OTHER SHEEP!     GP 167   6/72

         1. As the Children of God's Revolution began to spread, other Jesus People houses of young, revolutionary Christians began to multiply also as a result of this great revival of faith in Christ amongst the youth of America, MOST OF IT STILL OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCHES IN SPITE OF THE CHURCHES' ATTEMPT TO TAKE IT OVER.
         2. Most of these independent Jesus People houses do not care to return to the old churchy system, with its filthy folds, decrepit sheep & false or hireling shepherds. They are just as sick of the churches as we are! But they've heard all kinds of horror stories about the Children of God & their fanaticism, so THEY'RE AFRAID TO JOIN US ALSO.
         3. Some have even come so far as to visit us hungrily to see what we're like, but were totally blown away by the excessive exclusivism & unChristian intolerance & lack of love of some of our own disciples who gave them the impression that we thought that nobody was a Christian or a Child of God unless he was a member! This was so obviously a wrong, unChristian & unloving attitude that many of them were led to believe that we were not the answer to their problems of lack of leadership & fellowship.
         4. This is indeed tragic, for many of them have become discouraged, disheartened & disillusioned by the shallowness of the rest of the Movement & have either DRIFTED BACK INTO THE CHURCHES OR FALLEN BACK into their former rut & given up trying to serve the Lord at all. For we OFFER THE ONLY DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP & COHESIVE FELLOWSHIP & WORLDWIDE PROGRAMME of evangelism of any extensive group within the Jesus People Movement of today's youth!
         5. As has been recognised by many outside authorities, & even our enemies as well as our friends, WE ARE THE ONLY HIGHLY ORGANISED, STRONGLY DISCIPLINED, DOCTRINALLY INTEGRATED, UNIFYINGLY LED, MILITANTLY PROGRESSIVE & RAPIDLY EXPANDING COORDINATED & SYNCHRONISED BODY within the Jesus People Movement of today!
         6. While praying about this problem, the Lord showed me a picture of a sheepfold with high fences & tightly barred gates & many sheep secure within under good faithful shepherds in the gathering gloom of an approaching storm. But OUTSIDE OF THE FOLD, SCATTERED ON THE HILLSIDE, WERE MANY OTHER FEARFUL, SHEPHERDLESS SHEEP which were not of this fold, & MANY OF WHICH EVEN HUDDLED TOGETHER CLOSE TO OUR FENCES seeking protection, as the WOLVES RAVAGED THE STRAY flocks in the distance & the STORMY WINDS BEGAN TO BLOW in the growing darkness.
         7. But we had made our fences so high & our gates so tight these poor little stray sheep could not get in or join us, but only HUDDLE PITIFULLY OUTSIDE, as though hoping for some protection from their proximity to us. Even those who had shepherds were being driven away from us & seeking refuge in less secure shelters from the storm. EVEN THOUGH THE SHEEPDOGS, LIKE THE SPIRIT OF GOD, WERE TRYING TO HERD THEM TOWARD OUR FOLDS, THE SHEPHERDS WERE DRIVING THEM AWAY, EVEN SOME OF OUR OWN SHEPHERDS!
         8. Beloved, this ought not so to be! We have revolted so radically against compromising, wishy-washy, do-nothing Churchianity that we have gone to the opposite extreme in which some of us have become so exclusive, self-righteous & pharisaical in our own doctrines, practices & certainty of being right that some of us seem to have gotten the idea that we're the only Christians alive, that no one is saved unless he's one of us & no Christian is serving God unless he's joined us! This is a damnable lie of the Devil!
         9. There are many of God's children who are genuinely saved, love the Lord & want to see others saved throughout the World, both in & out of the churches! Do you count them as brethren or as heretics?--As sisters or as whores? Do you look upon them with love & compassion & try to woo & win them into the fold, our fold, God's best fold?--Or do you curse them, blast them, condemn them & blow them away as "Systemites" & "Members of the Whore"!
         10. There are multitudes of other Christians in the World, truly born again children of the Lord who love Him dearly & are doing the best they know how to share His Love with others, many of them even witnessing & winning souls & serving the Lord to the best of their knowledge! How can you condemn them as not being Christians nor serving God?
