Thank you for reopening concerns over some NFI churches and the way they are administered. I have no connection to the moderator but can only endorse the comments made. Few level headed people would tar all religious leaders in any faith with the same brush as those who abuse. The problem however as in other fields is the alacrity shown by some leaders towards the power invested in them. The abil
Forum: Destructive Churches

Pyjamas 6 Your response to Gavtaz above is the most reasonable and common sense answer that i have heard from NF Elder or Leader. I have no idea where in the world you originate. What needs to be accepted is the fact that a significant number of people have found themselves seriously compromised by NF leadership. The rules on complaining have been quoted above. My examples are real people not
Forum: Destructive Churches

RR Thank you for your helpful input. The finances of NFI are a little more complex than first glance suggests. There are four exec directors. If we exclude their accountant the other three are not employed as such by NFI as they say. Two (excluding the founder) are employed by their own churches which received £82,597 and £188,195 respectively from NFI. Quite large sums for 1st world churches am
Forum: Destructive Churches

One of the over riding qualities I have found in many of the contacts with NF leadership is their extra ordinary arrogance. You asked a rhetorical question. I give a basic response and you return with arrogance. A letter in the Times of London this week pointed out that the arguement suggesting that as Jesus had no female apostles this meant women were not destined for pastoral leadership et
Forum: Destructive Churches

Dear Gavtaz, everything you say is in line with my own experience. The accounts of NF are far from transparent and the senior leadership are directors of other trusts all of which takes considerable exploration etc. Another financial ploy is to make their full time pastors "self-employed" meaning they pay less NI and the pastors then claim their home against tax, pay spouse tax free al
Forum: Destructive Churches

I also forgot about post from May 2009, now repeated below: Hi Chris and thanks for your reply. I've looked in to this further (partly thanks to an Alpha Course which I couldn't finish) and although I don't want to speak for the entire organisation I do find this particular church worrying. A few of the problems that I've witnessed are: 1. The leader of this particu
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi, No knowledge of specific case against cultish church. I suggest you contact the solicitors handling the Catholic Child Abuse cases. They would be able to advise and I suspect open up the door for many such similar cases as yours. Happy to discuss if you wish but I am not a lawyer. Regards CJ
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi, Welcome to the forum. I am just a contributor but have been helping people for years who have suffered all kinds of abuse in many settings. It was purely by chance that NFI emerged as a possible problem Church in some settings. Obviously I have no idea if you are locally based or part of the wider leadership. What is apparent unfortunately is that there are a number of NFI ministries that wou
Forum: Destructive Churches

Re Thecla, then other commentary: The Acts of Thecla: A Pauline Tradition Linked to Women by Nancy A. Carter* | About Paul | Pastoral Epistles | Links | Acts of Xanthippe | Acts of Thecla | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Women, Paul and Early Christianity A Contemporary Christian Icon of Saint Thecla The Acts of Paul and The
Forum: Destructive Churches

Dear Gavtaz, Let me say at the outset that you are entirely correct in your view. This behaviour is however common and huge pressure is applied to the tithing process in NF. Many of course just keep quiet and say nothing. I have never yet found out if they get special visits. Your mistake was to speak out in the mistaken belief that you were in a supportive house group that would be interested in
Forum: Destructive Churches

Gavtaz, I think you have said it all as far as this organisation is concerned. as long as you go along the party line and question nothing, being totally beholden to the Pastor, Eldership and house group leader and of course not have any probs in life then you will be warmly received. I have some extraordinary accounts of how people have left and been made to feel beyond redemption for non reason
Forum: Destructive Churches

Rob, I think you are sadly missing the point and i am not sure why you felt it necessary to discuss your own background. Having done so the question must be asked "Was your father in his position annointed by God?" I do not know the moderator who has intervened we may I suspect even be on different continents. His/her comments are pertinent and covered in most books on religious a
Forum: Destructive Churches

Dear Mike and Rob, My ongoing investigation into religious abuse has sadly put NFI churches in the spotlight. Not all of course but some do seem to have an approach that is very challenging. Remember only God fearing, Jesus loving people will be affected. Rob, whether Mike is right or wrong and I note your comments, his story is rather similar to others I have heard. John Groves in his in h
Forum: Destructive Churches

