So..."Why DID you leave?"

We want to hear from you... 

Countless times we've all ran into each other out in local shopping centers, restaurants, and even other churches.  By now we've all become familiar with those seemingly "divine" chance-encounters haven't we?  So we quickly gravitate toward the usual friendly "Hey, how are ya?" greets...stopping for a minute to chat or continue walking on.  Either way--"The Million Dollar" question that comes to everyone’s mind is:  "Why did YOU leave?"

Most members that became deeply involved for years at Cornerstone, would have never imagined themselves leaving -ever.  So after continuously serving, worshipping, and supporting the same pastor and his teachings together...we cannot help but to wonder the same things.  What changed and when?  However, when it comes to the point of actually stating our reasons FOR leaving --it can be initially a little awkward to be the first without knowing where the other party lies.  If anything else, folks tend to make sure they at least communicate the fact that they ARE doing GREAT and (despite what we've been told) our life hasn't "fallen apart" since leaving the 'Stone.  (Yes, everyone that leaves Cornerstone discovers this POWERFUL TRUTH -The Blessing and Favor of God are NOT attached to a Leader or a church building.  This "fear factor" is simply a tool that spiritually abusive leaders use to control.) 

One of the primary reasons people DON'T share why they leave...is because so many CREDIBLE members have been VILLAINIZED once they do...their "reasons" for leaving are always dismissed or due to "offense".  -Surely there couldn't be a REAL REASON for leaving Cornerstone...I'm sure "Bishop" has his reasons for handling things the way he does??right?  However --your ability to SHARE your transition with others, is a KEY indicator of where you are in terms of "living out" your new position of FREEDOM. You are no longer PHYSICALLY bound as a slave in Egypt…so why would you allow yourself to remain MENTALLY bound by the same control OUT of Egypt?  You are now FREE to speak without "Pharaoh" and his minions STILL controlling your every move.  How long must some of us continue to sit by and "watch", paralyzed in FEAR by the OPINIONS of others?  You have been "unplugged from the Matrix" -it's time to stop living in it.  It's not "spiritual warfare" that's being launched ...it's psychological. 

With that being said, those brief encounters in public are often NOT by chance.  The folks that are considering the decision TO leave Cornerstone are certainly not likely to inquire INSIDE the walls of 1520 Reynolds Rd.  So, both parties are given "their moment" ...and then it passes.  Sometimes we walk away thinking, "I wish I would have said this or that..." 

So, whether you are still committed to staying or currently sitting "on the fence" a lot of people are "seeing things" and starting to ask those tough questions.  It's TIME to put it out there... and to hear THE FACTS DIRECTLY from those WHO HAVE ALREADY LEFT. 

Was there an "IT" in the whole process that did it for you? 

What was YOUR experience when you discussed what you were seeing with either:

•Michael Pitts

•Robert Pitts

•David Banks  

•Jeffrey Smith
•Janet Wend
•David Roberts -Lima
 
 

"So...Why DID you leave?"

LIFE after the Stone is Rolled Away

Recovering your Identity in Transition

So here you are…you have found yourself in a place you probably never expected to be.  Let’s begin by sharing a brief testimony that was recently submitted to us.  A former member shares what she went through when she realized that Life AT Cornerstone was no longer what she signed up for.  She is a beacon of inspiration to those who are also seeking to restore their TRUE IDENTITY…
           
          Dear Speaking Truth in Love,

“Thank you for allowing me to share a part of my story with others.  First off all I want to say to all those who left, that God WILL RESTORE all the years you spent at Cornerstone. We all have an exciting journey ahead of us as we follow God’s will for each of our individual lives.  For the first time, I am experiencing a great freedom in Christ that I never new existed.  I have never felt closer to the Lord, in so many years!

My story with Cornerstone begins almost 20 yrs. ago.  As I type this, I can honestly say that I never thought I would find myself in this position.  It’s almost surreal after having watched so many good and strong people leave over the years. Like so many, I watched and wondered what happened to them and why did they leave? Being that I was a dedicated, tithing member for almost two decades, let’s just say that’s a lot of years of indoctrination for lack of a better word.  It has now been a year since I first started to gradually pull away from the church.  And as much as I have enjoyed my new found freedom, initially it was one of the most difficult choices I ever had to make.  Cornerstone was "the place" - "the church that had it going on" and Michael was the anointed one with the revelation that no one else seemed to have. So, how could this be happening to me? It used to be a place of joy for me and I have received many wonderful deliverances there in the earlier years. However, things have changed since and it's like my eyes have been opened to a very different spirit there. 

