(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.) chapter 5 so I mean what a great chapter of the Bible there I want to focus particularly on verses 10 to 12 so Matthew chapter 5 and from verse 10 where the Bible reads blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you as shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you now if you've read the Bible through at least once you're likely to notice that living for God makes you pretty unpopular doesn't it living for God does make you unpopular that the real people of God get slandered regularly don't they and much more and much more and that hasn't changed is it that hasn't changed over the last you know few thousand years now we're told here to be happy when that happens aren't we that we're blessed when they revile us which is basically it's basically like railing contemptress untruthful language about us when they persecute us and shall say all manner of evil against us falsely for Jesus sake and that happens a lot doesn't it that happens a lot they'll start to say all manner of evil against you when you start living for God more and more and the title of my sermon today is the you're a cult insult the you're a cult insult now this seems to be quite a popular insult right now does it anyone heard or either being this older heard people like ourselves being called a cult anyone here that's pretty much a large part of the church okay get some of the kids seem to be shielded from that so I'm quite pleased with that okay so this does seem to be popular doesn't it and we you'll see that on message boards what we actually have an ex church member don't we who's been actually ringing people up to tell them apparently they're in a cult by being in a New Testament Church so there is this has become a popular insult and this comes from all sides so obviously you've got the un the God haters the people that are clear that make it clear that they are they they have no interest in God at all the unbelievers obviously are saying this same sort of insult a lot there are people though there are saved Christians it seems or at least people that claim to be saved that will throw out this insult at churches like ours as well those from from sort of well slightly differing beliefs you know on the spectrum but still seem to believe the gospel now obviously there's the ones that just believe clearly in a works religion that will call us a cult as well and and there are those that claim to be saved but are clearly just reprobate scum that will then try and just completely shape people's faith with this insult now it's quite amusing because there are plenty of clearly cults around aren't there in this country I mean we've got them however many in this neighborhood that are just blatant pretty much open cults rich ones at that as well ones that are just like just taking their cult members money ones that do all sorts of evil wicked stuff as well don't they and and you know all the cover-ups of the Jehovah's Witness cult and all the sexual abuse and that and Mormonism as well and and all these all these cut there's cults everywhere aren't there but of course Matthew 12 26 says and if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself how shall then his kingdom stand notice how they're not attacking them now I don't go on the I don't know if they have sermons or liner stuff I I don't go on a Jehovah's Witness YouTube pages and see what the comments are saying but I don't think that the people attacking us I very much doubt that they're spending their time attacking other cults if they did they would probably not have time to attack us would they because there's a lot of cults out there so they don't really seem to fuss about the real cults today that I think most people in the world would agree or call now turn the Psalm 140 Psalm 140 and verse 3 so Psalm 143 140 verse 3 says they have sharpened their tongues like a serpent adders poison is under their lips sealer they have sharpened their tongues like a serpent adders poison is under their lips see it's a mouth isn't it it's a words that they attack with okay and that that was thousand years ago and it's still the same now isn't it that's where most of the attacks come from from the mouth from from the words from the tongue what they want is they want weaker Christians to leave good churches or not come in the first place don't they they want weak Christians to hear that and just think I don't know if I want to be a part of this you know there must be some truth there's no smoke without fire or people to just not get involved in the first place they want to sow that seed of doubt in a stronger Christians as well and I'm not gonna ask for a show of hands but I'm sure they're Christians in this church that have probably heard those you know I had a little moment of doubt had a little think about it mate maybe still are you know they want to weaken preachers as well they want to weaken preachers by trying to scare them into being more liberal to scare them into well I better not be too extreme because I'll be called a cult member I better not be you know I bet I've been not preached this bit because then I'm gonna be called some sort of cult leader okay so they want to do that as well now the word cult isn't found in the Bible so let's go to a modern dictionary to define it okay and and the definitions are pretty similar I looked on a few but we're gonna go with dictionary.com here okay dictionary.com says there's a few different descriptions of a cult number one is a particular system of religious worship especially with reference to his rights and ceremonies now that's pretty open isn't it to interpretation but I don't think they're accusing us of being a different system of religious worship and we do have minimal rights and ceremonies compared to