A safe place for Xers to share their stories and heal.
A place to learn what it's really like in the ntcc founded by Rodger Wilson Davis;
and run by his son-in-law, Michael Craig Kekel,
the father of the one vasectomy-rule-exception kid in ntcc, Grant Davison Kekel.
Ezekiel 12:11
Say, I 'am' your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove 'and' go into captivity.
He Loves A House More Than God: Bonco Mansions of kekel (l) and davis (r)
"He loves a house more than God:" *Bonco* Mansions of kekel (l) and davis (r). Meanwhile, on the mission field: ntcc Missionaries to the Philippines "Rev. and Sis. Mackert ... found a place, 9 feet by 14 feet [9'x14'] and one bathroom. It is on the 6th floor and there is no elevator. The last place they had stayed, they had to share a common bathroom with the other tenants! Yikes! This place has their very own private bathroom, although the Rev. shared there is no seat on the throne, and no way to attach one…." from The Devonshire Files Sunday, May 28, 2006 Visit from the Mackerts (5/06). ** Should you know where the money ($$$$$) goes? **
Jesus In The Temple
Matt 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
Matt 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Gal. 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
1 John 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us.
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In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nation’s call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America’s finest special operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect their way of life. I am that man.My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day. My loyalty to Country and Team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own. I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders I will take charge, lead my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations. I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight. We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates and the success of our mission depend on me – my technical skill, tactical proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete. We train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of combat power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my country. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend. Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed.
I will not fail.
After reading this creed, I know it was not an option for those men to "stand down". They lived by this creed.
If our government will stand by and let an American Ambassador be killed, and let former Navy Seal's die while they try to defend the Ambassador and other Americans, what else would this administration do and allow? Do we really want a 'Commander in Chief' who neglects the military and allows Americans to be killed?? What a travesty.
In a recent series of comments on the Mountain New's a drive by accuser who goes only by the name of Ross spewed out accusations to many former members of the ntcc. Some of the comments were deleted but we were able to copy them prior to deletion and with the permission of the parties involved we will be posting some or perhaps all of them here. These comments came in response to an article and subsequent comments that Bruce Smith ran about the Michael Fontenot arrest and conviction for the molestation of his daughter. The first part of this post will be Ross's response to our own comment on Bruce's Website, and our response to Ross that follows.
The Mountain News--Washington
Ross said:
"You people are disgusting with all your gossip of others. You take at face-value everything others say (as long as it’s juicy!) as fact. The Bible itself condemns you since it requires 2 or three witnesses to the same event. Let’s get the witnesses to tesify about YOU Don, what about your conduct in the military??? You were living a holy life-style right? Oh, I know, your problems were all the fault of someone else!???"
"Ross said: “You people are disgusting with all your gossip of others. You take at face-value everything others say (as long as it’s juicy!) as fact.”
Don said:
Well, Ross, I do take much of what I hear spoken against the ntcc at face value. I’m really glad that you brought this up because there are many witnesses that have gone public with ntcc misconduct of a sexual nature, and we know that the MO of the ntcc is to dismiss it as gossip, and discredit those who would have a voice against them. So lets start off by addressing the issue of gossip. In an earlier comment of yours to Diana that Bruce deleted, you stated “Do you want some of your stories told”? If you do know anything about Diana, and that’s a big if, the only way you could have obtained that knowledge is through gossip. The only Ross that could possibly be privy to information of a personal nature concerning long time members of the ntcc, is James Ross Ashmore. This is how things work in the ntcc for those who might not know. When a person leaves the ntcc they are publicly discredited and gossip is the vehicle of choice that is used to destroy the character of many good people who have left. I know this first hand for a fact. Many people who have left, (more than two or three witnesses), have testified how their names have been drug through the dirt after they have left the ntcc. They have been wrongfully accused of adultery, pornography and many other sins. People are lied about when they leave the ntcc. I was lied about when I left the ntcc. The lie that was originally spread about me was that I slept with the wife of an X-minister of the ntcc. This lie was spread by R.W. Davis publicly and that’s how the gossip starts. I can verify that this never happened as I have recently been in contact with the party that was co-accused of this adultery and she is happily married to the same man. This woman and her husband can testify that this never happened, (that’s two witnesses, by the way). Another lie that was spread about me when I left is that I was with this women alone and didn’t have sex with her because I was a homosexual. The ntcc often preached that men and women could not be trusted to be alone unless they were married. If you were alone with a woman that you were not married to you were tempting God and if nothing happened or you didn’t commit fornication or adultery it was because you were a homosexual or she was a lesbian. I heard with my own ears a pastor in the ntcc, speak to Olson and Kinson on two separate phone calls accusing this woman of being a lesbian. So which is it? You can’t have it both ways.
The ntcc leadership has the art of gossiping mastered. Gossip is used to keep their ntcc cult members living in fear and afraid to leave. I have seen and heard too much to not give credence to the thousands of testimonies that have been shared by former ministers and church members of the ntcc. Factnet, Jeff’s blog, our blog, Deb’s Witness and the Mountain New’s series on the ntcc have generated many witnesses that have testified against the ntcc. When we mention these things it’s called gossip by people like Ross, who won’t even take ownership of his accusations by leaving his full name. It has been shared that if you throw a rock into a pack of dogs, the one who yelps the loudest is the one which got hit. My question to you Ross: “Why are you yelping”? Perhaps this article on pedophilia revealed a subject that you prefer to keep hidden in your own life. I will take what an X-member of the ntcc says at face value any day over your twisted version of the truth, because they have spoken out in numbers against you, while you hide behind the name Ross. Why is it that you ntcc’rs are afraid to sign your name to your accusations? If you want your comments to be credible and your accusations to be considered then take ownership of them big Ross.
Ross said:
” The Bible itself condemns you since it requires 2 or three witnesses to the same event.”
Don said:
Really, Big Ross? Can you share where it says the “same event”, or are you adding to the scriptures? Let’s make sure we apply that same standard to the ntcc and it’s leadership, before we throw that scripture at the X-ers. I recall three ministers being removed from the ministry because of the testimony of one brother. Do you know anything of this? If you want, we can rehash this and maybe you can tell me why this standard didn’t apply to those ministers. Did the bible condemn Davis because he took the word of one witness? We have a very large cloud of witnesses that have shared their true stories on this website, our own blog, Jeff’s blog, Greg and Deb’s blog and FACTNET to name a few. You can act all sanctimonious and talk down to us if you’d like, but when it’s all said and done, your accusations condemn yourselves more than us, because you are guilty of the very things that you are accusing us of. Do you think that you are exempt from the scriptures that you throw at us? Please don’t take us for a bunch of fools and stop acting like you are above everyone else. Your condescending attitude reflects your ignorance and speaks volumes of your character or lack thereof.
