WHEN DOES A CHURCH BECOME A SECT?

WHEN DOES A CHURCH BECOME A SECT?

I will not call myself an expert in this theme, but I have read about this, and I was in Sweden when the murders and drama happened at the denomination at Knutby. I have also read and listened to many reports about this sect. I, myself, have been a member of churches with certain tendencies of sectarianism. A Norwegian TV-channel is sending six programmes revealing a church called the Word of Truth as a sect these days.

The word sect means the way. A sect is also called a cult. That exists of methods and teachings that rule the sect. I will be writing about religious sects. They are religious groups with strong internal ties. They are most of the time critical to the outside world. An absolute obedience is required. Many sects are formed out of a bigger mother group. The members have found certain faults in the big society, and they protest against that. They look upon themselves as more truthful when it comes to the Word of God, and they think that they are more pure. They really think that they have gotten a special revelation of the truth.

Roy Wallis, a religious sociologist, has seven points of sectarianism.

• A sect is a voluntary organization where the members earn a membership.
• The membership is very exclusive, and it can be removed if they do not follow the norm of the group.
• The members will often look upon themselves as an elite receiving a special divine knowledge.
• A sect will often come in conflict with the mother group or with the society around them. They will often protest.
• A sect is often egalitarian. They all belong to the priesthood.
• The members sacrifice money and their time, and they refuse to live in a worldly way.
• A sect is often totalitarian, and brainwashing is quite common.

 

One could write much more about each point, and different authors wrote a little different about these seven points.

 

Point five says that all the members are alike. I do not recognize that thought from neither Knutby nor from the Word of Truth. Both of these sects were ruled by a woman. In Knutby she was called the  bride of Christ and the other one was called a prophetess. She received direct messages from God, and she controlled every detail of the lives of the members. Both of these women didn’t only control the members, but also the pastors. When we talk about a sect, we always talk about control. God has created every human being with a free will, and we can therefore know that control does not come from God, but the enemy. I usually say that you use witchcraft if you control other people. Witchcraft can hide itself in anyone in the church. It could be a pastor, a worshipper or a prayer leader. Many have asked me how it can be possible that a Christian can harbour witchcraft.  I must go back to the teaching about spirit, soul and body then. The spirit is perfect, righteous and ready for heaven, but the letter to the Philippians 2:12 says that we should work on the salvation of our soul. We can have evil spirits in our soul and body. Witchcraft might sometimes run in families, but they can also enter through occult practice or certain sins. You might have received a prophetic gift from God, but if you have a spirit of witchcraft in your soul, get rid of that before you start practising your God-given gift. Too many people have a difficult time to discern what comes from God and what comes from the devil. Controlling people are often having a need for power.

                      Witchcraft and power go together.

In the church of Knutby in Sweden, demonic powers lead to two people being killed, several forms of encroachment and many of the members lived in fear. This church was definitely a sect. Many thought that they disobeyed God if they didn’t follow “the bride of Christ”, the woman.

In the Word of Truth in Norway they had no murders and no sexual assaults, but the members had to brake the contact with their families and friends. The congregation was their family now. The prophetess should decide with whom to get married and it had to be within the church. The members had to obey the leaders in all matters, and the prophetess had many in counselling. They had to write down all their sinful thoughts and actions to her and she decided what was sinful. She could decide how to practice sex and how to raise their children. If you wanted to leave the church, you were threatened by the leaders saying that you might lose the protection from God and a terrible accident could happen.

I was a member of a church in Sweden with certain sectarian tendencies, but it wasn’t totally a sect. If you had another opinion than the pastor, you most likely had a critical spirit. You would quite often hear that you must not touch the anointed, meaning the leaders. I believe we are all anointed by God. I left the church after 12 years and I was immediately refused to continue counselling a family in deep sorrow. This family would have to leave the church if they continued to have contact with me.

Today I am in a church where one woman has formed a prayer group around herself. She calls the people she wants to have, and it is supposed to be a secret group, but I got to know that certain couples were not allowed, only one partner. I believe that whatever is done in darkness, belongs to the dark.

 

If you feel that you are in a church with sectarian spirits, remember what is written in Titus 2:15. It says that we should not allow ourselves to be despised.

I SAY: DO NOT ALLOW ANYBODY TO STEP ON YOU!

 

Mother Else