other religions versions of Christianity don't we okay so let's I don't think number one is what they're alluding to here number two an instance of great veneration of a person ideal or thing especially is manifested by body of admirers eg the physical fitness cult now Jesus Christ yes yeah I definitely I have a great veneration for Jesus Christ but then he's more than a person isn't he now this one they might hold on to calling us Andersonites so we'll cover that in a minute number three the object of such devotion so is pastor Anderson or any other part person a cult I don't think so but number four a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing personal ideal etc okay so again that would be something that they might try and use they've tried this angle now veneration in case you're wondering is to revere someone to respect with all okay to revere and to respect with all right sociology a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rights centering around their sacred symbols now if you've noticed in our churches we don't have many sacred symbols you could probably apply this more to the star of Dave sorry star of Ren fan worship of many of our false accusers couldn't you but again I don't think they're using number five number six I would say is the one they probably go to a religion or set considered to be false unorthodox were extremist with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader so this would be one angle I think and number seven the members of such religion or sect that'd be us number eight any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease and that employs methods regardless unorthodox or unscientific so I'll let you know when I finish my book 50 pound pre-order by the way if you do the pre-order it's only 50 quid don't want to sell it on the staircase yeah that's right on a table outside the church okay so our main one staircase the joke you decide our main ones they're number two an instance of great veneration a person I deal a thing especially as manifested by body of admirers number four a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing person ideal etc number six a religion or sect considered to be false unorthodox or extremist with members often living outside a conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader and number seven the members of such a religion and cult so let's start numbers two and four they go together an instance of great veneration of a person ideal of things especially as manifested by body of admirers and the group that are bound together by this so if veneration is to revere someone regard with respect with or great veneration would be great respect with great or right yeah that goes hand in hand doesn't it so there's a difference so isn't there between respecting a pastor or preacher or respecting even admiring anyone in the world because most people do have some respect and admiration for certain people don't they in the world many do with sports stars celebrities teachers etc I'm talking about the unsaved here especially and great veneration great veneration a great respect and great or what is all or is an overwhelming feeling of reverence admiration fear etc produced by that which is grand sublime extremely powerful or the like so if anyone here feels an overwhelming feeling of reverence admiration fear etc overwhelming being the key point here produced by that which is grand sublime extremely powerful or the like for pastor Anderson pastor Thompson pastor you fill in the blank or even me you got issues yeah you've got severe issues and if you do feel like that please come and see me afterwards we could probably start a counseling session and try and get you over that okay but I don't think from everyone I've spoken to in this church I haven't seen that have a witness at all I don't think anyone could really accuse anyone of that having an overwhelming feeling of reverence and not only just saw this is that's all let alone great or great or okay the instance is great veneration not admiration okay so they're saying it's more likely to be a cult when it's manifested by a body of admirers okay so it's not the admiration it's a great veneration which makes them a call and then that's manifested that shown by the body of admirers okay number four was a group or sect bound together by veneration the same thing person ideal etc so firstly there's no sign of great veneration nor veneration of either pastor Anderson or pastor Thompson here I don't think I haven't seen that myself sadly definitely not me which I work on that guys yeah but um but remember that part of veneration is all okay so part of that is all and all is an overwhelming feeling of reverence admiration fear etc like I said now we're definitely not bound together by veneration of anyone here barring Jesus Christ yeah if they want to tell me that we're a cult because we have great veneration for Jesus Christ and guilty yeah guilty and every single person calls themselves self Christian should say the same shouldn't they yeah I have great veneration for Jesus Christ but that's not what they're saying is it no one's saying that if they are then call us a cult but I know for a fact that if I did a show of hands here for favorite preachers you would all say in taverna wouldn't you know you there would be some different names coming up wouldn't there there would be many different preachers coming I know for a fact I know by talking to people and I know from knowing some of you guys over the years not everyone here is going to put their hand up for one preacher are they okay and and that will sometimes change if people like to listen to different people and and and definitely there's not one preacher here that everyone here listens to and greatly venerates okay so that's completely false okay