I haven't heard anything in regards to spiritual coverings in a long time until I ran into this article yesterday. Do you agree, disagree...did the idea really originate in the 70's charismatic movement?
Why Pastors, Elders, & Husbands Are Not Your "Spiritual Covering"
-When I first began blogging and doing ministry online, I wrote something controversial on Facebook (imagine that). What I wrote offended one of my friends, and she asked me who my "spiritual covering" was.
In some recent movements in the Christian world, a "spiritual covering" is a person who supposedly has more spiritual authority than other Christians – normally a pastor, elder, or priest of some sort. I was taken aback by the question and at that point I did not know the biblical answer, so I wrote back and said,
"My dad is my spiritual covering. He has been a pastor and mentor my whole life."
My answer makes me cringe now, because it's not true.
The truth is that the Bible never mentions the need for any sort of "spiritual covering" to do ministry or to make life decisions. The idea of Christians needing a "spiritual covering" originated in the 1970s, out of the charismatic movement.
Many pastors, elders, and husbands have used the idea to manipulate, control, and spiritually abuse less knowledgeable and more vulnerable Christians.
Often,
1 Peter 5 is used to support the need for Christians to submit to their pastors, elders, and husbands as their "spiritual covering." In the text, Peter is encouraging church leaders to care for their congregation, but there is no indication that leaders have more "spiritual authority" than other Christians.
Rather, there is indication that church leaders have been given a sort of "earthly authority" to do their job and Peter clearly writes, "Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock (1 Peter 5:3)." A godly leader leads by example and never seeks to control others.
"Spiritual authority" comes from the Holy Spirit who lives within every Christian (1 Corinthians 3:16). The Holy Spirit that lives inside of one's pastor or elder is the same Holy Spirit that lives inside of all Christians.
Therefore, every Christian has an
equal amount of "spiritual authority" to minister to the world and to make their own life decisions, with the Holy Spirit's guidance.
Jesus commissioned and empowered all of us when He said...
http://www.jorymicah.com/why-pastors...tual-covering/