When and where were you involved with GCx?

Welcome to De-Commissioned, a place for former members of the Great Commission movement (aka GCM, GCC, GCAC, GCI, the Blitz) to discuss problems they've experienced in the association's practices and theology.

You may read and post, but some features are restricted to registered members. Please consider registering to gain full access! Registration is free and only takes a few moments to complete.

[pettipoole]

I was a Stonebrook kid, 82-99

[FeministRebel]

I know who you are. 

[pvitartas]

Solid Rock, Ohio State University, 1976 - 1978

[Andrea]

I was in Columbus from 1979-1986 and then in Miami from 86 to 89.  Both were controlling and abusive and reading this site brings back awful memories that I've mostly stuffed.

[margaret]

Welcome, Andrea. Yeah, it's hard to uncover some of these bad memories/experiences. 
Glad you're here.

[cmofames]

I was at Stonebrook in Ames from 1993 to around 1998. My husband had been with GC in the very early days but had left because of all the control issues they had. We returned when we were going through a rough time and were looking for guidance. I think he thought that maybe with age some of the craziness would have died down.  Our leaving was caused by their seeming disregard of scripture, the pastors and because of convictions  we held that they didn't hold. It was very difficult leaving but it became intolerable to us. I was constantly feeling stirred up and miserable. I felt that the Pastors were condescending and self righteous and not humble.   It felt like people were playing church a lot and there was a popularity factor. I don't want to live my life to please others, I want to try and live my life to please God.  I really felt a relief when I we left. 

[Janet Easson Martin]

Andrea,

Thank you for confirming what so many experienced and were spiritually hurt by in GCx.  Welcome.



cmofames,

Thank you for writing here about the same oppression and 'lording-it-over' abuses with the GCx leadership that the rest of us suffered under.  Definitely about all about popularity and pleasing the leadership or organization rather than pleasing the real Jesus.  I agree there was such a heavy weight lifted after leaving. I think you don't realize just how much of a burden you were carrying until it is gone.  Welcome.


Janet

[Jane]

I was in Solid Rock at Columbus, Ohio from 74 to 80, College Park Bible Study at Maryland State University from 80 to 82 and Towson from 82 to 84.

[Huldah]

I was at Solid Rock (south fellowship) in late '77 & early '78. Perhaps we crossed paths.

[Jane]

I was on North Campus in Columbus.

[Rebel in a Good Way]

I just joined this this forum.  I attended Cedarcreek Community Church in Eau Claire WI, from 1997-2002 as a single young adult.  My now-husband and I moved away from the area for graduate school (after my husband was encouraged instead to remain in the area to become a pastor rather than attend medical school).  We witnessed or were subjected to everything in the correction statement.  I was told that women shouldn't be in leadership because they are genetically inferior going back to Eve.  My pastor wrote me a letter of recommendation that said "She has no leadership skills" because women aren't leaders.

There was much interference in the friendship that my husband and I had before we developed a dating relationship.  As young adults, we had many friends approach the pastor for counsel about any and all types of matters.  The pastor, instead of deferring to the believer to work things out with the Holy Spirit, provided specific counsel most of the time.  This often included telling people who had opportunities in other states that they shouldn't move away because their commitment to a church should be first.  If anyone left Cedarcreek, we were advised to discontinue relationship with them "to allow them to build strong bonds in their new church."

We attended church every week to hear 3 points on what we were supposed to be doing.  Grace was preached, but the environment was very legalistic.  I knew as a woman that my highest goal was to get pregnant, have natural childbirth, breastfeed as long as possible, spank my children, submit to my husband which inlucded having sex often, and to home school as a stay-at-home mother.  And I should mentor other women to do the same.  Was this ever specifically taught?  Of course not.  But I got the message.  And of course I tithed, served as often as possible, and lived with other young women from Cedarcreek.

I had no idea about the history of GCM while I attended this church.  And it was by fortune that we moved away, and when in a healthier church environment we started to really question all we had experienced.  We had a slow recovery from the toxic environment we were in, but continued to experience pain as loved ones and family members have been excommunicated and shunned, to this day. 

The problems supposedly addressed in the correction are STILL going on there, including an excommunication for "gossip and slander" in 2010.  And we occasionally listen to their teachings and they are still unhealthy, focusing on unity, submission, authority, gender roles, abusive parenting, etc.

[Linda]

Welcome. Happy to have you here. I am so sorry for what you experienced. God bless you.
 

[trthskr]

I wasn't in GCM long enough to be married (thank God- literally) but you can easily look at the families there and see that being eternally pregnant is a main goal!  Having children is wonderful but women are so much more than uteruses.  Ugh I'm no feminist but this is so sad ☹️