House Church Talk - spiritual abuse

[Glenn Frank]

On 8/9/04 12:27 PM, "Scott Dowlen" wrote:

> They (Sceva's boys) got the name right, but in the end they were using the
> name in a mystical, formulaic fashion that neither God nor demon would honor
> with a response. 


Too True! 

It seems that church organizations these days love following a formula that
has been 'successful' at some other church organization... Thinking that if
they simply copy the steps they will get the same results.

The IC I left 6 months back was such a place. Although they would deny that
they were copying a formula... (They always liked to point out that they
were simply using some ideas that others had done and would fit it to the
specific needs of their local church organization)... They were basically
copying the formula and expecting the results to be the same. Any program
that seemed to be successful, any that had a book or curriculum, or any that
told how some other church did it was reason enough to copy into their own
organizational ministry.

They also liked to say that they thought it was wise to do this because
"there was no reason to 're-invent the wheel'."

Problem was... I don't think they were supposed to be building wheels.



Glenn F.