For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. (I Corinthians 4:15)
There are various levels of relationship that God builds between people. I have had many “instructors,” and some beloved “pastors” and “mentors” over four decades of ministry. They are all different. And I have related to each of them on various levels. But I have not had “many fathers.” Paul uses this familial metaphor deliberately, comparing our spiritual lineage with our biological. And just as you do not “choose” your biological father, neither do you “choose” your spiritual father.
Of course, for some of us who are older, our spiritual fathers have at some point transitioned to Heaven. Now, instead of drawing from our fathers, we now are responsible to impart life, being, and spiritual DNA into our sons and daughters.
Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. (Psalm 45:16 KJV)
It can never be our motivation to gather “followers,” or to “recruit sons,” but rather to embrace true God-sent sons and daughters whom we raise to surpass and go beyond us. I have frequently told our spiritual kids that they will fly higher, go deeper, progress faster and farther, and accomplish more in the Kingdom than I ever did. In fact, the Lord spoke to me many years ago in prayer that, “The ministry which I have entrusted to you will not be evaluated in the Light of Eternity based merely on what you do, but on the degree of impartation into others who will multiply the ministry.” As I grow older, there is more and more urgency in my spirit to impart into true sons and daughters what it has taken God over forty years to put into me. Our sons and daughters should not have to relearn the lessons forged in our journey. Even though some might, through their own unwise choices, have to learn some lessons the hard way, they certainly should not have to learn those lessons that way. Our sons and daughters should start where we end, and use our shoulders as the platform to launch them into new heights in the Glory of God! Often I have said to some son or daughter, “I have slain my thousands. Go and slay your ten thousands. Come back with the victory report. I will rejoice with you and I will never throw a spear at you!”
There have been many wonderful teachers in my life, too many to name. Through my academic career I have experienced the influence of other magnificent instructors. Each has had a part to play and the input from each has been welcome and helpful. Most of the thousands of books in my library were written by outstanding teachers, each of which had something of value to impart. And then there were those instructors with whom I had more “in-person” contact with on some level or other, like Pastor JOHN Osteen, Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin, Dr. T. L. Osborn, and Dr. Lester Sumrall, just to name a few. While I did not enjoy a close personal relationship with any of these great men, what they imparted to my life over the years, through both teaching and the laying on of hands, cannot be measured.
As well, there have been many beloved mentors, some well-known in some circles and others not, with whom I have had some degree of impartation on a more personal level. I could not name all of them in this limited space either. The Lord used the ministry of Rev. Joe Jordan to launch me into healing ministry decades ago. Bro. Joe later became a close friend and precious mentor. Although I had ministered prophetically for many years prior, it was through Bro. Joe’s influence that I gained a new appreciation of the value of ministry through tongues and interpretation of tongues. Now my wife and I minister together fluently by the Spirit of God in that realm. I have also had the privilege of ministering with others on occasion through tongues and interpretation, and helping other ministry leaders become released in that area of ministry as well. Bro. Joe is just one example from many I could give of a much loved mentor who has helped to shape us into what we are still becoming.
Pastor Frank Ebarb has been a trusted friend, respected pastor, and “big brother” since the early 1980’s. We have ministered frequently in the congregation he has led for decades, and actually based our traveling ministry out of his church for many years. There have been other “pastoral” influences in our lives in addition to the “teachers” and “mentors.” Each has been valuable and each is greatly appreciated.
Yet, even though I have had a multitude of “instructors,” and many “mentors,” including pastors (shepherds), I have NOT had “many fathers.” Generally speaking, instructors impart information and mentors impart “method.” But fathers impart BEING, IDENTITY, and LEGACY! Instructors teach us about “the stuff.” Mentors show us how to “do the stuff” (to use a phrase gleaned from Bro. Charles and Sis. Francis Hunter). But fathers draw out of us the uniqueness that God seeded into us and purposed for us to become. From a teacher we will gain knowledge, and from a mentor we can learn technique. But in addition to teaching and training, a father will provide inheritance! We need great teachers. We need effective mentors. But we MUST have and embrace FATHERS.
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. (Malachi 4:6)
It is only through the connection of fathers with sons and daughters that the curse of fatherlessness (what some call the “orphan spirit”) is broken. Nothing can replace or compensate for a genuine relationship with a true father. I have often reaffirmed to the sons and daughters assigned to me by God, “My heart is turned toward you Son!” “My heart is turned toward you Daughter!” “I love you very, very, very much!” For someone like me, who has been wounded by betrayal and lies from those I trusted in the past almost to the point that I did not want to “love” or “invest my all” in anyone again, to make such statements to a son or daughter is truly HUGE! Yet, just in the last year, God has re-softened and re-tenderized my heart. And I have seen sons break into tears as I embraced them as “Dad,” and affirmed my acceptance of them and my commitment to them. “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!” There are some who may not believe that such open affirmations are important, but believe me, they ARE!
Apostle Melvin Tisdale, my spiritual father, was not exceptionally well-known outside of the circles in which he was relationally connected. He was not “flashy,” or prideful. He did not seek to “recruit” sons or build some kind of network to make a name for himself or to compensate for some inward insecurity in who he was. He knew who he was, but he did not feel he had to continually try to convince others of who he was. If you are constantly having to remind folks that you are an apostle on assignment from God, you had better re-evaluate your heart and open yourself to some dealings of God now, before you face more severe dealings from God later!
How thankful I am for the relationship that I enjoyed with “Dad,” most especially in the last decade of his life on the earth. He acknowledged me openly as his Son, and I acknowledged him openly as my Father. We may not have agreed on every little point and detail, but which fathers and sons ever did? Yet Apostle Tisdale was “DAD!” I sought his counsel and weighed heavily what he told me. Although he was extremely spiritually perceptive, and moved in Words of Knowledge with great accuracy, he didn’t think he had to have a “personal prophecy” for me each time we visited in order to keep me “connected” to him or to draw me closer to him. Beware of those who always and on every occasion, claim to “have a word” for you! That’s one red flag that makes my alarm bells start to tingle.
I was at the hospital the night “Dad” passed into Glory. Although the machines were maintaining his bodily functions, when I touched his unconscious form and did not “connect” I knew he was already headed through the Heavenly Portals. My only regret is that I did not put my hands gently upon his eyes. I did, however, kiss him. And I told him that I loved him, confident that we would see each other again.
Yes, we must have teachers. We must have mentors. But it is imperative, especially in these days when seducing spirits are running rampant endeavoring to deceive if possible the very elect, that we maintain and pursue relationship with the genuine spiritual father assigned to us by God, and not allow anything to influence us to distance from or worse, to separate from, the “Dad” that we have acknowledge and that God has assigned to watch for our souls. Be Blessed!
