Unfortunately for those on the receiving end of these tirades, the numbness doesn't come. Some still feel the pain years and years after having left the NTCC. Some decide to make themselves numb the only way they know how. We've read the accounts of the man who allegedly murdered his four year old son and pregnant wife before turning the gun on himself. And why? Because of the constant belittling he received while in the NTCC.
Spiritual bullying is real in the NTCC.
The consequences are real, deadly, and eternal.
Think about what you see.
Try to step back and see it from the eyes of a first-time visitor.
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| Many NTCC preachers act like rabid dogs as they foam at the mouth and growl while they "Hide Behind The Pulpit" |
Do the typical NTCC bully-pulpit tactics really represent Christ?
Bars and Melody: Charlie Lenehan -15 and Leondre Devries - 13
Originally published Oct. 7, 2011
To read about the loss of
The Moreno Family Click Here
Seriously, folks. I've seen more ntcc so-called pastors who change from almost normal human beings into rabid dogs just as soon as they step behind a pulpit. While they "hide behind the pulpit" they foam at the mouth and growl, pointing fingers that would be more accurately aimed at themselves.
ReplyDeleteSome ntcc so-called "ministers" don't even wait to get behind the pulpit. They are just nasty all the time. I've shared in another place how Keith A. Gandy jumped all over me, reading me the riot act, chewing up one side and down the other because I had light-heartedly quipped that "chivalry is dead" trying to diffuse a tense situation between a young (too young- ahem - if you know what I mean) married couple. Gandy had no place doing that. But I really think that is just who he is. Mean spirit. Mean heart. He used to cause all kinds of turmoil at the campground too. Why not just pray and get some fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life, Keith? Stop trying sooo hard to be davis' boi. God won't be impressed with your idolatrous loyalty to the adulterer rodger wilson davis. But what you do to the least of these, you've done to Christ. Seriously. Think about it KAG.
THE SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL ABUSE!
ReplyDelete(A MUST READ.)
Apotheosis of the leadership — exalting them to God-like status in and over the group;
Multi-level authority/government hierarchy;
Absolute authority of the leadership;
No real accountability of the leadership to the corporate body;
Hand-picked sub-leaders, based on their demonstration of submissiveness to the ultimate leader rather than on the basis of their leadership skills, spirituality, and anointing and appointment by God;
Pervasive abuse and misuse of authority in personal dealings with members;
Paranoia and insecurity by the leaders;
Abuse, misuse, and inordinate incidence of "church discipline;"
Personal materialism, covetousness, and self-aggrandizement by the leaders;
Members and/or sub-leaders must make a "spiritual covenant," sometimes a signed covenant agreement, pledging their total commitment and financial support to the leadership and church/ministry;
Partitioning of the group into smaller groups that are led by internally "raised up" lay-leaders who have not been anointed or appointed by God for leadership within the church;
Financial exploitation and enslavement of the members;
Inordinate attention to maintaining the public "image" of the ministry;
Doctrinal demeanment and devaluation — the requisite of espousing and teaching "sound doctrine" is demeaned and devalued;
Theological incompetency by the leadership, especially with respect to the rules of hermeneutics and Bible exegesis employed in the formulation of doctrine, giving license to twisting and adulteration of Scripture in order to provide proof-texts for unorthodox and invented doctrines;
Spiritualism, mysticism, and unproven doctrines;
Abuse and misuse of prophetic giftings as a means to dominate and intimidate
(WAIT THERE'S MORE)
ReplyDeleteDevaluation, disallowance, disregard, and displacement of the true Fivefold Ministry within the church;
De facto legalism, or works mentality, and its resulting loss of the "joy of salvation," though "freedom" is forever preached from the pulpit and the church is constantly touted as being a "safe church" by the leadership;
Esotericism — hidden agendas and requirements revealed to members only as they successfully advance through various stages of "spiritual enlightenment," i.e., unorthodox, unproven indigenous doctrines;
Isolationism — corporate and individual, especially with respect to exposure to outside ministry sources;
Performance-based approval and promotion system of members predicated on "proven" "loyalty" (i.e., submission) to the leadership;
Devaluation, suppression, and non-recognition of members' bona fide God-given talents, abilities, gifts, callings, and anointing, as a means of subjugation;
Requiring members to perform menial tasks, such as cleaning toilets, setting up chairs, and acting as the leader's personal valet or slave, as a supposed means to humble them and teach them to "obey their leaders;"
Constant indoctrination with a "group" or "family" mentality that impels members to exalt the corporate "life" and goals of the church-group over their personal goals, callings, and objectives;
Members are psychologically traumatized and indoctrinated with numerous improper fears and phobias aimed at keeping them reeling in diffidence and an over-dependence or co-dependence on their leaders and the corporate group;
Corporately, there eventually develops an inordinately high incidence of financial, marital, moral, psychological, mental, emotional, and medical problems, including sudden deaths and contraction of "incurable" and "unknown" diseases;
Lack of true personal spiritual growth and development, especially in terms of genuine faith and experiencing the abounding grace, forgiveness, goodness, blessings, kindness, and agape-love of God;
Members are required to obtain the approval or "witness" of their leader(s) for decisions regarding personal matters;
Frequent preaching from the pulpit regarding not getting out from under the "spiritual covering" of the leadership;
Members departing without the prior permission and blessing of the leadership leave the group under a cloud of manufactured suspicion, shame, and slander;
Horror stories frequently told by leaders about individuals or families who left the group without the prior permission and blessing of the leadership, and the terrible consequences and curses they suffered as a result;
Departing members often suffer from various psychological problems and display the classic symptoms associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
(now ask yourself these questions)
ReplyDeleteSo...what to do? Well, here's a few questions for you to ponder:
Do you know what the signs of hyper-authoritarianism, control, and domination in a group or church and how to recognize them?
