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"that I abuse not my power in the gospel" 1Cor 9:18
Healthy Faith Ministries
Safeguarding you against spiritual abuse
Lessons from Jonestown
17 warnings for mainstream churches
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Everyone Possess Tendencies to Abuse
Related Info & Outlines
"There are many similarities
in the approach of Jim Jones with that of many modern day church leaders and groups"
"Biblical knowledge without wisdom and moderation becomes religious insanity"
To abuse means, "to mistreat or misuse". We have all at one time or another mistreated people and misused our authority. Many churches have treated people badly and misused the scriptures at some point. We are all human and to error is to be human. It is very important to safeguard ourselves on a regular basis from spiritually abusive tendencies within our own lives and within the church. Extreme religious groups have given the church a bad reputation but we at HFM are committed to promoting a positive image on behalf of the whole church.
An independent, objective and non-bias spiritual evaluation of your church
Your Spiritual Abuse Checkup
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here
This exciting online ministry provides Christians and churches with an independent, objective and non-bias diagnosis and prescription for safeguarding themselves against the natural developing elements of spiritual abuse prevalent in every church. Our battle is not with the good people trapped within abusive churches, fringe groups or cults but with the bad religious philosophy and system that negatively conditions, deceives and victimizes them. Jesus' harshest condemnation was against the doctrinally and morally upright religious sect of the Pharisees. He condemned them for their pious and separated "better than thou" attitude towards both sinners and other religious groups. Spiritual abuse and scriptural abuse go hand and hand. Spiritual abuse is an exploitation of the scriptures that leads into a subtle mistreatment of people, through authoritarian leadership, legalism, discrimination, manipulation, elitism, isolation, fear, quilt and intimidation. Scriptural abuse stretches the Bible beyond it's normal definition and description in order to confine and control people by rigid and extreme human rules, interpretations and applications. Many times individuals are harmed spiritually, emotionally and psychologically without even realizing it. Spiritual abuse always deceives its victims. Abusive groups program people with "what to think" but not "how to think". An objective faith knows how to think outside the group box and is never confined by stereotypical thinking and behavior. Real faith brings spiritual freedom and not human conditioning, control and confinement. It is everyone's Christian responsibility to cultivate and promote a healthy faith. Join us as we humbly and graciously provide awareness towards the disease of spiritual abuse within the Christian church. HFM is keeping us all honest and healthy. Please join us in promoting a healthy, positive and inclusive faith within in the Christian church.
3 Ways we Abuse the Scriptures
1. Extending the context of the Scriptures
2. Excluding the context of the Scriptures
3. Exchanging the context of the Scriptures
3 Marks of Spiritually Abusive Groups
1. Their affirmation of truth is humanly egotistical
2. Their application of truth is humanly extreme
3. Their association in truth is humanly exclusive
3 Marks of a Healthy Faith
1. Socially Moderate 2. Spiritually Meek 3. Scripturally Mainstream
Keeping our Faith Healthy
3 Reasons for Preventative Spiritual Checkups
1. Monitoring our spiritual optimism 2. Maintaining our scriptural objectivity 3. Measuring our social outlook
"Any person or group who honestly believes that they have a monopoly on God, the Bible and the Church has some serious psychological problems"
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The Balance of Truth
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"Human comprehension of truth is
limited, subjective, bias and deceptive"
“Truth and error exist together within human perception and perspective; therefore no one
person or group has a corner on the truth"
“There are 3 sides to a perspective;
your side, my side and the right side”
“The truth is usually found in the middle
of opposing or debating pronouncements of it”
"Truth blinds and binds people when believed
through arrogance, extremism & exclusiveness"
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The Truth
is not
Legalistic
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Unity
Fun
Humility
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Inclusion
Joy
Diversity
10 Marks of a Healthy Faith
Love, Humility, Grace, Diversity, Unity, Moderation, Equality, Respect and Inclusion
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for your
Checkup
The department of Justice Canada has produced a booklet entitled, "Abuse is wrong in any language". On page 3 under, "other forms of abuse are not hard crimes, but they are still abuse", it gives some examples such as, "humiliating, insulting you, ignoring you or calling you names and telling you what you can do, where you can go, who your friends can be". The article asked the question, "What is abuse"? and answers it by stating, "you have been abused when another person hurts you or treats you badly". In conclusion the article finishes by asking two more questions, "Does the abuser often find fault with you or tell you, you are worthless"? And does the abuser make you feel intimidated or inferior by what he says"?
The US Department of Justice also addresses elements of spiritual abuse in section 9-60.112 of the Prosecution Policy-Allegations of "Mental Kidnapping" or "Brainwashing" by Religious Cults. Click below to read an article from the United States Department of Justice.
A Potentially Toxic Spiritual Equation
Human nature = Selfishness + Biblical knowledge = Pride + Group persuasion = Deception
Altogether = Spiritual Abuse
"Spiritual abuse manifest itself through self deception". Discover the cause & cure of deception.
