CHRISTIAN PERFECTION: Tenth in a Series Written by a Former NTCC Minister in 2006

CHRISTIAN PERFECTION

The doctrine of Christian Perfection is a crowning glory of NTCC. 

They teach very forcefully that the believer is equipped with power to overcome sin to the extent that, with proper attention given to spiritual things, the heart, soul and body are protected against transgression of every kind. They do not teach that the sin nature is eradicated, only that it’s influence is replaced with that of the Divine Nature at the point of conversion. Neither do they teach that all future sins are covered by The Atonement, but that these must be confessed individually.

 This contradicts the common belief that “I’m just a sinner saved by Grace”, and places an emphasis upon Free Will as opposed to any and all forms of Calvinism. This doctrine comes to us through time owing in part to the intellectual labors of the Renaissance Dutch Theologian Jacobus Arminius, as well as to the establishment of the Methodist Societies in America under the direction of John Wesley.

 It is a doctrine that has much to recommend it, and is by no means “peculiar”, yet is strangely applied in the hands of a group like New Testament Christian Church. In order to avoid the danger inherent in any sort of spiritual monarchy; in order to avoid the social stratification that takes place when the righteousness of some Christians is promoted above that of others, a great deal of severity must be exercised upon one’s personal claims. 

If the leader of any group claims to be without shortcomings in any area, then it is no wonder if he is accused of tyranny. Nothing but tyrants ever come as a result of self-superiority. It is one thing to inspire the saints with teaching that exalts the power of God to save “to the uttermost”, and yet it is quite another thing to insult the saints’ intelligence.

R.W. Davis claims that he cannot remember the last time he sinned. He did not say this one time. He has said this on many occasions. Is this intended to inspire confidence in the ability of Christ to sanctify the believer to a high degree, or is this intended to inspire confidence in the Leader as “God’s Man”? 

It would not seem that personal examples could substitute for the work of the Holy Spirit in teaching and confirming that which the Word of God already says, and if a doctrine stands up to scrutiny, then it need not be augmented with anecdotal evidence. Therefore we must conclude that something else is motivating R.W. Davis to make this claim. Judging from the esteem bestowed upon him by many of his followers, it can only serve to reinforce his stranglehold on godly authority. 

The Twelve Apostles have not sinned for at least a millennium and nine centuries, give or take a decade or two, and if we were to ask each of them, there is no doubt they could all remember the last time they sinned (leaving aside the “forgetfulness” of God and the ability of heaven’s glories to heal all hurts and so forth).

  

Every time Davis adds to the Bible, he sins. 

Every time he loads another man’s conscience with unbearable burdens, he sins. 

Every time he accuses those who leave his organization of gross iniquity, he sins. 

Every time he equates a person’s standing with the organization with his standing before God, he sins. 

Every time he grows outraged at contradiction, he sins. 

Every time he publicly humiliates and intimidates one of God’s children, he sins.

(these all apply now to the new regime of Kekel, Olson & the rest of the Gang)

  

  R.W. Davis makes the same claims that all cult leaders make; that everything he does was envisioned by God, that God directs his movements, that he has seen angels, that God has placed upon him His personal stamp of approval because, in God’s words according to Davis, “You have served me faithfully.” 

This storied perfection gives rise to the cult following he has established within the ranks of both ministers and laity who view him as something more than a mere mortal. These naive brothers and sisters in the Lord are searching for a shepherd, someone to lead them and feed them and show them Christ. 

What they are getting is the Wizard of Oz; a carnival salesman with a smoke-making machine. 

WATCH YOUR BACK: Ninth in a Series of Articles Written by a Former NTCC Minister in 2006

 Watch Your Back

  One of NTCC’s justifications for its unscriptural requirements of dress and the wearing of hair, etc. is the spurious assertion that “these things do not save a person, but are an indicator of salvation.” 

If this were true, there would be considerably less sin, adultery, gossip, and apostacy in NTCC than is experienced by groups with fewer “indicators”. Yet this is not the case, as NTCC enjoys about the same amount of ingenuousness, and suffers from approximately the same degree of disconcerting hypocrisy, as other churches; no more, no less. 

Noteworthy on this topic is the presence of rapacious self-promotion that exists within the ranks.

