Signs Of A Cult Pt. 2: COGIC, Who Do We SERVE?

First I need to clarify for the sensationalists, that I am not contending that COGIC is a cult. I am a District Supt. in the church and would not dare such a thing about what I know  as a well spring of holiness. However, I am speaking of specific practices of some of those within the organizational church and comparing those actions to what we know about cult activity.

In my post, "Signs Of A Cult" I listed 9 things that cults and cult leaders do in general to gain control over their subjects and people they target. Remember sign # 7:

VII- Redefinition Of What Is True & How Truth Is Assessed:

One of the greatest seductions perpetrated by the cult leader is the elimination of any objective standards for truth and right. The bible or biblical operation is minimized. There is no "high view" of the word. There is a redefinition to "what I say" as opposed to what the word says. This sort of seduction does not begin overtly, it begins minimally. Little by little the standard of right and what is true is changed from an objective, biblical standard, to a subjective personal standard that cannot be readily corrected.

Interestingly enough I received some information from a Women's Department "Leader" that made me stand on my head. In what was titled "Protocol Guidelines for Effectively Serving Your Leader" 23 protocols were given as a directive to all those Missionary women who seek to be "armor bearers" in a certain COGIC Jurisdiction in Chicago. 

Although this is only the skin of the surface of problems in that Jurisdiction, which will go unnamed at the moment, I thought it interesting that time had been taken to set in "order" the behavior of the women who seek to serve in this particular Jurisdictional setting.

Rule 2a ~ "Know the proper code of ethics and behavior toward the leader" 

Now, somebody help me here? Since when did GOD issue an alternate set of rules to teach us how to follow leaders "ethically"? In fact, do TRUE believes act unethically towards leadership? Is there some HANDBOOK somewhere that teaches us these "extra biblical ethics" towards leaders? Then who wrote it? Paul or Peter?

Rule 9 ~ "Get to know your leader's likes and dislikes and govern your behavior accordingly"

So we are to "know" what our leader "likes" and "dislikes"??? For WHAT purpose? So we can be their SLAVE?...What about this verse:

Mark 10:44 ~ and whoever would be first among you must be slave (Gk: doulos or bond servant)of all.

The Jurisdictional instructions read more like a "How To Serve Royalty" than how to serve GOD and honor those in the church or those who partner in service for the glory of the Kingdom. As stated these instructions were delivered to the Missionary Dept. in effort to seemingly let the ladies know that they better get  in order, be in order, pay up and sit down!

Another of the rules of a cult is to make "subjects" of of adherents or followers, and never view them as equals. Guess what, Rule 12 says just that below:

"Do not get involved with the leader's conversation(s) with the leaders colleagues. Step away and allow your leader the necessary privacy to conduct business."

The "leader's colleagues"? Don't worry Sister Missionary being so gracious as to try to assist and help this Mother, or those who have "arrived", you're just pitly and beneath these leaders and they are out of your league...you have no colleague in the game....

Remember I said this in my previous article:

 IX - Personal Attachment Or Over Commitment To Cult Leaders Or Position

The cult leaders desires that their subjects tap into their personality and emotions. They will often do this by dispensing and distributing "positions" and "titles" to their subject to create a sense of importance and loyalty. In the minds of adherents, the emotion of the cult leader is what either motivates or discourages personal actions and attitudes. There is no independence of pursuit, without the enthusiastic approval of the cult leader. In addition, when one is seduced, to even tell them that they are seduced and not behaving rationally is like threatening or challenging one to a fight. The reason is that cult leaders spend an inordinate amount of time grooming their subjects into their way of thinking and rationalization of the world. Finally, the faults, and even sins of the cult leader are often overlooked and in many cases minimized or redefined to be "right" in spite of what is obviously wrong. When this is pointed out, the world created by the cult leader is threatened and the standards of the cult followers are overturned. In short, this is idolatry. Those that follow these cult leaders are idolaters.

Remember, cults teach "don't get so close" all the while they are all up in your business...however there is no reciprocity. This is amply seen in Rule 14...

 "Do not attempt to initiate jokes with your leader or engage in personal/common conversation"

Although you can't talk to or even joke with the leader, you can give them money at any time. In fact your are boarderline required to consider the leader "worthy" simply because they are the "leader". Here you go with Rule 23:

"Provide the necessary financial support as required in rendering tribute and honor to whom honor is due"

So you can only come "close" when it comes to giving MONEY...That is the standard whereby one can joke all day long and have as many conversations as one likes I suppose...

The I'll just have to repent I suppose because I am guilty of Rule 16:

"Do not disclose organizational information on social media without leadership authorization"

OOPS!!!! Now tell me, when will ANYONE doing wrong EVER authorize the public to know about it? In fact, if something is RIGHT and TRUE it can certainly stand the light of day can't it? This is a CLUE that you are being GROOMED to accept that what is being done and what is being done is wrong and needs your SILENT participation... 

One rule I LOVE...it is Rule 11. it simply says this:

"Do not take it upon yourself to orchestrate a surprise for your leader"

Ooh, how I love that one...I WON'T take it upon myself to orchestrate the SURPRISE of an OFFERING....I'll consider Rule 23 NOT in effect by the evidence of a list of 23 directives, most of which are designed to create a subservient relationship to get "subjects" in order...I AIN'T the one and THANK YOU for allowing me to keep my money!!!!

Who's to blame? Not the woman who released this...It's the BISHOP that backs it by allowing it to be distributed...you know the same set of rules go for the men as well??? That's really a no-brainer...

Sorry, I REFUSE to be USED!!!!

Blessed! 

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Seduced Church II: The Entertainment Church

Isaiah 28: 7- 10 ~ 7- But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. 8-For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. 9-Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10-For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

In my previous post "The Seduced Church: The Prostitution & Sale Of The Psalmist" I point out the problem of the secularization of those who claim to be worship and praise leaders within the body of Christ. As we can see, to whatever degree, this need to be secular is vast and is taking in almost as many praise leaders as there are that come up. Everyone is for sale to the next bidder and a "sanctified musician" is nearly an oximoron. In and for what is deemed "ministry" we have praise leaders and musicians following secular artists and producers hoping for their "big break" or to become "Sunday's Best" at the expense of the anointing of God and true union and fellowship with HIS Spirit. 

In this post I would like to look at another aspect of the problem very briefly. It is twofold. It is the need for the church to align itself with "entertainment" for success and the failure of the church as it seeks and prefers entertainment oriented "experiences" over sound teaching, instruction and leadership, contained within the word of God and set forth by his servants. 

Let The Sideshow Begin!

In the mid 70's the group named Blue Magic produced and sang the song called "Sideshow" which sold over 1 million copies and was #1 on R&B charts. The song contained the following lyrics:

"So let the sideshow begin

Hurry, hurry, step right on in

Can't afford to pass it by

Guaranteed to make you cry

Let the sideshow begin

(Hurry, hurry)

Hurry, hurry, step right on in

Can't afford to pass it by

Guaranteed to make you cry"

Well, what is happening to and within the modern day church is guaranteed to make you cry, if you knew what the church once was and what it once represented to the world and the community. In many places, Sunday morning is not only a circus where there are many sideshows, but it is also a place where academy award winning acting takes place. Sunday morning worship services are the place of top ranked entertainment and top ranked entertainment companies. 

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