Ross said: “Let’s get the witnesses to tesify about YOU Don, what about your conduct in the military??? You were living a holy life-style right? Oh, I know, your problems were all the fault of someone else!???”
Don said:
Let’s do that, because in testifying against me, they are testifying against the ntcc system and it’s leadership. Unlike leaders in the ntcc, I have been very honest and forth coming about my past. I have been to hell and back with the ntcc, and because of this I have tried to warn others so they would not have to endure the same things that I had to. Bring those witnesses on if you have any. I’m not afraid of anything you have to say about me. Many people have left the ntcc and they are afraid to share what they have been through, because they don’t want to relive it again. Many have gone public and many have not. I choose to share the truth about the ntcc because I do not wish for others to have to endure the suffering that I had to endure.
You ask me if I was living a holy life-style? I was according to any standards of examples that I had ever seen in the ntcc. I was the model Christian in all the Servicemen’s Homes that I was a part of. I subjected my self to all of the standards of dress that were required of ntcc members, and many of these standards are no longer being kept by ministers or church members because apparently, God has changed his mind about how we should conduct ourselves as Christians. I also had a prayer life, studied my bible and brought many people to church. I was obedient in all things to every pastor that I ever had in the ntcc. Unfortunately some of those pastor’s required obedience that went way beyond that which the bible requires. I cut off all communication with all of my friends from the past and forsook members of my own family for the ntcc. You tell me, by the ntcc’s definition of holiness, was I living it? I paid my tithe faithfully and gave in every offering. I led the way in many of the collections that were taken up and took up many offerings myself at the request of Pastors. What about the money Ross? Where does it all go? You want to talk about people living a holy life-style? Do you think that it is right to condemn people to hell for not paying their tithe? Do you think that it is right for the leaders in the ntcc to live in million dollar mansions, drive cars and Recreational Vehicles worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, wear Rolex watches, Diamond pinky rings, have expensive gun collections, knife collections and musical instrument collections valued at tens of thousands of dollars all while the common ntcc church member can not afford life insurance to take care of their families when the man of the house who has the only income dies?
As for blaming my “problems” on someone else, I’ve never done that. I’ve taken responsibility for my part in every instance. I’ve actually lived in condemnation for years and tortured myself over and over until one day I realized that God still cared about me. The ntcc dropped me like a hot potato, and made no attempt to help me or even contact me after I left. That’s the way it is in the ntcc. When they are done with a person they kick them to the curb. The ntcc cares nothing about former ntcc’rs until they affect the ntcc’s bottom line, which is their cash flow. That’s when people like Ross get on and start attacking folks. God is nothing like the ntcc leaders.
In conclusion, Ange and I, Jeff, Diana, Greg and Deb, Vic and others have chosen to take a pro active approach to exposing the ntcc. We all might take different approaches and we might not agree in all things but we do what we do because we don’t want others to suffer needlessly. We know that the ntcc is an abusive organization that has a history of mistreating it’s members and we have exposed them for this by sharing our stories and the stories of hundreds of others. We take no pleasure in this. I wish it were not necessary. I would love to have the years of my youth back to live over. My biggest mistake in life was to trust in the ntcc and it’s leaders, who have proven to be worst sort of people that you would ever expect to be considered ministers of God. We miss all of our friends that are still in the ntcc, and because we are no longer allowed to talk to them, our only means of communication is on the internet on a public forum like this one.
This post will be an ongoing work and is not finished at this time. We plan on publishing some more of Ross's responses to Diane, David, Mark G., and others soon. There is so much to cover but right now time doesn't permit. We want to get the word out to all of our readers so that you can follow this story if you wish. If you wish to participate in the forum on Bruce Smith's blog or to read these comments on the Mountain News, please visit the following link:
“THE NTCC CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT IN FAILING TO PROTECT ITS CONGREGATION FROM A CONVICTED CHILD RAPIST.” Why do you post such a lie? Had the NTCC known that he was such, he wouldn’t have been accepted. Once it came to light, he was put out. Was NTCC supposed to put up wanted posters all over the campus and Church to call shame upon a former professing Christian??? Did you want your sexual sins to be plastered all over the world once they were known for everyone to see? they were not, which proves your allegations against NTCC are false, since you are doing something worse by plastering your unfounded allegations all over the internet! Will you keep serving the devil’s agenda by bringing shame to the Gospel???"
DnA said: You are the one that is a liar, Ross. According to former and current pastors of the ntcc, Fontenot was allowed to come back to the ntcc after his first release from jail and became an active member of the ntcc. This took place after Christina, (The mother of the molested victim), had called Davis and Kekel and warned them about Fontenot. Nothing was done. Christina was shunned in the cover up and the ntcc is nothing more than a cesspool of sexual deviant behavior that is covered up, and the perpetrators are harbored and favored above their victims. You ask, Special Ross, if the ntcc was supposed to put up wanted posters all over the Campus and church to call shame upon a former professing Christian??? Yes, they should have at the very least informed every parent in the ntcc, that they were letting a convicted child molester become a member of their church and warned them to keep their children away from this child molester. They should have put up signs and publicly warned people of Fontenot's past, or better yet if they had any ethics at all they should have told him to stay away from the ntcc. But the ntcc has a long history of allowing sexual deviant people to not only attend church but to remain in the ministry and get promoted as was the case with Phil Kinson, who has never came out and denied that he frequented a whore house in Japan. He came on Jeff's blog and in a Clintonesque fashion tap danced around the subject but never denied the issue at hand, which was getting sexual release from a prostitute at a whorehouse. Sorry, Ross, we are not going to allow you to smooth this over and pretend like the ntcc was innocent in this whole thing. You say our allegations were unfounded, why don't you prove otherwise? Your notion that the ntcc would have never knowingly allowed Fontenot to be accepted back into the church is unfounded and Bruce's article clearly documents that this did in fact happen with more than one witness as you seem to require us to have.
