As I delved deeper into the vision, I realized that the emphasis was on a systemic, movement-based model of shepherding. This approach prioritized the collective over individual pursuits. It wasn’t about scrapping individual pastoral callings, but rather, recognizing that something greater was unfolding.
The Spirit had moved Pastor to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the Shepherding Movement of the 70s. Now, it made sense why. A similar movement was emerging, one that would require a collective, systemic approach.
As this collective structure took form, the foliage from the mighty tree grew dense, blocking out light and casting darkness. Concerned for the animals seeking shelter, I attempted to bring light using my own strength. I brought a bulb, but a large hand emerged from the tree, signaling that I wasn’t to rely on my own power.
The bulb, I realized, was drawing light from above the foliage – from the sun. This brought to mind the lessons from our Believers’ Bible School. Those who walked in the outer courts of Moses’ tabernacle relied on worldly ways of thinking, drawing light from the sun. In contrast, those in the holy place received their light directly from the lampstand – the Spirit of God.
My actions, I understood, were dangerous. They would corrupt the movement, introducing worldly ways of thinking and rendering it superficial. If I wasn’t stopped by the ‘hand of God’, I and others like me would have turned this movement into a seemingly beautiful but lifeless and useless tree – like a Christmas tree.
As the vision continued, the leaves of the mighty tree began to glow with light, providing illumination for all under its cover. The tree brought forth fruits that emitted light, and these fruits hatched into lambs and birds. The mighty tree had become a shelter, and animals gathered beneath its shade.
Remarkably, wild animals transformed into sheep, symbolizing the transformative power of the light. However, I noticed that certain areas of the foliage were not properly lit. In those areas, wild animals remained unchanged. _This was linked to the individuals with any of the three fivefold callings/gifts who formed the apostolic unit of the movement._ _If they were not spiritually sound, healthy in their souls, and/or well-grounded in the Truth, the light from their part of the tree was dim or nonexistent, preventing the transformation of the wild animals._
As a result, the untransformed wild animals began to prey on the new lambs. The individuals who had initially formed the apostolic units were no longer recognizable as separate entities. Each person had been absorbed into the mighty tree, becoming part of the whole movement. The concept of individual identity had been consumed by the greater collective, signifying the unity and systemic nature of this shepherding movement.
6th September 2024
Bro SE
GAMWATCH
