emilylnm, your discernment is right on! The best thig you can do for your daughter is pray. Pray for her daily and just love her.

There are SO many wolves in sheeps clothing out there, and as you may know, this is mentioned in scripture.

Thanks, pixie, for your words of encouragement. Believe me, I pray for her all the time, as well as her unsaved husband and my three grandchildren. Yes, indeed, I am familiar with the Scripture of which you speak. Satan is always at work, and we must stand firm in the Lord! Our daughter got lost somewhere along the line, but there's always hope! Thanks for writing. emily

One of the rules on this board is no preaching.

Please keep that in mind.

There is nothing wrong with prayer, but only praying without doing something to address the situation may not be enough.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Note "coping strategies."

I tried to post a reply twice to no avail. Everytime after I finish writing I am asked to log-in again and come up empty. Sorry.

Just log in and back space. Your post should still be there. Then you can post it.


EZ

also, if you take too long of a time to type a post, the system can log you out.
So for a longer post, always make sure you "copy" it before you try to post it. If it logs you out, you can just log in and quickly re-paste the post.
Always COPY before you POST, especially for a long post.

Hello again,

New Song conducts prayer in groups. In fact they have what they call prayer teams. A member will request prayer and go to a private room with a team. The team members will listen to the Lord for information about the issue the individual is concerned with. Usually, but not always, the issue stems from some personal sin issue in the person's life. Once the sin is revealed the person must pray forcefully to "break" the sin. Sin cannot be eliminated all at once because it is "like an onion" with multiple layers which must be peeled back multiple times. However, each time sin is broken it grants more "freedom". Freedom itself is the motto of New Song.

Yes, young children are involved in the church. They are taught to break sin through repeat-after-me lines that they are taught in classes.

New Song does not use odd translations of the Bible. Typically members would use NIV or New Living Translation.

It is worth mentioning that New Song's reputation is maintained by some perceivably redeeming qualities. New Song is a very welcoming and easy place to find acceptance. Indeed many individuals in the church suffered from physical impairments of some kind. I know that they have a prison ministry and may even have a homeless ministry.

I know I described New Song earlier as being "very seductive" but I don't want to be preachy or judgmental. I simply want people to know that a church becomes dangerous when it causes people to no longer think for themselves. I am only one person. I for one did not find the church to be a healthy place. But I don't want to go so far as to say that my experience was the same as everyone elses.

9/7/06

I just wanted to give my apinion about this Church that everyone is talking about, I have been going to this church o for the last year and a half, but I have had nothing but wonderful experiences at this church, when I first started going here I went up to the front to meet the pastor and his wife, they prayed for me and spoke encouraging things into my life, this has to be the most sincere church I have aver attended, they don't judge you, I am a sigle mom and it feels wonderful to go to a church that does not judge me for that, they provide all kinds of programs for all kinds of different people, iv'e seen homeless people come in several times off the streets, and people from the church will take them to the kitchen and give them food and clothes. They provide meals for the kids during church. a lot of the things I am reading on this site, are not accurate or true, I have never felt pressured by anyone at this church. Everyone does have the right to give their opinion, but people should not talk bad about it if they have never attended, it's hard to listen to someone judge this church second or third handed, many of these accusations are coming from people who have only heard things, not by personal experiences, I would encourage others to atleast try it once before talking down about this AWESOME community church.
Sincerely Rebekah[/color:85fe490136]

Emily I don't know if you were still concerned with your daughter attending this church but I have attended off and on for approx 2 years. I have been involved at various levels with the church and overall have had a postitive experience. If you or your daughter are concerned with the content all teachings from this church are bibically based. (the majority of people tend to use NIV study bible) I've never had a problem when going to a leader and asking for the bibical basis. Most people there are very approachable and would not be offended at all.

See [www.culteducation.com]

[b:990b117ae6]Ten warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader.[/b:990b117ae6]

Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability. (e.g. No democratically elected church government with checks and balances)

No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.

No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.

Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.

There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.

Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.

There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.

Followers feel they can never be "good enough".

The group/leader is always right.

The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.


[b:990b117ae6]Ten warning signs regarding people involved in/with a potentially unsafe group/leader. [/b:990b117ae6]

Extreme obsessiveness regarding the group/leader resulting in the exclusion of almost every practical consideration.

Individual identity, the group, the leader and/or God as distinct and separate categories of existence become increasingly blurred. Instead, in the follower's mind these identities become substantially and increasingly fused--as that person's involvement with the group/leader continues and deepens.

Whenever the group/leader is criticized or questioned it is characterized as "persecution".

Uncharacteristically stilted and seemingly programmed conversation and mannerisms, cloning of the group/leader in personal behavior.

Dependency upon the group/leader for problem solving, solutions, and definitions without meaningful reflective thought. A seeming inability to think independently or analyze situations without group/leader involvement.

Hyperactivity centered on the group/leader agenda, which seems to supercede any personal goals or individual interests.

A dramatic loss of spontaneity and sense of humor.

Increasing isolation from family and old friends unless they demonstrate an interest in the group/leader.

Anything the group/leader does can be justified no matter how harsh or harmful.

Former followers are at best-considered negative or worse evil and under bad influences. They can not be trusted and personal contact is avoided.