Ross said to Nichole:
Nicole, you imply many things about NTCC, as has Bruce Smith, that are unfounded. This can happen in any church, and you know that having a suit on or not has absolutely nothing to do with wether a person might be a pedophile or not. Background checks don’t always show anything, so it is impossible to know everything about everybody. You also know that NTCC did NOT approve of Mr. Fontenot’s behavior once this was discovered, so this is positively despicable of you to try and impugn NTCC for such behavior. Mr. Fontenot is also an American, so does this now impugn the United States of America for his behavior??? And what do we know of your behavior? Was a background check ever done on you before we let you attend our churches??? Be for real! DnA said: While this sort of thing can happen to any church, the ntcc seems to be a magnet for sexually deviant behavior. The ntcc is not any church. The ntcc enforces strict dating requirements and manipulates relationships between it's members by matchmaking, approving and disapproving of relationships and driving wedges between existing relationships. The ntcc creates an environment of celibacy for a lot of young men and this has caused numerous problems throughout the years. Do you ever wonder why a church as small as the ntcc has so many problems with Adultery, Fornication, Homosexuality and Child Molestation? You've got a bunch of pent up young GI's whose hormones are raging and a manipulative pastor that preaches hell, fire and brimstone, says all the sisters are off limits because God has called them to Bible School, or steers them away from relationships as if they were called by God himself to control that part of a young man's life. Young Christian men have enough pressures to deal with, without having some abusive and manipulative jerk telling them who they can and can't talk with. And what kind of logic is this, "Background checks don't always show anything, so it is impossible to know everything about everybody." That's a good excuse to allow perverts around children. "Sorry, Mrs. Ntcc Church Goer, that your daughter got raped and she will be emotionally scarred for the rest of her life and never be comfortable with a relationship with a man, because we don't do background checks." Do you think this is an exaggeration? It actually goes beyond this because not only did Davis and Kekel ignore and shun the mother after she warned them of Fontenot, but they allowed this known child molester to become an active member of the ntcc, after he was released from jail, and very few parents in the ntcc were even aware of what this man had done. And you want to do a background check on Nichole? Be for real, Ross.
Ross also said to Nichole:
If you will be honest with yourself, you know that no one in NTCC leadership would EVER approve of such behavior, not to mention the fact that it has always been warned AGAINST! Your desires to justify yourself for whatever your short-falls are, are somehow vindicated in your own eyes by trashing others??? This is the norm for all these x-ntcc’ers and few of you are likely to ever see Jesus being as many of you have an unforgiving, vengeance-seeking heart. Your trashing a church for your own ends, even if the church isn’t perfect, sends a message the devil wants all to hear- and simply vindicates their hatred for ALL churches. NTCC is not the only ones that must stand before God, but YOU ALSO. However, instead of preaching and spreading the True Gospel, which you all claim to have, WHY AREN’T YOU SPENDING YOUR TIME OUT SPREADING IT, INSTEAD OF WASTING YOUR TIME TEARING OTHERS DOWN??? Are you totally without any mercy – the very crime you accuse NTCC of??? DnA said: No, we do not know that anyone in the NTCC leadership would disapprove of such behavior because doing nothing about it is the same as approving it and they have a standing history of ignoring the victims of sexual abuse and allowing the sexual predators to thrive and prosper in the ntcc. We wish that people like Ross would hold themselves to the same standards that they hold us to. We are unforgiving? We are totally without mercy? We are trashing a church of our own ends? Who are you to require this of us? The ntcc is a church that runs good people off because they have honest questions about their transparency and finances that can't be explained. When people disagree with the ntcc leadership on many subjects like tithe, financial transparency and holiness, they are publicly rebuked for being contentious and unless they conform, they will continue to be humiliated until they leave in disgrace. Once they leave, the existing members are no longer allowed to be a friend to that person. They are considered the enemies of God, and the ntcc church members get scriptures thrown at them like, "What Fellowship hath light with darkness"? This is how the ntcc takes good people, ignores their honest questions and issues, turns against them and shuns them. You want to talk to us about mercy and forgiveness? Don't tell us that "few of us are likely to ever see Jesus" or "that we are sending a message the devil wants all to hear". We aren't out here claiming to be the last move of God on earth. You need to take the beam out of your own eye so you can see clearly enough to remove the mote from our eyes. You strain at a gnat and swallow a camel, Ross. Read More ->>
Ross said:
Mr. Smith, your character-assasinations are not reporting, but biased since you only publish one side of every story, therefore, you are definitely a failed reporter since there is no real objectivity in your reporting. Sad, so sad. You are a mere sham. DnA said: Ross, as you well know there is a shroud of secrecy that surrounds the ntcc. The ntcc leaders have opinions and positions on this subject and many other subjects that are indefensible. This is why Davis will never talk to Bruce Smith or go public with any information regarding this or any other scandal. This is why Kekel and Kinson say, "No Comment" and will not address these issues. Bruce Smith has given the ntcc leadership many opportunities to respond and covered both sides of the ntcc related stories that he has reported. There are many scandals that have tainted the ntcc's past and the leadership is not able to come out publicly and take a position because they are guilty of the things that are shared by many witnesses. This is how cults operate. This is why cults like the ntcc place so much emphasis on keeping their cult members off of the internet and isolated from society. Isolationism is a very important mechanism to keeping people from discovering information that would jeopardize their cash flow. Apparently you haven't got the memo yet, but maybe you have by now because we noticed you haven't been back to respond.
In Response to Mark G's comment, Ross said:
How long will you poisonous vipers vent your angst and your vitriole? “Wherefore love your enemies…” This is some strange love you people show. What does the G. stand for Mark? Good, Godly and Grand??? Until you are willing to forGive, you haven’t got much chance. “He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone.” (Jesus) DnA said: Again Ross, Why are we expected to "love our enemies", while you are calling us poisonous vipers? Why do you exempt yourself from your own standards? You are demonstrating the very things that we have been speaking about for years now. While we were in the ntcc, we allowed ourselves to be kicked around by people like you, but we have found our freedom and some of us are no longer afraid of people like you. Your rules do not apply to us, so don't expect us to allow you to mistreat us the way that you are used to. We hope that our replacements will hear our voices and escape for their lives, before they find themselves hopelessly trapped without the will power to break free of the tyranny and abuse of the ntcc and it's rich rulers.
In response to David's comment, Ross said:
You are disgusting. And what of YOUR foibles??? Let’s hear some confessions about yourself??? DnA said: All David has done was quote some statutes and laws that normal law abiding citizens are expected to follow. These laws protect our children from predator's and violence. In this comment, Ross, it sounds like you are trying to justify the actions of a sex offender that violates little girls. Why would you accuse David of being disgusting when he is doing his part to alert the public to the statutes that exist to protect young children? You are not making any sense, Ross. I know who David is, and I will say this, Ross. There is not a person that I know on this planet that loves God and cares about people more than he does. You are worried about his Foibles? I'm sure that if he has any, which we all do, including you, he is not obligated to confess them to you. Who are you, anyway, that you should demand such things?