Despite the disappointment in what “could have been”, I am moving forward with my life.  However, I never thought I would face so much disorientation and doubt after leaving a church. Who would have thought that getting back to the basic foundations of the Word would be the antidote?  It's just not normal to have to "deprogram" your mind or at least I am not aware of others who leave churches and need "deprogramming". I guess that's probably because most church folks are not guilted to stay or told about the bad things that will happen if they get out from under "covering".  Again, lots of doctrine to sort through.

With that being said, I had to go deeper into the root issues of my attachment to Cornerstone.  I discovered that part of my unhealthy bond to this church, was because I developed an unhealthy connection to a man and his mission.  Of course this was always encouraged from the platform.  Being that we were always told to “find your place” and “stay connected by giving and serving”.  So, I gave them what they “wanted” and in exchange I got what I “needed” -a “place to belong”.  Every Thursday and Sunday, I had a place that I needed to be, as I served endlessly in different departments within the church.  My friends and I would often talk about how we were so lucky to be apart of something so big.  There was no other place to be and Pastor was “one of a kind”.  Although I use to really admire and look up to Pastor Pitts, now looking back I cannot honestly say I ever really “knew” him.  It was more like knowing an actor and his "illusion” of a Pastor's Role that I knew, which is really sad to say the least. 

When I first left, I spent a lot of time reflecting on “What really happened?”  “Why didn’t I see this coming?”.  I came to the conclusion that all my answers would not come overnight, this would be a journey.  So I decided to keep moving forward and find another local church to attend while trusting God with the process.   Upon my first Sunday in 20 yrs. visiting a new church, I felt I stuck out like a sore thumb, to say the least.  The old fears came upon me, causing me to wonder did the Lord leave me because I left Cornerstone?  Would God’s blessing follow me to a new church and pastor?  Why do I feel so guilty for being here?  However, I decided to push through my fears and enjoy the service without feeling the need to analyze it to pieces. 

As I walked around looking for a seat, I remember finding myself at the front of the church.  I expected ushers to close in on me any minute and shirk me away for violating some proper protocol rule…but nothing.  Wow, this is different I thought.  It was like being bound and then suddenly discovering I was already free; the pressure of possibly doing something “wrong” was simply no longer there and it was refreshing!  After the service was over, the Pastor came up to me and said “Hi, how are you?”  I felt a little embarrassed, but couldn’t stop a sudden flow of tears right infront of this complete stranger.  I explained to him that I couldn’t understand why I felt such a heavy burden of guilt for simply attending another church.  He told me.. “Because GUILT is in that house”.  Wow..there it was!  I was allowing the control tactics that were used on me in Cornerstone to STILL control me outside of Cornerstone.  This was especially true of my emotions.  I thanked the Pastor for his compassion and he called over his wife to pray with me.  As I walked out the door that morning, I truly realized that at times FREEDOM is subjective.  Freedom is always there, but sometimes our perception of the past clouds our view of the land we live in today.  TODAY IS MY FUTURE I HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR! 

I realized that my identity had been wrapped up in a church; even somewhat corrupted by the teachings and leadership methods I sat under for years.  However, it will be up to ME to recover it.  I would have to be the one to get back into the Word and stop attaching my identity to a man’s vision instead of toward my personal relationship with Christ.  I did this for years at Cornerstone, without even recognizing it.  Since that revelation, I realized that “Church” is not a building.  I am apart of The Church, because I am a Child of God. And I am free to follow the Voice of God toward the place(s) HE chooses for me to join my efforts in helping others.  This may or may not be indefinitely defined by one particular local church..  It’s wherever the Good Shepherd leads me.  My prayer is that all reading this will find FREEDOM in following the VOICE of the Holy Spirit as He stirs truth within you…Just keep walking.”

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Thank you for sharing your testimony "Confused No More", below are my thoughts about recovering your identity... (short and sweet)

What is the definition of IDENTITY?

The collective aspect of the set of characteristics by which a person is definitively recognizable or known.  And as Christians, we know that TRUE IDENTITY can only be discovered through a personal relationship with our Creator.  According to Col. 3 --“you have been raised with Christ” -“ your life is now hidden with Christ in God”.

Phil. 3:8-11 -- Here Paul writes: “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ and may be found in Him not having a righteousness of my own derived from the law (works) but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings...”

From the above scriptures, we clearly see that your authentic identity is derived INTERNALLY by your relationship with God through Christ Jesus.  However, when we belong to a particular church for a long period of time, it can become easy to gradually begin shifting our identity to the things that are EXTERNAL instead.  In the church world, the external would be the "Relationships" and the "Roles" you served over the years.  Maybe you were an usher, choir member, or children’s worker for several years.  Human nature has a tendency to cause us to identify ourselves by the people, places, and things that are most familiar to us.  There is nothing wrong finding people to “identify with”…meaning that you have mutual agreement.  The problem lies when you begin to solely attribute your “identity to” a particular group of people.  And we begin to believe:  “This is who I am, because this is where I am and what I do." 