Dear Bea, Apols for delay in responding. Any comment would be totally anonymised as it would be for any comment from any one. The delay was my being away and then trying to get me, the references for you and a computer in th same place. Suggest you consider reading. Malignant self love by Sam Vaknin, this just shows how perverted severely disordered people can be in relation to others. Stal
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi Bea, I have seen similar but to a lesser extent. It is of course a combination of mass hypnosis or hysteria. Your description is compelling and disturbing. Elsewhere you comment about my insight of disordered personalities. You are correct about my particular interest. I am writing a book about abuse and especially spiritual abuse. The Narcissistic and as you rightlu say anti-social personal
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi Bea, I hope I did not give wrong impression. I was not suggesting that you needed to do anything. In fact very much the reverse. The most important consideration I think is to work out what are your needs and how best to achieve. there is nothing wrong with that. If you are more comfortable in your own space then so be it. No one can or should tell you what to do. If at some stage in the fu
Forum: Destructive Churches

It seems Muffin has got his answer. In my experience though this is still limited, it seems no practise is too bizarre or so incomprehensible as to not happen and perhaps more surprising be so readily accepted. If you have seen the recent documentary on The Plague dealing with Europe around 1384, groups called "Flagellants" went round the country whipping and injuring themselves and exh
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Hi Muffin, Thank you for sharing this bizarre experience. My surprise however is your surprise about this kind of bizarre behaviour. Pseudo-religion encourages murder of those who do not believe and at a lesser level spiritual abuse is widespread. Sadly there are decent, believing and obviously naive people who are ripe for the taking by abusive ministry. Such abuses occur in all denominations
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi Bea, Your experiences have been truly terrible. in any other field of endeavour their would be severe censure of those perpetrating but obviously when parents or family involved then their is little one can add. It is interesting that our society reflects so badly on say honour killings in other faiths or even arranged marriages but ignores the kind of abuse that you have suffered. My resea
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi Bea, I am sorry to hear of your experiences which are extreme even by my increasing awareness of some parts of NFI. The main question is whether or not you have either moved on and found solace elsewhere and if not , have you sought professional counselling. I am not a supporter of"Religious counselling" as many paople who set themselves up as religious counsellors are not properly t
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi Eutychus, Sorry to hear of your problems. It seems NF are able to isolate people so that they feel diminished and then not able to even put over a view let alone defend themselves. As long as one is subservient and unquestioning there will be no difficulties for members. The offer of a higher spriritual plane must be alluring to most, and further cemented by the encouragement to tithe. There i
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi, Your observations are the same as my own. There is another thread starting and another member has logged a very useful entry about NF with a written account of their views that I was not aware. If permitted i have copied the excellent commentary, and other links and my response. The introspective nature of the NF churches I know is extra-ordinary. The near banning of mixing with others
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi Thanks for your input and I am sure Sarah-Jane will reflect on our commentary. I had come to exactly the same conclusion as yourself with regard to the way they perceive their actions and that of God are the same. Hence they are always right and everyone else is wrong. This sits at the heart of a narcissistic personality disorder in an individual. It is even more concerning when it sits at the
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hi Anon 111, your suspicions are well founded. the church like many has no controls in place and so lends itself to significant abuse potential. I know their was a particular problem with a church of NFI in Essex but have not been able to find specific info. The NF movement seems to take a very literal view of biblical teaching and effectively remove anyone who has the audacity to challenge or qu
Forum: Destructive Churches

Having had a particularly bad experience with one section of this church, I discovered that a number of other peolple had also been challenged in such a way that they left under a cloud and found their whole spirituality put under threat. I have concluded that relatively poorly qualified people can take over ministry and place an increasing burden on often vulnerable people who seek to be saved.
Forum: Destructive Churches

It isnt surprising that power hungry people find their way to any religious ministry. Paedophiles find schools etc. Abusive clergy target vulnerable people and then inflict what is their own religious interpretation on the congregants. In two examples I am aware involving New Frontiers, controlling leaders who follow the Apostolic Ministry of Men effectively excommunicate any member who question
Forum: Clergy and Therapy Abuse

I am intrigued by churches such as New Frontiers that practise "Ministry of Men" and hence justify that all their leaders/elders are male, appointed by God. This in my opinion is open to abuse as I have witnessed particularly against women. Does anyone have any thoughts about this and experience of abuse. Regards to all CJ
Forum: Destructive Churches

Finding this marvellous website has reassured me. I am interested in any negative experiences with New Frontiers International and any of its churches particularly in the UK. I have assumed that the parent organisation was based on decent and religious principles and that there were problems with isolated churches and abusive leadership. Sadly I have been unable to get reassurance from those wh
Forum: Destructive Churches