In Response to Vic's comment, Ross said:
You can be blind, but others can’t- YOU can be unmerciful, but others can’t. You people are SOOO transparent! DnA Said: Transparency is a trait that we all wish the ntcc possessed. Their lack of transparency in this and other matters, shows that they have much to hide. We were once blind members of this controlling group but we now see things clearly, and I think most of the readers of this forum feel the same way. Being merciful does not mean to stand idly by and allow atrocities to happen without saying or doing anything. We have done our part to expose the ntcc for enabling people like Mr. Fontenot. I wish that this was not necessary. If the ntcc leaders would have taken appropriate action we would not be here discussing these things. The ntcc has a long standing history of ignoring the abuse, shunning the abused and harboring the abusers. In addition, the ntcc leadership has never acknowledged their inaction or indiscretion; nor have they apologized for the hurt and suffering that many have endured in the ntcc. Their response has always been to remove any opposition or disagreeing parties from their organization and keep the perpetrators around. They call this mercy, but I would have to ask you Ross, what about mercy for the victims? How come you accuse us of being unmerciful, but you haven't had one word of compassion for the six year old girl that was sexually violated, or the mother that was shunned by the ntcc and it's leadership? Don't talk to us about mercy or forgiveness. Don't condemn us and demand that we confess our sins to you. I don't hate you Ross, I actually pity you. I feel sorry for you because you are the prime example of what the ntcc does to people. There are so many people just like you in the ntcc, and they probably were decent people at one time, but the constant pressure of living up to unobtainable demands and seeking the approval of the narcissistic ntcc leaders, has stripped you and many others of every ounce of individuality and decency that you ever had. We hope that you find peace and delivery from this bondage.
For NTCC The By-Line Would Have To Be: By Rodger Wilson Davis & His Son-In-Law Michael Craig aka "Mike" Kekel Mind Controlled Dummies? And Such Were Some Of You
Choosing a cult can be a very difficult task. First of all there are many choices; and they all have significant consequences that can affect you for the rest of your life. Your selection will not only shape your future, but it also will have an enormous effect on those that know and love you. Becoming a Cult Member is not something you want to jump into without forethought or preparation. This post goes out to all of those folks that are looking for a cult and are considering making the ntcc their cult home. We want to share some of the things you might want to consider before making the ntcc your cult of choice. Keep in mind that most people that select a cult do not realize the complexities, sacrifices and long term effects involved in becoming a Cult Member. For those of you that are considering attending the ntcc, or have visited and feel drawn to return, we hope that the information we are providing will serve to help you make the right decision. For the purpose of this blog post, we are going to focus on one group; and that is the cult called New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc.
Since joining a cult usually involves a lifetime commitment that most cult members couldn't possibly grasp at the onset of their "spiritual journey", we would like to help simplify the decision making process by saving you years of sorrow and regret. If we could give you one sliver of advice that would enhance your future, it would be to stay as far away from the ntcc as you possibly can. Do not attend this cult. We do not recommend joining any cult; but if you must join a cult, steer clear of the ntcc. Of course this solution is too simple; and people often need to learn things the hard way. That's how it was for most of the eX-members of the ntcc. So let's get started.
Being a Cult Member of the ntcc is like being in an abusive relationship. At first it all seems too good to be true. They love you; they feed you; they make you feel special, wanted and important. Once you become addicted to this kind of attention, the abuse begins. Under the guise of being a loving shepherd that is concerned for your eternal well being, a hireling is about to manipulate your life. In short, you are about to be punked. You are setting yourself up to become a product of an organization that exists to make a very few select individuals filthy rich. When you fully commit yourself to the ntcc leadership, you are being manipulated into giving complete access to your personal life to an individual whose main purpose is to exploit you for financial gain that makes the top leaders of ntcc filthy rich. It's that simple. They want your money. They don't care about you, your family, your friends or anything else. Most people don't see or understand what they are getting into when they join the ntcc.
Look for Red Flags!!!!!!
The very best way to distinguish a Christian Church from a cult is to compare it to the gospel of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John which are the written accounts of the life of Jesus.
Red Flag #1 - MONEY GRUBBING - Does the cult revolve around money? Did Jesus ask for or demand money from His disciples every time they gathered? Did Jesus ever say that if you love me you will pay your tithes to me? Did Jesus ever tell his followers that they were God robbers if they didn't give Him 10%? This is a huge red flag! The ntcc teaches contrary to the teachings of Christ; that if you do not pay tithes and give in offerings hell will be your home. In the ntcc money is required in every get-together. Your money is required; and without it, you cannot and will not be a Christian in the ntcc. They don't want your abilities, your talent, your friendship or your company unless you first give them your money. One of the very first requirements and the highest priority of your Christian life is to pay tithes and give in offerings in every ntcc public gathering or assembly. If you refuse to do this, we guarantee you that you will not be "loved" by that bunch.
Red Flag #2 - DRESS CODE - Does the cult tout standards of dress that seem outlandish or outdated and have little or no biblical basis? Can you find an account of Jesus telling folks that they must dress a certain way if they want to go to heaven? Jesus warned people to beware of the Scribes and Pharisees who love to wear long robes, and love to be called Rabbi. In the ntcc they do the exact same thing. They love to impose their standards of dress on people and to be called Pastor. If you are a woman and you went to an ntcc conference in pants with makeup or jewelry, would you be welcome? If you were a man would you be welcome if you showed up to bible school wearing shorts and a t-shirt, sporting a mustache or a beard? Now ask yourself if the same people would be turned away by Jesus? It doesn't take a Genius to figure out that something is wrong in the ntcc.
Red Flag #3 - CONTROLLING RULES - Does the cult make up a bunch of abnormal rules that govern your life but have no biblical significance? Do they tell you that you have to ask permission to ride in a car with someone else? Did Jesus ever tell anyone that they had to ask Him permission to ride on a donkey with someone else? Seem a little ridiculous? We think so. Do they tell you whom you can talk to? Do they tell you whom you can have over for dinner? Do they tell you whom you can let your children have as guests at their birthday parties? Do they enforce curfews? Do they tell you that if you miss one of their meetings that you must not love God or want to be around God's people? These are huge warnings. The ntcc leaders who make and enforce these rules claim to be Christians; but did Jesus require any of the people that he loved to behave like this? To be a Christian is to be Christ-like. Is it Christ-like to rail on a young woman because she has a bow in her hair, or to tell a woman that she is going to hell for working a job? Is it Christ-like to condemn someone for going to a different church? Did Jesus ever tell one group of believers that they couldn't hang around other believers? Is it Christ-like to tell people whom they can date or whom they can marry? Is it Christ-like to tell a person that they can't eat french fries with their fingers? This is a no-brainer folks. All you need is a little bit of common sense; and you can avoid a whole bunch of heartache.