Identifying the FRUIT of... False Prophets

"A Behind the Scenes" look at their common theatrics and motives --cheers!              

To begin with, I'd like to preface this article by first saying that I certainly believe we should take the time to carefully and scripturally examine our leaders and their teachings --BEFORE rejecting them with the final "False Prophet" stamp.  Such labels should never be hastily placed, however, one should certainly NEVER FEAR to promptly call out something for EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.  As "ridiculous" as most of our modern-day False Prophets and Teachers have become (as they parade their theatrics to anyone who will listen or allow them the "air time" or platform to further their shamed charade); the business of those who usurp their authority and lord over God's people is very serious in the eyes of God.  Not to mention the damage that is created in the lives of members who lovingly trust those in leadership positions.   With that being said, we should carefully judge leaders by examining their FRUIT -Which is their Lifestyle, their Teachings, and their Motivation.  We rightfully do so by using the guidelines of Holy Scripture and our Discernment to to reveal the TRUE FRUIT --then boldly proceed to EXPOSE the Charismatic Wolves AND their Teachings accordingly.     

Prophets are NOT simply those who run around from conference to conference "predicting future events" on a full-time basis.  This is a common misconception.  A PROPHET (nabi`) is one who speaks for another, or one who lends his voice to another.  A Prophet is one who has a message from God to His church.  In illustration, a King will either communicate directly to His people or by way of His appointed messenger.  By every right, Prophets are not only "foretelling", but they are "forthtelling" --as they speak the Word of the Lord in order to edify, exhort, and comfort the people.  They are presenters of God's message to an individual, group, nation, or generation.

Why is this so vital?  Because when we allow False Prophets and their Messages to remain "unchecked", their seducing influence easily slips in among the rest of the Body of Believers and causes great damage to their FAITH.   Likewise, how much more damage is caused to the Ministers (and their members) who “sit under” these False Leaders and are forced to adhere to AN UNGODLY CHURCH STRUCTURE ruled by “Egypt-Like” AUTHORITARIAN DICTATORS?  *Jesus doesn’t take it lightly when His children are subjected to slave labor camps and are finally FREED…only to find the enemy chasing after them filled with anger and vengeance –Well you all know the end of THAT story! 

I certainly don't write this article to create an unhealthy suspicion of every leader within the Body of Christ.  For surely, God sends qualified leaders who FEAR Him and are dedicated to the edification of the Body.  However, QUALIFICATIONS are NOT indefinitely met at the “Starting Line” nor are they met because a “TITLE” is given by man.  Biblical Qualifications MUST be continually met in order to function in a God-Given Ministry Gift (such as Bishop.)  With that being said, we should ALL continue to “check our motives”, walk in humility, and speak the truth in love...

Throughout the scriptures of the Old and New Testament, we are given several examples of Righteous Leaders and False Leaders who have passed through the corridors of time.  Same tricks/gimmicks, different generation.  If such false prophets had the audacity to come face to face with the likes of Elijah and then later with the very Apostles of the Lamb….How much more shall we deal with them now?!  With that being said, the Apostle Paul called out these "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" openly and directly.  As he began to see the depths of the devastation it caused first hand, he did not cease to endlessly warn those living in his generation...and relentlessly wrote to warn the generations to come.    

TIME FOR THE AMERICAN CHURCH TO WAKE UP--

Allow me to ask you a question --"Where do you think False Prophets are??  Outside the church walls?  In other parts of the world?  Only in Mosques, Watchtowers, Koresh Camps, or Mormon Compounds?   Why would Satan plant his tares away from the wheat??  False Prophets are not only in the world...they are in our  churches.  What would be the most effective way for Satan to silence or distort the Only Truth, that can ultimately bring Everlasting Life to a world lost in darkness? 

According to scripture, we are clearly warned of the days when False Teachers will run rampant and even "accepted" among the elect.  READ Mark 13:22  --JESUS Himself warned us that false Christs and false prophets would appear and perform signs and miracles TO deceive the elect!  Again, where do you think this could happen?  --Should we then retreat and stick our head in the sand for the sake of fear and uncertainty?!  God forbid.  Instead, we should study the scriptures even more so to show ourselves approved --rightly dividing the Word of Truth.  Contending for the Faith…Proclaiming the Message of the Pure Gospel at all costs….knowing the days are short and many lives are hanging in the balance on OUR WATCH.  "Teaching establishes us, but warning protects us."