  

  NTCC is not alone in this. Many church organizations endure the pitfalls of a top-down administrative structure. Church organization is much more loosely defined in the New Testament than in American Church-ism today. It seems that once the leadership bug hits a man, once the perceived need for administrative authority takes over, there is no turning back; and like all bureaucracies, it only grows and never shrinks. 

It seems absurd that a group of people who are perfectly capable of standing on their own two legs independently should give in to the pleas of one man with a need to lead, who suggests building a human pyramid so they can help each other stand, and volunteers to be the one to take the risk and get on top. 

R.W. Davis has repeatedly claimed “I would rather join the Catholic Church than be an independent.” While he is obviously using hyperbole, he is pointing out something very important about his character: He is telling his hearers that organization is more important than truth.

  

  Think about this in practical terms: A corporation that exists in order to earn a profit requires people at every level to operate efficiently, and has a built-in (bottom-line) financial incentive to maintain profitability so that the bureaucracy is automatically limited. A non-profit organization needs some degree of administration to distribute its resources to its agents in the field. But there is a stark difference between a conventional non-profit organization, which derives its resources from outside donations, and a church, whose resources come directly from its own members! 

One might reasonably ask why such a group requires several layers of administration to help its agents in the field to do what they are already doing anyway, with money that was already in that local church to begin with! 

Does anyone wonder, as they are placing their tithes in the offering plate, “Why are we paying someone to count the money?” 

The simple fact is that most church organizations accomplish little if anything of lasting spiritual value that their various members and local assemblies could not accomplish independently and with far less difficulty. Yet the perceived need for organization, accompanied by the call to teamwork!, trumps everything.

  

  New Testament Christian Church is just such a place. 

It is a church organization with a pyramid structure, with one man on top who claims to be God’s man, with several levels of administration whose logical reason for existence hardly stands up to scrutiny, and with an epidemic case of leadership virus. 

They preach success, growth, expansion, prestige and image. And many are jockeying for position, their heads filled with dreams of making it “to the top”. Relegating non-clerical church members (the “laity” as it were) to a second-class status, awash in the cult of ministerial privilege, these preachers get a taste of what it’s like to be part of an aristocracy at a young age, and they like the way it feels. 

Along with a multiplicity of obnoxious regulations that are easily violated by even the most conscientious strivers, there is the continual exhortation to bring “problems” to the attention of superiors. This is another means of control, and turns brethren against one another. There are plenty of rules violations of which one may be found guilty, and plenty of available informants to tell about it. 

The same phenomenon takes shape in the local churches, where pastors demand to know when anyone in the church misbehaves, and people are made suspicious against one another. The slightest acts are reported to the pastor and the information put to use for the purpose of control and intimidation. It is a Soviet-style system in which everyone is employed in the act of spying on everyone else.

  

  Even at this present time, rivalries are building among the upper crust of NTCC that will soon shred its fabric. It cannot exist in its current form, but will either become all the way better, or all the way worse. 

With its current doctrinal positions, its habit of ministerial privilege, and the way in which the group always errs on the side of abusive authority, the latter seems more likely. 

Watch your back if you should choose to become involved.  

THE INSTITUTE OF HIGHER LEARNING: Eighth in a Series of Articles Written by a Former NTCC Minister in 2006

 The Institute of Higher Learning

  New Testament Christian Church places great emphasis on the preaching ministry. We discussed the attitude toward the “Foolishness of Preaching”, and its effect upon the group’s outlook. But the full weight of this dogma cannot be felt until the church member begins to earnestly seek God’s will for their life. 

Many faithful Christians are drawn to a deeper commitment to Christ without always knowing what they “can do to help.” The natural urge of the new Christian is to tell others about salvation through Jesus, yet the endless variety of methods by which the message may be conveyed is drastically constricted by NTCC. Receiving as a concrete restriction the fact that God chose preaching (simple declaration) as his method, they miss Paul’s point that man’s philosophy, man’s wisdom, man’s “so-called” science, are unequal to the task, and that salvation depends upon the dual activity of the Spirit and the Word. Unable to see this, they subject to mockery all unconventional ministries, relegating the abilities and personalities of a majority of people to the trash heap.

  

  If you seek a means to be a mere Christian, to find a vehicle by which to serve the lost and impart to them the gospel in your own way through the abilities and opportunities that God has given you, you will be totally on your own if you attend NTCC. They are not concerned with your desire to win souls unless those souls get involved in “The Last Hope On Earth”. They do not care about your one-on-one personal efforts to help people spiritually. They do not ultimately care about your next door neighbor who has cancer until that person is in the pew and paying tithe. 

