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Author Topic: Gcm memories  (Read 5411 times)
Xiaojia
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« on: September 11, 2016, 11:16:47 pm »

I am a senior citizen, retirement is quickly approaching, these days my mind seems full of the past,,, so happy to find this forum and wanted to share a few things that still stand out from my bizarre gcm days at michigan state.

1. I'm old enough to remember that the only name for this quasi church group was "Friday night bible study",, that should have been my first clue,, like when people asked where do you attend church and I'd say "um, well this group at msu called Friday night bible study".  Shortly thereafter they started going by "great commission".

2.  The lady who recruited me asked me to go on an outing to the lake.  I remember she pulled a glamour magazine out of her bag but didn't seem to read it. I remember being surprised someone so religious would have such a magazine.  Later I learned it was a tactic to take a worldly magazine along if you were building a friendship with a possible convert,  to appear relatable. You didn't read it of course, just allow the victim to see you have it so they'll feel comfortable.

3.  She would become my "discipler" once I entered the church.  She was very enamored by another young lady in the group who I'll call Trudy.  Trudy was very pretty, popular and of course very fruitful (meaning of course expert soul winner)  My discipler would always say things like " Trudy is so fruitful", "I need to be more like Trudy", "we need to be more like Trudy".  We were almost 25,, it seemed a little bit like junior high school.  I never even cared for Trudy.

4.  We had a quota for this silly magazine called "potential".  Like to hand out 20 a week or so.  If at the end of the week we only had out 15, we would purposely go out to give 5 more away,,  legalism anyone?

5.  No dating,  so ridiculous,  I believe this kept me immature in the male female relationship area.  All the single women just sat around and hoped the brother they liked would ask them to spend more time together. Didn't work in my case, open communication would have been so much better and more healthy instead of all the presumption and guessing, what in the world were they thinking?  Better yet, what the heck was I thinking?

6.  When my discipler was approached this way by a brother she began to date him.  She had me go with her to a church elder to receive counsel on whether she should become serious with him.  I personally heard this elder downplay her doubts about marrying this guy and just act like of course he's a good one for you. He goes to gcm.  He was just a lousy counselor truth be told.  She married the brother, then divorced him.

7.  I remember being told we are never to say anything negative about Jim mccotter.  When I saw him on some promotional video he wore dark sunglasses and just looked creepy,, trust your gut instinct.

8.  I remember reading in one of their publications that a man finds a wife the same way you find a coin on the sidewalk..you aren't looking for it, you just kind of stumble across it and pick it up,,thus no need for dating.

9.  As a lot of people have said the insane, nutso time requirements,, I was just starting out in my career but that was nothing,, you had to be at every meeting, outreach event, etc.  Working was a waste of time unless you were sharing the gospel there.  Their mindset in those days was that college wasn't even that important,  how crazy,, how in the world did they think all these waiting on God non dating women were supposed to support themselves.  Have they really apologized for the damage they did to young people's futures by this mindset?  I noticed the elders always seemed to have plenty of money for themselves and their families.

10.  After 5 years in the gcm frying pan I applied to a seminary in another city as I had a strong desire to go abroad.  I obediently asked someone in leadership what he thought about this.  He told me not to go, no need he said as I wouldn't learn anything new but would just waste my money.  I could just study the bible on my own and bloom where I was planted. I thank God to this day that I didn't listen to him but went anyway, a step in the right direction and the one that severed my relationship with gcm.

11.  The crazy idea that you were to go from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria and then to the outermost parts of the world in that order, lol.

12.  I always wondered why there was no one over 30 in our church but would just push that concern out of my mind.

13. I remember my d group leader saying things like "all that matters is that we're doing what we're supposed to be doing for God".  Hmmmm,,  and what exactly does that look like.  I guess be more like Trudy.  Or him maybe.

Anyway , blessings to all you former gcm people,, so happy to share, thanks .
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Janet Easson Martin
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« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2016, 02:54:56 pm »

Hi Xiaojia!

Thanks so much for writing to help us warn college students just like we were.  Being led into the snare with manipulative bait.  Into a group that could not let you be free to make your choices and express your own opinions.  If we were given the space and time and truth to be free we would not have been there for long. Thank you for testifying to the twisting of scripture you were told about dating and marriage.  Thank you for explaining the slavish work commitment that was commanded (as if from God).  For pointing out the competition and often jealousy among members for higher honor from the elders.  (Which was really just adding to the churches' boasting and tithe).  I'm glad you were able to break free sooner than a lot of us.  Thank you for supporting and encouraging others who may be hesitant to write.

Janet
« Last Edit: September 15, 2016, 06:07:17 am by Janet Easson Martin » Logged

For grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.        - Saint Augustine
Hope
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« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2016, 07:07:50 pm »

Thanks for posting. I appreciate looking back and being able to see the mindset back then.
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MidnightRider
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« Reply #3 on: September 24, 2016, 05:54:26 pm »

X,

I could check off a lot of your 12 items as things I encountered.

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lovebombed
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« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2017, 07:02:17 pm »

I think I come from another era of the movement, but my experience was very relatable to yours. Thanks for making me feel less alone.
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