Jude 1:3, 4 – “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that YE SHOULD EARNESTLY CONTEND FOR THE FAITH which was once delivered unto the saints.  For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have SECRETLY SLIPPED IN AMONG YOU... "

It is evident that the inspired Jude had intended to write a treatise unto these brethren about the "Common Salvation" but because of the presence of FALSE TEACHERS, he wrote this short epistle exhorting them to contend for the faith. No doubt, had Jude written on the common salvation, he would have pointed out that salvation is common to all in that salvation is available to all, both Jew and Gentile, male and female.  Since doctrinal corruption can ultimately cause one to forfeit one's salvation (Gal. 5: 1-4, Col. 2: 7-9), the necessity of "contending for the faith" is of the utmost importance.

(This article is really only a quick introduction to the scriptural guidelines that define those who parade around on hijacked platforms as --"God's Spokesmen".) 

----------------------

Revealing the FRUIT of False Prophets

FRUIT is not discerned by our 5 natural senses, nor is it defined intellectually -it must be SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED.  Paul wrote, “But he WHO IS SPIRITUAL judges all things... comparing “spiritual things” with spiritual.”  (I Cor.2:15, 13)

Let’s start by defining the (2) Sources of Deception Jesus described: 

1)  FALSE CHRISTS (or antichrists):  Those who DENY that Jesus Christ, Son of God, came in the flesh as a natural man.  They claim He was always divine and therefore never really died.  “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an ANTICHRIST. Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.”  (2 John 1:7-8)

2)  FALSE PROPHETS (grouped in 2 categories):

•Those who acts as Spokesmen for God, proclaiming another way to God that goes AROUND Jesus Christ instead of THROUGH Him. 

For example:  Those who don’t necessarily deny that Christ could be “a way” to the Father for some, but that “other roads” also exist as a means of leading people to God.  John 14:6 “Jesus answered, I am THE WAY and THE TRUTH and THE LIFE. No one comes to the Father EXCEPT through me.”

**(OUR FOCUS)**

•The 2nd group of False Prophets are harder to recognize.  THEY ARE IN THE CHURCH, and if unchecked they can deceive even the elect (the saints).  They are among us, carrying the same Bible, accompanied by supernatural gifts, yet they mislead by drawing people to themselves instead of to the heart and rule of God. 

Can Someone Please Pass the... Judgment?

Submitted by blog visitor -dmack64
Scriptural Precedent for Judging Right(eously)

Can Someone Please Pass the Judgment? 

‘Why?’, you ask.  Because the spread of food served up in the existing diet we’ve been consuming is grossly lacking in the Judgment ingredient.  Well, I have some Great News!  In this article, we will be putting the Judgment-Shaker back on the table... and adding it to any new dish served up to the Sheep who hear only the Voice of their True Shepherd.  Think with me here… Would you or I even attempt to eat a full-course meal that contained no seasoning? Not on my table!!  Yet the bland, boring, cliche-laden sayings of our (previous) church-ianity experience have often done this very thing… provided a tasteless distinction between good and evil, light and darkness, holy and profane, sin and righteousness.  

Needless to say, the very title of this post is already infuriating any who would “hold (down) the Truth in unrighteousness”.  And so be it!  Far too long have the saints of the Most High been left without an accurate assessment of this extremely vital seasoning known as “Judgment”.  We have done ourselves no great service to overlook something so basic, so fundamental, and so foundational to our experience in the Truth as to skewer our concept of the righteous Judgment of the Lord. 

I aim to clarify (3) Big Points of Biblical, New Covenant Judgment that are usually missing, maligned, or mis-applied in the lives of the church-going masses.  Due to the gross negligence and lack of Spirit-eyed understanding as to what Judgment really is...who may pass it...how it is served… in what way...and under what circumstances it is to be offered-  the Eternal Counsel of God’s Word that “will never pass away” will be our guide and the Holy Spirit of Truth, our Counselor.  So without further delay… Let’s eat!

JUDGMENT 101:  “Calling all Men!  Please Grow Up!” 

As we begin, allow me to refresh our minds with some verses that you may have known, but not previously connected to the arena of Godly Judgment.  Then I will expound a bit more as we get into the “stronger meat”.  For now, let’s chew on this for a bit... 

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth…  And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.”    John 1:14, 16

“For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.”    Romans 11:21-22

 “For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]! But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law.”   Hebrews 5:13-14 (Amp.)

