1. Sect (or denomination): 

These are groups that hold to correct doctrine in regards to the person and work of Jesus Christ and the way to salvation.  Salvation comes through grace alone from faith alone in Christ alone.  We may disagree on minor methodology or second tier doctrinal issues, such as when a person should be baptized, how end times will look, or how church government is organized.  These differences create distinction but not division within the Body of Christ.  These are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

2. Cult

These are groups that will use the name of Christ but deny core doctrines about the person and work of Jesus Christ and the way to salvation.  This happens in 4 ways:

• Add to the Bible – They make additions or doctrinal corrections to the Bible
• Subtract from the person of Christ – They either deny the divinity or the humanity of Christ.
• Multiply the way to salvation – They teach that for a person to truly be saved the MUST do something in addition to faith in Jesus Christ.
• Divide the Body of Christ – They teach that they have the true form of Christianity and all others are false.

These groups will present themselves as being no different from Christians and often it will be difficult to see the differences until a person is sucked in.  Often brainwashing techniques are used and total commitment to the group or leader is expected.  The group will demand control over every area of a persons life.

Basic traits of the cults that claim the name of Christ:

• Claim a corner on Truth: “We have found the truth no one else has discovered.”
• Oppositional Stance:  “All other Christian groups are wrong but ours”
• Denial of the Trinity: “A three-headed god comes right from ancient paganism.”
• Defective Christology: “Jesus died for our sins, but…”
• Salvation by Works:  “It is one thing to believe, but you’ve got to work at it, too.”
• Persecution Complex: “The world is against us because we have the truth”

3. Occult

Occult means “hidden”. It covers practices that are not approved of by God e.g., astrology, casting spells, consulting with spirits, magik, sorcery, witchcraft, and spiritism.

4.  Cultic

This is a group that has correct doctrine about the person and work of Christ and the way to salvation, but uses cult like methods.  9 ways a group may be cultic:

1.  They demand separation from anyone who is not a member of the group
2.  They demand explicit control over followers.
3.   They reject any questioning or criticism of the group or leader.
4.  If you are rejected by the group, you lose salvation (they control salvation)
5.   They have explicit control over members finances
6.   The group/church becomes the place to hide from the evil world, who “persecutes” them.
7.   They believe that they are the only “true church”
8.   They have secret meetings at secret times
9.  They teach that their way is the only way (worship, dress, Bible translation, meeting time, etc)

When groups/churches become cultic they can cause long term damage to those who are involved in the group and be hurtful to those outside the group.

Obviously there is a fifth category that would be different religions, but the above is to help you to be discerning when it comes to groups or churches that may be using the name of Christ but are not being true to biblical Christianity.

15 Brief principles when in dialogue with a cultist:

1. Foundationally, know your Bible – The more you know about genuine Christianity through the Bible, the easier you will recognize spiritual counterfeits (Heb 4:12).
2. Understand the definition of a cult – A cult is a group that derives from a parent religion but denies one or more of the essential doctrines of that religion.
3. Be aware of the key doctrinal characteristics of cults – These are the traits listed above
4. Be aware of the key sociological characteristics of cults – Authoritarianism, Exclusivism, Isolationism
5. Always prepare for witnessing encounters by prayer – Only God is able to set the cultist free from the power of satan (2 Cor 4:4)
6. Don’t assume every cult member believes the same thing every other member of that cult believes – don’t tell them what they believe ask them if they subscribe to a particular belief.
7. Always define your terms – Cult members typically use Christan words but with a different meaning (2 Corinthians 11:3-4)
8. Always look up Bible verses cultist site and read them in context of the whole of scripture – Cultist often quote verses that seem to support their view but are misquoted or taken out of context.
9. Focus the discussion on important matters – Do not get side tracked debating nonessential issues but instead focus on the true identity of Jesus, what Christ accomplished on the cross, and the true gospel that saves.
10. Emphasize the good news of the grace of God – because cults have a works based salvation based on fear and guilt, they desperately need to hear of a salvation and freedom that comes from God’s grace. (Eph 2:8-9)
11. Ask strategic questions – You will not be able to convice a cultist that your opinion is rights, but you may be able to help him discover problems in his theology
12. Be aware that many cultist have been trained to answer your objections – Always bring the discussion back to the Bible and the person and work of Jesus Christ
13. Be ready to answer the cultists’ objections – As you share biblical truths, they will inevidtably raise contradictory points.  Be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in you. (1 Peter 3:15)
14. Beware of the cultists’ fear of disfellowship and shunning – they have been taught that questioning the cult or the leader is the same as questioning God.  They will be kicked out of their social circle if they question the leader.  Be ready to connect them into a loving community of grace.
15. Share your testimony – you are probably not a expert on cults or theology, but you are an expert in what Jesus has done in your life.  Share the gospel of grace through your story.

