Rushing Wind/Advisory Board

First and foremost I hold myself accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the service that I render among the Body of Christ throughout the world, I hold myself accountable in two specific additional respects. First, I remain accountable to the local Church leadership in the community of believers where I am ministering. Second, I hold myself accountable to the other servants of the Lord with whom I am traveling. I intentionally view myself as only one of many servants of the Lord and so very frequently I travel together with other men of God. When I am traveling in an area where I am aware that some other man has a recognized role of leadership, I will make every effort to hold myself accountable to him even though he may not be traveling with me. If you need contacts with some of the leaders, either local or traveling, with whom I have worked, I would be glad to make that information available.

Finally, in every relationship, in the Body of Christ, I seek to hold myself accountable to the Lord in each individual with whom I have contact.

My Personal Background

I was born in 1946 as the youngest of eight children. My family was involved in the management of a small struggling manufacturing business. At the age of 4 I started first grade in the local school system.

At age 12, during the traditional communicants class at our local Presbyterian congregation, the Lord apprehended me and I acknowledged His Lordship over my life. Despite the rebelliousness of my teenage years and the loss of my mother to cancer at age 14, the Lord sovereignly protected me from the consequences of much of my own foolishness and sin. At age 18, between my Sophomore and Junior years of college, I invited the Holy Spirit into my life. That summer I transferred from the Presbyterian college where I had been attending to Asbury College. It was somewhat a shock to me. Having grown up with Calvinist teachings for 18 years, and experienced the Pentecostal gifts for three months, I was thrust into an environment where the only acceptable doctrines were Armenianism and Holiness. Despite the strangeness, I found the Lord repeatedly affirming me and using me to serve the needs of fellow students. In 1967, I graduated from Asbury and entered the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

t the end of that year I married my wife, Joy. We have reared five children all of whom acknowledge the Lord; and, we now have two grandchildren.

At the beginning of my second year of law school they urgency of the Vietnam conflict require that I leave law school for military service. I spent five years serving as a line officer with the U.S. Coast Guard. I spent 3 years as the operations officer on Cutters assigned to aids to navigation and search and rescue missions. My last 2 years, I spent as part of the 3 officer headquarters team responsible for the Coast Guard's High Seas Law enforcement mission in Washington, DC.

After departing from the Coast Guard, I completed my formal education receiving a Juris Doctorate from George Mason University in 1977. My practice of law from 1977 through 1998, in the Washington, DC area, was a major context of my service to the Body of Christ. I represented and served many different Ministries and Church groups throughout the country both in their efforts to obtain licenses to operate radio or television stations from the Federal Communications Commission and in the process of resolution of internal conflicts within the ministry or congregation.

During the period of my college, law school, and military service we were required to relocate often. During this period I had close contact with believers from virtually every major doctrinal stream in the Body of Christ. Much of this training has become invaluable because it has trained me to focus on our oneness in the Church instead of constantly being forced to focus on our differences.

During my practice of law I traveled extensively through out the United States and briefly in Europe. Virtually everywhere I went the Lord seemed to affirm the ministry aspects of my mission as well as bless me with professional favor. During the decade of the 90's the ministry aspects of my work became more and more dominant. Gradually I came to realize that I simply did not have time to continue practicing law if I was to answer the call of the Lord to serve his people. In 1998, I discontinued my formal practice of law and became a part time adviser on the corporate staff of one former client. In 1999, I moved my base of operations to El Paso, Texas.

Some Recent History of My Work Among the Body of Christ

Since about 1995 I have been a member of the steering committee of the Middle Atlantic Leadership Conference. The MALC is a non-denominational association which seeks to serve the leaders of local congregations by providing a forum that offers them refreshment, teaching, vision, and opportunity to interact with their peers outside the boundaries of their denominational structures. It has been my honor to be one of only two committee members whose pastoral service in the Church has been limited to leadership of a relatively small home church group or as an interim pastor in a larger congregational setting.

Although I have been used by the Lord to introduce scores of people to his Lordship, my primary ministry focus has always been primarily within the Body of Christ not outside it. Thus, for example, while I have been instrumental in getting hundreds of people to receive the Holy Spirit, my focus while I am doing so is primarily to teach the believers how to lead others to that important milestone experience. Thus, my objective is to always leave the believers with a clear sense of being themselves equipped to serve not in awe of my ability to serve them.

Since 1998 I have traveled outside the United States to serve the Body of Christ in Southern Mexico, Northern Mexico, Kenya, Burundi, Lethsoto, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Mali. I am currently scheduled to travel to Madagascar, Northern India and Southern India, this year. Within the United States, since 1998, I have traveled to serve the Body of Christ in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, New Mexico, California, and Oregon.

My service to the Body is without regard to denominational or structural considerations. I am equally likely to be in a large AG congregation or a small home meeting, a conference of scores of leaders or a one on one ministry session over coffee. When I speak to large congregations, I am very likely to focus on teaching them how to receive from their local leaders. When I work with small groups of leaders, I will normally focus on teaching them how to equip those who follow.