Do you know if the signs are simple, overt, and obvious, or are they sophisticated and complex, covert, and hidden?
Could you be objective enough about your church or group and leaders to correctly analyze if authoritarian abuse is taking place at your church?
Do you know how to explain what the signs are to prospective or suspected victims in order to convince them they are under it?
Do you know how to throw out a lifeline to rescue them?
Do you know what steps are necessary for victims to recover from the psychologically traumatizing and spiritually damaging effects of years of subjection to spiritual abuse?
Do you know why hyper-authoritarian doctrines and practices are unscriptural and Biblically-prohibited, and could you cite some of the Scripture passages in which God condemns them?
Do you know from a biblical standpoint if God requires you to always "obey your leaders," even when they set requirements that contravene Scripture or your conscience, or when they behave as unscrupulous and undisciplined tyrants rather than model the characteristics of servanthood that Jesus modeled and instructs His under-shepherds to likewise model?
(author of the article is Steve Lambert.) It is time for people to wake up and serve God not men.
ReplyDeleteThere is a tremendous amount of Church Abuse in America, but there is hope for those who want help.
The Real Truth About Authoritarian Abuse In Neo-Pentecostal Churches!
ReplyDelete"For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain....This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed. But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine." —The Apostle Paul; Titus 1:10-2:1
Multitudes of sincere and trusting believers are caught in the virtually invisible web of religious captivation in the churches they attend, the ministries they are under, and the networks they are aligned with...and don't know it!
These faithful followers of Christ are unaware victims of spiritual abuse, psychological enslavement, and exploitation perpetrated under the heavy-hand of hyper-authoritarianism. That is to say, the leadership of the church-group of which they are a part is dominating, controlling, manipulating, and exploiting their followers for their own personal gain and private kingdom-building.
Through systematic indoctrination, victims have been duped into accepting as biblical and beneficial the oppressive and abusive predominance imposed upon them by unscrupulous, tyrannical church-leaders.
Without realizing the spiritual effect of what they are doing, myriads of sincere and faithful followers of Christ, in submitting themselves and surrendering their God-given right to self-governance or personal autonomy unto their spiritual leaders, have become "slaves of men" in blatant violation of God's explicit warning against that very thing: "DO NOT BECOME SLAVES OF MEN!" (1 Cor. 7:23).
Frequently, in groups employing such hyper-authoritarian practices, adherents codify their willful enslavement by signing biblically-prohibited "covenants" with their leaders that require them to effectively surrender their free-will unto their spiritual taskmasters and granting them the right to intervene in and make decisions regarding the mundane matters of their lives.
(CONTINUED)
ReplyDeleteAuthoritarian abuse (aka, "spiritual abuse") is one of the most widespread and troubling problems facing the Church today. Indeed, the truth is that ecclesiastical enslavement and exploitation is pandemic in many sectors of 21st Century Christendom, though those churches and ministries employing it go to great lengths to disguise and conceal it.
What makes the pandemic problem even more insidious is that many of the perpetrators and proliferators of these spiritually repressive teachings and techniques are respected, and in some cases revered, spiritual leaders.
Moreover these autocratic systems of religious hegemony are being imposed in church-groups espousing orthodox Christian beliefs, whose membership is comprised of a cross section of average Americans—individuals and families—of every race, education level, station, status, and vocation, rather than radical, fringe religious sects and cults as many uninformed people would suppose.
Though religious predomination is certainly nothing new, and hyper-authoritarianism is by no means limited to the Neo-Pentecostal branch of the Church, it has especially flourished in Charismatic and other Neo-Pentecostal groups since it was infused into the very fabric, foundation, and functions of that branch of the Church in the early- to mid-seventies through the auspices of what became known as the "Discipleship or Shepherding Movement." The doctrines and practices spawned in that false movement remain an integral part of the operations of many churches and groups yet today!
Indeed, what many Neo-Pentecostals do not understand is that with the emergence of the plethora of "networks" now in existence, there is an invisible web of interrelated organizations that secretly control and direct everything substantive that goes on in the realm of Neo-Pentecostal churches, including "approving" or "blacklisting" ministers and leaders who refuse to submit to the secret "Charismatic chain-of-command."
Charismatic Captivation uncovers those secret organizations and reveals their surreptitious, sordid, and self-aggrandizing agenda.
Written from an "insider's" perspective by a noted and respected Charismatic minister who is also a lettered theologian and consulted by the media as an expert on Christian cults, Charismatic Captivation, has been appraised and praised by ministers, scholars, theologians, church leaders, and laymen as one of the most comprehensive as well as convincing volumes written to date on the prevalent problem of authoritarian abuse, yet without the "Charismatic-bashing" in which other books citing Neo-Pentecostal abuses often engage. The more than ample array of Scripture references the author cites to support his arguments against these fallacious authoritarian theories affords readers undeniable evidence that his conclusions are completely Biblical and doctrinally sound.
Vic Morton, Thank You, for these comments. They are 'spot on'! We feel they so thoroughly describe the ntcc that they deserve to be a series of blog posts.
ReplyDeleteMore about Charismatic Captivation @ http://www.charismatic-captivation.com/
ReplyDeleteAuthor of Charismatic Captivation is Dr. Steven Lambert