Red Flag #4 - HYPOCRISY / DOUBLE STANDARDS - Do the cult leaders have a problem with following their own rules? To make this even more simple let's just ask the question, "Is your cult leader a hypocrite?" Do they break their own rules? Do they bind heavy burdens upon folks which they themselves are not willing to move with their fingers? Do they tell you that you must get permission to talk to a woman but they seem a little over friendly with the female members in their own congregations? We're saying this because adultery is a huge problem in the ntcc. Divorce on demand is a huge problem in the ntcc. They make these rules; because they are the ones that have problems in these areas. Just look at their history. Did Jesus stop Mary from pouring ointment on his feet and washing them with her tears and drying them with her hair because He was afraid that it would lead to lust and fornication? If you are righteous you don't live in fear when someone else has a problem. Does your cult leader spend your tithe money to send his child to a private school and allow him to play football and dress in lascivious football pants when you were required to get a letter from your pastor exempting your child from gym class because the required standard of dress for physical education was considered to be inappropriate apparel for Christians in your cult? Did Jesus enforce any of this stupid nonsense upon His followers?
Red Flag #5 - CULT COMPOUND - Does your cult have a compound that it operates from? Is there a locked gate that controls who can and cannot visit the houses inside of the compound? Is there a Bonco in your cult of choice? For those that are unfamiliar with the Bonco in the ntcc, it is a gated community that surrounds the mansions of Rodger Wilson Davis and his son-in-law Michael Craig Kekel. There are approximately 24 houses in this community; and if you wish to live in one of these houses you will be told who can visit you and who can't. You will be told which relatives are allowed to visit you and which relatives are not allowed to visit you. There is a similar community of Butt kissing cult members that surrounds the Bible School cult compound which is right down the street from the Bonco cult compound. This consists of a bunch of houses and dorms that mostly belong to the organization. To live in one of those houses or the BS dorms you must follow a bunch of Rules For Fools. Just sign here. Don't read the rules. Don't ask questions. Just obey us. Ahem. Jesus didn't have a place to lay His head. We don't recall Him having a cult compound with a bunch of rules.
The Servicemen's homes are also mini cult compounds that have very strict rules. Ask yourself before signing up:
What am I getting myself into?
Will the Servicemen's home interfere with my military career? Will I be pressured to terminate my military service to become a lifelong member of this cult?
How many of the cult members that were reached in these homes stayed in the military long enough to retire?
There are many red flags that are raised by the ntcc leadership that defy common sense. We hope that we can get you to think things over a bit before choosing the ntcc as your cult. We wish that we could have had someone to point out the warning signs to us before we sacrificed our futures to this organization and its abusive leaders. Having given a large portion of our lives to the ntcc with nothing of any Christian value to show for it, we think that we can simplify the process for anyone who is considering the ntcc as a life decision. Don't do it. Don't be a dummy. Don't be someone else's fool. Don't be manipulated. Don't give your hard earned money to a preacher so he can give it to another preacher that lives in a million dollar mansion. Your pastor has been trained to get your money and give it to his pastor. That's right. You are paying to be abused. You are paying that preacher every Sunday morning and Sunday night, every Tuesday bible study, every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday Church/Cult service to impose a bunch of stupid rules on your life so that someone you might see twice a year [or less, if you are lucky] can live in luxury that you will never be able to afford for yourself or your family.
A normal person will read this and say, "You would have to be a real dummy and a complete moron to join a cult like this". And that person would be right; and yet hundreds if not thousands of people sign up to be members of the ntcc every year. Please look at the big picture and steer clear of this cult for your own good. Don't take our word for it if you don't want to; but read the thousands of online testimonies that have been shared by people that learned the hard way. It's really not a hard decision. Keep a sharp lookout for the red flags so that you don't fall into the trap that others have. Now you have all the information that you need and are no longer a dummy unless you choose to be one. If you choose to join the ntcc after everything you have read here, then we're afraid you are beyond our help; and you will have to learn the ntcc lesson the hard way as we did, and as did all of the other ntcc dummies that came before you.
9822 158th St. E.
Puyallup, WA
Where Cori Lewis
was murdered
(lower right unit)
Today marks the one year anniversary of the untimely death of Cori Lewis. She was murdered by a former New Testament Christian Church Lay Pastor in the building pictured here (lower right apartment). This four-plex unit, and three more like it (see picture 2 also) located on 158th St. E. in Puyallup, WA were owned by Cherlyn and Kelly Merz, a couple who moved to the region to attend the New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc. Bible School or Seminary.
Having a knack for acquiring real-estate, the couple remained in Washington, renting out several apartments to other NTCC Bible School or Seminary students and ministers. Though Kelly became a Lay Pastor for NTCC, both he and Cherlyn stopped attending the church. They divorced in 2004, with Cherlyn retaining the ownership of their real estate. Meanwhile Kelly worked for a pizza place and acted as site manager of the buildings where he murdered Cori.
Picture 2: Another
Unit owned by Merz
I knew Kelly and Cherlyn from my time in the ministry at Ft. Bragg in North Carolina from 1994-1995. When I learned of this tragedy, I asked myself (and others who knew this couple): "What happened?" Many issues came to mind, all of them tied to the New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc. and their abusive treatment of people resulting in a profound negative impact on their lives, sometimes ending in death, as is the case here. Let's look at some of these issues.
Long View of site
where Cori Lewis'
Remains were recovered
less than a mile from
the NTCC compound
Racism In The New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc.
Offically the party lines of the NTCC are "All are welcome." and "A Church of All Nations."
In practice, however, that is just NOT TRUE.
All are welcome IF they pay tithe and give in offerings.
And IF they keep their place below whites.
And IF they don't mingle with whites.
And IF they 'white-up' .
Close up of the grave
site off 86th St. E. &
224th Ave. E. in
Graham, WA
What does that mean? African Americans and others are welcome if they pay tithe and give in offerings, dress and act white, and don't wear afros or corn rows. They also would be bombarded with Anti-African-American lingo from the pulpit where NTCC CEO mikey kekel would mock "ebonics" and "monkey music". Also the NTCC founder and President de facto, rodger wilson davis, clearly sees African Americans as being beneath white folks; because he frequently taught the false doctrine that "If a white man marries a black woman, he has low self esteem." WOW! davis clearly is stating that he sees "black women" as being so far below a "white man" that he would only down-grade and marry one if he had low self esteem! Did we mention davis came from dirt poverty, from, in his words, "a cotton mill hill" town in the South? Draw your own conclusions; but he is white. And he constantly used "the N word" from the pulpit and lectern and claimed "If that offends you, you need to get saved. They that love the Lawd, nothing will offend them." [*cough* Yeah, right, whatever dude.] We're guessing davis tore out those pages in the bible describing how Moses married an Ethiopian woman (a sister of color). And yet, somehow, Moses was able to "do a work for the Lord." *ahem* [shaking our heads in wonder at the davis false doctrines that is so deeply embedded in the NTCC] What do people think when they read of the mighty ministry of Moses who married an Ethiopian? Do they murmur against him and God the way Miriam and Aaron did until God judged them and ended that? Read Numbers 12 link.