What good are all your efforts, all your prayers, if that person you are helping goes to some other church? They only want you to GET THEM IN CHURCH. And that means THIS CHURCH. They want their full participation. They want their tithes and offerings. They want their attendance and their two legs going door-to-door dragging others to church. They want their names in the database. They want 1,000 people on Sunday Morning. They want to grow the church and expand the facilities. They want the prestige of a fine building in which to carry on their program. And they want you to finally get it into your thick skull that nobody has a chance of being saved who does not submit to that program.

  

  Part of that program includes the higher purpose of recruiting candidates for advancement within the organization. If you should continue to relinquish your freedom more and more to this church, the time will come when your zeal and participation will be channeled toward the professional ministry. You may be encouraged to attend the Bible Seminary in Graham, Washington. If you find this a fascinating and compelling proposition, we would like you to be aware of a few things in advance.

  

  First of all, the New Testament Christian Seminary is not a fully accredited school. Should you decide to attend there, you will not have the option of leaving the organization with your education intact. One of the methods by which effective control is exerted over the ministers of NTCC is the fact that ministerial credentials are non-transferable, as are academic credits. 

If you enter any other career field, or attend any other Bible College, or if you should simply desire to fulfill your ministry independently or through some other organization, you will have to start at zero as far as your qualifications are concerned. This fact is never dropped on your head until you have spent the time, money and effort to get yourself and perhaps your family all the way to the Northwest and are seated in a room full of students, teachers, “the leadership”, their wives, and various luminaries, poised to enroll. So I am telling you now.

  

    Secondly, you will probably be primed for the essential frame of mind that upholds NTCC, in that your esteem of the Seminary will be built up in advance. You will be led to believe that it is exclusive. This is true only in the sense that your pastor must recommend you to the school, and you must be a “faithful” (full participation) tithe-paying member for at least one year. The exclusivity of the school only refers to its purpose as a training center for NTCC alone. Do not think that the school is renown for its quality or its academic excellence. Many pastors in the organization will tell you that the NTCC Seminary takes “only the best”, and that “only the most dedicated can make the grade”. This should be seen for what it is: an attempt to excite your admiration for the person telling you these lies.

  

  Thirdly, this seminary is not devoted to teaching the Bible, nor is it especially well-suited for this purpose. The purpose of the school is to serve as a kind of “boot camp” for preachers and their wives (or prospective wives), a basic training for the ministry. Before you think, “Well that’s good, because I need to learn the basics”, be aware: you are not there to learn anything other than just what they want you to know. In other words, your Christian life until now, your experiences thus far, count for nothing. Everything you think you know needs to be unlearned. 

You are to despise any bond, any influence, any loyalty outside this church organization. Your parents, brothers, and sisters are not saved, because if they were they would be in this church living as you live. Your grandmother is not saved because if she was, she would be “just like us”. Your “knowledge” of the Bible is just so much vain conceit. Your understanding of God’s will in your life is empty and void of meaning until the picture becomes more clear through the agency of the Bible School and its Leader. Your individuality, your personality, your experiences and your opinions will be broken down and reformed. You are not an adult; you are a child, a “raw recruit”, unpolished and unusable. You’ve never done anything for God, and you never will unless you subject yourself to a life of tedium, in which you are subjected to public embarrassment and humiliation at the whim of R.W. Davis. “You are here to become a leader.”

  

  Fourthly, the Seminary introduces you to the unbiblical doctrines and prohibitions of the organization, and causes you to believe the following line of logic:  

A. I cannot make it to heaven without fulfilling God’s will in my life. 

B. I cannot fulfill God’s will unless I enter the ministry.

C. I cannot be in the ministry unless I make it through this school.

D. I must obey everything I am told whether it is found in the Bible or not.

E. I must obey my leaders, and if I think they are wrong, I have a bad attitude.

F. To fail at this means that hell will be my home.  

  This is very subtly absorbed over time, so that you do not think you are being intimidated as such. Once you have bought into this manipulation-through-fear tactic, you will be asked to sign a student pledge that binds you officially to obedience to all rules and regulations of the school. Do not think for one minute that these regulations are relaxed except at the whim of the Head of the School, R.W. Davis. 

