What does the Shepherd's Chapel Teach?

The Shepherd's Chapel as a Non-Christian Cult

So, what is the Shepherd's Chapel? The Shepherd's Chapel is, at the very best, a controversial church with many unorthodox doctrines. At the worst, it is a non-Christian cult. The following list of teachings from the Shepherd's Chapel is derived from scouring the internet, from checking out chat rooms where his followers are, from checking out bulletin boards where they post, by asking them what Arnold Murray teaches, by looking at the Shepherd's Chapel website and by watching his TV show.

Now, many people, many Christian apologists, consider the Shepherd's Chapel organization to be a non-Christian cult, and the reason they do is because of the various unorthodox doctrines that the Shepherd's Chapel teaches.

Denial of the Trinity and Modalism

For example, the Shepherd's Chapel, Arnold Murray denies the doctrine of the Trinity, and he teaches instead what's called modalism. Now, the Trinity is that there's one God who exists in three eternal, co-powerful persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Modalism is the teaching that God is one person and He exists either in three forms or three offices. This is what Arnold Murray is teaching, and that is outside of orthodoxy. Now, on the Shepherd's Chapel website, at shepherdschapel .com, we find this statement regarding God.

Quote,. We believe in the God of the Bible, Exodus 3, verses 6 -14, unquote. Well, unfortunately, this is completely insufficient as an explanation of what the Godhead really is. It does not cover the doctrine of the Trinity, it doesn't affirm or deny modalism, or polytheism for that matter.

Just to say, we believe in the God of the Bible doesn't do anything, because Mormons say that, Jehovah's Witnesses say that, and various cult groups say the same thing. It's just not enough. And He should know better.

It should be more descriptive than that. Now also, He denies, and the Shepherd's Chapel teaches, the denial of the existence of eternal hell. Now, this clearly contradicts the Bible's teachings. Take, for example, Revelation 20, verse 10, where it says,.

Quote,. And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Unquote.

Eternal Punishment, the Rapture, and the Resurrection

Also, Jesus said in Matthew 25, verse 46,. Quote,. And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. Close quote. Now, another doctrine that the Shepherd's Chapel denies is the doctrine of the rapture.

Now, you don't have to believe in the rapture in order to be a Christian, but it's just another one of those things that's clearly taught in Scripture that He denies. And if we go to 1 Thessalonians 4 .15, it says this,.

Quote,. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. Now, that's 1 Thessalonians 4 .15 -18 actually. Another doctrine that He denies is the physical resurrection of the believers.

Instead, He says we're going to be raised spiritually. This is a serious problem. We are going to follow in Christ's footsteps. He was physically raised. We're going to be physically raised. He also denies the doctrine of eternal punishment and teaches instead what's called annihilationism, that after judgment the sinner, the unredeemed, simply move out of existence, don't exist anymore.

Serpent Seed Doctrine, Pre-Existence, and Israel Identity Claims

He also teaches that there are certain Old Testament kosher laws regarding meat that need to be followed. There's another teaching that's most controversial called the Serpent Seed Doctrine. This is a teaching that Eve had literal sexual intercourse with the devil and produced the offspring known as Cain.

So Cain was Satan's offspring. Now the descendants of Cain are called the Cainites. The Cainites are the tares of the parable of Matthew 13. The problem here is who are the Cainites? Who are the descendants of Cain and so on in the world?

So we have a problem here with who He describes as Cainites and who are really followers of the devil versus followers of what He truly teaches as being right. Also He teaches that Satan's fallen angels impregnated women around the time of Noah.

Now there's some debate on that within Christian circles, but that's just one of the things He teaches. He also denies interracial marriage. He also says being born again is to enter into this body from a spiritual body of another age.

Arnold Murray teaches America and Britain are the lost tribes of Israel. He teaches that people were alive in pre-existence. He says that the earth age prior to Adam is where the people lived prior to this time.

Creation, the Millennial Kingdom, and Final Warning

Of course, I've already said he denies the rapture, but he does at least believe and teach that Satan is a literal being, that Jesus will return, and that Jesus will set up a future millennial kingdom.

He teaches that the Bible is also the inerrant word of God. He says that the earth is millions of years old. And of course, Arnold Murray is one of God's true teachers on earth today. Now, Carm very strongly recommends that everyone stay away from the Shepherd's Chapel.

Due to its unorthodox and aberrant teachings that contradict the clear word of God. Stay away from this false church.