Now you have seen testimony of GC abuses, what will you do?

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[EverAStudent]

With all the love, sincerity, and compassion I can muster, I open this thread to provoke those who are researching GCx (GCM, GCI, GCAC, etc.) to consider what they will do with the testimonies of past abuse they have just read on this forum.

If you began researching GCx because you contemplated joining and were either curious about, or cautious enough, to know what others experienced while in this organization, then you have well prepared yourself by reading the posts on this forum.  Nonetheless, having information is one thing, believing it or acting upon it is quite another.

You have choices.  You can ignore all that has been said (charge all these posters with “sour grapes”).  You can believe what you have read as sincere statements of past history but dismiss it all as irrelevant.  Or, you can take the initiative to ask meaningful questions of the GC church leadership that you have considered joining.  

What questions should you ask as a result of reading in this forum?  Here are a few recommendations, which others on this forum will doubtless wish to enhance with their own suggestions:

1) What is the July, 1991 statement of errors and weaknesses, why was it issued, and by whom?

2) Have you personally encouraged anyone in that past three years to “commit themselves for life” to GCx?

3) As an elder/pastor of a GCx church, what is your seminary training (degree and school)?

4) Do you personally believe that evangelism is the primary reason that Christ established assemblies of believers into local churches, or is the local church primarily for the training of the saints for all types of spiritual service only one of which is evangelism (Ephesians 4:11-16)?

5) In the past three years, have you ever privately accused an attendee in your assembly of being “divisive,” “unteachable,” or “rebellious”?  What did those people do that was rebellious?

6) In the past three years, how many attendees have been taken through “church discipline”?  What were the specific charges placed against these people?

7) Do you readily acknowledge that GC is a denomination?  If it is not a denomination, then what is it?

8) How are the “national leaders” of the GC denomination installed: via congregational nomination and vote, or via appointment by other leaders with the congregations rubberstamping the appointments with an obligatory vote of support?

9) Have you ever told an attendee who desired to discontinue coming to your GC church that he/she was committing the sin of “divorce” by their departure?

As you ask these questions, evaluate the degree of forthrightness versus evasion you receive.  Be sure to ask follow-up questions.  Prayerfully consider not only the answers you get to these questions, but also the testimonies of all who have posted on this forum.  Feel free to join the forum yourself and post your own questions or to ask for advice.

May God lead you with your mind and heart to find a church where you can serve Him and grow in holiness in the likeness of His Son.

[Outtathere]

I just read this post. Wow, this is really good. From what I have gathered, EverAStudent, you went to a different church than I did and at a different time (maybe even decade). Yet, all of these are still relevant questions.

Question 4 is a good eye-opener. I realized that their only focus was on evangelism and that if I was going to be accepted, I had to evangelize. Since leaving, people have denied that, but I remember going through their indoctrination studies, "Beginning in Christ, Growing in Christ and Maturing in Christ," which all basically concluded that a mature Christian is an evangelist.

Those books are so shallow and are strewn with misapplications. I read one online recently at: http://www.begininchrist.com/mature/MatureInChrist.pdf

Here is but one excerpt that should raise a red flag that they are trying to indoctrinate (from p. 15, Following Our Lord):
What if today, in the 20th century, someone were to live a life just like
Jesus Christ? What would he be like? Would he be rich or poor?
Would he be a celebrity or a social outcast? Would he be consulted by
the wise or considered insane? Would he be respected as a clergyman
or despised as a cult leader? Would the world acclaim him as a
liberator or execute him as a criminal? The startling fact is that it is up
to you to find out. You are called by God to live a life just the same as
Jesus Christ did.

Danger Will Robinson...WARNING, WARNING!  

[Wiggly]

Just for curiosity's sake

How would you answer the questions you bolded?  Perhaps it shouldn't be a binary, black and white answer.

What would Jesus be like in today's world?  How would people perceive him?  What is living a life like Jesus in today's world look like?  Are we called to live like Jesus?

[EverAStudent]

What if today, in the 20th century, someone were to live a life just like
Jesus Christ? What would he be like? Would he be rich or poor?
Would he be a celebrity or a social outcast? Would he be consulted by
the wise or considered insane? Would he be respected as a clergyman
or despised as a cult leader? Would the world acclaim him as a
liberator or execute him as a criminal? The startling fact is that it is up
to you to find out. You are called by God to live a life just the same as
Jesus Christ did.

Challenge accepted.  My answers follow.

Q: What if today, in the 20th century [sic], someone were to live a life just like Jesus Christ...what would he be like?
A: Of course, first I would change it to the 21st century LOL  He would be an interesting open air preacher, thought provoking and innovative.  His theology would always be absolutely perfect and would never mislead anyone.  His kindness would attract followers but he would turn them away in humility, pointing them to follow Christ in the city/location and church where they were.  He would forbid others to name doctrines and philosophies after him, again pointing others to reflect on Christ as supremely important. 

Q: Would he be rich or poor?
A: That would depend largely on what kind of family he was born into, would it not?  Jesus was born into a poor family, but He called Peter who came from an upper middle class family.  Phoebe was quite wealthy.  Like Paul a follower of Jesus can be content and useful in wealth or in poverty.

Q: Would he be a celebrity or a social outcast?
A: His fame would upset entire spiritual communities.  His lifestyle would reach across social barriers, easily fellowshipping with the highest politicians in their million dollar homes to the poorest homeless in their humble camps.

Q: Would he be consulted by the wise or considered insane?
A: Just like Jesus, the world would see him as both.

Q: Would he be respected as a clergyman or despised as a cult leader?
A: Just like Jesus, both.

Q: Would the world acclaim him as a liberator or execute him as a criminal?
A: That depends on the society in which he ministers.  In America he would be another preacher of truth among many.  In a Muslim country they would kill him for preaching Christ as Savior.

It is so very important to remember that we are called to imitate Christ's character and holiness, not His demographic profile.  These questions make me think the author of these questions does not truly understand what the Scriptures mean when they direct us to be like Christ or to be like God.  Did the author really think that we need to become penniless carpenters, feed multitudes with a few fish, and get executed by the authorities so as to be seen as being like Christ?  If so, the author has not yet reached the level of theological maturity to take on the task of training other disciples and should continue to educate himself more properly in the Scriptures before instructing others.