Do not think that they will be lifted after you graduate—they are the “preparation”, the training ground and the laboratory for a life of blind obedience to the Leadership of NTCC. In the same manner that police officers are trained during marksmanship exercises to react to the good-guy/bad-guy pop-ups, you are being conditioned to respond like a puppy, without critical thinking, to every dictate of the organization. You only think you are an adult. Once you have signed the pledge, once you have bought in fully to the Leadership, once you get some years behind you, you will convince yourself that “Nobody is forcing me to do anything—I do this because I want to.”

  

  Fifthly, you will be introduced to “The Rules”. The Rules ebb and flow, wax and wane throughout time, and may be enforced with severity at one time and with wider latitude at other times. The essence of The Rules is Information Control. 

You cannot call one another on the telephone without permission from M.C. Kekel, the President of the Organization. 

You cannot invite one another to your respective homes without permission from this same source. 

You are not to speak with one another outside of church activities without permission. 

You are to honor this in principle as well as in practice whether you are a student, a minister, living in Graham, living in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., standing in line at the Post Office, or walking down the aisle at the grocery store. 

This is a tactic of socio-psychological manipulation commonly found in cults of this type.  Horizontal (peer) relationships are weakened and limited in order to restrict the flow of information, while you are taught to rely upon vertical (leadership) relationships, so that devotion to and dependency upon the Leadership is constantly reinforced.

  

  You are not to attend organized sporting events, nor are you to miss a single class, church service, or any other school-related activity for any reason. 

You may not take time to see your family except in the most extreme emergency circumstances. 

Many other such regulations could be listed, and all are justified by the excuse that they are put in place to “avoid problems.” Yet they accomplish nothing of the kind, and only result in long lines of people standing and waiting for the attention of M.C. Kekel in order to receive the coveted permission. 

When at times these rules are relaxed, it is never because they are so clearly unjustified and wrong, but because they have become temporarily problematic and just are not working well; and this relaxation, though fleeting, will be characterized as an act of Grace and Mercy extended beneficently by the hand of R.W. Davis. In this manner, many people within NTCC, having been controlled and intimidated for many years, have succumbed to the belief that “Pastor” is a man of mercy and gentle kindness. Every time someone is “forgiven” for something that is not a sinful act to begin with, every time “mercy” is extended for something never prohibited by Christ, this attitude of gratefulness toward Davis accumulates into a thick layer that shields the mind from all objectivity about the group.

  

  You are being taught that you are a child in the presence of such men as your leaders. Instead of making you into a purposeful individual with a mind of his or her own, you are being trained to look to your leaders for all guidance and truth. You thought you were an adult when you arrived, but you are becoming more of a child with each passing day. 

GETTING IN & GETTING OUT : Seventh in a Series of Articles - Written by a Former NTCC Minister in 2006

 

A Promo Clip for the Good Writing in These Series of Articles.

 

It comes from the Leader of the Very Cult These Essays 

Are About: New Testament Christian Church

(Mike Kekel said this on October 8, 2023)

Also, as you read through this, you will find so many of the things that my 

friend Monica shared in my two interviews with her (and more to come).

It also runs right along with things the preachers in NTCC shout over the pulpit.

Getting “In”

Since this group believes that their franchise on holiness is exclusive, it is no surprise that the claim to be based entirely on Jesus Christ, and to depend upon His grace alone for salvation, begins to ring hollow at some point. It stands to reason that they place all other groups outside the pail, insisting ironically that “there are other people who are saved”, knowing fully that only those who are “just like us” can possibly qualify, and that “we don’t know of any who are”. 

Semantics 101. Keep this in mind if you have any intention of becoming involved with NTCC, because you can claim to be a Christian, live a Christian life, and still not be fully accepted into the fellowship of the brethren.

  

  In the running subtext of New Testament Christian Church, there are three strata that contain all known believers: 

The outer stratum is that of the “so-called” Christian. 

This group includes all of the denominations of the world who “claim to be saved” but obviously are not, because if they were, they would be “just like us”. 

The second layer consists of all who have “a heart for God” [this is the jargon they use], but live in temporary ignorance of the NTCC outward standard. 

Also part of this group are those who have attended NTCC only briefly and recently, who have “prayed for salvation” [remember there is a difference between those who have prayed and those who are saved, since evidence of salvation based on their outward standard is what they are waiting to see] yet have not been fully exposed to “the teaching”. 