Recently someone was composing a blurb about my ministry to explain to the invitees to a conference what they could expect. I aspire to live up to what was said. This is what was said: Stuart Mitchell travels throughout the world as a servant to the whole Church. Loving service to the local believers trademarks his gift, stirring each one to hear God for himself and walk in his own Jesus assigned role. Recent travels throughout the United States and 15 other nations have given Stuart a deep intimacy with the current move of the Holy Spirit to transform the Bride of Christ. Stuart was apprehended by the Lord in 1959 and invited the Holy Spirit into his walk in 1965. His unique service began to be recognized in the late 1960’s. After five years as a U.S. Coast Guard officer, he continued to serve the Kingdom of God for more than 20 years while practicing communications law in the Washington, DC area. Now, based in El Paso, Texas, he and his wife, Joy, have five children and two grandchildren. Stuart’s style is to speak the Word of the Lord in a simple ordinary way. As he serves, people find freedom and confidence in hearing God. His teachings focus on practical preparation enabling believers to easily give to others what they have received. Many have described him as a prophet of encouragement.

I hope this has been helpful to you.

His, thus Yours,
Stuart

An essay by Stuart B. Mitchell

In the context of interpersonal relationships within the Church, AUTHORITY is one of the most mis-understood, abused, and dangerous issues in the recent history of the Body of Christ. The only source of authority in heaven or in earth is Jesus. It is His authority that believers respond to or it is false authority and deception. If anyone past the age of accountability is to be under authority within the Church, he can only be there because he is continuing to choose to remain there. The believer is only privileged to place himself under or remain under the authority of other men or institutions to the extent he is able to acknowledge the Christ in them and thus be under His (Christ's) authority. The Lord has established the authority of government for certain limited purposes: preserving peace and good order that all men might hear God. Men have chosen to place themselves under a broader authority in governments in exchange for perceived convenience or benefit. Proper governmental authority as applied to the civil government is beyond the scope of this discussion. Among the Called Out Ones, the Lord has ordained limited governmental authority for the purpose of preserving peace and good order that all men might hear God. As with any voluntary association, the members of organizations identified with (and often confused as being) the Church frequently vest greater levels of authority in organizational government for various purposes. The choice not to remain under such designated authority usually means separation from the organization. Within the home the head of the house is to direct the exercise of governmental authority to preserve peace and good order. In the Church,with the exception of such governmental authority, and parental authority over children under the age of accountability, no Godly individual will exercise authority over any other natural person except with the consent of the person. The Godly individual will imitate the faith demonstrated by Jesus. Jesus set aside His rightful authority, power, and position. He chose to empty Himself and to become a servant. When men received the revelation of His relationship to the Father, they acknowledged the authority of the Father who was speaking through Jesus. Thus, men and women would freely choose to place themselves under the authority of the Father whom they acknowledged in Jesus. Jesus finished the work He came to do upon the cross. Thereafter, He reported that ALL authority had been given to Him. But, He did not delegate to His followers any of His authority over people. Rather, He gave His followers a mission to accomplish without giving them any interpersonal authority of their own. Authority over demons was given. Authority over sickness was given. Authority over sin was given. Authority to bind and release things in the heavens was given. But, no authority was given over the men and women His followers were called to serve. As to this issue Jesus was very specific. In the Kingdom we will not rule as the gentiles rule. Nevertheless, like Jesus, leaders among the Called Out Ones clearly served and taught as ones with authority. It must remain clear, however, that the authority resident with them and in their words is the authority of Jesus exercised through His Spirit dwelling within His followers. The meekness and humility ascribed to Jesus were not mere pretense. He was intensely aware of His self-imposed limitations. The limitations of other men are not self-imposed (They never were equal with God). They are nonetheless the same limits as the ones Jesus took upon Himself in relation to the Father. Man is permitted to act under the authority vested in and resident in Jesus. Any other exercise of interpersonal authority in the Body of Christ is illegitimate. If other persons see Jesus in an individual, the Spirit invites them to respond to Jesus and to submit to the authority of Jesus. Every Godly individual is charged to be one who remains faithful not to bear false witness. Specifically, this requires that in word and action the testimony offered about Jesus and the effect of His life in the witness must be a true and accurate reflection of the character, commitment and words of the living Christ. Historically it may be observed that many people in this world are seeking a true and genuine witness. They are prepared to place themselves under the authority of Christ as seen in faithful witnesses. But, they are not willing to place themselves under witnesses who have only hearsay testimony, ones who have not personally experienced and submitted to the Christ. Far too much of what has been said in and by people calling themselves the Church falls into that hearsay category. To the extent men speak prophetically, the words are not based in man's authority but in Jesus’ authority. Thus, those who receive a prophet as a prophet are not placing themselves under the man’s authority. Rather, they are acknowledging the absolute authority of the Christ within the prophet. Thus, if the prophetic word is valid, its authority is self evident. If the word is false then it has no authority. On occasion, a believer may recognize validity in an anointed prophetic word to which the Spirit has borne witness even though he may view the person through whom he heard the word as being totally unworthy of being entrusted with even a shred of authority. Similar assessments might be made in many other areas of the ministry of the Holy Spirit through believers. In light of these principals of the operation of God’s authority in the world, the central focus must move away from the authority of the servant. The correct focal points are the authority of Jesus and the responses of men. This brings one to the concept of accountability. Within the Body of Christ, ACCOUNTABILITY is the capacity of a person to respond, by choice, to the authority of Jesus operating in another with whom he is in an agreed relationship. Everyone’s heart needs a relationship that permits accountability. Man’s flesh does not desire accountability. Accountability is man’s place of protection against the deceitful nature of his own heart. Like love, of which it is a part, if a person cannot be accountable to one whom he can see, he will not be accountable to God whom he cannot see. Because of the limitations on the exercise of authority by Godly men, an agreed to relationship that permits a Godly individual to hold another accountable can only be established at the request of the one who desires to receive protection. Moreover, because of the continuing responsibility for the leader to give an account unto God, the accountability can only develop after an acceptance of the relationship by the one in whom the authority of Christ is seen to be operating.

