How did / do xCOG/Family members reconnect to the Church...
How did COG/Family members reconnect to the larger Christian Church... if they did, that is? I'd be appreciative of hearing stories from former members of the COG/Family who went through a process of sifting through their COG experience to discover (or enlarge?) their vision of who Christ is.
Re: How did / do xCOG/Family members reconnect to the Church
slacker75 wrote:
How did COG/Family members reconnect to the larger Christian Church... if they did, that is? I'd be appreciative of hearing stories from former members of the COG/Family who went through a process of sifting through their COG experience to discover (or enlarge?) their vision of who Christ is.
Thank you for reading, even if you do not post.
Sincerely,
Jon
I loved reading the Bible in the FI and since we were made to memorize verses from the Bible I eventualy began to understand its content. I always kept the true scripture from the Bible seperate from the Mo letters no matter what the Mo letters said. This enabled me to keep my faith and belief in God to this day. I think in any cult or religion it is important to keep the Bible sacred and not incorporate the scriptures in the Bible with other doctrins. I found the Bible to be a great source to learn about God and become a good christian.
Thanks for your post. Have you found Christian resources other than Scripture (say, Bible commentaries, books on theology, or even more "popularized" books / authors) that you find helpful in interpreting the Word? I ask because the older I get, the more I realize a certain debt I owe to the Christians who went before me in doing much of the intellectual "grunt work" making it easier for me to understand things. Even when I disagree with many of these voices from the past (on issues such as womens' equality in Scripture, for instance) I find their arguments are the ones I interact with to find my own beliefs.
Thanks for your post. Have you found Christian resources other than Scripture (say, Bible commentaries, books on theology, or even more "popularized" books / authors) that you find helpful in interpreting the Word? I ask because the older I get, the more I realize a certain debt I owe to the Christians who went before me in doing much of the intellectual "grunt work" making it easier for me to understand things. Even when I disagree with many of these voices from the past (on issues such as womens' equality in Scripture, for instance) I find their arguments are the ones I interact with to find my own beliefs.
Again, thanks.
Jon
I personally stick with the Bible and since I understand its purpose and message I don't feel a need for other litterature.
Has there been any problem with you reading the Bible yet finding its meaning somewhat obscured by old COG/Family teachings? I guess that's why I asked about other books.
Hermeneutics, how we properly interpret what we read in Scripture, is increasingly important to me as I get older in faith. For instance, Genesis 1 through 3 is about creation and about the fall. Is it meant to be interpreted literally as seven 24 hour days wherein creation happened, or can it be read as somewhat symbolic / allegorical? For instance, we're told elsewhere in Scripture that "a day is as a thousand years" to God; would that have any bearing on the intervals in the creation story?
I tend to rely on other Christians' books, but critically. That is, I read N. T. Wright on Paul's writings, or the New International Commentary on the Bible for further illumination on the Song of Songs (a book that in many ways is almost incomprehensible in places to a modern non-middle-easterner). BUt I reserve judgement on portions of either which don't jibe with what I believe the Word says.
In the bigger context, I suppose I'm trying to figure out how, when someone has been as mutilated and hurt as many x-family folks are, a person finds their way back to Christianity's big theme: the Body of Christ being all about Christians in communion (community) of some sort. And no, that isn't a pitch for my "flavor" of that community -- not at all. I suppose I'm hoping that many of you do find your way into horizontal relationship with the Body of Christ as well as vertical relationship with Christ Himself. All of that is so twisted in COG/Family theology and practice, it pains me to think of it.
Again, sorry if I said anything here hurtful for x-family folks. If I did, please tell me plainly and I'll apologize.
reply to slacker on the Bible
I know one thing that the FI did to me was make me very leery of churches and other doctrins. I simply don't believe in taking the Bibles contents and changing the meaning of verses or scriptures in the Bible. This is how I personaly feel....The Bibles existance was for the purpose of all mankind to know about God and how he expects us to live as true Christians. It was not by accident that the Bible was written the way it was. I think if God had the purpose I mentioned for the Bible, then he probably made sure he had a hand in helping interpet and choosing the right words to use.
In other words , I think what the scripture says is what it means. Why would God make it confusing or hard to understand? If the Bible does'nt make sense to you at first just keep reading it. If you are not sure of the meaning of verses just keep reading it. If you don't feel any closer to God at first , well just keep reading it. It worked for me.
. There are thousands of Christian bibles and litterature nowdays and they are all very similar and even incorporate verses from the Bible in them but there is always a new twist or new meaning of the scripture in them as well. I personally use the King James version of the Bible since it is the original translation and closest to the original writtings
I am not saying that other christian litterature is bad or even un-Godly. It may help alot of people better understand Gods word and even bring them closer to him. I still say the Bible is for me and thats all I really need.