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”    Matthew 6:33

“It's judgment time for Christians. We're first in line. If it starts with us, think what it's going to be like for those who refuse God's Message!”    I Peter 4:17 (The Message)

Here’s Big Point #1:

The foundation of Judging Righteously is a true comprehension that: JUDGMENT IS A PART OF THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S LIVING WORD -CHRIST OUR LORD-  AND HIS RIGHT JUDGMENT CONTAINS BOTH GRACE AND TRUTH… GOODNESS AND SEVERITY.  Now, that may sound too elementary, but in reality… those who assay to hide themselves from God’s Judgment (and then accuse those who DO love His Grace and Truth as “not L-o-v-ing me”) are apparently “unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness”, as they “continue to feed on milk”... Babes, goo-goo gaa-gaa.  Hebrews advises us that “full-grown men” have had some real-world practice in being able to “distinguish and discriminate between” good and evil.  How do they

Jesus told us to beware of....."Pink Elephants"

submitted by blog visitor: openwaters415

Got your attention?  I would have said LEAVEN, but might have lost your interest too quickly. We typically use the phrase "nobody wants to talk about the pink elephant in the room". We know what it means when we say that. I think we do that all the time in life, thinking things will "go away" if we just kind of leave them alone. 

                                                  

The kind of churches I have been around for the last many years, with a strong pastoral one man system driving the people as a spiritual CEO, taking a stance as the people's own "personal priest", truly lends itself to this problem of leaven. We are taught throughout the New Testament about the problems of spiritual "leaven" in our lives. Jesus spoke of it. Paul spoke of it. Yet we often don't think of it with much significance, as though it is only something for really religious people or theologians to deal with.

What is leaven?...

Leaven is a symbol of evil DOCTRINE, evil PRACTICES, evil LIFE, and evil TEACHING. It is never good throughout God's word.  Spiritually, it works in the unseen realm to bring impurity and pollute the things of God in our lives. It dilutes the things in the Kingdom of God from their intended original purpose.

Let's take a look at the different types of Leaven: 

1) Leaven of the Pharisees - Jesus explained in Matthew 16:6 what to beware of. He explains what that leaven is in verse 12. He noted that it was the poor doctrine of the Pharisees (as well as the Sadducees). He also spoke further in Luke 12:1 about what the leaven of the Pharisees is........ HYPOCRISY. Don't do as I do --but do as I say. Dictatorial leaders often think that they have some sort of "spiritual immunity" for believing and following the Word. Many times they will expect extra grace towards them when they "get side tracked" or "mess up", but will refuse that same grace to the congregation. After all, "I am God's man (or woman)". This leads us tomightily in spiritual gifts and the supernatural. Yet they were called CARNAL by Paul throughout 1 Cor. 3rd chapter. He mentions their carnality many times. In 1 Cor. 5:6-9, Paul admonishes the leadership to NOT even eat with a brother guilty of sexual immorality because of what it can do to the flock. It is interesting to me that when a Pastoral dictator is involved in sexual sin, and a person from the congregation chooses to leave because of this, how the person that leaves is the one marked as evil or divisive, yet those involved in lewd behavior are the ones who should be disciplined. If the leaders are admonished to be on the look out for sexual immorality and deal with it, how much worse is it when the leadership are the ones involved in it. Sadly, you are told not to judge or "cast any stones", rather than make

"Coming out of Egypt" -A Testimony of Transition

Article submitted by blog visitor: Sonlight29

Some people have asked to hear "real-life experiences" from those who've left Cornerstone.  Here's mine.  I hope it helps those who've left know that they are not "losing it" when they go through the peaks & valleys.  And I hope it gives courage to those who feel God's tug on their hearts and know it's time to leave, but are afraid & questioning.  It was definitely one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, and I would really rather not live the last few years over again, but I am thankful for what I have learned through them and for the person that this process has helped me become.

As background, so the readers of this realize I am not a "fly-by-night" type of person:  I was raised in church.  Have a great, Godly family.   I've been saved for almost 40 years now.  I've been in active ministry for almost 30 of those years.  My parents were active in ministry & it was not uncommon for us to spend lots of personal time with the Pastor of our church and his family.  I know how a Godly, caring shepherd should act because I saw them first-hand, when they were not on the platform.  I think my solid, Christian background made it possible to excuse away what I now see as the quiet nudgings of the Holy Spirit when red flags would come up.  I could easily separate "the office of the Pastor" from "the man" because my parents had taught me to respect men of God.  However, the men of God that I grew up around were the same "in the office" and as "the man", so I did not have to deal with the discrepancies in their lives.  I am not at all saying that these men were perfect!  But there is a difference between being human and being immoral.

I went to Cornerstone for almost 14 years.  I served actively in a very high position for most of those years.  I saw a lot of "inside" stuff, so to speak.  But then again, most of the 

Jesus -The True Cornerstone

Ephesians 2:18-22

"For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.  Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with CHRIST JESUS himself as the Chief Cornerstone. In HIM the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

It’s time for the Body of Christ to get back to it's TRUE foundational roots.  Jesus Christ is the Chief Cornerstone upon which the entire foundation of the church is built and supported.  It is through CHRIST alone that we are:  RECONCILED to the Father, REDEEMED through His Sacrifice on the Cross, EMPOWERED by His Grace, and COVERED with His Righteousness.  Jesus speaking in Matt. 16… "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on THIS ROCK I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

How do I know if Christ is STILL the Cornerstone (Foundation Stone) of a church assembly? 

