Thank You everyone for your contributions to this forum. Thank you Braveheart and Learningpoint for pointing out the "estoric/pseudo-intellectuatual christianity teaching" that goes on in churches.
I remember when Mike came back from days of fasting and praying--he returned and claimed to have a "new" revelation. When he revealed it there was a long silence then he went on to explain it. To me it sounded like something I had read in Kurt Vonnegut's book: "Slaughterhouse Five". I thought to myself that Mike's new revelation was hardly original. Most people, as far as I could tell, were not "getting it". I overheard a Somaite tell Mike that IT was a "New Paradigm". I wasn't aware of this "esoteric" teaching but Mike's understanding was made to seem special. When in fact, he was being so arrogant and setting himself above everybody. I guess he hadn't read Kurt Vonnegut's book. I guess God had revealed this "concept" many years before giving it to Mike but without his knowledge. The Somaite said "that it will take time for people get the new paradigm". Really, now.

The following was sent to me by a friend. It is from Swindoll's insights for today. It is relevant and powerful. If any TP members are reading this site and reading this post, I pray that your eyes will be opened and your heart called to revel in the truth of Jesus Christ. Mike is not Jesus Christ and comes no where near Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is Holy...set apart from and so high above us mere humans. It is only through him we live.

Ever since I was knee-high to a gnat, I have been taught about and
have
believed in the infallibility of Scripture. Among the upper echelons
of
doctrinal truths, this one ranks alongside the Godhead, the deity of
Christ, and salvation by grace. We may fuss around with a few of the
events in God's eschatological calendar or leave breathing room for
differing opinions regarding angels and local church government. But
when the subject turns to the infallibility and inerrancy of Holy
Writ,
I'm convinced there's no wobble room. Can't be. Take away that
absolute
and you've opened a hole in your theological dike that cannot be
plugged. Given enough time and pressure, it wouldn't be long before
everything around you would get soggy and slippery. Make no mistake
about it; the infallibility of Scripture is a watershed issue.

But wait . . . let's stop right there when it comes to infallibility.
Before I make my point, allow me to quote Webster's definition:

Incapable of error . . . not liable to mislead, deceive, or
disappoint.

While that is certainly true of Scripture, it is not true of people.
When it comes to humanity, fallibility is the order of the day.
Meaning
what? Just this: there is not one soul on this earth who is incapable
of error, who is free from fault, who is unable to make mistakes, who
is absolutely and equivocally reliable. Can't be. Depravity mixed with
limited knowledge and tendencies to misunderstand, misread, misquote,
and misjudge should keep all of us free from two very common mistakes:
first, deification of certain individuals (including ourselves); and
second, disillusionment when we discover fault and mistakes in others.

Just as biblical infallibility assures us that each page is incapable
of error or deception, fallibility reminds us that each person is
capable of both. The implications are equally clear. When it comes to
the Bible, keep trusting. When it comes to people, be discerning.

This includes all people. I don't have space enough to complete a
list,
so I'll be painfully general and mention one group. I choose this
group
only because it's the one we tend not to question: those professionals
whom we trust with our bodies, minds, and souls---namely, physicians,
psychologists, and pastors. What influence these men and women
possess!
What good they do! How necessary they are! Most of us, if asked to
name
10 people we admire and appreciate the most, would include two or
three
from this category. How gracious of God to give us such splendid
individuals to help us through this vale of tears! Yet each one has
something in common with everyone else---fallibility. Those whom we
most admire remind us of that from time to time; nevertheless,
everything in us cries out to resist such reminders. Of the three, I
believe it is the minister whom people tend most to place on a
pedestal.

It is certainly an unscriptural practice. The Berean believers are
commended for listening to Paul then "examining the Scriptures daily
to
see whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). Apollos and Paul are
referred to merely as "servants through whom you believed" (1
Corinthians 3:5) and later given a rather insignificant place:

So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything,
but God who causes the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:7)

It's easy to forget all that, especially in a day when we hunger for
spiritual leaders whom we can respect and follow. Put flawed human
beings on a pedestal and they are bound to topple, fail, and
disappoint, but God's Word is holy, inerrant, and totally reliable. To
Him be the glory.