and if you know again like I say this is just one of many things so we're going to go through these okay now they will say no no it's the ideal the ideal of the NIFB cult it's the NIFB cuts the ideal of the NIFB cult that's what they're they've got this overwhelming feeling of reverence admiration fearful but on that yeah you do realize and again like part of this you know I hope some of our you know false accusers might watch this in the future but you do realize that all of the NIFB preachers they do preach differently on a set on non-essential doctrines don't know okay anyone who's listened to some different preachers who are friends yeah who fellowship with each other like many other churches do yeah you do realize that they all do have some different beliefs on doctrines and just just something we've done not long ago we celebrated our once a year Lord's Supper here didn't we okay now I know there are some people in here that have been at other churches do they all celebrate a once a year Lord's Supper oh way and everyone a lot of different churches have a different viewpoint on that don't they okay now if it was a cult wouldn't they all be doing the same thing especially on one of the two two ordinances yeah one of the two ordinances of the New Testament and we do our Lord's Supper differently to other churches especially different to who they will call the cult leader okay and again different beliefs that there's no problem they're different now I've preached passages over the last six months differently I know for sure differently because I've heard since passages differently to our to our other preachers preaching okay and I've interpreted and again no major doctorate issues here but little things differently and in fact our pastor right now is preaching through first Corinthians that we've just done and again I'm listening to him preach through it and there's things that he sees and that he'll he'll basically interpret different to me okay has he ever once said to me no that was wrong you've got to preach exactly what I say not once not once at all he's got absolutely no problem with how I preach because we will interpret things slightly different yeah it shouldn't be a private interpretation should it but at the end of the day none of us are perfect are we okay now with that and because if I did like how could I with conviction preach about if I'm literally just copying someone else I'm just saying okay I can't do that can I so I write myself I won't listen to anything I don't want to look at a Bible study on on a chapter I've done until I've written my sermon okay after that if there's something that I just want to see how other people preach it I might listen to it and especially after I've preached it then I'm happy to okay now with that yeah with that yes we are bound by an ideal though we are bound by an ideal what so ideal that the Bible is he inspired in every word of God aren't we bound by that yeah I hope we're bound by that in this church but isn't that meant to be the position of all Baptists isn't it isn't that part of being a Baptist believing that the Word of God is he inspired an errant Word of God yeah now on the subject of favorite preachers though 1st Corinthians if you turn there to chapter 4 so turn to 1st Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 15 1st Corinthians 4 15 for though ye have 10,000 instructors in Christ yet have you not many fathers for in Christ Jesus I've forgotten you through the gospel wherefore I beseech you be ye followers of me now this is Paul he's preached the gospel to and is responsible for the salvation of the Corinthian Church isn't he and in the same way pastor Steven Anderson is responsible for probably quite a lot of salvation is in this room at the least he's he's responsible for a lot of teaching and a lot of basically people getting right with God in this room okay and trying to live for God now when someone gets you saved you know for sure that they aren't there for a false profit don't you you know if they've got you saved if you know in your heart that you're saved and you know who that person was it got you saved you know they're not a false prophet okay for sure now how about these people that are criticized you know I'm talking here about the people that are seem to be saved Christians that seem to be churches are trying to criticize how about they stop being bitter and just go out and get some people saved yeah go out and get some people saved and then stop being bitter about the people that are doing that Paul then says doesn't he I beseech you be ye followers of me okay I beseech you be ye followers of me them so the Apostle Paul said to follow him didn't he he said to follow him he didn't say right I've got you saved now now you know you just got to make sure you just do your own thing or anything else he said I beseech you be ye followers of me the first epistle to the cult at Corinth is it yeah the first epistle the cult courts was written from no it's a church at Corinth and he's encouraging him to follow him because he says if 1st Corinthians 11 1 be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ and that's what we're doing aren't we will follow someone if they're of Christ okay and if the past is here in this country were following Christ instead of their own bellies we might have followed them wouldn't we we might have followed them if they were bothering to go soul-winning bothering to go solely bothering the plant churches bothering to preach the whole Bible we might have actually followed them we wouldn't have had to troll the internet and sift through the spiritual minefield because it is a spiritual minefield isn't it to finally hear the gospel from someone 500 miles away why have we had to do that to hear the gospel and to get saved because they failed