Ask yourself if they are overcoming the gates of hell or if it's progressing the other way around?  Are they CHRIST centered or Personality/Man centered?  You see, whenever you shift the focus away from Christ and instead center it around a “man”…you are no longer building upon THE Rock.   You are then building upon sand (man), which is ever shifting. 

Remember the Canaanites who served false gods?  One of their known pagan rituals was corner-stone laying and seems to have been their most sacred and impressive ceremony.  Under this important stone of Temples, bodies of children or older persons would be laid, consecrating the building by such HUMAN SACRIFICE.  This centuries old practice of IDOL WORSHIP, is STILL being sanctioned in the "modern church" today.  

Many Canaanites church leaders are still trying to substitute Man where Christ alone should be.  This is the MAIN ROOT of our problems today within the Body of Christ --we are no longer satisfied with the simplistic Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Yes, we "say" we already know Christ is our foundation….BUT that foundation is not just something that was laid "way back when" the church first opened its doors.  The Cornerstone of our Faith IS in our Precious Savior alone... the intrinsic center from which the Body is vitally supported from.  THE CHURCH is not an "event" or a "Gifted Person" with a crowd surrounding him every Sunday --it is a LIVING Body completely dependant upon it's Founder/Foundation.  I am here to tell you -You are NOT “extensions of a Pastor’s hands”…YOU ARE AN EXTENSION OF CHRIST.  "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” 

The next thing to ask yourself is, “What is the fruit?” 
Fruit is not gifting.  Fruit is not “x” amount of members.  Fruit is not the “big-name” evangelists or singers who are showing up for conferences.  Fruit is not whether people are still “falling out” in "big, beautiful buildings".  According to scripture --REAL FRUIT is seen in their teachings, their love-walk with others. 

REAL FRUIT is identified by asking yourself this one question:  "Am I being continually drawn to follow THEM or am I being continually pointed in the direction to follow Christ -for myself?  It's one way or the other. Whose voice leads your life?  How do they handle themselves when they fall into pressure or questioning?  In a “SET MAN” centered church you CANNOT find the true fruit of a leadership that is submitted to the Headship of Christ.  Why?  Because THE VERY NATURE OF THEIR STRUCTURE is fundamentally in contradiction with the TRUE FOUNDATION of the GOSPEL.  What does this mean?  You see the “good news of Jesus Christ” is THE Gospel; being that we now have access to the Father through HIM and no longer man.  The “set man” theology teaches that the Pastor or Bishop is your covering and you MUST see “eye to eye with them for the Glory to be in the House”.  However, we are to be ONE with Christ….  “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”  Then the Glory of God will fill the house…NOT when we reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Pastor! 

This “Set Man of the House" philosophy systematically teaches you that empowerment and anointing are flowing from him (the "head") down.  However, Pastors are under-shepherds sent by the Chief Shepherd to guard and guide, not to dominate and dictate the sheep.  Paul said, "...we will in all things grow up into HIM who is the Head, that is, Christ".  So, it's not God, then Jesus, then Bishop/Pastor, then you.  NO –Christ is the Head...period.  "From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament."  These “set man” leaders are usurping the role of Christ in your life; being that they continually point you to follow them instead of pointing you to follow the voice of the Holy Spirit for yourself.  This is a LUCIFERIEN SPIRIT –a seducing spirit. There are

Rejected or Righteous?

submitted by dmac64 /blog visitor

Spiritual Distinctions between a Reject and a Righteous Man:

It is with a humble, even saddened, heart I present the following candid distinction between ONE whom God Almighty has rejected (even in His Love) -and ONE whom the same Loving God has accepted (in His Be-loved).  The record of Spirit-inspired Scripture is again our only true Guide, and I trust the same Spirit of Truth to lead us both into and guide us through these sharply contrasted spiritual realities.  Let's begin. 

From opposing sides of the behavioral spectrum…

Here are some potent distinctions:

One man is Darkness, while one man is Righteous. 

One man is evil-tempered (his proven and displayed temper, that is); one man is God-hearted (although painfully imperfect). 

One man is the choice of the crowd; one man is the selection of God Himself. 

One man is under no persuasion to do the right thing; one man is under no persuasion to hide his confessed (and gruesome) sins.

One man cannot win in the eyes of Almighty; one man cares not if he loses in the sight of all men.

One man becomes a Reject; one man maintains God’s Righteousness within.

One man is Adam; one Man is “the last Adam”.

One man is crucified with Christ; one man is now alive unto God.

