheek” requires carrying a gun? What part of “do not render evil for evil, but good for evil, defeating evil with good” requires violence? According to Jesus and the Apostles, and the examples they left us, if these pastors are attacked, they should count it joy that they had the opportunity to suffer for the gospel’s sake. If their cares are for this world and the things in it … if they love their lives not unto death … then perhaps they shouldn’t be preachers.
They would do well to read the story of the martyrdom of Polycarp, and how he invited the arresting officers into his house, requested those of the church attending him to feed the men and make them comfortable while, by permission of the soldiers who were dumbfounded by his hospitality and love, he went to pray before leaving.
Love is patient and kind … it bears all things and endures all things. Love doesn’t kill people that come to do violence. It endures the violence and convicts the wicked with joy and peace.