(Part 2) “The Making Of A Cult”

By Raven🌹

I believe it was a year ago, that I would stop calling myself Apostolic/Pentecostal. I have the same beliefs, but I dropped the titles. If I am to be known as anything, then it will only be Christian. Nothing more and nothing less. In fact, when Christian churches began to divide and follow the political rules of their regions and congregations, is where we started seeing so many different types of denominations that all say they follow Christ, but teach different things. Now, I can see and understand where Apostolic and Pentecostal came from, and we celebrate the day of Pentecost, etc…..but even then, being known as a people that are charismatic and Holy Ghost filled, even then……there are so many different Apostolic Pentecostal churches, where the rules are not the same and the organizations are different. While I trust a very few, whom actually strive to completely follow scripture, there are some, I cannot sign off on. I was born into a trustworthy one, and was a part of a few others.

🤔But Jesus made all people?💬💭💭💭🤔

While these churches welcome all people, and have members from diverse backgrounds and are working to integrate their organizations more…….why has it taken this long and why has that even been a thing? The reason is because, when these churches were started, it was during times when segregation and racism told people where they belonged. This is also around the Jim Jones era, during massive fight back for black liberation, the black panther party was getting built up and was established, etc., where he used the oppression of the poor black communities to manipulate his followers. Micro-racism definitely existed in the church as well, if it was not just blatant racism. Especially down south. Perhaps the racism was not always so overt, but enough that many years later, the newer generations are applauding and publicly announcing their; 1st Black or 1st White leader on “such and such board.” Leaps and bounds, I guess?🤷🏾‍♀️I never felt those changes deserved a pat on the back, because it is church, after all. Why are there prejudices and racism, in the church?

Most Apostolic/Pentecostal oneness churches follow the same doctrine, and some often congregate together, but have diverse segments within those beliefs, that separates them. At the same time, when it comes to surface beliefs, we are not all on one accord. None of these organizations will admit, that what actually divides them, even though the same foundational beliefs are shared, is their pride. To not come together as one Apostolic/Pentecostal church with the same beliefs in every area…..is nothing short of ingrained pride that has been written off as simple differences. I do not believe that Jesus simply looks at this. No one wants to say, we have created man made politics and rules that may have some biblical principles, but mostly, have been created to keep the hierarchy in line, and the family names in position…even secular comforts, in order to keep the building full and bills paid. At times it establishes order, and in some churches does it does so very well. Also in some churches, God actually *is the one behind ordaining families to lead the church, but more often than it should in those churches that follow their own agendas, it causes rifts and divides God’s house. Some of the churches within these organizations practice shunning and ex-communication, that goes under the radar…..until you start listening to the testimony of ex-members.

I am not talking down or trying to call out any one organization or denomination. This is problematic within any church that proclaims Jesus Christ. I have been Blessed and enriched by some of them, I am, however, pointing out, how…….when a belief system a part from scripture, is set in place for years, un-touched and just followed without question…..how easy it is, for something to become a cult or cult-like, in plain sight. Even when the wrong sticks out like the scarlet letter. When something is as big as an organization that has been around for decades, we are dealing with cognitive dissonance on a massive scale.

For this reason, families detach because some choose to break away from their upbringing, especially when it no longer suits the way they desire to live. You see a lot of this within the Amish community who “jump the fence”. I have seen a lot of this within my own community of faith. When narrowing in on my own circle of experiences and people whom can relate; I hear of the repercussions that some have faced choosing a different path in their Christian walk. They have lost friends, family and an established community that they may have had for years, even for generations. It is traumatizing, chaotic, and exhausting. Sadly, because of this loss of choosing a different organization…..(not even always a different faith), some people are so overwhelmed by so much loss, that they walk away from the Christian faith entirely. I would even go as far as saying, how , many people need therapy after walking away from certain churches, even before they go to a new one.

When one experiences PTSD after they’ve walked away from a particular church for the above reasons; either it is a cult hiding under the guise of an organization with “order”, or it mirrors a cult. It is important to understand that a cult does not have to look like what we envision or what history has shown us through some infamous cults. Not everyone lives on a compound dressed in matching attire and sneakers.

Raven🌹