Excerpted from Come Before Winter and Share My Hope

What is even going on with the sermons that Mike and Cyndi are preaching. Are they playing mind games and are they broken records??? I have never heard so many sermons with scripture so out of context in my entire life and I have been going to church for over 20 years. I am so disappointed, angry, sad, and blown away by the lies they are telling and living!!! Shame on Mike and Cyndi!!! I am overwhelmed by what they are teaching and how they are brainwashing the church by repeating and repeating and repeating their keys words in these sermons. This is complete and purposeful manipulation and I am definatly sure now more then ever that Turning Point is a cult and is a manipulating, controlling, and brainwashing factory!!!!! I wouldn't even consider it a church anymore but a disgusting excuse for an organization who all want to become rich and famous-just like a big company, they are doing anything and everything they can to become well know just to become wealthy. Mike has turned himself into a CEO and where is God in this equation? God has been pushed under the rug and forgotten. All Mike needs to do now is change his name and start wearing big sunglasses and driving a real convertable and he would be no different then a wannbe Donald Trump. I am sorry to see this happening and sickened to think I was once part of this garbage. But I praise God for pulling me out of Turning Point three years ago before things got this fake and before the cult started. Turning Point is destroying this community one event at a time. Mike and Cyndi are losing all sight of God and are detroying the once good name of Christians. They are turning the once safe church family into a scary and deceptive place full of lemmings and robots. WAKE UP and smell the lies! This is giving all Christians a bad name and defiling the name of the Lord to the point that they will never stop until they are forced to-maybe it will have to be by authorities? I pray for the souls of the church members who are being led into the flames that they will see this all coming before it is really too late.

giftofsong

Definition of a Cult

Every cult can be defined as a group having all of the following 5 characteristics:

1. It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members. (SOMA and all outreach events)

2. It forms an elitist totalitarian society. (discipleship, the don't associate with anyone outside of TPC idea, and the all other churches are bad idea)

3. Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma. (Mike, Cyndi, Jeff Barnes and many other pastors and leaders all boast in themselves and are self made)

4. It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds recruit people ("sell everything you have and give to God" idea and the make overs and wardrobe update, and the gas guzzling SUV's and big houses!!!)

5. Its wealth does not benefit its members or society (pastor mike and other pastors buying a $500,000+ home-did you really think they made that much money in real estate and interior decorating with the economy the way it is???? no, I don't think so. They stole from the financial campaign!!!)

[www.xenu.net]


Question: "What is the definition of a cult?"

Answer: When we hear the word cult we often think of a group that worships Satan, sacrifices animals, or takes part in evil, bizarre, and pagan rituals. However, most cults appear much more innocent. The specific Christian definition of a cult is a religious group that denies one or more of the fundamentals of biblical truth. In more simple terms, a cult is a group that teaches something that will cause a person to not be saved if they believe it. As distinct from a religion, a cult is a group that claims to be part of the religion, yet denies an essential truths of that religion. A Christian cult is a group that denies the fundamental truths of Christianity, while still claiming to be Christian.

The two most common teachings of cults are that Jesus was not God and that salvation is not by faith alone. A denial of the deity of Christ results in Jesus death not being a sufficient payment for our sins. A denial of salvation by faith alone results in salvation being achieved by our own works, something the Bible vehemently and consistently denies. The two most well-known examples of cults are the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons. Both groups claim to be Christian, yet both deny the two key doctrines mentioned above. Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons believe many things that are in agreement with or similar to what the Bible teaches. However, the fact that they deny the deity of Christ and preach a salvation by works qualifies them as a cult. Many Jehovahs Witnesses, Mormons, and members of other cults are good people who genuinely believe they hold the truth. As Christians, our hope and prayer must be that many people involved in the Christian cults will see through the lies and will be drawn to the truth of salvation through Jesus Christ. [www.gotquestions.org]


Theoretical Definition of a Cult:
[www.answers.com]

A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.
The followers of such a religion or sect.
A system or community of religious worship and ritual.
The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual.
A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.
Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.
The object of such devotion.
An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.