The submitting individual must recognize that the standards to which he will be held accountable are the standards Christ is establishing for his current stage of maturity. In a healthful relationship they will include the following:

1. The written Word of God -- obviously.

2. Additionally -- the Rhema word which the Holy Spirit confirms in both hearts.

3. The commitments made by the one giving account.

4. Those additional standards imparted by the leader and accepted by the follower.

One who is holding another accountable must grasp the current level of knowledge and maturity of the loved one and teach or otherwise impart an understanding of God's standards to the extent they are not yet apprehended by the one who desires to be accountable. Concurrently, the response of the one who desires the leader's service should make him:

1. Open and honest with the leader.
Lack of open honesty precludes healing in the areas of blindness. Pretense of knowledge condemns one to ignorance. If one says he already knows the word of the Lord there is nothing left to say. No Godly individual can argue with God. Even if the leader knows his disciple is wrong, at best he is left with waving a flag of caution and praying for deliverance from the folly. There must be a willingness on the part of one who desires protection to set aside arrogance and bluster long enough to allow his partner to see the real man. This, of course, requires a trust relationship between them. Jesus has told men not to lay their pearls before swine not because swine are evil but because they do not value pearls. In this sense then, for the relationship to work, the Lord, the leader and the learner must work together to maintain a sense that the value of the pearls is appreciated. The shepherd in his humanity is certain to fail at times. Nevertheless, in covenant the three-way relationship allows a fundamental confidence and trust to be established because one learns to trust in the Lord even in times when the other fails.

2. Teachable but not irresponsible.
While this relationship opens the door to being taught by Christ in the shepherd and instructed by his experiences in the Lord and in the world, nevertheless, each individual remains responsible before God to walk in the Truth. One cannot stand before God’s throne saying "Yes, Lord, I see that in Your Word, but my Leader said ’... ....&##146; So its not my fault." While the Leader has accountability to the Lord for what he imparts to those who submit, nevertheless, our primary submission to the personal Lordship of Jesus remains unchanged. It would be foolish to think otherwise. God will not share His throne.

3. Open to hear the Holy Spirit One who desires to be accountable must be expectantly open to hear the Holy Spirit’s confirmation of what is being taught or conversely to hear His corrections or cautions concerning what has been taught. Confirmation should be the first expectation but not the only option. The individual comes to expect the Holy Spirit to confirm in his heart and bear witness to the things that his Leader imparts. He must maintain that expectancy. But, he must not close his mind or heart to the absolute necessity of allowing the freedom to error. Thus, one must be willing to hear the Holy Spirit say "not this time" concerning any given matter. The distinction is one of the expectations embodied in the relationship. If a stranger of unknown character or even evil character speaks, one may hear the Holy Spirit confirm what is said as the Word of God. However, a certain healthy skepticism will require great clarity in the confirmation. Conversely within the agreed relationship, a developed trust carries an expectation of confirmation and requires clarity when hearing "No, not this time."

4. Open to hear a brother
Even if the Leader does not have a word from the Lord to impart, he still has the word of an older brother who is responsible in a special way to the Father for the things he shares. If what he shares is not the direct Word of the Lord, nevertheless, it has inherent value as the loving word of a brother with a different perspective who may be free from the deceptions of ones own heart.

Two closing words of caution:

1. The Scriptures record that a Roman military officer by observing the conduct of Jesus could see that Jesus was a man under authority. If it was important for Jesus, the first born incarnate Son of God, to place Himself under authority, it is far more important for those who have started on this journey toward sanctification with the residue of a sinful old nature. Concurrently, if Jesus was an individual under authority, surely any person expected to lead people to know Him better must also be under authority.

2. To gain the protection of accountability, understanding Godly character, which empties itself of claims to personal authority, seek out the servant in whom the Christ is revealed. There is great risk in waiting for someone to pander to ones pride by taking the initiative. God has set the pattern. He rewards those who diligently seek Him.

Rejoice in the freedom that you will find in being a follower of Jesus.

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Rushing Wind Advisory Board: Stuart Mitchell

Rushing Wind
Advisory Board: Stuart Mitchell