Hi rainbow
That’s plainly assault, it should be reported. No one underage, should be subjected to such a vile act.
It’s brainwashing crap. I have had hands forced on me, and prayed over in tongues. It’s vile.

When you are new they sell you their miracles and a lifestyle, where everything is perfect.
They then impose themselves on you to touch you and pray in tongues.
Deliverance is kept quiet about, until it comes. They believe they can cure anything with the nonsense.
You are then threatened if you don’t comply, with everyone and thing, going away.
Shameful and vile

Rainbow,

I'm genuinely sorry and saddened to hear that you went through that. Interesting that you preface it with "I’m not bitter as I have some good memories". This type of comment is very common amongst 'survivors'. Even in the recent Netflix documentary about 'bootcamp' schools in america in which students were horrendously treated, similar comments are made.

I digress however - firstly, thank you for sharing your story. What you've described here is abuse (in my opinion). I'm not a lawyer and therefore unable to interpret the law but I do wonder if it would be covered by The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007. Additionally, there is The Limitation (Childhood Abuse) (Scotland) Act 2017. There is more information here:

[www.thompsons-scotland.co.uk]

Under Scottish law, you would be considered a child. I know it's easy for me to say but I hope you would consider speaking to someone about this.

Thank you all for your replies. I do appreciate it. I was just a child at the time. Yep 17 and a student. But legally. I was a child!!! And it’s interesting looking back and now sharing and hearing others views. I always hated myself. I believed I was in the wrong. It was all me. That’s what I was told.

Blackwatch I have wondered many times about taking this further. I have worse stories that I can’t share in here - if I did and then report it to the police it would affect the case. I know that sounds serious. It is. The difficulty (as struthers know) is evidence. It’s my word against theirs. If only we had mobile phones back in the day and could have recorded it. Will they own what they have done? Are they proud and want to share? Or will they deny or put their own spin on it. I don’t know. I don’t know if I want to know. I am so disappointed in these people that had a duty of care to children and myself. They allowed a child in their care to be abused. And now they run a school. It breaks my heart.

Hi rainbow you must report it, so that they are held accountable. Others could have reported them too.
Pushing anyone face down is assault, and abuse. It’s vile and controlling.
Please reveal what else has happened, it’s important to save others.
There is a whole new generation of kiddies in youth and Sunday group, that need saving from them.

Many convictions of historic abuse, occur without evidence of phone or other evidence.
Please save the children

Rainbow, thanks for sharing your traumatic experience of so-called “deliverance”. It is truly shocking, especially because you were so young. I really don’t think the deliverance was necessary and I don’t believe that you actually had demons. You might have made mistakes or spent time with non-Christians but that won’t cause demons to enter you, in my opinion.

There are strict safeguarding rules for churches about ministering to children and young folk under 18. These are adhered to in most churches nowadays. I’m not sure of the detail but I’m pretty sure that pushing someone down and pressing their back with firm hands is not to be recommended or allowed. I am going on a Child Protection course soon, specifically for people who work with children in a church-based setting, so I will try to find out what the current instructions are re praying with children and teenagers. Struthers maintains that they have Child Protection policies in place but they’re only concerned with paedophiles getting access.

Rainbow, I found it to be common practice that the leaders don’t like to answer questions or discuss what happened, after you’ve received some kind of ministry. This used to bug me. But especially in your case, they should have explained to you what had happened and why, and should have sat with you to make sure you were OK. How callous to just leave you alone in the vestry after it was over. And for someone to say to you, “You’re not right in the head” when you wanted some support! Nobody who says that to a young person should be serving as a youth-leader. But of course, she was a specially chosen one.

I think this Forum is doing a great job in getting the truth about what Struthers is really like, out there in the public domain. As blackwatch points out, this Struthers forum has had over 500,000 views. I know that some of the Struthers leaders do keep an eye on the Forum and I also know that many Struthers members read it too. I discovered this from conversations with folk who are still in Struthers (the ones that still speak to me if I bump into them at the shops). They do read our postings. On occasions when a leader warns people not to look at the Forum, what happens? Scores of members go home and look at it out of curiosity. So the truth is getting out there and hopefully it will stop people, who are looking for a church, from going there. Or from sending their kids to Cedars School.

There’s a new video out on YouTube about the spiritual abuse and control which young Christians suffered in recent years, under the ministry of Mike Pilavachi, an Anglican leader who founded the Soul Survivor youth movement in England. Matt Redman, the singer/songwriter, has made the video which is called “Let there Be Light”. I can highly recommend it. There are similarities to some of the abuses in Struthers. One thing that’s different about this case, though, is that Mike Pilavachi has publicly apologised for his treatment of young folk, especially young males.
Here’s the link to the video: [youtu.be]

Hi everyone ,I have only joined this forum this week after being told about it from a friend. I have spent alot of time reading the pages from page one. Now on page 40 and writing notes down so I can sort things in my head as its wasted with things

I was also a former member of SMC .I also was lead to think I was the only one who felt the way I do about SMC from leaders. What happened to me in SMC has haunted me and has caused alot of physical and emotional problems for many years to many to tell the truth. It has also caused me not to trust a very few folk. I am now determind to get answers now

As my name on here lets you all know where I am from. But I am not willing as yet to say who I am as yet.

At the moment I am not willing to say why I left but I will soon once I work out a few things myself.

But the pass few day I know there is loads others who SMC made us feel we did wrong and it was us no one else who felt this way

Hello leadership
Hopefully you will learn lessons from what’s on here.
The answer to everything isn’t shouting over people in tongues, or your deliverance for alleged miracles.
The sun newsdesk is very interested in doing a story on the church.

Welcome FalkirkBairn. I hope you find you're able to share your story in time and in turn, get some relief from doing so.

Just picking up on some wider points:

Members of SMC (and indeed other organisation like it) are the ones that empower the leaders. Without them subordinating themselves, the leaders have no power.

Personally I don't believe for a second that they have any special 'insight' or 'gift' and certainly don't have any revelation from God. Once this mirage is shattered, there is nothing left.

Again, personally, I don't believe that we have the slightest shred of reason to believe that demons enter humans. Nor should we accept that a bit of shouting, pushing, splashing about holy water or oil has any efficacy against such supernatural beings. This entire set of beliefs is absolute donkey-dung and there's no good reason or evidence for any sane or rational person to believe it. However, so long as this stuff prevails, the fear exists and therefore, once again, such leaders are empowered.

If you believe that another human being can 'see a demon in you' there's something far wrong with that situation.

Daisy - you made me sit up with your mention of the Sun newspaper!