they still are failing yet they'll then try and quit oh well it must be a cult because people are following someone 500 miles away no it's just somebody's preaching the truth it's bold enough to preach truth they're going out preaching the gospel and he's not the only one is he there are many like him but there's nothing wrong with following someone that follows Christ is there that follows Christ as long as you're judging it by the Bible as well otherwise every church in this country is a cult isn't it for every church the world's a cult because we should be following our past we should be following the leader of the church and we otherwise it's a cult but our being bound together is a good thing when it's in the truths of the Bible isn't it it's a good thing turn to 1st Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 10 1st Corinthians 1 10 says now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment wow that's Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit telling us to do that Philippians 2 2 says fulfill ye my joy that ye be like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind okay we should we should be bound together by the truth though shouldn't we okay that's what makes a good church churches where everyone has a new doctrine different beliefs are an absolute mess aren't they they're an absolute mess and they always just end up doing nothing for God or end up destroyed don't they okay we should be bound together but more likely more likely because that one is ridiculous really but more likely the false accusers would be alluding to point six and seven on this dictionary.com definition of a cult so number six to remind you was a religion or sect considered to be false unorthodox or extremist with members often living outside a conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader number seven the members of such a religion or sect now a religion or sect is sect is basically a section of religion turn to Acts 24 but sect can be used negatively like the word coal okay and we see that in the Bible because there's nothing new under the Sun what they're trying to accuse us of now was the same way they were trying to disparage people back 2,000 years ago now Acts 24 the Jews use the orator Tertulus to accuse Paul to the Roman governor of Judea Festus yeah and in Acts 24 verse 5 he says for we have found this man a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes who also have gone about to profane the temple whom we took and would have judged according to our law so we say he's trouble he's affecting thousands he's a cult leader he's a cult leader he's saying blasphemous things about Judaism okay have we ever heard that before I think we have haven't we turn over to Acts 28 while you're in acts and Paul is speaking to the Jews having arrived in Rome and acts 28 and verse 21 and they said unto him acts 28 21 they said unto him we neither receive letters out of Judea concerning thee neither any of the brethren that came showed or spoke any harmony but we desire to hear of thee what thou think is for as concerning this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against so just because this sect and when they would call it now a cult was spoken against did that make it a false one didn't did it didn't make it a false one so they're saying a religion or sect considered to be false unorthodox or extremist with members often living outside of a conventional certain direction of a charismatic leader so a religion or section of considered to be false by whose standards is that then so whose standards is that because really it doesn't matter does it because there's only one standard in faith and practice isn't there the preserved Word of God so that's the standard we've got to judge it by isn't it the preserved Word of God yeah that's what preserved preserved like God promised in Psalm 12 verses 6 and 7 where he said the words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in the furnace of earth purified seven times thou shalt keep them O Lord thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever like he said in Matthew 24 35 heaven and earth shall pass away but my word shall not pass away Isaiah 40 verse 8 where he said the grass withereth the flower fadeth but the Word of our God shall stand forever okay God said didn't he that he'd preserve it are we a cult for believing God are we are we a cult for believing God or are you a cult for venerating your Bible correctors your self-proclaimed scholars your worldly theologians above God because some of them always say it's a King James only cult no we just believe the Word of God you're the one venerating man aren't you you're the one worshipping your cult leader because he's got some letters after his name or because he sounds so intelligent oh he just seems to speak Greek so well oh well what well you're the one venerating man aren't you no we're venerating God because God said he preserve his word you hypocrites my preserved Word of God says that our religion is true I don't about yours but mine says that what we do and what we believe is true what do the enemies of the but sorry the enemies of us think is false our stance on the gospel you've heard that haven't you our stance on the gospel but the Bible is clear that salvation is a free gift and no works are required at all so yeah are we wrong about that are we wrong about that because I'd love you to show us clearly that we're wrong about that's about that look the Bible is clear isn't it that salvation is a free gift we don't believe in a magic marker saying of your sins every time the word repentance is found do we that just disappears when you read your Bible but really it's there because every time the word repent or repentance is there with salvation they actually mean of your sins it's just