Re: How did / do xCOG/Family members reconnect to the Church
slacker75 wrote:
How did COG/Family members reconnect to the larger Christian Church... if they did, that is? I'd be appreciative of hearing stories from former members of the COG/Family who went through a process of sifting through their COG experience to discover (or enlarge?) their vision of who Christ is.
Thank you for reading, even if you do not post.
Sincerely,
Jon
From all the brain washing done by COG I was reluctant to be apart of any church. But after hitting bottom, I prayed for God to lead me somewhere where they teach truth, and He did. To a bible teaching church. I am so thankful to be free and find out the truth about cults and the world.
JUST KEPT ON AFTER JESUS
I was a Muslim and the first time I heard of Jesus was through the COG. I received Christ and joined the COG, earnestly devouring the "Bible". Already, as a young believer I began to feel uncomfortable in my spirit about sexual things that I began to read in the "DO" Mo Letters. At the same time I knew of no other church and had nothing else to turn to. The thing that saved me was that in spite of the garbage that I saw in the Mo Letters, Jesus was real to me.
When I finally broke with the COG, I just kept on following Jesus. I hooked up with "regular" Christians. It was tough, because people in the churches were not as "radical" as the COG were, but they had purity, humility and genuine love, qualities that drew me to then. I stayed radical and on-Fire for God. I went to Bible School, and today I am an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God. I hold open-air Gospel Crusades in Africa and plant churches in Africa and Burma.
May the Lord have His Hand upon all of us as we follow Jesus!
I shall surely get censored for saying this, but we ALL were suppose to have joined the F to serve the Lord, and therefore nothing is suppose to stop us from doing that...whether hell or high water, or deceived prophets like Berg.
We were suppose to go til death do us part.
We were excommunicated for reporting F crimes, but stayed as missionaries on the field, and then eventually got into full time web-site ministry..
We were forunate to have each other to always sort out the truths and the lies of the F and the church and the world, but that can be done by anyone if they truly try and if others, including the exer groups would give them that alternative, rather than just the alternative of wrath and worldiness.
I (as of course someone who was *not* in the COG/Family), have some questions re your post. I'm not trying to bait or hurt you, so please hear me in a good-will way.
For me, it sounds as though you believe your promise to serve God in the Family cannot be withdrawn. Is that true?
My tentative response, caring for your feelings and trying to be careful here, is that the exact nature of what the Family was and is affects how one answers the above question.
Was the Family's "dark side" merely a side issue? That is, was the COG/Family basically a good Christian group with some sins that needed exposing?
Or, was the COG/Family's dark side not a "side" but rather at the very center/heart of the group? Another way to say it: was the Family a group fatally flawed at its core due to the personal darknesses of its leader?
If the last was true, then would a promise to such a group -- a group that would presumably be rooted not in Christ but rather in deception -- still hold you?
I personally don't think so, but am without authority in this discussion. Only asking you and others who might want to comment.
Re: How did / do xCOG/Family members reconnect to the Church...
I left the COG with my wife and 2 children (1 on the way) in 1978. I went through drugs... alcohol... homelessness etc. I really held a grudge against God for allowing me to get so deceived when the ONLY thing I ever wanted was to serve Jesus.
After many years of wandering, the Lord got my attention again. I was blessed in that my best friend growing up beccame a pastor and when I was really down and just barely hanging on he invited me to stay at his place (new bible school... where he gave me a room in the church). Since I had already been really burned once, I wasn't willing to put my hand out again to get it burned again.
After spending months just reading my Bible, I started listening to some of the classes in the Bible school. The message was Christ and Him crucified. It wasn't service, it wasn't miracles (although gifts of the Holy Spirit were evidant)... the message was Jesus. After spending 7 years there and finally graduating from the Bible school myself, I have been blessed by coming to know that it is Jesus and Him alone who is our peace.
Like Paul says in the scriptures that what he received was NOT taught by man, but by Christ being revealed in him. I finally received a foundation that the Holy Spirit could use to teach me Christ. The message has alwasy been Christ... NOT service... works... laws... end times etc... although those things are obviously associated with Christ. All things were made by Him and for Him. The Father sent His Son Jesus, and it's Christ in you who is the hope of glory.
Re: How did / do xCOG/Family members reconnect to the Church...
glad you're happy, and finding happiness in religion. religion can be a great crutch when you find something has been broken. i'm not saying religious people are weak people, but i do think that more than anything religion is a prop. but if it makes someone happy or gives them meaning to life, than i agree they should have their religion.
for myself, i can say that 100% pulling away from all religious beliefs and exercising for the first time my belief in MYSELF (something religion, at least christianity within TFI strongly warns against) brought me a great deal more happiness and strength than i could have ever imagined while believing in my TFI "religion".
Re: How did / do xCOG/Family members reconnect to the Church...
