For over seven years Jennifer was a successful missionary
with a well-respected mission organization. Still a faithful
servant of God's Word she returned to the States and joined what
seemed to be a good evangelical church. Gradually she and the
rest of the church were drawn under the spell of their dynamic
pastor. Over time she began to believe and practice things that
previously would have been morally unthinkable to her. Although
she claimed to be happy, inwardly she was filled with anxiety,
guilt, and fear. And yet, no amount of persuasion could convince
her that her group was in error.
It literally took a miracle for Jennifer to see the errors of
her church's distorted teaching on relationships and spiritual
growth. Although much better, she is now into her second year of
therapy with a Christian counselor. It will likely take some time
still to sort through what this so-called "church" did to her and
other members of that congregation.
Randy, a sophomore at a major midwestern university, and a
truly converted Christian, sought a fellowship that was "on fire
for the Lord." After finding the "perfect church" Randy was quite
happy and content for a time. Then he fell in love with one of the
women in the church. There was only one problem -- his church
forbade dating. Before Randy knew it, his casual and circumspect
encounters with this girl -- viewed by the elders as disobedience
and faction -- resulted in his excommunication. The experience so
stunned him that his life was never the same. Randy respected the
elders and so he accepted as true the charges of faction and of
having a wicked heart. Although he tried to make amends with the
church, he never seemed able to satisfy the elders.
For some ten years Randy remained an outcast, even believing
he was an outcast from God. Any attempt to work or return to school
was short-lived. He was haunted by feelings of rejection. In
desperation, his parents sought many forms of help. Even some of
the finest psychiatrists in the country found it difficult to
reverse the damage done. As a middle-aged man, Randy still
struggles with confusion, despair, occupational uncertainty, and
dating difficulties....
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