disappeared it's just disappeared out of all we don't believe that do we no but oh we're a cult for not believing in the magic marker theory no but it's no it's no shock is it that the work salvation is false prophets attack us is it okay that's no shock that's nothing new turn to Acts chapter 18 and verse 12 Acts chapter 18 and verse 12 and when galio was the deputy of a chia the Jews made insurrection with one accord against pool and brought him to the judgment seat saying this fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law that evil cult leader Paul again that evil cult that charismatic leader persuading people is that what he is by preaching the gospel by preaching the gospel contrary to the law as they see it okay but we're not a cult because we preach what the Word of God says and we'll show verse after verse after verse showing that what salvation is and not trying to hand pick something out and take it out of context go well well that disproves hundreds of grace through faith salvation verses ridiculous but what about those that appear to be saved what about those that don't try and question I'll preach you the gospel instead of shouting cult why don't they show us the things that they have a problem with yeah so what do they have a problem with what they claim is false our starts on the post trip pre-wrath rapture maybe maybe that's their problem but why don't they show us a verse or two from the Bible instead of shouting cult why don't they prove their position because they can't can they our stance on replacement theology why don't they explain Galatians to us and whilst I had it pretty much every other book of the New Testament because they can't perhaps they've venerated Scofield Darby Larkin their Bible college teacher and the rest of them maybe they're venerating man are they rather than the Word of God who's the cult the dictionary says a religion or section of considered unorthodox so unorthodox is not conforming to rules traditions or modes of conduct as of a doctrine religion or philosophy not orthodox okay where do the rules and modes of conduct come from in Christianity the Bible don't they come from the Bible so a section of Christianity that doesn't conform to the Bible could be considered a cult could it at least they might be ticking one of the cult boxes interesting that because some of the things they're accusers of my Bible says in mark 16 15 and he said unto them go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature I hope your Bible says the same if you're holding a King James Bible go and preach go and preach so how many of these accusers go and preach none they might go and hand out a tract they might stand in their church and preach but how many of them go and preach yet they'll call us a cult because we go out so winning unbelievable isn't it because my Bible says to do that my Bible says in 1st Timothy 2 9 in like manner also that women adorned themselves in modest apparel with shame face in this and sobriety not with boy did hell gold or pearls of costly array modest apparel so the fact that we like to encourage our women and we preach that women should dress like women and not dress like we spoke about last week like some to Bob Hall apparently we're a cult away are we a cult for that because that's what my Bible says is that unorthodox because it does seem to be unorthodox compared with each other if they're not preaching that if they're not encouraging that sounds to me like they started they're starting to tick the cult box because my Bible says in Genesis 9 7 and you be ye fruitful and multiply bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply therein translation have lots of children so we're cold because we want to have lots of children no but I tell you what those those churches are on those people that aren't preaching that they starting to tick those cult boxes aren't they because where's where does where does the orthodox part comfort comes from the Bible who's a cult what because we're trying our best to conform to the rules traditions and modes of conduct from the Bible the dictionary says a religion or section of considered extremist are we extremists are we extremists extremists a supporter or advocate of extreme doctrines or practices what's extreme so extreme is of a character or kind farthest removed from the ordinary or average well the ordinary or average depends on who you comparing to doesn't it doesn't it if you compared to the liberal evangelical Church then pretty much everyone is an extremist aren't they pretty much everyone in the world's probably an extremist compared with some of these churches if you compare to the biggest church the Roman Catholic Church I use the word church loosely there then me not wearing a dress right now and chanting in Latin is considered extreme okay I'm probably an extremist for wearing a suit but this is Christianity isn't it it all comes from the inspired Word of God doesn't it second Timothy 3 16 says all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is possible for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness so the ordinary or average is found in the Bible isn't it or do we just make it up as we go along does that make it ordinary or average no it's found in the Bible the Bible that says in Leviticus 2013 if a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman both of them have committed an abomination they shall surely be put to death their blood shall be upon them the Bible says that doesn't it so calling for a righteous government to do that is not extremist is it no in fact not agreeing with that makes you some sort of extreme liberal doesn't it if you claim to be a Christian but you're disagreeing with the Word of God you're some sort of extremist you're the extreme liberal now in the same way let's