Cult:
Collective veneration or worship (e.g., the cult of the saints meaning collective veneration of the saints in Roman Catholicism). In the West, the term has come to be used for groups that are perceived to have deviated from normative religions in belief and practice. They typically have a charismatic leader and attract followers who are in some way disenfranchised from the mainstream of society. Cults as thus defined are often viewed as foreign or dangerous. For more information on cult, visit <Britannica.com.>

Cult:
The worship of a god or hero with rites and ceremonies. Believing in, respecting, or recognizing the gods was to both Greeks and Romans primarily a matter of observing their cult by performing acts of worship. Worship consisted of correct action rather than intense personal conviction or spirituality. The most important aspect of cult was making an offering to the god by sacrifice, libation, or dedication (i.e. gift of an object). The offering was accompanied by prayer, on the principle of do ut des, I give (to you) so that you will give (to me). [www.answers.com]


Just a few definitions I found on the web and many of them are very much describing Turning Point and their leaders' behavior. Sad but true!!! Turning Point needs a wake-up call and a cold shower!!!


giftofsong



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/2009 03:23PM by giftofsong.

Quote
Wounded Warrior
Thank You everyone for your contributions to this forum. Thank you Braveheart and Learningpoint for pointing out the "estoric/pseudo-intellectuatual christianity teaching" that goes on in churches.
I remember when Mike came back from days of fasting and praying--he returned and claimed to have a "new" revelation. When he revealed it there was a long silence then he went on to explain it. To me it sounded like something I had read in Kurt Vonnegut's book: "Slaughterhouse Five". I thought to myself that Mike's new revelation was hardly original. Most people, as far as I could tell, were not "getting it". I overheard a Somaite tell Mike that IT was a "New Paradigm". I wasn't aware of this "esoteric" teaching but Mike's understanding was made to seem special. When in fact, he was being so arrogant and setting himself above everybody. I guess he hadn't read Kurt Vonnegut's book. I guess God had revealed this "concept" many years before giving it to Mike but without his knowledge. The Somaite said "that it will take time for people get the new paradigm". Really, now.

Wounded Warrior Great points about the "New Paradigm"

I posted this August 13, 2008
Why do people take scripture and create systems that put things into controllable boxes that explain what God has chosen to, not explain. But there’s the problem. You see they coin terms and create paradigms that force you into an either or that scripture does not force you into. Then they take these coined terms and created paradigms and they demand that you and I take a side. And then they separate from all who disagree with their side. I believe it is just a step above demonic. On second thought it is demonic! You see it all over the place, words that are not in scripture that men create to kind of take a side. You see it, churches will split over are you pre-millennial? all millennial? Or are you post millennial? There’s another one, another word a term that is not ever set against it’s self in scripture ‘charismatic’. Are you Charismatic? Or are you not Charismatic? I’ll separate fellowship with you, I swear! Just let me know are ya Charismatic or not just tell me!.and people separate Fellowship over it.

Here is new paradigm at Radiant Life….they call it Spiritual Parenting. You ask me, What does it mean? I don’t really know….but it was explained to me like this…it kind of looks kind of like Paul and Timothy…as Paul refers to Timothy as his son…so I am told. So what does it look like in the church it was a concept that was originally introduced to the SOMA students and the leadership members…and now we have people breaking off relationships with their birth parents and being adopted as new spiritual children…people who are ranging from 16-50+. Where is it taught in the bible?....I don’t know…I can not find anything in my bible that teaches this…

Husbands and wives coming under “the covering” of another couple in discipleship and then becoming “Spiritual Parents to the couple they are discipling. This teaching is wicked. Many youth and collage age students have gone to their birth parents and informed them that their way are but filthy rags and that they will not have anything to do with the birth parents any more.

This teaching goes against the 5th Commandment Exodus 20:12 and Ephesians 6:1-3
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"-which is the first commandment with a promise- "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

If you are following Tony Cunningham please consider this!!
Cunningham claims to be a prophet of God and has brought this teaching of Spiritual Parenting to the church and continues to live out this teaching in his own home. Yes this teaching dovetails in with the polygamy teachings of Mormonism.
Tony has elevated his authority to the level to that of an apostle and has also convinced his Spiritual Son Mike Villamore in Marysville Washington that he is a too can be an apostle.

