Another good post from the "Shiloh Kalona Iowa cult strand on FactNet is number 301.
I don't think I will ever be able to ever fully decide if the ministry of JRS was for the most part good, or for the most part bad. I guess the thing to do is to take what I see to be good, and discard what I consider bad. I think that is the only way to relate to anybody about anything, the reason we are told not to judge, is because we just don't have the capacity to judge. That does not mean, of course, that we can not do our best to give every teaching and teacher a fair chance, and to look at every teaching and every teacher with a critical view, to rightly divide the word.
Sadly, what makes the Living Word a cult to begin with is their mode of operation, they do not submit their teachings to others for critical viewing, they shut themselves off from the rest of the church so that they can do and teach whatever they want. That is a set up for failure, there is no possible way that people who believe that whatever pops into their heads is always God, no way they can help but be deceived, especially self deceived.
I am sorry that is the route that JRS took, that is the root that Marilyn and Gary took. That is the route that the victims of this mess took. I can only thank God that I was not swallowed up in it myself. I am grateful to God for all of you that have had the wisdom and revelation to set yourself free from the bondage of the Living Word Fellowship.
Whether Latter Rain theology has any thing to it, it will come to light. Whether there are people in the world today visited by the Lord Himself and given a commision as apostle or prophet, well, the truth will come out, the tree is judged by the fruit.
I don't think I will ever be able to ever fully decide if the ministry of JRS was for the most part good, or for the most part bad. I guess the thing to do is to take what I see to be good, and discard what I consider bad. I think that is the only way to relate to anybody about anything, the reason we are told not to judge, is because we just don't have the capacity to judge. That does not mean, of course, that we can not do our best to give every teaching and teacher a fair chance, and to look at every teaching and every teacher with a critical view, to rightly divide the word.
Sadly, what makes the Living Word a cult to begin with is their mode of operation, they do not submit their teachings to others for critical viewing, they shut themselves off from the rest of the church so that they can do and teach whatever they want. That is a set up for failure, there is no possible way that people who believe that whatever pops into their heads is always God, no way they can help but be deceived, especially self deceived.
I am sorry that is the route that JRS took, that is the root that Marilyn and Gary took. That is the route that the victims of this mess took. I can only thank God that I was not swallowed up in it myself. I am grateful to God for all of you that have had the wisdom and revelation to set yourself free from the bondage of the Living Word Fellowship.
Whether Latter Rain theology has any thing to it, it will come to light. Whether there are people in the world today visited by the Lord Himself and given a commision as apostle or prophet, well, the truth will come out, the tree is judged by the fruit.