Who's Your Covering?

I’ve been sharing with some different people lately about my interest in house churches. Before I get to say anything else, the first question that usually comes out of their mouth is, whose covering are you under? A variation of that question is which person do you submit yourself to?

Until looking into house churches, I must confess that that was the first question that came out of my mouth, as well. It’s almost like it didn’t matter if the authority figure was good, bad or an imbecile. I just needed to know that they were under someone’s authority. If they hardly knew the man and the man hardly new them, it didn’t matter as long as they could say, behold the man. He’s my covering.

Many Christians will joyfully declare that the guy in the pulpit is their pastor and their covering. And the guy in the pulpit will say, these are my people whom I preside over. They seem comforted by being able to identify this clear line of authority. The fact that there is no personal friendship or connectedness doesn’t seem to bother anyone. If you do get that personal touch, bonus, but it really isn’t necessary.

Why not buy a sermon series from Billy Graham and declare him to be your pastoral covering? After all, you don’t have to know your pastor to have him as your covering. Why settle for second best?

Other people have figured this problem out and said it’s all about being in relationship. Yes, it’s really, really important to identify your covering, just make sure that it is relationally based.

Here’s the deal, what if your authority figure teaches you crapola. What if he is a manipulative, control freak and keeps you from spiritually maturing? Is it good enough to say, I was under so and so’s covering? What if the man you are under is a really spiritual man of God? How do you know if he is perfect? When you meet Peter at the pearly gates, will he ask you who your covering was?

1Cor 11:3 (NIV) Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

Ephe 5:24 (NIV) Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Paul wasn’t as clear as he should have been. He forgot to include the authority figures we were to have as our covering. It’s fascinating that there is no verse in the Bible that says you are to have a pastor as your covering.

I repent from such an unscriptural teaching. I ask forgiveness from anyone that I taught that they were to come under the authority of a man.

The only authority that we are to come under is Jesus Christ.

Why settle for second best? Let Jesus be your covering.