         11. Other Christians may not be the best in the World & they may not be serving God as much as they should or could, but this does not mean that they're not saved or serving Jesus at all! You are very wrong if you have such an attitude toward THESE "OTHER SHEEP" WHICH ARE NOT OF OUR FOLD! Even Jesus rebuked His Own disciples for this kind of an exclusivist, holier-than-thou, self-righteous attitude when they wanted Him to stop someone from preaching in His Name who was not a member of their little clique!
         12. Jesus said to them, "He that is not against Me is for Me!"--And some of you "No Neutrals" folks need to learn THAT Scripture, too! He also said in that beautiful "Good Shepherd" Chapter of John 10: "OTHER SHEEP I HAVE, WHICH ARE NOT OF THIS FOLD: THEM ALSO I MUST BRING, & they shall hear My Voice; & there shall be one fold & one Shepherd!" You need to study that Chapter & see how lovingly the Good Shepherd cares for His sheep & yearns for the others which are not yet in the Fold!
         13. He does not make His fences so high & His gates so narrow that they cannot get in, but HE EVEN LEAVES THE NINETY-&-NINE SAFE IN THE FOLD WHILE HE GOES OUT HIMSELF ON THE MOUNTAINS TO SEARCH FOR THE LOST ONES, many of whom are trapped in false folds under false shepherds or caught in the brambles of this World or wandering about dazed & lost, sometimes even under other SINCERE SHEPHERDS TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT FOLD!
         14. Some time ago, the Lord prophesied that many would want to follow us, but not actually join; associate or fellowship, but not forsake all & enter in. He said in Isaiah 4:1 they would lay hold on us, but eat their own bread & wear their own apparel: "Only let us be called by thy name"! Read the rest of the Chapter if you want a thrill!
         15. I have already said that we need to accept many outsiders as associates & friends. May I suggest that we do THE SAME FOR JESUS PEOPLE who are interested in us: WELCOME their fellowship, SHARE our literature, songs & disciples' visits & hospitality, tapes etc. & CALL THEM BRETHREN AS LONG AS THEY LOVE JESUS & SOULS! BAN DOCTRINAL ARGUMENTS, CONDEMNATION & ACCUSATIONS! LOVE NEVER FAILS!
         16. We've been very extreme in the past! We've HAD to go to extremes to pull others even half way! We have proved that the ideal of the Scripture works! We have PROVED our point: THAT YOU CAN BE A REAL DISCIPLE & A BETTER CHRISTIAN OUTSIDE THE PRESENT CHURCH SYSTEM.--That we can still live & preach & believe like Jesus' original disciples & witness & win souls & get the job done like they did, by FORSAKING ALL, SHARING ALL, LIVING TOGETHER, PUTTING GOD FIRST & SPENDING OUR FULL TIME SERVING HIM & TRUSTING HIM TO MEET ALL OUR NEEDS BY FAITH!
         17. So we should no longer have to argue the point--our lives & accomplishments have proved it! Now we need to be a little more generous, tolerant, patient, loving & forgiving with those who have not yet come as far as we have, but are on the way--even with those who have probably gone as far as they can & may never get any further, as they are too old or set to change or are too late--particularly the older generation! We should accept them as Friends & Associates AS they are & WHERE they are IF THEY LIKE US & WANT TO HELP US OR FELLOWSHIP WITH US.
         18. They know what we believe & how we live & what we've accomplished.--It's been in every newspaper & on every TV screen, as well as many periodicals. We can continue to SHARE OUR LITERATURE, lessons, songs etc. with them WITHOUT BEATING THEM OVER THE HEADS WITH THEM OR TRYING TO SHOVE THEM DOWN THEIR THROATS! We've proved our point!--They can take it or leave it, but WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRY TO FORCE IT ON THEM! WE'RE JUST GOING TO SHOW THEM LOVE & patience & a good EXAMPLE, NOT A SERMON, & hope that they see the Light!
         19. Some of you seem to have forgotten that when Paul walked into their synagogues to give them the Good News, he called his fellow Jews "men & brethren," not "wolves & vipers," or he wouldn't have gotten very far with his message! He tried to WOO & WIN them, NOT BLOW & BLAST them, & by such wise behaviour he usually managed to walk off with half their congregation by the time the other half rejected him & threw him out! He would then move to the house of one of the followers & carry on there, teaching & establishing the new brethren & appointing elders over them, until the opposition raised such a stir that he was run out of town, leaving behind him a nice new group of believers! I wish to God we could follow his example!