Another one of the four
four-plex buildings run by
Cherlyn and Kelly Merz
davis also often taught that black-white inter-racial marriages "limit the ministry". Consequently most ntcc ministers discouraged members from pursuing such relationships and refused to perform wedding ceremonies for such couples and deterred them from attending the NTCC bible school, quoting davis' dogma that such unions "limit the ministry" and informing the couple that they would most likely never be sent out to pastor a church as would other couples.
This was the case with the Merz. Their first ntcc pastor confessed that he regretted not performing their marriage ceremony, due to this davis doctrine. Also, the couple was involved with NTCC for ten years (a long time by NTCC standards) before any of their pastors would recommend them for Bible School (a prerequisite for attendance). We feel the only reason they were approved by davis was their ability to generate large income from real estate, paying ten percent (or more) in tithe to the New Testament Christian Churches of America, Inc. Perhaps it was the large tithe check that prompted davis to "allow" this couple to stay in Washington when most others who graduate the NTCS are immediately sent out to work elsewhere. Whatever the reason, they stayed and were systematically destroyed by the NTCC machine.
We feel the NTCC man-made doctrines and abusive practices led to not only the destruction of the Merz' marriage, but also the mental health of Kelly himself, driving him down, systematically taking from him his military career, self-esteem, self-worth, marriage, and faith in God. With nothing left, is it a wonder that he took someone else's life?
It's our opinion that NTCC's man-made extra-biblical doctrines led to this senseless murder.
What will it take to stop you from following the false teachings of the NTCC?
We recently saw this public profile of a former ntcc child who calls herself "Ex member". This story is so heartbreaking to read. NTCC really is an unhealthy environment that hurts you, your marriage, and your children. Thank God she has survived this and, we pray, will continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth! Here is her testimony in her own words:
I was born into NTCC in 1981.(St.Louis MO) My young childhood was fairly Then when I was five my father did something that the NTCC deemed unforgivable: he lost his job due o a injury he received in the military. Therefore was unable to pay as much tithe b4. This did not ruin my parents dedication to this organization. My father was encouraged to do what ever work he could which included hard manual labor(which he was advised by his doctor not to do). My mother during this time asked if she could get a part time job just to make sure her kids(my brother and I) were fed. she was told know that she needed to remain at home to support her husband, and with the other ladies at the church supporting gods wrk. She then asked if she could get gov. assistance (just medicaid for us she wasn't looking for a hand out)and was told that god was testing our loyalty to him. my father would often "junk" (drive or walk with shopping cart down alleys looking for metal to sell to salvage places) he would barely make enough money to keep us fed, but would still pay tithe. then it got worst, my mother tried to get away she took my brother and I half was across the USA o be with her sister, but my father found us and the pastor in STL at the time prsured him in to bringing hr back into the fold this lasted for 2 ms then she left again filed for divorce and lost custody of my brother and I. Due to the church convincing my father hat she would turn us evil if we were raised out side of NTCC. She only got visitation. And was constantly hassled about that. As I grew up with little to know positive female influence . I became very shy and introverted. When I was 14 I tried to commit suicide, i had recently been told by a church member that knew my parents when they got married that the marriage had not been blessed by NTCC and that was why it failed I took this to mean that my being alive wasn't blessed by NTCC and therefore god himself. i wrote god a letter asking him that if I was wrong please spare me but I was trying to fix all the wrongs that had happened to my family, I took every pill in my fathers med cabinet and went to bed 15 mins later I was in the bathroom puking them up. I believed god answered me and I wasn't a mistake. from them on I started to look at thing differently I noticed more than before how "after church huddles" would literally move away from my father when he tried to join a conversation. I also stared asking questions about the rules that made no since to me. Basically I was told to keep my place as female and I child. I knew at this point that I had to get away, but couldn't until legally old enough to be on my 1 month before my 18th birthday I ran away.
Once again, we thank God for sparing this young woman's life and pray that she can fully understand the love of God in a real way in her own heart and learn that she is very valuable and important!
Many people say they go to church to get fed spiritually. The church world is a lot like the food industry in the United States. Each restaurant and fast food joint claims to have the best food or the best prices; and each uses many sales tactics to convince consumers to buy their products. Many groceries that we buy are marketed in the same way: "Free Range Chickens", "Free Range Eggs", "Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice" and "Premium USDA Inspected Beef" are a few among the many terms used by the food industry to con you into buying their products. But the FDA has few restrictions when it comes to definitions of these terms being so loosely used.
For example, a "Free Range" chicken can mean a chicken which shares a grass barn with a million other chickens. But those "Free Range" chickens are just like their "Free Range" eggs which are all harvested in the barn. They're really not roaming the countryside freely, enjoying sun and air and nature.
Notice that the Roosters or
'Pastors' are the only ones
allowed anywhere near freedom.
And how do you get 100% "Freshly Squeezed" orange juice 365 days a year? The OJ might be freshly squeezed; but after that it is put into sealed tanks. All the oxygen is taken out of it; and there it sits for up to a year before it reaches the grocery store shelf. And what they don't tell you is that everything that makes it taste like orange juice sunk to the bottom of the tank; so later on they mix in f'lavor packets' that are like perfume fragrances to make your 'freshly squeezed' orange drink, that's been stored for a year, once again taste like real "freshly squeezed" OJ! They even have loopholes which are allowed by the FDA that do not require big companies like Minute Maid to list the ingredients of these mystery flavor packets on their packaging.
"USDA Inspected" is another term. It seems reassuring; but in fact it means very little in the meat industry. Buyers of meat look for the cheapest product to save their money; and the meat industry has been allowed to take the cheapest cuts of meat and market them as "USDA Choice". 70% of all hamburger patties are made by a company called Beef Products, Inc. They use a process of 'cleaning' the beef with ammonia gas so that it can pass e-coli inspections; that enables it to have the government's stamp of approval so 'Beef Products' Inc. can compete with the few companies that actually use prime cuts of meat. Do you ever wonder why a 12 minute trip to Taco Bell carries the consequence of a 12 roll session in the restroom? [Just Kidding!]
Taco Bell - It's Swell!
Only "USDA CHOICE" Beef
Used Here. When you're
done flushing, yell
"ALL CLEAR!"
