Ads
Martin Heresy of Mind Control is a reference to a book on Cults and recognizing them through their leadership styles.
Online book The Heresy of Mind Control: Recognizing Con Artists in Leadership, Stephen Martin, M.Div,, online book. Written by Dr. Paul Martin’s brother, this 169-page e-book shows how “wolves in sheeps’ clothing” use Lifton’s 8 elements of mind control to create Christian totalism.
What is Mind Control?
When we talk about “mind control”, we need to understand the wrong influence and the right influence within the church. Some people are simply followers, and whatever the majority, or the popular view is on something, or whatever the pastor declares as “what we are doing now”, that is what they do. They do not think for themselves, and they have a hard time reasoning with Scripture.
Those false prophets or bad pastors will try to control the minds, lives, and especially the pocket books of their people.
The Priesthood of the Believer
The Bible presents the Old Testament priests as an intercessor between themselves and God. They also intervened between other people and God. These OT priests went to Christ to fight in defense of these sinners. In the New Testament, we only have Christ. Each and every one of us are interceding for ourselves, our families, and others (especially those of their own family of faith, the church).
Today we should understand (individually) the principles of Scripture and be able to exhort others, guide our own lives, and pray in intercession.
The fact that Christians today cannot understand Scripture for themselves without a “pastor” explaining it to them is very bad. It denies that the Bible is for everyone. It denies that the Holy Spirit will open understanding to each Christian on a personal level.
When some Christian is a slave to knowing God’s will because he has to go to his pastor and ask permission, that means we are basically inept children that cannot do anything for ourselves.
More Articles from Spirit Abuse Reference Category
- Zukeran – Abusive Churches
- VanVonderen, J. – Families where Grace is in Place
- VanVonderen-Ryan – Soul Repair
- Tucker, R.A. – Another Gospel
- Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse Johnson-VanVonderen
- Martin, P.R. – Cult Proofing your Kids
- Martin Heresy of Mind Control
- Lloyd-Jones, M. – Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Its Cure
- Hession – We would see Jesus
- Friesen, G. – Decision Making and the Will of God
Dagg Manual of Theology is a theology work in 2 volumes by J.L. Dagg a Reformed Southern Baptist. It is an extensive, very ample presentation of doctrines.
This is an extensive Bible Systematic Theology (Bible Doctrines book) from a conservative point of view.
Read/Download: now with pdf download link. 50,000 views on this page with download link
This book ought to be required reading for every Christian. These techniques are too pervasive in the church and Christian groups. I am a corporate attorney and have seen too many churches concentrating more and more power in the hands of a few people. Even many denominational churches are setting up corporations that are governed by the pastor, his/her spouse, and a trusted friend. They often have elders, but it is a sham. The elders have no real authority. Many members no longer have access to church financial records or reports. From this structure, I have personally witnessed a number of serious problems, ultimately leading to unhealthy domination of the flock of God, and ultimately into some form of doctrinal error.
I have been (observing) on both sides of this issue, and on the one side, there are abusive pastors/leaders that manipulate people for financial and domination issues. I identify these as “wolves” and “false prophets” as Scripture describes them. They definitely exist, and Scripture warns us against them. On the other side of the issue are the laymen who do the same. I have seen a democratic government local church seeded with enough to make a majority vote, and hijack the church. In the end, the only good and best solution is what the Bible presents us with, which is a pastor rule, under a group of elders. In this situation the will of the people is also extremely important. Having said all of that, a pure democracy doesn’t work in churches. That is most accutely seen because the Bible never presents this as the biblical pattern. Rather a single leader is presented. What is wrong with this pattern in the majority of churches? Simply that the only situation where it will work like God has designed it is if that man is a man of God. Being religious and having a religious coat (Public relations kind) is not it. So many pastors are unspiritual, and are not true men of God. Whether they are wolves or false prophets, I cannot tell without a lot of study which my point of observation (missionary visiting churches) doesn’t allow, but the short of it is that you can tell the carnality in their lives without much digging. When they meet a ministry (like me, a missionary in for a weekend), few seem to have any interest in talking about the Bible, spiritual things, even spiritual problems. Football, sports in general, and other “diversions” occupy their interest. The way they do things is via control mechanisms, and being a true leader (being first, foremost, frontmost, and most intensive) is not in their heads at all. When we speaking of financial sacrifice, praying, witnessing, expending personal time and energy, they want others to do that, you know, delegation. When it comes to enjoying what you have as a church (the limelight, the economic benefits, deciding and commanding others) they are first and usually only. The contrast is tremendous between the typical pastor, and the true man of God (at least to me). I find true men of God usually don’t have problems with their church people, because if their church people are saved (which is not always the case), they will follow a true man of God, and friction will be limited. A wolf will always push his own agenda and will first. A man of God sees what God’s will is, and only becomes a small part of things as he has to in order for God’s will to be done. Two very different attitudes. You cannot legislate morally, and for all the efforts we try to make the requirements for office (Pastor, elder, deacon), we fail, because you cannot make the rule (for example) he must be humble, because humility is spiritually defined, and trying to objectively decide that is next to impossible, but you will know a humble man when you see one. Yes I agree that many churches make authority and responsibility structures (elders, deacons, church boards) that are shams. Unfortunately, going to a straight democracy, or most of the other systems now in vogue in Christianity just doesn’t do it either. I think THE key to a successful and biblical church is in being very patience and very demanding on the spiritual requirements before any leader enters. That and first going through every possible assistent pastor in house that a church has before going “head hunting” that in itself is questionable as to whether this is the biblical pattern. If a church has had a pastor or pastors for 10 years, and it has no in house leaders that can supply a permanent pastor if the present one leaves or dies, then that church has no vision for leadership. It is just developing sheep, and there is no concept of developing pastors. Schools don’t do it. Only experienced in house pastors is really the answer. They continue with the same vision, same doctrine, same positions, and cause the least amount of shock (as a rule, but not always).
Hey! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me.
Anyways, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back often!