Church Team Ministeries International is luring young unsuspecting youth into a faith that falls in line with the basic tenets of a so called cult. Usually one associates cults with some wacky American religious group and not one that operates around the corner and are targeting church's in Pietermaritzburg and top schools in the area.
What I find more disturbing is that the basic tenets of a cult show up markedly in many church's I have attended in my life. I will not mention names as this would not be fair. But it is fair to say that many church's around the corner express these criteria:
1. Claim exclusivity that they are the only true church. Whether stated directly or indirectly the the subtle innuendo is that other church's don't have what it takes.
2. The authority of the elders and leaders is sacrosanct. One doesn't challenge them as they are the purveyors of truth. How many services have you attended where the uncritical congregation nod their heads after every utterance from the pulpit.
3. Limit the education of their congregation in order to keep things in house. They never attach themselves to a credible seminary or University for study.
4. Start interfering in how youngsters date and go about courtship. The church takes on a controlling influence in the emotions of youngsters.
5. Start creating barriers between the members and their family members who do not belong to their church. Creating social discourse that alienates and estranges folk from each other.
I don't know about you but I see it everywhere I look?
The Witness - article
Mnet - Carte Blanche research
1 comment:
I couldn't agree with you more and thank you for saying it as it is. CTMI has crossed over the line but there are so many others just in Natal that are teetering on the edge! We really need to educate our kids at school about the dangers of these type of "churches" but the idea is met with such reluctance by educators.
Post a Comment