COME OUT FROM YOUR CULTISH MINISTRIES & CHURCHES
HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT SOMETHING HAS BECOME STRANGE WITHIN THE MINISTRY YOU FOLLOW It is sad that I would even have to write this post, but I have seen many people that suffer this spiritual abuse, as I travel the nations. Many ministries that may of started off well later become cultic, because they have deviated from from the Word of God (Jesus Christ) and have placed an anointed person higher than they should have. Whether that be Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher or Evangelist. Have you elevated anything above Jesus in your ministry and maybe it is: Deliverance Ministry? Prophetic Ministry? Healing Ministry? Speaking in tongues? Leadership? What is it you preach? The Lord of the work, or the work of the Lord? If you blindly follow the leadership of your religious group as the ultimate authority of what you believe and bend over backwards to justify what they are teaching, then you are in a cult. The final authority for Christians is in the bible and the teachings of others are to be evaluated by it. Maybe this is news to you because you have been deceived without knowing the truth? If that is the case then I want you to read the signs to see if you have experienced any similar warning behaviours. Signs Of Spiritually abusive in ministries: * 1. Have a distorted view of respect. They forget the simple adage that respect is earned, not granted. Abusive leaders demand respect without having earned it by good, honest living. * 2. Demand allegiance as proof of the follower’s allegiance to Christ. It’s either his/her way or no way. And if a follower deviates, he is guilty of deviating from Jesus. * 3. Use exclusive language. “We’re the only ministry really following Jesus.” “We have all the right theology.” Believe their way of doing things, thinking theologically, or handling ministry and church is the only correct way. Everyone else is wrong, misguided, or stupidly naive. * 4. Create a culture of fear and shame.Often there is no grace for someone who fails to live up to the church’s or ministry’s expectation. And if someone steps outside of the often-unspoken rules, leaders shame them into compliance. Can’t admit failure but often searches out failure in others and uses that knowledge to hold others in fear and captivity. They often quote scriptures about not touching God’s anointed, or bringing accusations against an elder. Yet they often confront sin in others, particularly ones who bring up legitimate biblical issues. Or they have their circle of influence take on this task, silencing critics. * 5. Often have a charismatic leader at the helm who starts off well, but slips into arrogance, protectionism and pride. Where a leader might start off being personable and interested in others’ issues, he/she eventually withdraws to a small group of “yes people” and isolates from the needs of others. Harbors a cult of personality, meaning if the central figure of the ministry or church left, the entity would collapse, as it was entirely dependent on one person to hold the place together. * 6. Cultivate a dependence on one leader or leaders for spiritual information. Personal discipleship isn’t encouraged. Often the Bible gets pushed away to the fringes unless the main leader is teaching it. They will be inclined to and encouraged only to listen to "one voice", meaning that God is only speaking through that one person and nobody else. * 7. Demand servanthood of their followers, but live prestigious, privileged lives. They live aloof from their followers and justify their extravagance as God’s favor and approval on their ministry. Unlike Jesus’ instructions to take the last seat, they often take the first seat at events and court others to grant them privileges. They can even put on a humble facade to the followers, but always expect the best to those around them and put demands on people if they are to visit you. * 8. Buffer him/herself from criticism by placing people around themselves whose only allegiance is to the leader. Views those who bring up issues as enemies. Those who were once friends/allies swiftly become enemies once a concern is raised. Sometimes these folks are banished, told to be silent, or shamed into submission. If they are removed they are quickly treated as outcasts by the other followers. * 9. Hold to outward performance but rejects authentic spirituality. Many are receiving false revelations of hell and basing things based upon the revelation rather than what Gods Word truly says. Places burdens on followers to act a certain way, dress an acceptable way, and have an acceptable lifestyle, without having a personal conviction with God but more doing out of fear of man. * 10. Use exclusivity for allegiance.Followers close to the leader or leaders feel like insiders. Everyone else is on the outside, though they long to be in that inner circle. They will even start stories of what happens to those who were close but disobeyed being in the inner circle. * 11. You have been accused of being part of an cult. Yes maybe you have been persecuted from others in your family or friends and you thought you were being persecuted because of the will of God, but only to realise that others maybe saw something you could not see and were trying to help, but you were blinded to the truth. Have you ever experienced this kind of situation in your ministry? What did you do? How did you heal in the aftermath? And what can we do as responsible Christ followers to expose this kind of abuse? What can we do as leaders to follow in the gentle footsteps of Jesus? If this is you and you don't know whom to speak to then I encourage you to inbox me, that you can receive godly council to remove yourself from this situations to walk in the freedom Christ paid for to worship Him. Matthew 15:8-9 "This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. 'But in vain do they worship Me, For they teach as doctrines the precepts of men.’” Matthew 23:4" They tie up burdens that are heavy and unbearable and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they refuse to lift a finger to remove them."