One man cannot save his life before men; one man cannot but lose his before God.

     One man is the Reject…  One man is the Righteous.

And, drawing from historical example and the extent of our own common humanity, you or I could easily be “anointed by God” yet -end up AS EITHER MAN.

Got your attention yet?  Sound all-too-familiar?  Did you find yourself thinking of

Walking Away from a Spiritually Abusive Church

After finally making the decision TO LEAVE, I can clearly remember quickly facing the twin emotional and mental road blocks of -"When to leave?" and "How to leave?"  I recall speaking with a friend and expecting some really "deep" wisdom and revelation on the matter.  He simply said, "You want to know the right way to leave?  PUT ONE FOOT INFRONT OF THE OTHER and WALK OUT the door."  At the time, I thought that was the most insensitive thing I had ever heard..of course now after several years, I look back and realize that WAS the sober reality and the most liberating advice to give on the situation.

The most difficult phase of a spiritually abusive experience is usually the exit process.  The question then becomes: Should I leave my church? That question can only be answered by you.  I hope that you find the resources on this website helpful in your journey through the process of recovery from spiritual abuse.

HOW TO LEAVE A PARTICULAR FELLOWSHIP OF BELIEVERS:

The TRUTH of the matter is...There is NO "right way" to leave a church.  BUT there is a way (by departing from your relationship with Christ) you can leave THE Church.  Simply because you choose to depart from a specific church group, does not mean you are no longer part of the Body of Christ -which is THE CHURCH.  New Testament scripture clearly outlines for us on how we are to properly maintain relationships within the entire Body of Christ..not merely to a select body or building.  That is why you will not find any “protocol anointing” taught in the NT.  Church structure is NOT set up by man’s standards of “protocol”…this would be an unstable foundation. (Actually most of our familiar “church protocols” are rooted in culture, “folk theology”, and other various denominational traditions…)

The New Testament is also loaded with examples of Christians who came and went at their pleasure, on their own initiative and choosing. There is no evidence of "permission" necessary from any other person. For example, Aquila moved from Rome to Corinth (Acts 18:1-2), then went to Ephesus with

Signs of a Spiritually Abusive Church

Any church leader that uses their Position and Teachings to CONTROL and MANIPULATE their members... is practicing Spiritual Abuse.  Somehow the good news has become the bad news. It is a subtle trap in which the ones who perpetrate spiritual abuse are just as trapped. It is the exploitation of members desire for spirituality, where power is used to bolster the position or needs of a leader, without regard for others’ well-being or over-all spiritual health.

 If you have experienced any of the following signs, you may have been a victim of spiritual abuse by a religious leader:

1. HEAVY SHEPHERDING (Authoritarian-Style Leadership) -The Apostle Paul urged believers to be imitators of him, even as he sought to be like Christ himself.  While the Scriptures teach church leaders also to be an example, it is expected that the leaders will not lord over their congregations and become controlling, denigrating, and despotic. Sadly, those who seek the favor of an abusive leader, often become imitators of him, even imitating his abusiveness toward others, and adopting his eccentricities, mannerisms, and characteristics. Thus, the abusiveness and hatefulness of the leader becomes contagious -- to the extent that the mistreatment of members may even seem normal. (Jesus – “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles LORD it over them and their great ones exercise authority over them.  Yet it shall NOT be so among you…” –Mark 10:42-44) Jesus also said he “HATED the doctrine of the Nicolaitans” …which means to conquer the laity.  (It is a symbolic name of a party that represents the hierarchy of a ruling class over the rest of the people, developing a pecking order of fleshly leadership.) 

2. FREQUENT PREACHING FROM THE PULPIT REGARDING NOT GETTING OUT FROM UNDER THE "SPIRITUAL COVERING" of the leadership –The proper role of human under-shepherds is to lead people to the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and teach them how to be His disciples, in submission to Him and His authority. Hyper-authoritarian leaders, instead, lead people to themselves, and indoctrinate them to be their followers, in total submission to them and their authority. They indoctrinate members to believe the spiritual leaders of the church themselves are the members' "spiritual covering" (a totally false and patently unbiblical concept).  And any member who ever leaves the church will be "out from under their covering," be without any covering or what they call, "uncovered," and will experience terrible curses and other horrible consequences as a result. From the pulpit often comes "stories" about what happened to such-and-so person or family, who were so spiritually “offended” or rebellious as to leave the group without the blessings and approval of the "house".  Members cannot “properly” leave the church, without the headship first “releasing” you. (The early church was taught to rely upon the inner

What is APOSTASY?

Apostasy is such a strong word; however at its core it simply means a defection from the faith.