         20. We could invite the Jesus People to come & see us, visit with us, fellowship in our meetings & classes & get a good sample of our love & happiness & disciples' doctrine instead of blowing them away at the front door if they don't accept our explanation of Eternal Salvation or interpretation of Bible prophecy on the spot! We should AVOID THESE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES & rather try to EMPHASISE OUR BROTHERHOOD IN THE LORD & COMMON DESIRE to see souls saved whether they believe in the Post-Trib Rapture or not--or even KJV!
         21. "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations ... let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not ... for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? ... God is able to make him stand. ... Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. (Don't push him!) ... Every one of us shall give account of HIMSELF to God. LET US NOT THEREFORE JUDGE ONE ANOTHER ANY MORE ... DESTROY NOT HIM WITH THY MEAT FOR WHOM CHRIST DIED" (Romans 12). Jesus said, "Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out!"--Jn.6:37. Maybe we'd even WIN FORMER BRETHREN by calling them "GRADUATES," NOT BACKSLIDERS!
         22. In our first schools for witnessing, if after completing any one of our courses or stages, a student did not wish to continue in our school or was not even suitable or capable of continuing to a higher level of leadership & wanted to go home, WE DIDN'T CALL HIM A "BACKSLIDER" & SEND HIM AWAY WITH CURSES & threats, but WE CALLED HIM A "GRADUATE" & SENT HIM HOME WITH A GRADUATION CERTIFICATE & OUR BLESSING to show he'd done the best he could & we hoped he'd be a better Christian & a good witness for the Lord, even at home or on his job or in his church, even though he didn't qualify for all-out full-time service.
         23. As a result, we kept many of our "graduates" as friends & co-workers, who continued to fellowship with us, pray for us, & even help to support us for years afterward, some of them even returning to go on with the Lord later.
         24. Why can't we do the same today? Why can't we have:
                  (1) DISCIPLES--Full-time members, the 100-percenters who have taken our training & are serving the Lord full time with us.
                  (2) GRADUATES--Those who have gone as far as they feel able, but don't feel suited to our type of life or ministry & go back home to hopefully serve the Lord as best they can.
                  (3) ASSOCIATES--Those who do not feel able to forsake all & join us & help us all they can.
                  (4) FRIENDS--These may not even be saved, but like our work, stick up for us & help us.
         25. A lot of these folks have no other church or fellowship & would really like to feel they belong somewhere or to something, so we might even give them some kind of CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIP so they can really feel like they're one of us & a part of the Family, even though they live outside. Systemites are geared to this sort of thing, so they could come to our meetings like going to church & give to us like putting their offering in the plate. WE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST ONE SPECIAL MEETING EACH WEEK FOR THIS PURPOSE FOR THESE PEOPLE--a meeting full of music, good positive songs & testimonies & inspirational instruction, but not necessarily any of the heavy stuff. You could even read them the lighter Letters designed for Babes & the GP! You could either have an OFFERING BOX by the door where they can't miss it as they leave, or pass a plate.--They're geared for this!
         26. The disciples were not the only Christians! They had many part-time members, secret believers & even just pro-Christian friends, like Joseph of Arimathaea, Nicodemus, Gamaliel, etc. And who were the Five Wise Virgins who got into the Wedding? Were they all Brides?--Or were they the Bride's handmaidens? The Lord has called us "The FAIREST of all the daughters of Zion."--But not the ONLY daughter!
         27. Our main requirement for ASSOCIATES, associate members or associate Homes should be simply that which unites us all in the Body of Christ: THE LOVE OF GOD & OTHERS. They're SAVED & BELIEVE IN WITNESSING & winning souls, even though they may not spend most of their time doing it, & they want to actually FELLOWSHIP with us!
         28. The FRIENDS could include all our outside friends, parents, businessmen etc., who are for us, favourable & may even help us, whether SAVED OR UNSAVED OR MEMBERS OF OTHER CHURCHES OR NOT. Some of our friends may not have forsaken all, but they've given all they can, but WE HAVEN'T BEEN FAITHFUL TO MINISTER TO THEM SPIRITUALLY, haven't fellowshipped with them or given them classes or MO Letters.