As a truck driver, I have delivered all types of products to places across the USA. One such delivery was 'Food-Grade Paper'. Packaged as huge rolls of paper that weigh almost 7,000 lbs per roll, this product was delivered to a food company that had a pulp processing plant. Not understanding why this paper looked a little different I asked their receiving personnel what the paper was used for. They explained to me that it was 'Food-Grade Paper'; and it was processed into pulp which was processed into powder and used as a cheap replacement for more expensive 'fillers' like flour and oils! What? It's not for packaging? No. It winds up in your food. It has no nutritional value; and is listed in the ingredients of your favorite food as "Cellulose". Notice the close correlation between the words "Cellulose" and "Cellulite" - that pesky body fat that accumulates around your middle-aged gut; giving you the appearance of a Dunlap tire 'coz your stomach done lapped over your belt! ;-)
Which has more wood
in it, the Bread or the
Chopping Block?
Cellulose comes from wood pulp, and is processed into huge rolls of 'Food-Grade Paper' that is a little thicker than construction paper and fairly coarse. It is then put in your food to stretch the ingredients. It is filler. I looked it up on the internet; but it is not something that is very well advertised. I had to do quite a few searches to find it. But it was on a website that had a list of "The 6 most horrifying lies the food industry is feeding you".
Unfortunately, much of the church world operates in a similar fashion; and the ntcc is one of the worst offenders of all. The ntcc leadership advertises that they "preach a living Christ to a lost and dying world". They share that their version of the gospel is "pure" and "unadulterated". But in truth, what they do is very similar to what the food industry does. The food industry convinces people that they have the best product; and that is exactly what the ntcc tries to do in the church world. In fact the ntcc will try to convince you that they have the market cornered. They will convince you that you will not find what they have to offer anywhere else. And in a very subtle way they will tell you that nobody offers what they have to offer.
The ntcc will tell you that "God raised up Davis because nobody else was preaching the truth. Everyone else was compromising." The same is true on a smaller scale in the local ntcc churches. If you don't believe me, try going to another church, and see how your ntcc pastor reacts. He will react just the way he was taught to react by Davis, Kekel and the rest of the ntcc leadership. "If the other churches were right with God, He wouldn't have raised the ntcc up in these last evil days as a bastion of righteousness and holiness". The ntcc's version of holiness does not wash away greed, covetousness, adultery or the hate they preach and teach to their congregations. What they fail to realize is that all their righteousness is as filthy rags (used menstrual cloths) before God. They might feed you a line that there are other churches "out there" [sic] outside the weird "church behind the fence'. But they will freak out if you go and visit one of those 'other' churches! They will try to blame and manipulate you with mystical hogwash like, "If God saved you here, why would you go there?" Well, I was born in a hospital, but I sure didn't grow up in one. The ntcc is always telling X-ers to move on. We'd like to encourage you "in-ers" to do the same. Move on out of that hospital where you were born-again and grow up in a healthy church environment where you are Spirit led, not on lock-down. After all, hospitals are where you go when you are born, sick, or fixin' to die. You don't want to spend your whole life there!
The ntcc uses an extremely emotional approach to appeal to people called "Love Bombing". But then they use some very sleazy sales tactics to get them to buy off on their bill of goods. They use a lot of "Fluff" to draw people in: free dinners, free rides to church, smiles and hugs at the door. But once they get their hooks in you, they begin to reveal some pretty disturbing rules they will try to call only 'policies' or 'doctrine'. But just try ignoring or breaking those rules and see how well that goes over. You will be blasted from the pulpit in a smear campaign designed to cut you off from the flock. Unfortunately, their fear tactics have proven quite effective over the years. The people you thought were your friends will start avoiding you. You will be looked at in a very different light. You've been marked and are on your way out. In ntcc you are expected to conform to the rules of man or be cast off.
They also use advertising slogans like "A Church of All Nations"; but after you become one of them you start hearing nigger jokes. Then they will say if that offends you, you must be wrong because "They that love the Lord, nothing will offend them." That is ntcc's twisted version of Psa 119:165 which actually states: "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." First of all, they are misquoting that scripture. And secondly, that scripture is not meant to be an excuse for them to sow discord, or use evil jesting. They are really abusing that scripture to tell you that you can't be angry with their sin. But the Word says to "be angry and sin not" [Eph 4:26]. Plus, try applying their standard to them. Walk up to Mikey Kekel and slap him on the back and say, "What's up, Mike?" Then, when he turns red and tries to blast you say, "What? You aren't OFFENDED; are you, Mike? Because "They that love the LORD, nothing will offend them." Or try walking into church and give Tanya Kekel one of those scathing head to toe look-overs like what she does to you to make you feel like your kook-store attire does not meet her standards. Make sure you look disgusted or scornful when you do this to her. See how she reacts to that. Will she be a shining example of Christian love? Or will she stamp her $400 dollar pair of heels and pout to Mikey so he can blast you and say "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?" You see, in the ntcc there really is a double standard, a "do as I say, not as I do" hypocrisy that rules the 'leaders' actions. They are hypocrites who preach one thing while demanding that you live a different thing. They are like the food industry that promises something fresh; but in reality what you get has been sitting around getting stale. They claim that they, and only they, "have the goods"; but what you are really getting is not %100 pure; instead it is full of man-made doctrines that are used as fillers to stretch the truth to fit their man-made agendas. It's just a bunch of spiritual cellulose!
Another strategy ntcc uses to get the military involved is to promise them 'home cooked' meals; and they refer to their servicemen's homes as a "Home Away From Home"; but after you move in to their dysfunctional home, you must submit to all of their rules. You first must pay tithe and give in offerings and pay a home offering and a separate food offering; you also must participate in every function every day and live according to ntcc's definition of holiness. This in itself is bad enough, incorporating many non-scriptural man-made rules; but there are a lot of subtle and non-written rules you must also abide by; which all fall under their category of "Obey them that have the rule over you"; which can be found in Heb 13:17; but is largely abused by ntcc davis-wannabe megalomaniacs. Did the author of Hebrews really intend for people to live in an environment where they have to obey some hypocritical, fault finding, micro managing, angry control freak?
The ntcc bible school, now called a cemetery,oops, seminary, slogan is "Preparing Youth with Truth in Holy Spirit Power". I know this; because I tore the letter off of my high school letter jacket and sewed that big ugly yellow patch in it's place; because I was taught that pride was sinful and that displaying "a symbol of pride" was wrong. Well what's the difference between their patch or my High School's patch? Does the ntcc really do what they claim? Do they prepare youth with truth? Let's see. They teach bible school students that they can't be trusted to give another bible school student a ride in their car (even if their "oil-puking junker" is broken down on the side of the road) without first asking permission. They teach them that they cannot fellowship with another brother or sister without ntcc's permission. They can't borrow a plunger from another dorm without ntcc's permission. Is all this based on truth? Where in the Bible do you find that? Is that the 13th commandment? "Thou shalt not borrow thy neighbour's plunger unless pastor says so." Let's continue. They teach that it is a blessing to "scrub the toilet" of "the man of God", to clean their houses, and to clean their expensive cars and recreational vehicles and shine their shoes. Is this all really preparing youth with truth? Or is it teaching them to be slaves? Meanwhile the board members relax with another drink and then fly out of town with nobody knowing where they are going or why.
