This church sounds like a cult! Spiritual abuse should not be tolerated, and I commend Smith for taking a stand against it. Years ago, my husband and I attened a small-group Bible study where the leaders behaved much like this church. When we expressed our concerns, the couple leading the study (who had been our closest friends) cut all ties with us and bad-mouthed us to the other members. There is an excellent book on this subject called "Faith That Hurts, Faith That Heals: Understanding the Fine Line Between Healthy Faith and Spiritual Abuse," by Stephen Aterburn. My husband is our church librarian, and he ordered it for the library.

Julie.....What if your definition of a 'cult'?

Your statement they "This church sounds like a cult"...needs further explanation.

Have you read the churches doctrinal statement? I've read the churches doctrinal statement, and to me it looks to be a very sound, Bible believing church that has sound in every way.

The real problem today is that some many churches that once were sound, have strayed away, and now yield to the culture.

I wouldn't call them a cult. I don't know anything about them. But I would say they are violating scriptural instructions about how to deal with conflict. So I would be pretty wary about their side of the story.

By "cult," I meant that the church leadership and its members are exhibiting some of the classic behaviors of a cult: enforced loyalty, suppression of dissent,enforced conformity in thinking, and peronal attacks on critics. Upon reflection, "cultlike" may have been a more accurate term for what I meant. And Fred, please keep in mind that any church can have a sound doctrinal statement, but if they don't show love to one another, they are not really following Jesus (see John 13:35). And as Adam pointed out, this particular church is clearly violating scriptural instructions on how to deal with conflict; so in that sense, the church leaders are in sin.

Whatever happened to churches and church members settling things between themselves? I pray that all parties will leave the litigation for secular folks and turn back to the Bible in addressing such criticism and dissent. Need a mediator? Then ask another nearby church to help out. But there is no reason to sue--unless you think of your church as more of a business than a ministry of Jesus Christ.

Well said, Glenn! Using a mediator to settle the dispute is a much more contructive (and biblical) way to approach conflict. In fact, there is a Christian ministry that assists churches and believers in responding biblically to conflict; it is called Peacemaker Ministries. They did a presentation at my place of work some time ago (I work for a Christian denomination). I pray that BGGC will obey God's Word and drop their lawsuit, or that the judge will dismiss the case.

I thought the church was suing the woman who posted comments... She should not have posted these - it is gossip and slander, and the church should not have sued - that is not how the Bible tells us to handle these things.

I guess it depends on the questions and the manner they were asked. If the church is twisting scripture and their doctrine, then questioning the how/why (respectfully) is warranted. If the woman/couple are in sin and rejecting the church's attempts to point out the sin, then the owness falls to the couple.

It could be the church is trying to strong-arm people into complying, and when this woman/couple addressed it, those in power responded inappropriately. Like in an abusive marriage or relationship, the abuser isn't going to admit their fault. This church needs to recind their lawsuit and go with the recommendation of a mediator. Otherwise, this is just another example to the world that believers aren't worth giving the time of day.

“I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!
The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?”
(1Corinthians 6:5–7 NIV11-GK)

I checked out Smith's blog, and this doesn't appear to have been about a church discipline matter. She was trying to expose some very serious problems in the church. For instance, one of her complaints about the church was that they were allowing a known sex offender to work in children's ministry without any safeguards in place. If this is true, and if the church did not address the problem when she brought it to their attention, then people in the community may have a right to know. It seems like she was trying to warn people. I'm not sure that's the same thing as gossip. I guess it depends on what her motives were. There are plenty of blogs out there warning people against cults like the Mormons, JWs, etc., and most Christians probably wouldnt' call that gossip or slander.

I think the main problem was that it seems from the outside that no one actually did what the Bible states in exact order, of how to deal with active sinners in the church. Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Mathew 18:15-17 The King James Version (Authorized)

This is the fruit of Martin Luther and sola scriptura. Disagreements on what the Bible says, fracturing, disputes, misunderstandings, bullying, abuse, prosperity gospel and more.

There is way too much information missing from this story to even start to comment about it, which makes what little information you have here gray at best

It seems that the real problem is a lack of freedom in many churches.

The churches job ought to be to forgive sins (in Jesus' stead) and administer the sacraments.

No sacraments...then you end up with all these 'to do' projects which merely lay the lash of the law on people's backs and lead them to either pride...or despair.

My 2 cents. Thanks.