So the first thing we must do is define the term “the faith”. The faith is used repeatedly in the New Testament to reference what we believe. The faith is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Christ’s atoning work on the cross, His burial and subsequent resurrection from the dead is in totality -the Gospel.

The Lord Jesus Christ (being the Second Person of the Thrice Holy God was virgin born) lived a sinless life and accomplished His foreordained purpose....which was to be the sinless substituted sacrifice of which the entirety of the Old Testament spoke of and unmistakably pointed to. On the cross, Jesus said "It is finished" at which time the veil in the temple was torn top to bottom. On the cross the price was paid and God’s justice was thoroughly and unequivocally satisfied. It is of utmost doctrinal importance to understand where and when the price was paid. The work was totally finished at the cross. If one does not believe it was finished at the cross and teaches otherwise, they’re flirting with apostasy. 

The Lord Jesus Christ didn’t enter hell and fight demons before His resurrection to secure redemption. Neither was He held by Satan and tortured in hell for three days to pay for our sin. He wasn’t suffering in the torments of the underworld waiting until the Father spoke a word of faith to release Him. These statements are actual teachings concerning where and when Christ paid the price for our sin. They are unscriptural and thus are to be considered false doctrine. The proponents of such teachings are some of the most popular teachers i.e. Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Fredrick K.C. Price, it is called the "Jesus Died Spiritually doctrine" and it is a doctrine of demons. To teach that Jesus Christ needed to do more than the cross is flat out false, it’s heresy. The problem is for twenty years all anyone’s cared about was me, me, me. The itching ears of the people have been satisfied by the strong delusion of false teachers -who appear as angels of light and are transformed right before our eyes into ministers of righteousness. The modern church sells books, vitamins, herbs and spices, food, anointing oil, jewelry, candles, etc. etc. but has virtually abandoned the preaching of the cross.

 

Our pastors are now "life coaches", our evangelists have become "motivational speakers", and our prophets are nothing more than "entrepreneurs" who’ve gone the way of Balaam.  It’s rare to hear full expository preaching on justification, sanctification, atonement, imputed righteousness, and other foundational doctrines in the modern church. Instead you hear it’s time for your harvest, a new level, a higher dimension, greater anointing, prosperity, wealth and to this self help cesspool I say puke, puke, and more puke! These ear candy sermons are a symptom of the apostasy, the outright defection from truth. But, it keeps the ca$h (seed) flowing.

I encourage you to examine the teachings of your favorite teacher/preacher. Since you can’t question most of them (because they’re too busy receiving the anointing) get out your Bible and compare what they teach to the Word of God:
     *Are they staying in context?
     *Are they promoting a new revelation?
     *Are they using scripture to interpret scripture?


If you’re involved in a charismatic/word of faith style church, you already understand that your "submission to the vision and the man of God" trumps all sound judgment and thus ALLOWS you to dismiss all the clear truth -you’ll discover as you pray and study the Bible. In such churches those who question are "Pharisees" or sons of "Korah".  In reality those who question are exercising I John 4:1.   

I’m NOT advocating questioning whether the pastor should wear a suit or other trivial matters -I’m speaking of looking into the teachings as to whether they’re scripturally accurate or not. Having attended a 12,000+ member charismatic church and graduating from Bible College 16 years ago, I’ve had to examine all I was ever taught. The experience has been freeing to say the least. As you begin to study, just simply keep your faith in Christ and Him crucified. 

Your salvation and your everyday living for God isn’t based on your performance and it’s not based on your submission to a vision or a leader -it’s based on Christ and His great love for you. Much of the modern church is adrift in the sea of apostasy and is no longer holding fast to right doctrine. If you’re involved, I encourage you to jump ship and swim to shore.

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" 1 Timothy 4:1  

Cult of Personality and Charismatic Authority

*A cult of personality arises when an individual uses mass media, propaganda, or other methods, to create an idealized and heroic public image, often through unquestioning flattery and praise.

*A cult of personality is similar to hero worship.  The term may be applied by analogy to refer to adulation of religious or non-political leaders.
Read more: Cult of Personality 

*Charismatic authority is a form of religious or political leadership and authority largely tied to the popularity and charisma of a single leader. This sometimes involves a personality cult.  A charismatic ruler is thus not simply obeyed but also is followed and respected. 

According to Weber, the idea of charismatic authority emerged from the sociology of religion, and is particularly associated with new religious movements (including cults) led by a charismatic individual (e.g. prophet), who can create laws by his decree that are sometimes based on revelations that he receives.  He gives advice to his followers and ardent followers see this advice/revelation as absolute commands.

A religion which evolves its own priesthood and establishes a set of laws and rules is likely to move towards another ideal type of domination when it loses its charismatic leader.
Read More: The Charismatic Authority

The Bishop

Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer (bishop), he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church ? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.    I Timothy 3