The Shepherd's Chapel teaches a doctrine distinguishing between the "elect" and the "very elect." Central to this is the concept of the "7000 very elect," claimed to be a literal group of 7,000 elite predestined individuals who stood most faithfully with God against Satan in a pre-existent "first earth age" before the current creation. These "very elect" (sometimes referred to as the "Zadok") are considered a superior subset of the broader "elect," inherently resistant to deception by the Antichrist and specifically destined to be "delivered up" to him for testimony during the end times. The doctrine primarily draws from 1 Kings 19:18 and Romans 11:4, where God reserves 7,000 who have not bowed to Baal, but Shepherd's Chapel expands this into a framework involving soul pre-existence and hierarchical election.
Shepherd’s Chapel’s Denial of the Physical Resurrection
As a former student of Shepherd’s Chapel for over 20 years, I was deeply immersed in their teachings, studying alongside my family under the guidance of Pastor Arnold Murray. However, after careful examination of Scripture and reflection, I came to reject their doctrine, particularly the claim that there is no physical resurrection of believers. This belief, which asserts that believers are raised only spiritually and not bodily, is not only unbiblical but also a dangerous and heretical departure from orthodox Christianity. Below, I outline why this teaching is false and the profound implications it has for the Christian faith.
From Shepherd’s Chapel to Calvinism
For over 20 years, I was part of Shepherd’s Chapel, drawn by its verse-by-verse teaching and distinctive interpretations that opened up what felt like hidden depths in the Bible—ideas like a “first earth age” where souls existed before creation, the Kenites as a unique lineage tied to evil, and a division between “elect” and “free-will” believers. It was exhilarating to feel like I was uncovering secret truths, and this sense of discovery shaped my early faith. But as I immersed myself deeper in Scripture, doubts began to surface. Some of Shepherd’s Chapel’s teachings seemed to stray from the Bible’s clear message, prompting me to question their foundation. My shift to Calvinism was more than a theological pivot—it was a life-altering encounter with God’s sovereign grace that brought clarity, peace, and a renewed trust in His Word.