Jim Wright is a church sower, public but unassuming, thinker, mentor, teacher, local church elder, motivated by redemption, foe of tyrants, friend of the dispossessed, retired international attorney, entrepreneur, former private pilot, and so-so bass fisherman.
Marianne is a retired public school teacher, private but strong, heart, skilled counselor, knows deep intimacy with God, a comfort to others in the Lord, wise, motivated by mercy but has strong resolve, gardener, and a bridge to healing for many.
Together, we have been part of a community of simple, participatory fellowships for many years in our own home county - some of which we helped start.
Our blogs and devotionals spring from firm roots in those local fellowships.
Crossroad Junction 
So true. This type of cultish behavior is everywhere, in and out of pews. I could write a book on the crazy, cultish stuff I’ve seen in home-type churches and institutional. When we substitute a man or woman for God, cultish behavior will inevitably follow.
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It also quickly becomes cultish when we substitute someone’s grand new vision and “revelation”, under enticing banners like Christ is All, for the balance and maturity that comes from a healthy, functioning fellowship which affirms our individually diverse gifts and motivations under the checks and balances of scripture (rather than the “worker/apostle”).
I hope, Jeanne, you all in your area can avoid this as you try to move beyond the crazies who want to legalistically impose their cookie cutter, extreme existential concept of Christ on His people through their “workers” – who try to make it normative for all. But it NEVER works.
Check out those who want to come and tell you how to do it – and see if they have the evidence of healthy, sustainable, diverse fellowships with external fruit to back up their overly intense “vision” of Christ and His church.
You all are in a precarious place. PLEASE, be discerning.
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Absolutely. REQUIRE any visiting elder or leader to show their credentials, which is the life of Christ being reproduced in them and in others who they live life with. If they aren’t in active “life together” with people you can call and talk to, send them on their way.
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yes and the same goes for people who consider themselves to have some sort of superior understanding of scripture and authority on all manner of doctrines. What we’re probably seeing in some places is a reaction against other extremes. To be fair I think christianity is always going to be considered cultish to the outside world especially if christians go down the path of sharing things in common and ditching the institutional model. It may not look like a personality cult, but it may be counter cultural and strange nevertheless. This can make discernment harder if we ask questions about what makes us different.
Unfortunately I think many believers who leave the institution aren’t presented with a lot of options, so while there is a genuine risk of ending up with another damaging group, there is also the risk of isolation. Maybe its different where you live.
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I saw your box on Facebook and identified. It was especially poignant because a major motivator in leaving the last church was a visiting teacher who extracted a new doctrine out of the Song of Songs and Revelation, such that the ‘end time bride of Christ’ became a small subset of true Christians who were in the know and actively looking for His Coming…the rest would be saved but through the fire of the Tribulation! [I address this more in the eBook I did]
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