I have heard various preachers say that you need a covering. You need to be under a preacher or teacher. I’ve also heard people describe someone as their spiritual father. What’s wrong with either or both of these?

Under a covering? When I hear someone teach on this, this is what usually comes to mind: Matthew 23:15 KJV says Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

What should come to mind is 1 Timothy 2:5-6 KJV which says, For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; [6] Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

We don’t need a covering. Thanks to Jesus’ actions in becoming the sole sacrifice for sins and our High Priest there is no intermediary between man and God other than him.

A spiritual father? Jesus said call none Father but God. Matthew 23:9 KJV says
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Through Jesus you can go directly to your Father for wisdom. James 1:5 KJV says If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

It’s okay in my opinion to have spiritual influences here on Earth, the Bible does say iron sharpeneth iron. But remember who your spiritual Father should be: Jehovah himself.