The striking similarity of the Discipleship/Shepherdship doctrines and associated practices of ecclesiastical enslavement to the teaching and deeds of the "Nicolaitans" who emerged in the First Century, A.D. is the focus of Chapter Three.

The Nicolaitans were a sect of interloping leaders who arose in the early church promulgating a heretical system of church-government aimed at “conquering the laity,” which is the implication of their name in the Greek language. The Nicolaitan doctrines and the hierarchy those doctrines proposed were the beginnings of the Catholic church and its papal system of ecclesiastical government.

Both the Nicolaitans themselves as well as their heretical teachings and abusive hyper-authoritarian practices of religious domination were vehemently and thoroughly denounced by Jesus in the Book of Revelation. The Lord also condemned the Pergamum Church of Asia Minor for accepting the Nicolaitan heresy.

Tellingly, the doctrines and deeds of the Nicolaitans were virtually identical to the Discipleship/Shepherdship doctrines and practices espoused and implemented by so many groups and churches today. Thus, these Divine denouncements by the resurrected Christ and exalted Head of the Church, the author of Charismatic Captivation contends, stand as strong and clear admonition to the modern Church against accepting and practicing the heretical hyper-authoritarian Discipleship/Shepherdship doctrines.

The vast majority of believing theologians agree that the perverse precepts promulgated by the Nicolaitans precipitated the Early Church’s plunge into the spiritual apostasy of that protracted 1,200 hundred year period which became known as "The Dark Ages." Obviously, then, the Church today needs to understand the nature of these heretical doctrines in order to avoid them and the spiritual ruin, consequences, and judgment they wreak.