The inner stratum, the core group, are those NTCC faithful who are “saved and filled with the Holy Ghost” and who have subsequently surrendered themselves to the NTCC mentality. 

There is a comical term for this core group of heroic “holiness” Christians. They are referred to as “in”. 

Those who are IN have a goal. 

Their goal is to Get You In.

  

  Tearing from their context all references to Jesus and his disciples’ sailing upon the Lake of Galilee, NTCC preachers call upon their hearers to “get in the boat”. Ripping unmercifully from its context the seafaring adventure of Paul in the midst of a storm, they absurdly exhort current attendees to “stay in the boat”. 

Most normal people find NTCC to be somewhat alarming at first blush. When these otherwise normal folks begin to show signs of tacit acceptance or conformity, they are reported to be “getting in”. Why a separate standard should divide those who are “in Christ” from those who are “in” is a mystery, unless we are willing to accept the only explanation that is possible: They think they are the pinnacle, the only ones who are really saved; and that God has brought their organization to the forefront of a modern movement to save a few more before the End. 

The following behaviors are taken as signs that you are “getting in”…

  

  Tithing–One of many things that NTCC maintains as evidence of salvation, this will be required of you at some point in time. Once you begin to “pay tithe”, the pastor will look at you differently and consider this one aspect of your service unto the Lord every time your name comes up. “How’s Bill doing?” “Oh, I’d say he’s doing pretty good–he’s paying tithe!”

  

  Hair–When a man gets a hair cut that is somewhat military, tapered, faded or “ivy league” in style, it is looked upon as an act of “letting God do something in his life”. He is on his way to Getting In. Ladies are not to cut their hair if they ever want to be considered IN.

  

  Pants–When a man starts wearing only long trousers in order to conform to others in the church, or because somebody in the church laid this requirement of modesty upon him, he is Getting In. When a woman comes to church in a dress for the first time, she is “Tender to God” and will be praised abundantly and lavished with attention, which is not a sincere appraisal of how good she looks, but a callow attempt at positive reinforcement of approved behavior. 

Try it ladies. Wear pants to church the first several visits and then show up in a dress one day. Actually–don’t try it. The fun isn’t worth enduring the “several visits”.

  

  Earrings–Pluck off “them dinglebobs” and you’re IN!

  

  Makeup–”Wipe that junk off your face” and you will be considered modest and “shame-faced” (a term your pastor cannot fully explain). Looks like you’re IN.

  

  Dressing up–As previously mentioned, NTCC believes that the church building is the House of God, and your Sunday Best is appropriate. Nothing wrong with this habit, which in fact used to be quite common, but with this group, it is a signal that the Spirit of God is doing the work of sanctification. It couldn’t have anything to do with simple conformity or “fitting in”. No, it must mean you’re GETTING in.

  

  Copying the Wife–Ladies who are eager to please the pastor’s wife are a gem, and will be used for all they’re worth. Play your cards right and you’ll soon be cleaning her house and ironing the pastor’s white shirts. If you go to the extent of copying her, dressing like her, and following all of her unsolicited advice about hair, shopping, and courtship…sweetheart, you are IN!

  

  Wearing a Suit–When men who would never think of putting on a “monkey suit” begin to show up for church in a white shirt and tie, they are definitely getting IN. Bonus points for the jacket, especially if everything matches.

  

  Attending All Events–”Forsaking the assembling of yourselves together” takes on special repulsiveness with groups like NTCC who thrive on growing attendance, and exist seemingly for the sole purpose of growing and feeding themselves and growing some more. 

The pastor can be expected to make overtures to you from time to time, encouraging you to attend one extra activity per week, followed by one more, and then one more. They do not believe that a person who is truly saved would want to miss out on even one church service. Make sure you’re there all the time if you want to be IN.

  

  Thinking About Bible School–Want to fill your pastor’s heart with joy? Tell him God has called you to preach. Of course, in a small church, where your tithe is necessary to make ends meet, he might infer that you are not quite ready.

  

  Soul-Winning–Show up every Saturday morning to knock on doors if you really want to be IN. If your kid has a baseball game, you need to realize that ‘holiness’ includes the eschewing of organized sports events. You were not told that at first, but I’m telling you now, so now you know.

