Several incidents just this past week have inspired this post and NO it is not the fiasco in the Gulf!  (That is a story all its own).  I am going to write this and use either no names or fictitious ones.

Incident #1: Yesterday afternoon (Tuesday) I received a call from a young lady concerning the Angel Food Ministry that our church participates in.   She asked a curious question: how much do you benefit from AF?  I told her, “Actually, none.  Diana, the church secretary and the one who runs AF, takes any money she receives and puts it right back into the ministry to buy boxes for people who need them.”  The lady was surprised but pleased that Diana did that.  She gave me a few details about their current situation (she has Gran Mal Seizures and as a result of the medication the baby was born with a clef palate problem, among others).  She told me a little more and then  I asked her if they could use some help and that we would make sure she received a box of food. That led to a discussion about the church.  She then told me about how her in-laws have refused to even talk to them because they had a child out-of-wedlock and that her deformities were God’s judgment on them.   Say what??????  I reinforced to her how we will not condemn but offer a haven for her family and told her about several of our own church children who have handicaps (clef palate, Downs, deaf).

Incident #2: Last week I was asked to be involved in a meeting where the grandparents were trying to see their grandchildren.  Because they left a certain “church” group, they have been forbidden to see them.  Because of the sensitivity of the subject I cannot go into any more detail except to say that I have become convinced that a cult is more than just an aberrant view of Jesus.  I have become convinced that a cult is also when someone is afraid to/cannot/ forbidden to leave that group.

The point of this post is the toxic waste of both lines of thinking.  I am familiar with the group involved in that first example and have first-hand knowledge of the latter.  The plain and simple truth is that there are some who pass themselves off as the body of Christ but are nothing more than toxic waste dumps for their brand of legalism/heresy.  The idea of a deformed child being born as a result of God’s punishment/judgment just makes my skin crawl and my stomach want to hurl.  The idea of who one can and cannot associate with, ordered down by the one in charge, borders on cultic  (can someone say David Koresh or Jim Jones?).   It is also legalism of the highest order when anyone-church or individual-can order how one is to act, dress or believe.   I believe the Bible is clear on some things but ordering someone, “You must act this way, dress this way, or believe exactly like I do” is downright wrong.  Churches and individuals like that are toxic.

I am praying that in both incidents (and others like them) that God’s presence and love and grace are seen in abundant measure.  I appreciate that God has given me the opportunity to take part in both and hope that I have offered some healing in them.  Have you ever been involved personally or been involved vicariously (because of helping someone) in a toxic church situation?  What did you do and how did you handle it?  I hope you will consider sharing your story and perhaps offering some help to those who may read this.