It has been hard to know what to write, when all I have wanted to do is expose the truth behind a so called ministry. But the fact is, I don't want to lash out and say things I might regret later. There are so many different doctrines, and variables in our own Christian community. I believe for the most part that is the way it is supposed to be. We are all part of the body of Christ, with different functions.
1 Corinthians 12 says "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord." Verse 12 says "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the the body is not one member, but many. If the foot should say "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body" is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say "Because I am not an eye , I am not of the body" is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body WERE an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members each one of them in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are indeed many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand "I have no need of you" nor again the head to the feet "I have no need of you" No, much rather no members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
I have heard first hand in the last two churches I have attended, Pastors openly say how other churches are wrong, there are apostates in the other churches, their ministry is the only right ministry, etc etc. It is sickening to hear. They really feel that their mandate is to save the saved. The senior pastor came to North America to evangelize from Africa. He was back in Africa for three years under a few stories of why, and we don't know the whole truth. With many business ventures here, and around the globe, it is shady. Many have left that church, including my husband and I, and I have recently found out that people have been told that we left because "we had problems". Every person that has left that church has that said about them. Every one. We apparently all have unresolved issues to deal with, and the Pastors and leaders have no issues at all. If they did, "The Lord would tell them". I believe the Lord HAS told them, many many times, through the ones that have left. Warnings do not just come from the top brass.
One of the first red flags for me was when the Pastors told me that "The Lord speaks to us in dreams, and tells us everything about everyone in the congregation". WARNING: It is them trying to control you. One can be easily intimidated into thinking eyes are on them ALL the time, and if they don't act in such a way that is "godly", then the leadership will know, and come down hard on you. You can walk up to anyone, particularly a Christian, and say that God has shown you a secret sin about this person, and of COURSE they might immediately feel guilty...we all sin in some way! It is a way to corner you into confessing what it is, and this will tighten their grip on you if you are not careful. I was told one time that the reason the church is the way it is, is because there was sin in the church to be dealt with. They deal with it by shaming people in the congregation without using their names, (they did this to us when we decided to leave). They said their own family was betraying them. When we confronted the associate Pastor about our concerns for the church, he told us that we were trying to control the Holy Spirit because we did not agree with how the church was run and how the sermons were presented (Presented with yelling, condescending teaching, yelling about the "FIRE OF GOD", heavily focused on sin, darkness in our lives, etc. Never on the finished work of Jesus, or even Grace.
Another dangerous sign is being told over, and over again...NEVER Question leadership. Never look online for information on Christian leaders. You must TRUST the leadership ALWAYS. Nevermind 1 John 4..."Beloved, do not believe every Spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world". In saying that, we were also told that one of them IS a Prophet, to whom we must listen.
There are Many red flags, so many that I cannot post about them tonight. But let me say this has been a heart struggle. It hurts that everyone I had come to know in that place seriously has no clue what has been going on, or they would not still be there. They think we are troublemakers, and we have very much felt excommunicated. That is another sign of a very religious place. It feels like another Jonestown in the making. Wanting to build homes on the church property for members to live off the grid, have their own gardens for food, their own "bank", their own businesses. Nevermind that they have been sued for not paying their bills for the businesses they did have, and have had their registrations with Joint Stock NS revoked for not paying the member fees, and asked the congregation to take out mortgages and lines of credit for the church. But everything is always hush-hush.
I am so tired. I feel like crying, but I can't bring a tear. I have wanted several times to throw in the towel on organized religion. We are attending church again, but with very high guards up. The healing is going to take maybe years to fully come, but I am believing that everything happens for a reason. Maybe we can be of help to those who come out of similar situations. This post is only the tip of the iceberg from that place, and that is heartbreaking. Spiritual Abuse is real, very real. And the unknowing victims who deny it will hurt the most when they see the light.
