What a wonderfully rich group of contributors we have. I am always learning something about SMC or about how people interact with each other and how folks think. I’m grateful for it all.

There has been reference to control by leaders, to financial inappropriateness (both the illegal shares scandal as well as the general autonomous use of funds without the givers being consulted), to egotistical appropriation of church funds such as the school and the iPad fiasco, to a lack of pastoral care both to those within the movement and to those who left, to a self-centred approach to leadership where leaders consider themselves in communion with God (in all his spiritual guises) more so than the flock they oversee, to bullying and to rife nepotism. Isn’t it interesting that we were once all encouraged to give witness to, testify and relate our stories of being saved, baptised in the spirit, delivered from the demonic and yet, when those same people now relate, with equal vigour, honesty, integrity and passion about the way they have been treated, they will surely either be ignored or dismissed as simply having personal grievances or not truly wanting to follow the spiritual route. The fact that many on here have indicated that the current church leadership follow this forum and yet seem to remain indignant and unmoved tells me that there is a huge degree of cognitive dissonance going on in their heads. I would love to see an opportunity of mediation between the current leadership and the many disaffected where voices could be heard, explanations given, on both sides and an opportunity for a human approach at the emotional level rather than being “shielded” by a “spiritual” cloak. Human behaviour indicates this is the least likely outcome. I’ve suggested before that it is likely that SMC will remain a shadow of its former self in terms of numerical support whilst telling itself “ if that’s what it takes to follow God’s word faithfully then we shall do it” We all know the mindset. Indeed, many of us testify to seeing things that way once. I have been personally involved in mediation in a business context where the “facts” were clearly, legally and unequivocally on my side yet the outcome was a compromise. Perhaps what I’m suggesting is an invitation to the leadership to enter into dialogue. As I write I can see the hopelessness of the proposal. For those who adhere to dogmas, the dogmatic, the word compromise is anathema!

Ah well, the idea seemed reasonable when I started writing! :-) Please keep your comments, thoughts, agreements, disagreements and stories coming. This is a body of work that is honest and real.

Apologies for my meandering post but thanks once again for reading and, more importantly, for contributing.


101

Al Duff: "But Miss Taylor cannot be compared to an astrologer or a madwoman".

She absolutely can and she should. This is evidenced by her behaviour and treatment of others not to mention apparent self-delusion in describing herself as "the mouth-piece of the holy spirit". I cannot understand how you can hold seer / oracle in one hand together with manipulation and control in the other. Surely these things are not compatible? In any case, what credible version of christianity even allows or endorses this type of behaviour?

I perceive that you are sincere in what you're saying but I could not possibly disagree more with you. All of the aforementioned seer / oracle 'insight' is all easily explained - this is a known, well-documented skill. Derren Brown (himself an ex-evangelical christian) has focused a large part of his career in explaining this phenomenon. He deals, for example, with clairvoyants and people that seem to be able to make alarmingly accurate connections with 'the dead'. In the video link that I posted, he appears to write individually crafted insight for a test-group of half a dozen people. Each is awe-struck with just how incredibly accurate and personal their individual revelation is. DB later reveals that each person received the exact same text.

I apologise if this is wrong but I perceive that you've got 'unfinished business' with SMC. Or, thoughts and issues that haven't been fully or completely worked through. I don't intend for this to be condescending, I'm struggling to articulate what I mean - can't quite put my finger on it. . .

Girlwiston - you're welcome :-) I'm building a picture in my head and because I knew your parents fairly well, I'm assuming the old apple hasn't fallen too far from the tree :-)

A Theist 101 - You pack a solid punch. Loving your work :-) Despite being fairly unrelenting with my comments at times, I too would tend towards open dialog (with SMC). However, given the time that's passed and the opportunity over a 15 year window, I just can't see it happening. Can you imagine the impact it could have if one of the 'big hitters', past or present, just held their hands up and said 'ok, I'm here, I'm human, let's talk about it'?

A Theist: I was really impacted by your last post -- the concise but comprehensive summary (in one sentence!) of SMC's performance record. It's truly shocking when you see it put like that.

Dear Blackwatch

I know you mean well, but you're basically saying I'm soft in the head!

I watched your video, as requested, and it proves nada. It's an unscientific experiment by a tenth-rate debunker.

Please in return check out my own videos on YouTube at @alduff1229 , which hopefully show I'm not the type to be easily fooled.

This is my final post concerning my mate Miss Taylor. ;)

Pax,

Alistair

Al Duff: I'm absolutely not saying you're soft in the head. I'm disagreeing with your previous assertions that ET is any kind of Seer or Oracle. Furthermore, I'd like to reiterate that it's precisely this kind of thinking that helped create the very SMC environment that this forum has sought to address. Specifically, what I mean by this is: the elevation of undeserving, controlling and manipulative individuals to a status that perpetuates the aforementioned environment.

The video wasn't intended to be 'proof'. It's a demonstration of the kind of 'insight' by one ordinary human to a bunch of others, that without explanation, might be construed as other-worldly. The effect is quite profound. I was hoping you could see the similarities.

I will, as requested, check out your videos. Is there something in particular you'd like me to review?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/2025 11:25PM by blackwatch.

Evening all,

To blackwatch and Al Duff might I simply say this:

Regarding miss Taylor. The facts seem to indicate that Al Duff got something that resonated with him and which he received, interpreted and ultimately found some rich resonance with. That is undeniable and is not disputed by others. Other instances, of which there are many, indicate that miss Taylor’s words, visions, spiritual insights and spirit-led directions for people’s lives were deemed to be false, unhelpful, inaccurate and downright wrong. These too, cannot be easily denied or denounced. Where does this leave us? The weight of evidence favours miss Taylor as being a false prophet. Hard as that may be for some to accept, it is based on objective evidence and not personal feelings or any form of vague and un-testable spiritual discernment. This, in no way, negates anyone’s positive experience with Miss T but two sayings come to mind here.