give them this as would bearing arms and rounding up every sodomite in town and Leviticus 2013 in them that would be extreme but we're not calling to do that are we we're calling for a government a righteous government to follow what the Word of God says okay the Bible that says in Romans 1 and from verse 26 you don't have to turn now I'm sure a lot of you know these verses for this cause God gave them up unto vile affections for even their women did you change the natural use into that which is against nature and likewise also the men leaving the natural use of woman burdened their lust one toward another men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meat and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient so believing that sodomites are given up by God unto vile affections given over to a reprobate mind is not extremist is it that's not extremist that's what the Bible says not believing it is an extreme position not believing that the clear Word of God is an extreme position where you're saying no I'm chucking out the Bible I've got my own position that's extremism as is as is the other side claiming that all non-believers are reprobates and I'm thinking of our Calvinist friends here yeah because that's what they pretty much believe don't they anyone that's not a believer or doesn't become a believer is basically a reprobate okay that's an extreme position they're extremists because the Word of God doesn't say that does it okay and no one I know known church that we like and that we love and that our pastor is friends with has ever preached any of that have they okay the Bible that says in 1st Timothy 5 14 I will therefore that the younger women marry bear children guide the house give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully so believing that God wants women to have children and look after the home is not extremist is it no because Paul's writing under the inspiration of Holy Spirit there that's not extreme not believing it is an extreme position isn't it that's extreme you're going against what the Bible says that is what ordinary that's what the normal that's what the average is what the Bible says isn't it now in the same way as would maybe banning a wife from ever leaving the house that would be extreme okay because then you're going beyond what the Bible says but again have you ever heard that preached I haven't heard that preached I've just heard the Bible preached the Bible that says in 1st Corinthians 5 11 to 13 but now I've written unto you not to keep company if any man is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one know not to eat for what have I to do to judge them also that are without do not you judge them that are within but them that are without God judges therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person believing that we should kick certain types of believers out of the church is an extreme is it it's not extreme because the Bible tells us to do it not believing that you should is an extreme position that's extreme if you're not kicking people out believers for these sins you're an extremist believing that you put them away by stoning them or something would be extreme wouldn't it so put them away from you if we decided right that means we all got to pick up rocks and stone them and we'll put them away for good that would be extreme but no one's preaching that are they no one's calling for that we're just preaching the Bible you get the idea don't you okay you get the idea and that's the same with everything else because look the dictionary definition of a cult had being considered false unorthodox or extremist and again you could go to one person they'll say you're extreme you go to the other where do we go to we go to the Word of God because we're Christians okay combined combined with members often living outside a conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader I'm yet to see a new independent fundamental Baptist commune anyway anyone know of one I haven't heard of this anywhere I'll be honest at times I probably would have but that would be wrong okay but there is no NIFB commune anywhere like this local Jehovah's Witness neighborhood up the road that brother Ben sent me a photo of not long ago where they actually all live together yeah but I'll forget them forget them because again you know it's Satan gonna come up against Satan now they're going for us aren't they okay or the Muslim communities around the country how many of how many Muslim communities around the country where they're basically they're living outside of conventional society yeah I don't know about how charismatic their leaders are I've never spoke to any of these imams but maybe they are maybe they are but I'll tell you what that to me sounds like a cult doesn't it yeah okay and look it can be tempting to want to go out into the countryside somewhere can't it and and just go and live away from it all and I finally all our Christian brothers and sisters could do that but Jesus said in John 17 15 I pray not that thou should us take them out of the world but thou should us keep them from the evil okay and at the end of the day we need to yeah we need to keep away from the evil but we need to be in the world because we have a job to do here don't we yeah we have a job to do here and that's why we live inside conventional society that's why the men here have jobs yeah that's why that's why we teach our kids more than more than the Bible because they have to they have to function in society don't they okay that's why we do this that's why we still live in society now what about the charismatic leader who's directing the commune so again whether or not they want to call someone charismatic that doesn't make it a cult the charismatic leaders directing the commune would a church camping trip