[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Charnock

Signs of a Controlling Church

http://youtu.be/IYZ9xVoRDTY

Signs of controlling leaders:
1. Does the leadership teach that God will speak to the leader before He will speak to you?
2. Does the leadership curse people who leave the church?
3. Does the leadership teach that they are the only "true church" and that all other churches are wrong?
4. Are you forbidden to talk to anyone who has left the church?
5. Are you forbidden to fellowship with your family if they are not saved, or do not belong to your church?
6. Is there an overemphasis of teaching on submission to authority?
7. Are you discouraged from reading books that are not approved by leadership?
8. Are you forbidden to attend or visit any church that is outside your denomination or fellowship?
9. Are people publicly embarrassed or humiliated by leadership?
10. Are people afraid to voice any opinion contrary to leadership?
11. Are marriages being broken by leadership?
12. Are people manipulated in their giving by leadership?
13. Does every decision people make in your personal life have to be approved by leadership?

The two points I would be concerned with is #3 & #8.
If he is speaking of a local church being the only true church I would agree but if he is saying folks outside the Apostolic church are saved then he is in error and a false prophet.
We commanded not to fellowship the unfruitful works of darkness which would be false churches.
Outside of those two I see no problems. He had some odd treachings himself through the years just saying.