  

  Saying “Gobleschia”–This mangled version of ‘God bless you’ is the result of years of thoughtlessly copying the greeting that is so thoughtlessly repeated by those who thoughtlessly say everything they say out of sheer habit.

  

  Saying ‘Brother’ & ‘Sister’–Referring to one another by these titles is a perfectly biblical and appropriate habit. The NTCC virus, however, has infected even this harmless practice. 

First of all, when you begin to address others in this manner, it is taken as a sign that you are “getting in.” However, this habit gets easily twisted, because only those who are IN can be referred to as a true brother or sister. So if you do not attend with regularity, or if you have not yet conformed to their standards, or if you have not begun to pay tithe, they simply do not accept your salvation as genuine; and you will notice that others are called “Brother Steve”, while you are just “Steve”. 

Complications arise when this title becomes so prevalent that offense is taken when the tag is left off. It is easily perceived as an insult or lack of respect. Call Sister Smith by her first name one time and it’s alright. But do it too often and “Violet” could get nasty. It might be taken as a suggestion that she is not IN.

  

  Calling the Pastor ‘Sir’–The aristocratic ministerial structure of New Testament Christian Church gives rise to a love of personal respect and the observance of a high degree of ecclesiastical protocol that really has no place among Christians. Call your pastor ‘Sir’, and you will make his day. Call him by his first name and…well, I guess you’re just not IN.

  

  Using His Title–The pastor loves to be called ‘Reverend’ and ‘Pastor’ and so forth. The use of these and other titles is simply part of the NTCC package, as is his obnoxious interference in every aspect of your life.

  

  Giving Him Gifts–Your pastor will not always solicit gifts and cash from you directly, but he will gladly allow others to encourage you to “be a blessing to the man of God”.

  

  Going to ‘Fellowship Meeting’–Since NTCC alone is right with God as an organization, they feel the need to separate from all of the “so-called Christians” around them. Because of this, the need for brotherhood outside of the Four Walls cannot be met locally. In order to stretch their legs and prove that they have other churches in other parts of the same state or region, NTCC conducts what are known as “Fellowship Meetings” on the first Saturday of the month. 

As if you do not suffer through enough church already, you are now asked to drive three hours on a Saturday afternoon, sit and listen to someone preach so as to get the crowd excited and happy, and sit down at a restaurant to “fellowship”. If you as a “mere church member” think for one minute that you are good enough to sit and eat with the preachers and their wives, forget it. You’re not even allowed to go to the same restaurant. 

This separation is accompanied by a variety of excuses, but the fact remains that this class system is found throughout NTCC, and is maintained specifically for the purpose of enforcing pastoral respect, authority and control. If this was a Christian Church, the ministers would be waiting on tables while the church members ate, and cleaning up after they had finished. 

But it’s not a Christian Church–it is one man’s feudal empire, administered by his underlords, who tax his serfs and enforce his many laws. Simply obey without question and you’ll be IN.

  

  Going to Conference–In the Methodist/Holiness/Pentecostal “Camp-meeting” tradition, NTCC gathers twice annually in Central Missouri for one week of worship, teaching, and fellowship. The first time is fun. After ten or twelve, it tends to be somewhat repetitious, except for the chance to see old friends. Go to conference and you are IN BIG-TIME.

  

  Listening to Only Christian Music–Many Christians consider secular music to be unconditionally contemptible because it sometimes gives legitimacy and/or exaltation to things that are antithetical to the Spirit of God. But what they consider to be the Holy Spirit’s voice is often nothing more than their own conscience, and any discussion of the subject ought to remain within that realm known as “Liberty in non-essential things and Charity in all things”. NTCC refuses to budge. Even classical and other types of orchestral arrangements fall under the evil eye. All music that is not Ultra-conservative Pentecostal Country with a touch of Gospel (for spice) is subjected to severe scrutiny. Bust up your John Denver CD’s, toss them all on the Bonfire of the Vanities, and you’re IN.

  

  Getting Rid of Your Television–Devil-vision…the One-Eyed Monster!

  

  Putting Church Before Family–Your kids are not important.

  

  ‘Clearing’ Everything With The Pastor–You will be encouraged to seek frequent advice concerning the smallest matters from the “Man of God”. You will be taught that God has placed this man in your life to “perfect the saints”, and you are therefore obligated to obey this man every bit as though he were God himself. Once you develop the habit of seeking him out in every decision-making opportunity, the value placed upon this practice will constantly reinforce itself, until it becomes tantamount to a requirement. 

