Honor'$ Reward

I feel inspired to address a growing concern I've had in regards to John Bevere's latest book-release titled 'Honor's Reward'. I want to start by saying that I've read 2 of his books: 'Thus Saith The Lord? and 'Under Cover: The Promise of Protection Under His Authority'. Both are excellent books, I highly recommend them. However, since I saw 'Honor' on the shelf at the Christian bookstore (shortly after it released) I admit I was repulsed. What initially repulsed me was the almost-full-length photo of John in obvious make-up, right on the front cover. My first question into thin air was "why?" (don't blame it on the publishers). My answer was an uneasy feeling in my spirit about scruples. I read the descriptions and saw, in essence, it is similar to his other book: 'Under Cover' (which has a beautiful cover I might add).

So why re-write a similar topic, disecting and expounding on the way people regard authority? I am now quite suspicious of the motive behind the book. Good message, true message, suspicious motive. The potential of the message being misused and abused by church leadership is huge. I will quote something I read this morning from a book by Graham Cooke (italics mine),

"I am amazed at how many leaders put a reign on the prophetic (or whoever) that they do not put, or allow, upon themselves. Leadership without accountability is unbiblical and susceptible to control, manipulation, deception and spiritual domination. Ironically, these are all things to which prophetic people are supposed to be particularly prone (and indeed all too often are!). I wonder sometimes if leaders are not projecting onto the prophetic realm what the Lord is seeing and saying about themselves. Projectionism is not a prophetic disease; it is a human condition (page 267). ..... People do not know personally when they are deceived. The heart is deceptively wicked in that it protects itself from truth. That is why open, candid relationships are vital (page 270)."

Quoted from 'Developing Your Prophetic Gifting' by Graham Cooke (a must read for every church leader if they want to build effective and accountable team ministry in their church).

One of the things that concerns me is the potential out there to misunderstand what honor actually means. The word honor is defined by the word esteem in 'Funk & Wagnall's' Dictionary. The word esteem is from the Latin word aestimare which means to value. Scripture, I'm sure, uses both the noun and verb forms of honor. However, if the general drift I'm getting from how I'm seeing this book and word thrown around I have to ask this; how then shall we interpret Christ's behaviour in His words to the Pharisees in (read it) Luke11:37-54?

I have seen the phrase,"The fear of the Lord must return to the church..." used in association with this book and it's subject. I agree, fear of the Lord will return to the Church, however, I believe this will be so firstly due to God exposing secret sin as in Luke 12:1-3, "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs." Based on scripture I've deduced that the judgement we will fear will start with the House of God and within it will start with the leadership.

I have been in leadership roles and if God is willing I'll be there again. If you are a leader my advice to you is this: If you read 'Honor's Reward' do so without an attitude of entitlement. If honour means esteem and esteem means value and you do not think you've been shown enough appreciation ask yourself if you're only reaping what you've sown (insight from a good friend of mine). Do you value your flock (evident by nurtured relationships)? How have you shown it? Or do you only care as long as they do what you need or want?

I will hazard to say there will be 3 groups of people reading this book. Group 1 will have a personal hunger for more of God in their lives. Group 2 will be leaders with a victim mentality. Group 3 will be leaders who are ticked off that their congregation is not producing enough bricks so they'll whip them with it.


Looks like John's got himself a bestseller.