Cookie wrote:
glad you're happy, and finding happiness in religion. religion can be a great crutch when you find something has been broken. i'm not saying religious people are weak people, but i do think that more than anything religion is a prop. but if it makes someone happy or gives them meaning to life, than i agree they should have their religion.
for myself, i can say that 100% pulling away from all religious beliefs and exercising for the first time my belief in MYSELF (something religion, at least christianity within TFI strongly warns against) brought me a great deal more happiness and strength than i could have ever imagined while believing in my TFI "religion".
May I say "Amen" to that. Whatever gets one through the night is all right, but how one can yield to any of the religious hoaxes is still beyond me. That is the main lesson I learned from my COG experience.
Re: How did / do xCOG/Family members reconnect to the Church...
you know, i must say that one thing i am glad of, having been born into and raised all my childhood and teenage years in TFI, is that once it was gone, and all their lies (whether they were truly believed or not), and visions of grandeur, and all of their elitism fell away slowly but surely, i developed a really sharp eye for a lie and little gulibility is left in me to spare to anyone but those i love the most. being away from all that, i see all the cults and religions that are almost identical, all promising the way to the so called promised land, or to salvation, to happiness or whatever it is someone might be looking for. they are so NOT unique in their presentation or approach. i'm very sad for all the people like me who will never be brave enough to step out and see what the real world is like. i wish i could go back and talk with my friends, but they have in the most part, shut their ears to what i have to say, suddenly now that i am not in the family. they keep up contact in a pretense of not being two faced, but i recognize their words to me as the same ones i used to others who left before me who loved me and tried to convince me, but who never got thru to me.
Re: How did / do xCOG/Family members reconnect to the Church...
Hi, Interesting discussion here.
I left the F in 1987 and for the next 18 years struggled through church...the evangelical variety mostly. It was good to undo a lot of Berg's screwy interpretations, and for our kids to get a view of mainstream christian religion. If we ever mentioned we had been involved in the COG we were viewed with suspicion, or thought to be demon oppressed unless we wanted their form of deliverance (our short Pentecostal experience...no thanks, had enough of spiritual abuse), or generally thought to be just New Agers. So we tended not to say anything about our past. My partner and I were very involved in supporting missionaries, charity fundraisers and heaps other stuff. I never felt at home there in the church; and I've given it a very good go! Mostly they are interested in the christian culture bubble, and not that interested in deep spiritual issues. This is very generalized of course, but I am just reflecting on my experience. We did heaps of reading; started off with the lightweight stuff then waded into theology...even did a course. Learned a lot. Grateful to the church for being the custodians of such knowledge and information, but as far as being a spiritual home it never worked out. We were too "out there", too wild a past, didn't swallow anything before questioning (leaned that the hard way!), and we just never did fit in. ( We are not antagonistic or anti church or church christians). So now we no longer attend. We go to the Forest instead, which has been our constant faithful place of contemplation. We still read a lot, mostly the Christian Mystics. So that's a brief account of my experience. The vast number of exmembers I know (Baby Boomer generation) are not into church, even if they still retain faith in Christ.
Tirzah.
Re: How did / do xCOG/Family members reconnect to the Church...
if you built your house on rock,the rains fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against the house but it did not fall because it was founded on rock.
Re: How did / do xCOG/Family members reconnect to the Church...
boricua wrote:
if you built your house on rock,the rains fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against the house but it did not fall because it was founded on rock.
You couldnt say it better, that rock is the one who keeps my sanity in this crazy world, God bless you.....
Re: How did / do xCOG/Family members reconnect to the Church...
Very true! That deep peace of the quiet earth, deep peace of the shining stars and deep peace of the Son of Peace...the Rock! Bless You, Tirzah.
Re: How did / do xCOG/Family members reconnect to the Church...
I'm sorry to say that after I left I associated with a born-again Christian group and some of them were
worse than the COG - put me off life.
Re: How did / do xCOG/Family members reconnect to the Church...
I was already a belkiever in christ before I joined CoG. Back in 1972 the CoG appeared to be more on the lines of a conservative Evangelical group and that is why a number of young idealistic Christian kids got easily recruited.
Over time, because of indoctrination, and deceptive manipulation I became firmly rooted in the whole Berg myth.
However, as time wore on, and I became worn down and worn out I, eventually left.
My faith in Christ is the same. Now I stick wholely to the Bible as my rule of thumb. If it was not taught and/or practiced by Jesus and the Apostles I don't have to believe it.
There is much that is dodgy going on in many churches, Hyper Pentecostalism, Charismania, Money-Preachers Abusive leadership--in fact very much as it was when the New Testament was written--so nothing's changed that much!
As far as finding one's way through the maze of Christendom, you have to simply do as the Apostle said, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling!" (Phillipians 2:12)
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace