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Covering theology is the belief that all believers must submit to a covering. Usually this covering is the pastor of the church they attend. If the believer does not submit to what the pastor (covering) says they will be subject to demonic attacks. Nowhere in the Bible is this doctrine taught. In this article were going to explore covering theology and what the Bible says about it. For more information, check the accompanying podcast series found at the bottom of this article.
The Negative effects of Covering Theology
If Covering Theology was from the Lord, why are there so many negative effects on the church? Covering Theology has a negative impact on both leadership (the covering) and those who submit to the covering. Obviously if covering theology was clearly taught in the scriptures the following points would be moot.
How has Covering Theology affected the church and its leadership?
One problem with covering theology is that leadership is no longer held accountable by its church. Often, the congregations of these types of churches are discouraged from questioning or challenging the pastor. The covering (pastor) enjoys a kind of power and authority over their church that rivals some of the most controlling cults.
Pastors of these types of churches often are puffed up with the power they hold over their congregation. Many of these pastors go as far as to control the lives of their people; telling them who they can and cannot marry, what job they should take, what they should do with their lives etc. You don’t see anything like this in the scriptures. Rather you find all Christians, including the leaders serving each other.
What does the Bible say about covering theology?
Obviously the Bible does not address covering theology directly, nonetheless, there are many scriptures that can shed light on what God thinks about covering theology. To be fair, let’s start by looking at the scripture that is often touted as being a proof text for covering theology.
Romans 13:1-7 “ Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (2) Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. (3) For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: (4) For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. (5) Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. (6) For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. (7) Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”
First of all, this scripture is talking about obeying the government, not a church leader. To apply this scripture to church leadership is to take it completely out of context. Secondly, notice the kind of government that is being talked about. These rulers were “not a terror to good works”. There are many examples in the Bible of Godly men and women disobeying bad governmental commands or rules. Moses’s mother and the mid-wives disobeyed pharaoh’s command to kill the Hebrew children and let Moses live. David exercised civil disobedience by fleeing King Saul. All the apostles disobeyed the Jews and the Romans by preaching the gospel. The Bible is filled with instances where Godly people chose not to follow every command of their government. Were they damned? Did God send them to hell for this? No. Clearly something more is going on here.
The following is another passage that is used to support covering theology.
Matthew 23:1-15 “Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, (2) Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: (3) All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. (4) For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. (5) But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, (6) And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, (7) And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. (8) But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. (9) And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. (10) Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. (11) But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. (12) And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. (13) But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. (14) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. (15) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.”
It’s argued that when Jesus commanded his listeners to observe what the scribes and Pharisees said, he was exemplifying covering theology. That’s not at all what Jesus was talking about. The scribes and Pharisees were teaching from the law. In other words, when they taught their followers to observe God’s words, they were to be listened to. Notice that those who were proselytes were called a “child of hell”.
Paul said that we should:
Romans 16:17 “mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”
What if that person causing “divisions and offences” was your covering? Should you continue with them? Here’s your answer.
Ephesians 5:11 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
God wants servant leadership
Rather than a pastor lording it over their congregation, God wants servant leaders.
Matthew 23:8-11 “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. (9) And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. (10) Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. (11) But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.”
Luke 22:25-26 “And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. (26) But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.”
Jesus was telling his disciples that those in leadership were to be as servants to their people. This is in direct contrast to how churches in the covering movement work.
Matthew 20:25-26 “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;”
Paul rebukes the covering theology mindset
In 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses an issue in the church where believers were fighting about who they received their authority from. Although this is not exactly the same as covering theology, it has its similarities. Rather than saying so and so is my covering, these believers were saying “I am of Paul” or “I am of Apollos”. This would have been a perfect time for Paul to teach covering theology but he does not. Rather Paul rebukes these believers for being “carnal” in their thinking.
1 Corinthians 1:10-13 “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (11) For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. (12) Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. (13) Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?”
1 Corinthians 3:1-4 “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. (2) I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. (3) For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? (4) For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?”
1 Corinthians 3:21-23 “Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; (22) Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; (23) And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.”
No one had a covering in the New Testament
Obviously the word “covering” isn’t used in the New Testament. Neither is the concept clearly taught in the New Testament. Here is the kicker; we don’t even see any indication that anyone in the New Testament practiced covering theology. In other words: No one had a covering.
- Paul didn’t have a covering. Peter would have been the closest thing to a covering to Paul and Paul publically rebuked Peter for his hypocrisy (Gal 2:11).
- Peter would have been the best candidate to be the covering for the early church yet he said in Acts 5:39 “We ought to obey God rather than men”.
- Barnabas had no covering. The closest person to a covering would have been Paul. Barnabas had a sharp disagreement with Paul and left with Mark (Acts 15:39).
- Who was Philip’s covering when he went to Samaria on a mission? The Apostles didn’t even know a revival was happening until after it had begun. Why wasn’t he rebuked for stepping outside of his covering?
- Apollos didn’t have a covering when he taught in the synagogues.
There is not a single instance where you can see covering theology being lived out by the early believers.
Conclusion
Covering theology is an unbiblical doctrine. Covering theology is a doctrine of man. Nobody in the Bible lived out the teachings of covering theology (not that that would prove the validity of the doctrine). The Bible does not teach covering theology at all. Why must we purchase a book to understand covering theology? If covering theology was so important to God? Why isn’t it clearly taught in the scriptures? If covering theology was a biblical doctrine, then we would have to conclude that God intends for 99% of all Christians to have their lives destroyed by demonic attacks because the doctrine cannot be found to be clearly taught in the Bible. God’s word is simply silent on this issue. Furthermore, the concepts taught in covering theology are refuted by the scriptures.
The results are in…covering theology is unbiblical and should be avoided.
For more information about Covering Theology check out the most informative site I have found on the subject here.
http://coveringandauthority.com/
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