The bible warns us over and over to test everything that is taught. When a false prophet was discovered in the Old Testament that prophet was to be stoned to death. God did not, and still does not tolerate false prophesying. If they wrong once, they are false, they were to be stoned. NOW, IM NOT ADVOCATING THIS BEHAVIOR OR ACTION!

But Church WAKE UP!!!
We are on this side of the New Testament; we are part of the new covenant with Christ.

Now the seriousness of calling yourself a prophet of God and when it is discovered that what he prophesies is not from God…this person need to be identified This person need to be STOPPED!!!

I'm looking for some clarification on a few things, and thought that you guys might be able to help me. Do you remember the specifics surrounding the seperating for the Church of God? And the details surrounding the application for the 501c3 nonprofit status? My husband and I were discussing this, and we remember things very differently (imagine that, lol).

Anyway, I am finding that with all of this, and the breach in trust, I am now questioning everything that was TP for all the years that we were there. I wonder, was the break from CoG a calculated step...a stepping stone to this apostle stuff? Have we been being deceived for years? Is Mike really the deceiver, instead of the deceived?

dear brokenhearted
. There was the evening. I believe was a Friday night worship service where Tony stood up in front of everybody and in an almost angry voice renounced his submission to the Church of God Anderson Indiana. He was very vague about why, he made it sound as though being an independent, nondenominational church was more important than being connected to a group in Anderson Indiana that had no relationship with us in Sacramento. But if you go on to the Church of God Anderson Indiana website and look for affiliate churches. You will find radiant life church is still listed, along with river of life church in West Sacramento. now remember, the church and West Sacramento used to be called "radiant life church, West Sacramento," but they have separated from Tony and reclaim their old church name River of life church.
I posted the radiant life church bylaws on the other blog at http://forum.culteducation.com/read.php?14,23121,67397#msg-67397

One of the strategies that I believe Tony has tried to is to establish his own name branding church Association. Like the Church of God, the Assemblies of God, the American Baptist etc. etc. I believe Tony wanted to create "the radiant life association" as his name brand. I'm very thankful that his schemes have been exposed and that the layers of deception, manipulation are being revealed and exposed.

I hope that the few who remain would have eyes to see and ears to hear what the spirit of God is saying. For once they would read there bibles with out looking at Tony's notes first.
That they would quit seeking the council from the Wicked Elders, Yes I said Wicked Elders who are gnashing there teeth every time they read another testimony of someone asking questions at the church.


BraveHeart

Quote
Brokenhearted
I'm looking for some clarification on a few things, and thought that you guys might be able to help me. Do you remember the specifics surrounding the seperating for the Church of God? And the details surrounding the application for the 501c3 nonprofit status? My husband and I were discussing this, and we remember things very differently (imagine that, lol).

Anyway, I am finding that with all of this, and the breach in trust, I am now questioning everything that was TP for all the years that we were there. I wonder, was the break from CoG a calculated step...a stepping stone to this apostle stuff? Have we been being deceived for years? Is Mike really the deceiver, instead of the deceived?

Dear Brokenhearted,
To the best of my recollection, at the time that TP was considering getting it's own 501c3 status, Pastor Cindy and Pastor Jackie were not yet made "Pastors" through the Church of God. I believe that they were still "Pastors-in-training so to speak. I remember that Pastor Mike made a big deal of how Cyndi's ministry was quite established "as we all can see". I could tell that it was insulting that Cyndi still had to jump through some more hoops to be even more proven to the Church of God as worthy of pastorship. I think definitely that TP getting it's own 5013c status allowed the Church and it's leadership more freedom with installing their own Pastors and more freedom to use all church finances without the watchful eye of CoG. I think that it was ironic that Mike and Cyndi were not wanting to be patient and OBEY their Church Authority or "COVERING"--the Church of God. Isn't this "questioning" your authority now considered "Forbidden" in their current rule of thought?! They left the Church of God and shortly after Pastor Cindy was installed alongside Pastor Mike as the first pastors out of Turning Point--all under/through the office of Pastor Tony Cunningham of RLC.-from what I could tell from the congregation. I was there and I personally think this was the beginning of TP's wayward path from biblical truth.

