COME TO FREEDOM!

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.

[Janet Easson Martin]

COME TO FREEDOM !!!

THIS is what I believe God is pleading with you to do.   PLEEEASE watch "TURNING POINT" with Dr. David Jeremiah today on these networks (Eastern Time):    CTN 1 pm -2 pm,   NRB 6 pm - 7 pm,   INSP 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm,   TCC 11 pm - 12 am


He warns of not letting into your life the false teaching of legalism.  About the incredible impact it has on you and your church.  He identifies 5 character traits of False Teachers that have not changed over time.   And, most importantly how YOU CANNOT LIVE UNDER THE LAW (as a christian) AND RECEIVE GRACE.

If you cannot watch it, go to to website:  DavidJermiah.org/TV  or  call 1-800-337-7420 to get free resources on these teachings.  One resource they will send is by Charles Ryrie entitled, Balancing the Christian Life (not sure if you have to pay for this one).

I so much believe God wants to break this yoke on you and SET YOU FREE!  Listen to his still quiet voice calling "Come!"

He LOOOVES YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH.


Standing Up Against False Teaching With You,

Janet

[Janet Easson Martin]

No one can be good and do good unless
God’s grace first makes him good, and no one becomes good by works,
but good works are done only by him who is good.
Just so the fruits do not make the tree, but the tree bears the fruit. . . .
Therefore all works, no matter how good they are and
how pretty they look, are in vain if they do not flow from grace.

—MARTIN LUTHER

Copied from “The Grace Awakening Workbook”

[Janet Easson Martin]

There are all kinds of things we can do to break away from strong triggers that result from spiritual abuse. The most effective seem to be the ones that the Holy Spirit personally leads you to. One might include not reading your bible for a time especially if you feel God will love you more if you do. You could read a very encouraging and healthy book about Grace or freedom from Spiritual Abuse to get a better perspective on what has messed up your understanding of God’s view of you.

Some may have to read and relax only in the encouragement of the Psalms, especially if the scriptures were used to condemn and beat you down (which was my experience in GCx). Getting a very different new version of the Bible often helps. Sitting under sound bible teaching strong in grace.

Perhaps your only connection to God for awhile may be uplifting and encouraging Christian music. Stick to what builds you up in the wonderful creation God made you to be. You need a LOT of genuine building up in the beginning of your journey to recover from abuse.

F. Remy Diederich has helpful steps we can take in recovering from Spiritual Abuse in his book, “Broken Trust: a practical guide to identify and recover from toxic faith, toxic church, and spiritual abuse.” Here is one excerpt below (color highlighting mine):



Develop A New Devotional Life

For high achievers, the rules and requirements of a legalistic organization can convince you that you are in the inner circle with God. If you leave that setting and that system, you might feel just the opposite: like you are suddenly far from God. That’s not true, but it might feel that way. You lose the markers that used to track your spiritual progress.

But here’s something your toxic ministry probably didn’t tell you: God not only accepts you, he calls you righteous, that is, perfect in his sight apart from what you do. You don’t need to perform for God to prove your worth. How is that possible? It’s possible because you are wrapped in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. When God looks at you, he sees the perfection of his Son. Paul put it like this:

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

(2 Corinthians 5:21, emphasis mine)

You can’t add anything to what Jesus did. You can’t add to perfect.

The strange thing about this time in your life is that it might require the opposite of what you’ve been trained to do. Every believer is taught to read their Bible, pray, and attend worship services. But if these practices are so intertwined with your understanding of God’s acceptance, that is, if they have become steps on a ladder leading to acceptance, then repeating these practices might not be the first steps in developing your new devotional life. They weren’t helpful to me. They felt obligatory.

So try this: do nothing. Really. I know, it sounds heretical. But it’s important that you understand the grace of God. How can you understand grace if you think you always have to do something to please God? Now, if you want to read the Bible, pray, or attend a worship service, great. Do that. But don’t put yourself under that kind of pressure at first. Embrace the freedom of doing nothing and trust that the Spirit of God will restore various spiritual disciplines over time as they become meaningful again.

... What I hope you will begin to develop is an ear to hear God…by yourself. Toxic faith blocks hearing from God because it forces you to focus on your performance. Spiritual abuse blocks hearing from God because it forces you to listen to the demands of a spiritual leader. After years in this environment…a supposedly spiritual context…you lose a true connection with God. You want to get that back.

[Janet Easson Martin]

Finally, if you are devoted to serving this church and your life is hard, joyless, you cry very frequently, are stuffing your true feelings and questions while putting on a happy face, and are filled with fear about normal things (like living alone, study abroad, etc.), allowing other people to make major (and minor) decisions for you, and are burned out with constant service, activities, and meeting with people, I would implore you to look at your life, begin to listen to your gut feelings and emotions.  Don't let fear, control, intimidation, and pleading from others keep you from leaving this system. It may be the hardest thing you have ever done, but there is joy, independence, freedom, peace, and contentment in Jesus apart from this controlling environment. Others have gone before you and will support you in your decision and new life. My prayer is that God would open your eyes to see the truth and bring healing to your life.

-wisemind

[Janet Easson Martin]

Don’t you hear, it is Him calling you.

It is Him who calls us and so many out of spiritual abuse.

“Such persuasion does not come from the One who calls you.”   Galatians 5:8

It is Him who whispers to us in His gentle voice that the GCx leaders and organization were the perpetuators.

”You were running so well.
Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth?”  
Galatians 5:7

It is Him who helps us understand that the root of the false teaching came from the principal founder, Jim McCotter.

“A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough.”
Galatians 5:9

It is Him who shows us in His Word that we were tricked (as if under a spell) to attempt to make ourselves superior believers by our own works and loyalty to men rather than by the power of the Holy Spirit.

“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? ...
Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?”
Galatians 3:1,3

It is Him who draws us to rely instead on the most powerful force of change - faith.

“Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?”
Galatians 3:5

It is Him who taught us we were persuaded by False Teaching (in GCx) to leave grace behind for self-righteousness of mere men.

“I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ.”  
Galatians 1:6-7

It is Jesus.  HE is our Good Shepherd and Rescuer.