What does the ntcc really have to offer its adherents that is good for their spiritual well being? Most of what they offer is toxic; and they use a bunch of fillers and spiritual cellulose to make it all wash down. "Preaching a Living Christ to a Lost and Dying World" sounds pretty good until you wake up decades later and realize that you are not only part of that dying world, but you have wasted the best years of your life by convincing others to follow a failed system that benefits a very few, while you witness others being trampled on for reasons that do not make any sense. The ntcc needs a living Christ just as much if not more than the dying world that they preach to. Their doctrine has run off more people than it has helped by far. It's false advertising to say that you are the last move of God on planet earth and then treat people that you call your brother and sister like human excrement. It's phony and hypocritical to live in luxury while expecting your members to foot the bill. The bible is full of spiritual nutrition; but the ntcc causes it to be of no value when the leaders live contrary to the inflated advertisements they use to sell their gospel.
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Gal 1:8
We have covered this topic quite a bit; but it just seems to continue to come up in my thoughts and prayers. You have seen it before; and you will see it again in the ntcc: The once married, now single Christian ends up in:
A. St. Louis, MO to be matched up with a recycled spouse.
B. Graham, WA to be matched up with a recycled spouse.
C. Phoenix, AZ to be matched up with a recycled spouse.
D. On the "revival" circuit to find a new spouse [ahem].
I know there are many in the ntcc that will not receive this; after all, in their eyes, we are just "negative and bitter X-ers that have an aXe to grind". While pondering all this, I couldn't help but think about
the complete disregard for the institution of marriage that is exhibited by the ntcc. The vows that a man and woman take are supposed to be for life; and God has much to say about the commitment of marriage.
It's plain to see that divorce and the breaking up of families is a huge problem in the ntcc. There are wives and husbands that are in the ntcc that have put away their spouses and are now on their 2nd, 3rd and 4th marriages in what obviously is commonplace in the ntcc.
This is nothing more than spouse swapping! The men and women of the ntcc might as well throw their car keys in a big bowl and have a drawing; whoever pulls out your keys is the one you drive home with!
In ntcc if you get tired of your spouse, not to worry; the ntcc leadership can (and will) match-make you with a recycled spouse; everything will be okay! I have to wonder if folks in the ntcc even read their bibles; or do they just refuse to believe in the scriptures that deal with divorce and adultery? Instead they listen to false doctrines of men that make them adulterers and adulteresses. They buy into the li(n)e that if Pastor says it's okay, it's okay. I wouldn't want to get marriage counsel from an adulterer.
A little over a year ago, I came to God just as I was. I didn't prepare my life or try to change what I was; but in the realization of my spiritual condition, I asked for forgiveness and experienced salvation. Prior to this, I had forsaken God and chose to live a life contrary to that which I knew to be true. God had mercy on me and not only forgave me but also gave me a wife.
I saw many in the ntcc treat their wives like a dog that peed on their carpet or like property or even worse, but few that really lived an example of love for one another. I love my wife. She is the most important person on this earth to me. I have no desire to control her or to manipulate her. I was serious about the vows that we took; and I plan on spending the rest of my life with her. By the grace of God our marriage will be a biblical one; and we will not disregard God's word and become dissatisfied with what God has put together.
In the ntcc men have found their vows to be meaningless and chosen to dump the wives that they were joined together with so that they could move on to a different situation.
I think the CULTure in the ntcc creates an environment that makes women slaves to preachers that have been taught to believe that they are a god to their wives. They are taught to treat their women with little or no respect.
When a woman is abused sexually, physically, mentally or spiritually and she tries to get help from the ntcc leadership, more often than not, she is not believed; and she is expected to continue allowing that man to abuse her.
When women try to seek help at a time when they have been betrayed by their husbands, the ntcc leadership will often blame them for being "too fat and undesirable" to please their husbands; which are, in many cases, also "fat and undesirable" themselves.
This type of behavior is not what you would find displayed in a Christian church! Why do ntcc'ers have such a hard time believing that they are in a cult? Why are we made out to be "the devil" and "haters of God", when all we do is point to the sad truth of what the ntcc is all about?
To those that are in the ntcc that read this blog, please think really hard before you allow someone to influence and destroy your relationship with your family! Love and cherish the wife or husband that God gave you and seek not another. Honor your vows. If the unbelieving wife (or husband) is pleased to dwell with you, don't put them away and marry another spouse. The unbeliever is sanctified by the believer.
Don't allow the ntcc to decide for you that your spouse is an unbeliever and needs to be put away! Just because someone wants to serve God in a church other than ntcc, that does not mean they have departed from the faith. There is no biblical grounds for the ntcc spouse to divorce them.
Beware of the Pharisees. Beware of the wedges that they try to drive in between families, recommending divorce simply because one person wants to serve God in a different church! As the bond of marriage is destroyed so also is the family destroyed. Once the family is destroyed there is very little that can be done to restore it, especially when a man DX's* his wife for a newer model; or the wife does the same.
*[DX is military jargon for Direct eXchange, substituting one like thing for another. That's fine for a jacket that doesn't fit but inappropriate treatment of a life partner as God intended your spouse to be.]
Before deciding to allow ntcc to destroy your family, do yourself a favor. Get to a movie theater and watch "Courageous". Those vows are meant to be sacred! If you can't afford to go to a theater, the DVD will be released soon. In the mean time check the local library or at least pick up a copy of "Fireproof" and watch it. Never leave your partner behind.
A marriage as God intends does not include any form of abuse.
If two are one, how can one abuse oneself? Will you yell at yourself or punch yourself? That is not natural. If you are in an abusive relationship, please remove yourself to a safe environment and seek help, preferably OUTSIDE the ntcc. Too many people have sought help from the ntcc leaders and have been further abused by their poor counsel to "stay and obey" even when physical abuse was present. That is not God's plan for you, His Beloved.
What if you are guilty of adultery as defined by the gospels?
Matthew 5:32
Matthew 19:9
Mark 10:11-12
Luke 16:18
REPENT
NAME THAT SIN
ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU
MAKE AMENDS AS HE DIRECTS YOU
Remember: King David committed adultery with Bathsheba. He then had her husband murdered. When confronted with these sins, David acknowledged his sin. Under the Law of Moses he and Bathsheba should have been killed as judgment. But David understood and believed in the mercy of God. If David could repent through confession and belief, so can anyone who believes the scripture:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