         29. Beloved, MO Letters designated for babes are usually good for our outside friends also! So we should certainly be able to give some of these to our Associates & Friends. Choose accordingly.
         30. Just remember: No revolution has ever been able to get along without outside friends! Every one has had its patrons, supporters & co-workers, whether willing or unwilling members of the System. If we insist on being so exclusive that we exclude such outside Associates & Friends & despise their help & friendship & pour contempt on their supposed lack of dedication, & reject their fellowship, we will never get very far. WE NEED THOSE KINGS, QUEENS, CAPTAINS, JUDGES, WIDOWS, PENSIONERS ETC. WE NEED THEIR PRAYERS ABOVE ALL!
         31. --And if you think we don't need their money & you're so damned independent you think you can do without their help, you're mistaken! You may not be working for money, but you're going to need plenty of it to survive & accomplish your work for the Lord! Some Homes right now are hurt & handicapped for lack of funds & because they've had such an arrogant, haughty, proud, insolent & independent spirit they have offended their friends, their Kings & Queens & other helpers & failed to minister to them as they should. If they minister to you materially, YOU OWE THEM A SPIRITUAL MINISTRY of encouragement, inspiration & fellowship. If you don't, you'll never amount to much!--You'll just remain a "sect," a little, cut-off piece!
         32. And the same goes for some of you guys who are so damned self-righteous, holier-than-thou, sanctimonious & pharisaical about some of your HAIR-SPLITTING, CONTROVERSIAL THEOLOGICAL DOCTRINES such as Water Baptism, Forsaking All & Bible Prophecy. A lot of you have blown people away by insisting on ARGUING ABOUT THESE MINOR ISSUES INSTEAD OF FELLOWSHIPPING with them in Jesus & witnessing, the two things nearly all Christians can agree on! YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO INSIST & DEMAND THAT THEY EITHER LIVE OR APPROVE OF YOUR WAY OF LIFE IN ORDER TO FELLOWSHIP WITH THEM IN THE LORD & WORK WITH THEM in witnessing & soul winning!--Believe it or not!--CRASH! Old Bottles!
         33. As we were giving this, we suddenly got this in the Spirit in tongues, with interpretation: "Lord, help us to be more merciful to those who heed the Words of David!" I think it means WE SHOULD BE AS MERCIFUL & PATIENT AS POSSIBLE WITH THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWING AS FAR & AS FAST AS THEY CAN, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY SEEM FAR BEHIND US.--At least they're heeding, trying to obey & follow as best they can!
         34. WHILE DISCUSSING THIS REVELATION ABOUT INCLUDING THESE "OTHER SHEEP" INTO GREATER FELLOWSHIP, sympathy, patience, understanding & receiving them into our arms & hearts as co-labourers in His Vineyard even though they might not live with us, I ASKED THE LORD IF THIS WASN'T GETTING TOO BROADMINDED & TOO TOLERANT. Immediately He reminded us of the Scripture in ISAIAH 54 which He had given us long ago in our beginnings in California:
         35. "Enlarge the place of thy tent, & let them STRETCH FORTH the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, LENGTHEN thy cords, & STRENGTHEN thy stakes. For thou shalt BREAK FORTH on the right hand & on the left; & thy seed shall INHERIT the Gentiles, & make the desolate cities to be INHABITED." Hallelujah! I would often have hesitated to take greater steps of faith in our history if the Lord hadn't reminded me of this prophetic commandment to forge ahead!
         36. To enlarge, you have to take in more territory. To stretch forth your curtains, you have to HAVE MORE HABITATIONS, more Homes. To lengthen your cords, you CAN'T BE SKIMPY OR CHINTZY.--And to strengthen your stakes, you've gotta REALLY POUND THEM IN SOLID, really establish your Home. The rest is obvious: If you do these things, you'll be BUSTIN' OUT ALL OVER, WINNING THE WORLD & TAKING IT OVER!
         37. I was also reminded of one of Grandmother's favourite little poems:
         "HE DREW A CIRCLE THAT SHUT ME OUT,
         BUT I DREW A CIRCLE THAT BROUGHT HIM IN!"
Beloved, can't we do this with the Lord's "Other Sheep"? He even went to Hell to bring US in! Why can't we PERMIT THESE "OTHER SHEEP" IN OUR FOLDS IF THEY HEED HIS VOICE? Amen!


Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family