Essentially, there is no stark philosophical difference between this type of “counsel” and outright permission, and you will soon begin to feel as though you have displeased God when you act without the pastor’s clearance. This is a psychologically elegant but abusive tactic that has been the bread & butter of NTCC for many years. 

It has essentially backfired, since those who tire of control normally part ways with the group, while those who submit to it remain spiritual babies, growing old with a child-like mind.

   Doing Whatever The Pastor Says, Even When He is Obviously Wrong–”Do what I tell you to do, and even if I am wrong, God will bless you for it.” This is clearly unscriptural and cannot be supported by even the most agile twister of the text. It is a control mechanism, plain & simple, and gives the pastor a special feeling of prophetic spiritual weight.

  

  Sunday Night Budget Offering–The equivalent of one hour of your weekly pay, to cover the church’s budgetary needs. You’re not supposed to ask where the rest is going, if not for that very thing(!?) No matter–just pay up, and you’re IN.

  

  Shouting–NTCC preachers enjoy having their words confirmed by the congregation through ’spontaneous’ expressions of forceful agreement, such as “Amen”, “That’s right”, “Preach it”, “Go ahead”, “Come on now”, and the soulfull “My my my…” Stick around long enough and you will begin to see that these behaviors are more apt to be habitual attention-getters than spontaneous affirmations of manifest truth. Churches like NTCC like to criticize more sedate churches for their liturgical methods, while maintaining a kind of “liturgy” all their own, and this is part of it. Start shouting and you’ll be IN in no time.

  

  Dancing–Nothing wrong with all-out worship, but at NTCC, this behavior is highly prized, and peope are often pressured into it. Do a little jig during “song service” and you’ll be IN for sure!

  

 Getting Out

  

  Once you have determined that New Testament Christian Church is not a healthy spiritual environment, you will have to make a decision. You will be torn between the friendly people at the church, the friends you have made while attending there, and the need for absolute truth and sanity in your life. 

You are better off to simply make a clean break. Do not attend any more services. You will find that for a short while there will be various overtures made and questions asked. The pastor and his wife will pay extra attention to you and you will be treated just like you were when you first walked through the doors. 

This attitude of “concern” arises out of the fact that nobody can ever leave New Testament Christian Church on truly good terms. The pastor will never get up in front of a congregation and honestly say, without any hidden purpose, “Mary Anne is leaving us as of today. This will be her last service here. She has decided that God wants her to worship elsewhere in a place where her abilities can be of better use, and where her spiritual needs will be met more fully and completely.   Let’s all pray for our sister that the transition to her new church environment will be a smooth one.” 

It cannot possibly happen. Those who leave this group are viewed in every case as having left God, all lip service to the contrary notwithstanding.

  

  You will probably lose your friends in any case, but if you say anything negative about your experiences in the church, they will view this as persecution arising out of ‘bitterness’, promoting the notion that you have suddenly become the very devil himself. 

Generally in such cases, the pastor will, once he has determined that you really are not coming back, begin at certain opportune times to pontificate as to your spiritual condition. He will make an impression on his followers by using amateur psychology, marshalling intuition and observation (combined with information from the gossip machine) to pronounce all manner of revelations about how you were “never really IN” and the fact that you simply have “a sin problem”.

You didn’t want to pay your tithes, and you weren’t really saved; you were only pretending to love God, because if you did you would stay. The pastor will pass off his armchair psychology as spiritual  insight and probably fool some people into believing that you are a sinner and on your way to hell, and it must be true because God told the pastor by the Holy Ghost that it was true. 

All manner of fairy tales have circulated for decades concerning the grisly fate that awaits all those who leave NTCC. This brings us to Part Three of the NTCC philosophy and basic mode of operation. The three parts are as follows:

  

  1) Push, and people will move.

  

  2) Those who do not move, we do not need.

  

  3) Those who push back will be dealt with.

  

  They will say with their lips that it is possible to leave NTCC and be saved, but they are so convinced of their rightness that they cannot refrain from the qualifier, 

“But who would want to leave, and what good reason could there be?” 

Always keep in mind; with NTCC, it’s “The Organization” first, last and always. 

The cohesion of the group is more important than anything else, including the truth.