1. One swallow does not a summer make

2. A broken clock is correct twice a day (assuming an analogue 12 hour timepiece)

This is an attempt to reconcile both views without negating either. Only you, the reader, can decide.

Phoebe 2 : Yes indeed. It struck me as well as I typed.


101

Thanks A Theist
It can be for some, a conundrum, appreciating the good experiences while trying to understand the bad. For some of us here, there was a lot of good ( I’ve already said this of myself) or I wouldn’t have stayed so long.

Unlike the folks born into it, I had a choice. Had I been born into it, I’d be looking at it all through a very different lens and would have been one of the first to aim for freedom.

I’m sensing a ‘there was no good in it whatsoever’ and can’t agree with that but understand that that’s the view of most here.

…then the minute I posted that, in flooded all the wrongs that happened. All the bad life-advice, all the nonsense. The rudeness and arrogance of some in positions of leadership.

Please ‘bear with’ while I try, 19 years later , to work some of this through…

We weren't born into it .However, we were " burnt out " within it . We gave time , 7 days a week . Health suffered . We gave " money " . We suffered because of the " death to self " preaching . Our bad treatment has been explained countless times in my posts .
When we left ... no one came to check on our welfare ...or even ask "why "?
To then be "ignored " by those who must have known the time , effort and genuine fellowship given was more hurtful and un Christian .

We have had the experience of being again "ignored " several years later,in person ... once ,at a funeral ,and once in a situation of " bumping into " people .

We certainly didn't come across " seers " and " oracles " ... although that is what they want genuine people to believe that they are . That is " how " they assume the control of lives . Yes , our ONLY good was that we met some genuine people . At the time we weren't allowed to socialise in a normal way and develop relationships .The eyes of judgement were upon us and we were questioned . We have no memory of socialising nor of forming close relationships .. this was ALL disallowed and frowned upon as " worldly " by the "seers"and the
"oracles" . If anyone had a great time genuinely having fun and socialising outside of the place in a normal way ,getting to know people as people please let me know .

Hi all
Posts have been very interesting re Miss Taylor and especially ‘admixture’ or ‘experiencing the depth of God’ or not !
It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a time…more questions if you like.

What does it mean to experience the depth of god or ‘the Glory’ as some have often said. How do we know God is actually present or when do we know He is moving through a life. Many have mentioned the singing….the worship..how good it is, that can’t be denied the congregation do know how to sing as a group. I’ve been to other churches where the singing was ‘lacking’ but did that mean God wasn’t present or not being honoured?
A couple of years ago a family member asked me to go and see a boy band …I think it was westlife because no one else would go! I’d never been to a concert like this before so I thought ye why not.
What I witnessed there was similar to a church group singing. The people had their hands in the air…singing with all their might…some emotional. I could have transported my family member to SMC and she would have elicited the same response if she had been part of the SMC Church group.
I think most of us know
‘Singing is proven to release endorphins and oxytocin, which is known to stimulate feelings of trust and bonding….. What happens when we sing together? Group singing can build a sense of community and it has even been proven to synchronise heartbeats, making it comparable to a guided meditation.’
So presence of God or ‘biology’.
What would the New Testament biblical signs be to show that the Holy Spirit is present with a person or people? Leave the experiential to the side.
We know
MAT 7
‘You will know them by their fruits…
17 ‘So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.’
OR
(from the amplified)
‘But the wisdom from above is first pure [morally and spiritually undefiled], then peace-loving [courteous, considerate], gentle, reasonable [and willing to listen], full of compassion and good fruits. It is unwavering, without [self-righteous] hypocrisy [and self-serving guile].’

This is an article that sums up the gifts and the fruit from ‘Desiring God’
‘;For all the blessings the Spirit brings, however, many of us labor under confusion when it comes to recognizing the Spirit’s presence. As a new believer, I was told that speaking in tongues and prophesying were two indispensable signs of the Spirit’s power. Perhaps others of us, without focusing the lens so narrowly, likewise identify the Spirit’s presence most readily with his miraculous gifts: visions, healings, impressions, and more.
To be sure, the Spirit does reveal himself through such wonders (1 Corinthians 12:8–11), and Christians today should “earnestly desire” them (1 Corinthians 14:1). Nevertheless, when Paul tells the Galatians to “walk by the Spirit” and “keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16, 25), he focuses their attention not on the Spirit’s gifts, but on the Spirit’s fruit.
So if we want to know whether we are keeping in step with the Spirit, or whether we need to find his footsteps again, we would do well to consider love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.’

So the question is did the apparent gifts go hand in hand with fruits?
Looking at two different leaders over time
Miss Taylor who helped lay the foundation from which all the rest sprung.
And
Diana now in 2025 who is a protege of Miss Taylor and the present leader of SMC
Both who have
1.been called ‘deeply anointed’
2.called others to account (at times publicly)because they believe themselves to be the mouth piece of the Holy Spirit.
3. been used in gifts of discernment and deliverance ministry (allegedly)

So have they (Miss Taylor and Diana)in their witness to others kept in step with Spirit?
Or
Have we the congregation of SMC been confused when recognising the Spirit’s presence?

Truth can be very hard to face, especially when it means that you may have spent a big part of childhood and / or adulthood believing in a move of the Holy Spirit only to discover that it may not have been as real as you had been led to believe.

Each person in SMC or those posting and / or reading the forum will have to answer these questions.
For me ‘by their fruits you shall know them’ answers these questions!