Here's a quick note from another very satisfied reader: (Changed a little; to hide the writers identity)
My friends are darlings of the City Church up here in Seattle. Reading their posts on social media sites disturbed me–ALWAYS hyper positive (I mean literally they never have a bad day it seems), scripture quoting, and City Church praising. Not to mention frequent bubblings about how God wants us to have whatever we want. I could go on and on about the myriad of other beliefs they have but it would take hours. Suffice it to say this site was a breath of fresh air for me, providing the affirmation that I'm not crazy and this really isn't a sound church organization. At least I know I'm not the only one who hates hypocrisy and craves justice. Anyway, thanks for listening to my incoherent blabbing.
Thanks for this blog!!! One post a month would be enough!
ONE POST A MONTH! Now you're getting greedy. I was leaning toward two posts a year, both of them focused primarily on my boozing habits.
And by "This blog is a breath of fresh air", I think the writer means "This blog reeks like the stale pungent aroma of a cheap cigar."
I'm actually surprised that people still find this blog. It's a testament to the power of the internet, I guess.
And now.. this blog will be listed when someone searches for “CITY CHURCH IS WACKO!“.
And also:
“MY PASTOR SPEAKS WITH A LISP AND *STILL* NAMED HIS CHURCH CITY CHURCH!”
Sigh. It’s too easy.
The spelling queen wonders if that’s supposed to be pungent or repugnant.
As for the City Church (lisped), I think they’ve found The Secret. Not very Biblical, but it sure makes people feel good.
Thanks ana, I fixed it.
Dear Friends of Darlings- you are welcome here! I know what relief it can bring to find the answer to what has changed your friends into the latest version of a Stepford Wife. Our best friends recently moved from the Northwest to the East Coast -landing in Washington D.C. They have morphed into people I don’t recognize any longer.
They were normal and we loved them greatly, but when they started coming home for visits all they could talk about was how “sinful” they were. When I met their new little boy and commented how cute he was their response was “yes, but he’s such a little sinner.” I”m like who talks like that?! Who are these people and what have you done with my friends?!
A blog saved my life and sanity. It is called SGM Survivors -standing for Sovereign Grace Survivors of the Joshua Harris – ‘I Kissed Dating Goodbye’ courtship fame. And where did he and family attend church at one time you ask? City Church in Portland -the mother ship of weirdness!
They are beyond controlling and have their own worship-fest going on with their Dick Iverson founder by the name of C.J. Mahoney. It was like manna to my soul to find out why they changed their dress, their speech patterns, their style of life and views on absolutely everything from a mandatory date night to the neighborhood –compound–they live in.
All they talk about when they get here is their “Care Group” as they were chosen as leaders or “servants”. Another favorite word in their new vocabulary. It has been heartbreaking to watch their lives turn into something out of “District 9″ At least I now have the answers I was looking for from a blog of ‘escapees’ who decided to be honest on line in order to try to help others.
This is why blogs like this one are so important and helped me understand how they must have been missing something to be open to this “transformation” I recommend it as another site to stop by and check out the “great fruit” a controlling pastor, atmosphere and patriarchal style church can bring. Their family members here can barely tolerate them, any witness they had has exploded into fear as people run away from them!
I thought we had had trouble healing from being an MFI SURVIVOR, but it was nothing compared to this planet! They now have a book on how to be married to their church and had to sign a covenant contract that basically never allows them to quote “leave right.” They will need an intervention, a whole lot of counseling if they ever escape, which I have prayed for! Oh yes and a whole lot of blogging.
Ha! Cat it can be dangerous to drink and click! but it IS a tad more motivating. . .
That’s what it did for us too – helped us realize we aren’t the crazy ones. When you are in churches like these, or have recently left one, it takes awhile to realize how unsound, like you say, it is. The further away from it you get the more the light dawns. Of course, there’s a price for speaking up about it, but it’s worth it. This blog helped some of us discover our true voices. And that’s been a whole new world!
Btw, you aren’t incoherently blabbing. You are speaking TRUTH.
Aren’t they the ones you mentioned once who actually brought a framed picture of their DC church care group with them in their suitcase when they were visiting Boise? And these were extremely intelligent people at one time, am I right? – isn’t that why they landed jobs in DC in the first place?
What is it about these cult-like churches that turn intelligent people into moronic followers who no longer can think for themselves? There must have been something psychologically and emotionally amiss beforehand that made them vulnerable to the Stepford life and that’s why it pulled them in!
You got it Detox! I had forgotten about the framed picture of their care group that looked just like a family renion! In fact it became their family and why because something was missing. They were from dysfunction especially in terms of missing fathers. One of the blogs on SGM Survivors traced this whole phenomena from C.J. on down –adult children of alcoholics who left one abusive situation to go right to another!
Just in our own survey we can trace the backgrounds of our leader and their father issues and the children of dysfunction who became their most obedient followers.
Something to watch for -absolutely. If we don’t get fully healed of one abusive background we show up at “Abusive Church Sunday” and feel oddly comfortable.
Just saying……
I went through the same exact thing. Of all the evil that is in this world, hard to stomach the fact that church, faith, and Christianity is what can ruin a long lasting meaningful friendship. Sad, sad indeed. My God have mercy on us all.
BTW, the he’s such a little sinner quote had me laughing out loud. Seriously, who talks like that?
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You hit the nail on the head regarding “The Secret”… it is all so feel-goodie!
This should be on a huge billboard in every American city.