Nick:

Thanks for the admission that Christian Fellowship Churches is run by the pastors and there is no democratic church government as in the overwhelming majority of Protestant Church, such as the Assemblies of God, Southern Baptist Convention, Church of the Nazarene and Evangelical Free Churches, etc.

This is at the core of the many regular complaints posted here and elsewhere about Wayman Mitchell's organization over the years, which has led to church splits, probably more former members than current members, a history of bad press and lawsuits.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Anyone interested should read the press articles, which have been historically overwhelmingly negative.

Unlike most Protestan churches Christian Fellowship Churches, which includes the Door, Potter's House and various other named churches all controlled ultimately by Wayman Mitchell, is run like the military with a "chain of commmand."

But not like the military in free countries accountable to elected officials.

The Mitchell organization is essentially a totalitarian regime, a federation of petty dictators operation with a "chain of command" and Mitchell at the top.

This is something like the set up in Iran, many mullahs with one "Grand Ayatollah."

There have been divorces, custody battles repeatedly citing Mitchell's churches and his pastors as their central cause, due to control and interfernece in family relations.

Most complaints about Michell and his pastors revolve around their bad behavior and the fact that there is little the members can do other than, as you admitted Nick, complain to yet another pastor.

The members alone have no power.

Many of the complaints also include that nothing was done when members told other pastors about abuses in their church.

The New Testament was written in the First Century and isn't focused on church government, because the number of Christians and churches was small at that time.

The New Testament doesn't talk about many things that concern churches today, such as nonprofit tax exemptions, government requlations, buiding codes, zoning considerations, a choir, church bands etc.

As Christianity became a world religion that eventually included millions of believers in thousands of denominations around the world things changed to protect and defend the fatihful from abuses of power.

If you do an objective bible study about the accountability and requirements for elders, deacons and evangelists you will see the early beginnings being laid out for accountability.

There is nothing specific that explicitly forbids democratic church government in the New Testament.

Read Galatians. Paul could be harsh with controlling leaders like Wayman Mitchell and his crew.

You seem willing to defend anything Mitchell does. Can you think of anything he and his organization has done that is wrong?

What criticism do you have of Christian Fellowship Churches?

Do you think its pastors and Mitchell have made serious mistakes?

And if you do please specifically mention a few.

thanks for answering my question, nick. if you're ok with pulpit profanity then what can i say?

It seems that Nick is OK with anything done by Mitchell and his pastors.

On one occasion Mitchell was preaching about temptation and he made the statement. "Here she comes, wiggling her TW*T"

This was completely unnecessary and uncalled for given the context of the sermon. An aquaintance of mine from Tuscon {Harold Warners church} told me that Mitchell was known in private for referring to afro Americans as 'Niggers' and 'Wetbacks' and often made crude remarks about homosexuals and homosexual behaviour.

Mitchell was once filmed during a sermon by undercover news reporters and made a derogatory coment about a recent critic of his church which was totally unnecessary. He once was overheard in a sermon {for no apparent reason} say "I know you're out there you little queer and I'm coming to get you"

How exactly do you put things like that into context? His language towards those who leave his church is tinged with nastiness. Those who leave are likened to human waste, trash, benedict arnold, scum, traitors, adulterers, devils and many other such things. It's got nothing to do with Mitchell being in touch with down to earth people. His language is not only nasty but abusive.

He once said " You can disagree with me if you like...You can be wrong". On another occasion he stated that his organisation was 'a spiritual dictatorship' and said that this was the way God wanted it. Once he described listening to him preach as being a 'conversation with God'. On another occasion he stated that God speaks to him and he speaks to you and you obey.

Is Mitchell being misunderstood? Certainly...by those who follow his every word and believe he is a wonderful man of God. Iwas there at the 2002 uk conference when he said that anyone who even shook hands with pastors who left our fellowship could be struck down by God that very moment. He also stated that he wasn't saying that you couldn't leave and be right with God but that he never knew of one case of it happening.

The only misunderstanding is when you cannot see that this is a very abusive and controlling man who is accountable to no-one. All these quotes are things he has actually said. I have access to many of them on audio and other files. My advice is to stear very clear of his organisation.

regards...naboth675

[www.habakkuk2-4.com]

I am a former member of 5 years of this destructive church. I urge people interested in this questionable group to visit my site www.exposethefellowship.com


Moderators I do not know if it is against the rules to post links on the forum. Please let me know. I do not wish to spam, but to educate people on this specific religious group.