Notes taken from lectures and articles written by Ergun Caner, Ed Hinson, and Ron Rhodes.  For more articles on Cults, Religions, and Worldviews see “The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics” by Ed Hinson.

“The good news is that the one and only God, who is holy, made us in his image to know him.  But we sinned and cut ourselves off from him.  In his great love, God became a man in Jesus, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross, thus fulfilling the law himself and taking on himself the punishment for the sins of all those who would ever turn and trust in him.  He rose again from the dead, showing that God accepted Christ’s sacrifice and that God’s wrath against us had been exhausted.  He now calls us to repent of our sins and trust in Christ alone for our forgiveness.  If we repent of our sins and trust in Christ, we are born again into a new life, an eternal life with God.”

The BSU at Marshall University holds firmly to the fact that the only hope men and women have for life is found in the Gospel (Romans 1:16).  Without it hope is empty and life is meaningless.  The Gospel is the central message of the entire Bible and the central message of the church.  It’s the foundational purpose we center ourselves upon.

Aug 29, 2011: First night who is Rev

• 1 Thes. 1:2-5

Aug 29, 2011: What is the gospel?    

• Various from Romans

Sept 5, 2011:Labor day cookout  

After Labor Day we will begin our series for the Semester: “10 truths about the Gospel”

Sept 12, 2011  -Truth 1: God is sovereign creator of all things-

• Psalm 19:1; 22:28; 24:1; Isaiah 44:24

Sep 19, 2011 -Truth 2: God created people for his glory

• Psalm 29:1-2; Isaiah 43:6-7; 1 Cor. 10:31

Sept 26, 2011 -Jesus Week – This will be a joint ministry outreach week.

Oct 3, 2011 -Truth 3: God is holy and righteous

• Lev. 19:2,37; Deut. 32:4; Rom. 7:12

Oct 10, 2011 -Truth 4: man in sinful-

• Rom. 3:10-18, 20, 23

Oct 17, 2011 -Truth 5: God is just and right to punish sin-

• Isaiah 59:2; Rom. 1:18; 6:23a

Oct 24, 2011 -Truth 6: God is merciful. He is kind to undeserving sinners-

• Psalm 145:8; Eph. 2:8-9

Oct 31, 2011 -Truth 7: Jesus is God’s holy and righteous son-

• John 1:1; 1 Tim. 1:15

Nov 7, 2011 -Truth 8: God put the punishment of sinners on Jesus-

• Isaiah 53:5; Rom. 5:8; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24

Nov 14, 2011 -Truth 9: God offers the free gift of salvation to those who repent and believe in Jesus-

• Mark 1:15; John 3:16-17; Acts 4:12; Eph. 2:8-9

Nov 21, 2011 -Thanksgiving

Nov 28, 2011 -Truth 10: Those who trust Jesus will live to please Him and will receive the promise of eternal life

• Luke 9:23; John 11:25; 1 John 2:15; Psalm 16:11

Dec 5, 2011 -Christmas Party      

For info contact MarshallRevolution@gmail.com

We will be staying at the Westen Peachtree Plaza.  This hotel is across the street from where we stayed for 2010.  We will have about 35 spots available.  The campus ministry at WVSU, Illuminate, will be joining us this year so spots will be limited.  The rooms are first come first serve.  I will have to cost for a room in the next week or so.

If you want to buy a ticket for Passion 2011 go to the 268generation website to register. Register under WVBSU to be a part of our group.  The cost goes up July 15 so the sooner the better!

“People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, and obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”

What will Heaven be like?
Is Hell real?
Would a loving God send people to Hell?

This is our last topic of the “What is…?” series.

Worship, teaching, discussion, Q & A, and snacks.

What do all these things mean? Join us This Monday at 7 pm in the Campus Christian Center as we discuss how THE END is just the Beginning.