Well here is part three of my story at Turning Point:

Next is Soma. I joined first year Soma and lived with three other girls from TP who also attended Soma. At that point I started getting more and more involved in everything at TP from Worship Team to the 20's-something group and was a leader with Jesse Tillman, and Funmi Adeyemi ( i don't know her new last name since she got married-sorry) and we did many, many events like Church in the Park and Evangelism, prayer watch, etc. I went to Starbucks all the time and hung out with other people from Turning Point there and did some studying there as well. I also remember staying at Haggen on 88th till all hours of the night and having a lot of fun times with people in Soma as well as in the 20's somethings group. I was very into everything that TP was into and I saw my other relationships like with my family and friends outside of TP fading away. I was being taught this by TP leadership and was fed many lies from the pastors and my discipler who was Erin Moors. Discipleship was a big joke! I say this because I have no idea how I could have let myself be involved in something like this. It was not helpful to me and just made me feel gulity all the time for not wanting to get up every Saturday morning at like 5am after doing it all week for Soma too! I felt that their "discipline" lesson they said they were trying to teach us by getting up early was just another way for them to control us. I felt that any time I wasn't doing somthing for TP or with someone who attended TP that I was sinning and I had all sorts of feelings of guilt and pressure to the point where I felt trapped in a body that wasn't even mine anymore-that I just could never be good enough in the eyes of leadership at TP. This was wrong and I am so glad to be free of all the guilt.

I think that the leadership at TP is manipulating and not encouraging enough to people who are doing the right things in life but instead they just always want more from you and in every aspect of your life. There wasn't one day that I didn't do something with TP people or at the church itself. Now looking back that seems crazy and overwhelming. My schedule was something like this: Monday-studying for Soma with others, Tuesday-Soma 7am-11 or 12 and 20's somethings small group, Wed-study for SOMA with othersand went to 180 youth group until I was too old to go, Thursday-Soma and worship team practice, Friday- Soma and Fan the Flame and/or prayer watch, Saturday-discipleship, womens group or more classes like class 101 some weeks, Sunday-church, usually on worship team or helping serve in some area. Also I was working partime with all these activities during the week. I had no time to see my family and I was not even worried in the slightest about the relationships there. I feel terrible about how I basically abandoned them and I was very sad to have missed out on the good things like having meals with my family and just hanging out with them. I did see them but I was so overly distracted by all of these things at TP that I missed out on many good things with them. Anyway my point with all this is that TP consumed and took over every day of my life in those years I was there. It is not a bad thing that I was involved in things but it was just a little too far out of balance. If we are supposed to have everything in moderation I was definatly not doing that with my TP involvment. I was almost obsessed or addicted! I felt as if I could never do enough and that I always had to do more, more, more!!! More involvement, more prayer, more studying, more this more that. Nothing was ever good enough for leadership. But that wasn't God, He would never treat his children like that and that is why I know the mindset there even three years ago was messed up!

Overall Soma is a waste of time, money and it isn't even accredited. I see myself as intelligent but can't beleive I was sucked into this too! Soma leaders were harsh and unfriendly. Paying for teachings of the Bible, etc was just another ploy on leadership's end to get more money from people. It should be free education if they want everyone to attend Soma, like when we go to other countries-we don't charge them to learn about Christ we offer it to them and give it as a gift. Soma is not college and it does not give you a degree or promote further education it is just TP way of keeping people bound to the ministries and keep them interested and paying money for more and more things for TP leaders and their salaries. I feel like i was taken advantage of and lied to about what Soma really was and that the pastors teaching were almost cocky and tried too hard to discipline us instead of loving us through the learning process.

Looking back I do regret many things and kick myself for not following my heart and the promptings of the Holy Spirit to leave before I did, but I most definalty have many lessons learned by these TP experiences and I am glad for that. My heart is saddened by what went on in the church and I am not surprised at where TP is now and where it is and will be heading. I just praise the Lord that I am free of it all.

Part 4 coming up . . .

giftofsong



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2009 05:01PM by giftofsong.

There had been some concern or questions in regards to where all the money for the new church had gone. I had read a commet from an ex-church member that said Mike held yearly budget meetings and that copies of the budget would be given to all those who attended.
Can someone here varify any of that? Does he hold these meetings and is it open to anyone?