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IDENTIFYING POTENTIALLY ABUSIVE, CULTIC CHURCHES, GROUPS
& INDIVIDUALS
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BIBLICAL
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CULTIC, DANGEROUS
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Teaching & Instructional Methods
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Teaching & Instructional Methods
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Teach, disciple. Individuality maintained.
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Clone, discipline. Individuality hindered.
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Leaders open to all questions (even tough ones)
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Leaders offended by most questions (especially tough ones)
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Truth with love is the bottom line (regardless of loyalty)
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Love, loyalty are the bottom line (irrespective of truth)
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Teaches the entire Bible
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Places undue emphasis on portions of Scripture
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Doctrine is verifiable by others outside the group, agreeing with
church fathers, history. Truth is discovered, not manufactured.
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Doctrine is virtually infallible; espoused and supported by one
group alone. Leaders manipulate truth.
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Instructional. Freedom to form own conclusions
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Indoctrination. Leaders' conclusions must be accepted.
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Critical thinking encouraged
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Critical thinking mocked
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Analytical thinking considered a gift from God
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Analytical thinking considered a tool of Satan
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Adheres to basic tenets of Christian faith, verified by Scripture,
and passed down over the centuries
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Purports to have rediscovered or restored "truth" which
has been lost to the church for centuries and found by "us alone"
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Leadership
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Leadership
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Influences
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Manipulates
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Leaders shepherd (guide) the flock
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Leaders fleece (control, oppress) the flock.
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Leaders chosen, scrutinized, and confirmed by elders (using biblical
principles) and always held accountable
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Leaders "anointed" by God, confirmed by visions (or verbal instructions
from Jesus or other entities) and/or miracles (all false), and
accountable to no one
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Leaders lead by humble example
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Leaders lead by prideful arrogance
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Program Methods
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Program Methods
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Open program
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Hidden agenda
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Integration (with the universal church & churches of other
denominations)
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Isolationist ("we" are the church universal - all others
are worldly, of the devil or just unspiritual)
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Mainstream/traditional - always seeking to align with Scripture
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"Fresh," "new". Emotions over truth; never been done like this
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Worship is based on truth which manages emotion
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Worship is based on emotion which determines truth
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Church Dynamics
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Church Dynamics
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Free to join/leave
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Free to join/leave, but results in loss of salvation and/or friendships
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Egalitarian: Everyone invited. Scrutiny encouraged.
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Elitist: Everyone invited. Scrutiny suppressed.
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Emphasis on unity w/o compromising truth
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Emphasis on uniformity or unity over truth
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Results in diversity, freedom
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Results in conformity, rigidity, false unity
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Goal: drawing the world to Christ
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Goal: drawing the world to their church
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Personal Lifestyle
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Personal Lifestyle
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Individual is responsible to God for his life. Leaders offer to
help.
Outside help also encouraged.
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Individual is responsible to leaders. Leaders insist on helping.
Outside help strongly discouraged.
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Loving; exercises grace, flexible, under the law of Christ (Gal.
6:2)
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Legalistic, harsh, inflexible, in bondage to The Law
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Faith, Truth, and Religion are reasonable, logical. Truth is knowable.
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Reasoning is discouraged or eliminated (questioning and logic is
considered sinful, unhealthy, ungodly, etc.).
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Gods Will: Reasoned approach based on whole counsel of God, prayer,
counsel, circumstances, discernment, Holy Spirit directed, other
information
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God's Will: Find a single verse to lead you.
Choices must conform to leaders' dictates and approval. Leadership,
in effect, serve in place of personal discernment & the Holy
Spirit
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