"I Am Against the Shepherds" says the Sovereign LORD.
One of the most heartbreaking realities in the life of the church, and one of the clearest signs of Satanic influence within the church, is the suffering of the sheep at the hands of the undershepherds. Such realities call for faithful undersheperds to rise up in defense of the flock, and this often means taking stands against fellow elders, or at least providing the resources that wounded sheep need in their plight. Please allow me to introduce you to the Ezekiel 34 Foundation.
To say that it’s a pleasure to commend this organization is almost paradoxical. The fact that this group’s work is so sorely needed is heartbreaking. Accounts continue to come to light of vulnerable sheep in the Good Shepherd’s flock having been savaged by wolves in sheep’s clothing. The Ezekiel 34 foundation exists because this violence has often occurred not only on the watch of undershepherds, but with their support. More zealous to protect the livelihood of the wolves than the lives of the sheep whom the wolves devour, some leaders in the church have looked the other way; others have actively obstructed efforts to provide practical resources and rescue for the wounded; still others have overtly amplified their pain by trying, in the name of Christian forgiveness, to force victims back into the company of abusers whose repentance is merely rhetorical - and therefore, according to Scripture, nonexistent (James 2).
Thankfully, other church leaders have heard the Good Shepherd’s call to care for wounded sheep. They've worked to provide the tangible help that Scripture requires us to give to the oppressed and that typifies pure religion in the sight of our Heavenly Father (James 1 and 2). Where some undershepherds have become accusers of the wounded, others have become advocates. They've helped victims - particularly women and children in the church and home - to be seen and heard, which assures them that the Lord himself has heard their cries and not lost sight of them. The spiritual and practical help that wounded sheep receive is tangible, personal evidence of the Good Shepherd's care for his flock, and every one of his sheep. And for those reasons, it is a heavyhearted, nearly paradoxical pleasure – and yet an unequivocal joy – to commend the Ezekiel 34 foundation to you.
Please check this ministry out. Please support it in prayer, including prayer that the Lord would raise up other such works; and, if possible, please support this work financially. I think you’ll find that this foundation is well rooted in the biblical doctrine and ethics that comprise the core of truly evangelical, conservative Christian faith. That faith is on display in many tangible ways, including the fact that they operate under ecclesiastical oversight and are committed on all levels to the transparency and accountability so studiously avoided by wolves and by those who give them safe haven in the home, the church, and in public Christian organizations. The foundation's refusal to be autonomous, and its refusal to merely tell those crying out that that we're praying for them, that they should go their way and be blessed, or simply to "trust the process" of church help that never comes - or comes too late - commends the Ezekiel 34 Foundation as a ministry truly representative of the Good Shepherd (Micah 6:8; Matthew 25:31ff; Luke 10:25ff; John 10).
May the Lord bless the Ezekiel 34 Foundation such that all who need the help it provides will be reached; and may the Lord so convict, cleanse, and reform his church that such organizations are no longer so sorely needed.
