Leaving the Message 6 - A Healthy Community
There are several resources that can be found in books or online describing the characteristics of a healthy church. There are also several resources that describe healthy communities, or groups of people gathered together who share similar interests or goals. In both cases, the healthy groups promote mentoring and growth by training other members to become leaders. Individuals are empowered to become much more than when they joined the group, and then as they learn and grow, teach others to do the same.
There are several resources that can be found in books or online describing the characteristics of a healthy church. There are also several resources that describe healthy communities, or groups of people gathered together who share similar interests or goals. In both cases, the healthy groups promote mentoring and growth by training other members to become leaders. Individuals are empowered to become much more than when they joined the group, and then as they learn and grow, teach others to do the same.
In contrast, unhealthy groups such as religious cults are the exact opposite. An unhealthy group will demoralize or destroy the bridges to leadership for its members. In these types of groups, either one or a small number of "leaders" seek to gain recognition from members and do not want rank-and-file members in leadership roles. If a member were to become a new leader, current leadership in an unhealthy group would view them as competition -- not as collaboration. Because of this, members themselves are also demoralized and made to feel unworthy. Members who leave or even consider leaving the group are portrayed as "lost causes", resulting in severed relationships and even shunning.
For members of a religious cult, understanding the concept of a "healthy church" versus an "unhealthy church" is difficult. Especially for those who have been in such a group for long periods of time, the aspects of the group that are considered unhealthy by outsiders have become commonplace. In fact, many members of a cult feel comfort and security while submitting to leadership, and have no desire for a leadership role. The closest thing to a leadership pathway in a religious cult is usually to become an extension of the cult personality and train or indoctrinate other members to conform.
It is critically important for cult members to understand the difference between a healthy group and an unhealthy group before leaving a religious cult. Members of the "Message" cult should learn and understand what makes the "Message" churches unhealthy. Does the pastor "preach at" people, or does he preach "for people"? Do they preach to save the lost, or are they preaching to condemn those who do not agree with their doctrine? Do they train members to critically think, learn, grow, and eventually lead? Does the church grow by exciting sinners to be saved, or does it grow only from within when new cult children are born and indoctrinated?
These questions are important for evaluating the current "Message" church or pastor, but they are even more important in examining William Branham. Since Branham was the central figure, and cult pastors are extensions of the central figure, the similarities lay the groundwork to understand how the "Message" is considered a cult of personality. It isn't simply the doctrine that cult pastors are repeating; they are mimicking Branham's personality -- even if they are unaware that they are doing so. Branham claimed to have been a prophet sent by God to restore the Church before the coming of Jesus Christ, yet none of his alleged prophecies had provisions for the restoration of the Church. From alleged visions of egg-shaped automobiles to alleged instructions to speak squirrels into existence for the kill, most of Branham's claims of prophecy were simply self-promotion or destruction with no intent on restoration. In fact, if the "Message" were to be summarized in one sentence, it was a "culling" to isolate a particular subset of the Church and bring mass condemnation and sudden destruction on those who did not conform to obedience and submission to his governance as the central figure.
After escaping, this can become a huge stumbling block for former members. As former members try to connect with other people in new churches, support, or social groups, the expectation of growth feels uncomfortable. Some were life-long cult members and experience this expectation for the first time, while others who joined a cult later in life have suppressed their desire for growth. This becomes problematic for people leaving a religious cult because the cult they escaped is not the only unhealthy group that exists. There are over 10,000 cults that exist today in the United States alone, and due to the deceptive tactics used, are not easily identifiable. Often, this leads to re-victimization.
Existing cults are not the only challenge for former members. Sometimes, in cases where several cult members escape at the same location and time, new unhealthy groups are formed. This is especially true in cases where the cult pastor or "enforcer" leaves with the group. Not because any of those escaping have any malicious intent, but when a group of people trained in an unhealthy environment creates their own group, they often retain many unhealthy attributes that seem familiar. Those who have never experienced a healthy group know no difference.
Former members who understand the characteristics of a healthy group have a much better chance of success without a long series of trial-an-error. By evaluating each new group they encounter, critical thinking is engaged. If the new group does not meet the criteria of "healthy", boundaries are established or a swift exit is made to prevent re-victimization. When they do find a healthy group, it's even more refreshing and exciting, because they know the reasons why the group is considered "healthy".