Most people get an annual physical examination from their family physician to stay healthy but when was the last time you heard of a church getting an external spiritual examination. Most secular companies get outside agencies to do audits and performance evaluations, so what makes the church exempt from this kind of external inspection, evaluation and accountability? What do churches have to hide? Are churches above reproach? Every church has some elements of spiritual abuse, human error & dysfunction therefore it is in their best interest to remain objective & healthy by getting externally evaluated.
Healthy Faith Ministries
"HFM is leading the way in providing accountability to abusive groups,
assurance to victims of abuse and awareness to mainstream churches"
HFM
A Human Rights Christian Ministry
Specializing in objectively evaluating churches & Christian leadership
Copyright ©2011 Healthy Faith Ministries
Ministry
Info
We are protecting people in our community against spiritually abusive church groups and rebuilding confidence in a positive Christian faith by connecting people to spiritually healthy and balanced churches
Everyone can Benefit from HFM
Jaime E. Castro
1. Abusive church groups can benefit- “Honesty and humility have the power to bring
release, change and forgiveness to any person or group”.
2. Victims of abuse will benefit- “Understanding and caring support will bring freedom,
healing and transformation by turning negative church experiences into positive ones"
3. Mainstream churches or ministries can benefit- “Supporting and promoting the Christian
community in three important ways;
a. Encouraging churches to remain inclusive, objective and balanced
b. Equipping believers with the resources to effectively deal with dangerous religious groups
that would prey on them. The sad fact is that cults and abusive fringe groups recruit over 80%
of their converts from good mainstream churches. HFM is helping to reduce that percentage.
c. Evangelizing our community by projecting a positive faith that is marked by sincerity, diversity
and unity and not by hypocrisy, rigidity and division".
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The
United
States
Dept
of
Justice
Freedom of religious expression or conscience does not give religious groups or individuals the right to commit hate crimes or violate human rights, such as discriminating, insulting, demeaning, defaming, ridiculing,
slandering, condemning, offending, name calling, labeling or negatively stereotyping groups/people that they disagree with on religious issues. The key to this issue is to disagree respectfully. (Acts 24:16; 1Cor 10:32)
"Lord,
Protect my family and me.
Forgive me my sins, and
help me guard against
pride and despair.
Give me the wisdom to do
what is right and just
And make me an instrument of your will".
Barack Obama
President Obama's Prayer
For a Healthy Faith
"We have seen faith wielded as a tool to divide us from one another – as an excuse for prejudice and intolerance...It is an ancient rule;
a simple rule; but also one of the most challenging. For it asks each of us to take some measure of responsibility for the well-being of people we may not know or worship with or agree with on every issue. Sometimes, it asks us to reconcile with bitter enemies or resolve ancient hatreds. And that requires a living, breathing, active faith. It requires us not only to believe, but to do – to give something of ourselves for the benefit of others and the betterment of our world".
3 Prerequisites For An
Optimistic & Objective Faith
1 Corinthians Chapters 1-4
1. Challenge Denominational Christian Understanding
2. Cultivate Denominational Christian Unity
3. Celebrate Denominational Christian Uniqueness
Growing Beyond Ourselves
5 keys to remaining spiritually objective
1. Seeing ourselves as others see us
2. Thinking outside the group box
3. Building bridges of diversity, respect & unity
4. Acknowledging our human subjectivism & errors
5. Challenging ourselves and learning from others
Let's be honest with ourselves about ourselves
No human being or group/denomination holds
superiority within the Body of Christ because
all churches are composed of fallible human
beings who have natural human tendencies
towards bias thinking, subjective conditioning,
group prejudices, theological discriminations,
personal idealism, self-deception (blind spots),
hypocrisy (inconsistencies), self-rationalization,
biblical manipulation/abuse, authoritarianism,
spiritual exploitation, judgmentalism, elitism,
human extremism (Obsessive Compulsiveness),
pessimism, divisiveness, pride, selfishness, sin,
elitism, human error/weaknesses and carnality.
The Apostle Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 1-4 that it is arrogant, carnal and immature believers that use denominational distinctives to project a spirit of superiority or to become divisive within the Body of Christ
External feedback and accountability is essential for maintaining group transparency, objectivity and healthiness
Freedom of speech, conscience and religion does not give us the right to violate human rights or civil and biblical laws that forbids us from discriminating, defaming & dividing from our fellow men, neighbor and brethren.
HFM is specializing in objectively evaluating churches and Christian leadership
Healthy Christian Leadership Vs.
Abusive Leadership
Are you Real?
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A healthy faith
respects people's individuality
and freedom of expression
Feature Resources
"Carnal churches become cult-like when they impose denominational distinctives, spiritual experiences and personal convictions as the standard for everyone in the church. The only standard in the church should be Christ and stereotypical or cookie cutter congregations are not healthy bodies. A healthy church is marked by love, humility, grace, diversity, unity, moderation, equality, respect and inclusion."
"Churches become cultic when they impose their denominational distinctives, spiritual experiences and personal convictions as the standard in the church. The standard in the church should be Christ and stereotypical or cookie cutter churches are not healthy bodies"