count I'd have to get a bit more charismatic first wouldn't I okay so okay so that's the dictionary that's the dictionary but there's this big evangelical pastor called Mike Bickle anyone heard of this guy Mike Bickle okay so he was quite quite big news in evangelical circles false prophet all day long but he wrote this seven signs that you're in a cult anyone ever heard of this so okay so this is quite you know a lot of people go to this you see a lot of news articles when they go well the seven signs you're in a cult says it's okay so it seems quite popular and considering that our accusers clearly from what I've I've shown you so far don't seem very discerning when it when it comes to the dictionary definition of this maybe they're going off this maybe they're going off the seven signs you're in a cult because so far they've been wrong on every point okay of the dictionary so let's have a look at the seven signs because they're definitely not going off the dictionary definition so number one opposing critical thinking okay I don't know of any other churches any other that encourage independent reading as much as our types of churches does anyone else know that I don't know any church that encourages you the amount our churches do to go home and read your Bible to read your Bible daily to read it cover for cover cover to cover I don't know of any other churches that turn to so much Bible scripture as our types of churches I know I've been a bit quickfire today with the Bible scripture by the end of the day and and it's been less than many many sermons but I'll tell you it's probably more than most churches around this country preaching right now yeah I don't know any other churches that turn to that much Bible do you anyone anyone being in a church where they're just going to verse after verse like most sermons will listen to no there's no thus saith the pastor in our churches it's thus saith the Lord isn't it by going to verses by not just having a springboard verse and then preaching your own views and opinions for 15 minutes or whatever the little sermon at time is okay number two then so opposing critical thinking you can't accuse that can you you can't accuse that because it's all off the Word of God number two isolating members and penalizing them for leaving okay you're welcome to leave a church like ours if you want to okay you're welcome to now obviously we want what's best for you yeah we want you to be in a proper church we want you to raise your families in a church like this we don't but what we don't want is people here that don't want to be here okay if you don't want to be here we don't want you here because you're not going to benefit the church okay so I don't know if anyone is here and I just don't want to be don't we're not going to be you know going on about you for years that person that left no by all means leave we prefer that won't be any hard feelings okay we're more likely to kick someone out than the penalizer for leaving aren't we that's the truth and again I don't know any cults that are just kicking people out okay look we're more likely to kick you out and penalize you for leaving but we're not trigger-happy to do that either we want people in a church yeah of course we want you in a church we don't want to scatter the sheep but we also want to follow the Word of God don't we so again isolating members and penalizing them for leaving no way okay number three emphasizing special doctrines outside scripture you know like Calvinism or dispensational teachings you know those ones those special doctrines outside of scripture emphasize to the point where you can't have official membership at those churches if you don't say you believe them anyone know of churches like this I speak to a brother the other day whose church he's not allowed to join the church as a member because he doesn't believe in Zionism and the pre-trib rapture okay you know those special doctrines outside of scripture where you emphasize them to the point where you can't be an official member of the church I know a country I know a church in this country where you're banned this guy would get banned if he even visited a church that doesn't agree with Zionism okay this is a so-called independent fundamental Baptist Church yeah that seems to be right on the gospel that's told him that he is banned if he visited a church like ours in fact he nearly got banned just for just for coming on a soul-winning marathon a few years back that is wicked isn't it that's emphasizing special doctrines outside scripture but all our doctrines are clearly scriptural aren't they every single one of our doctrines is from the Bible we're not emphasizing special doctrines outside of scripture so no for number three how about number four we're not doing very well here on this only seven points if we're looking to be a cult seeking inappropriate loyalty to their leaders oh here we go seeking inappropriate loyalty our churches seek appropriate loyalty to their leaders don't we we seek appropriate loyalty leaders being the individual churches pastor deacon evangelist and leader if a satellite church like ours they're our leader aren't they okay the pastor if we had a deacon an evangelist and the satellite leader of the leaders of this church and we do want appropriate loyalty okay there should be some appropriate loyalty first seth Thessalonians 5 12 to 13 look so you guys haven't really turned anywhere you might be getting a bit finger happy turn there turn there let's turn there people's fingers are probably just twitching like just give me a verse come on I want to beat the rest of the church to get their quickest okay first Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 12 says and we beseech you brethren to know them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and be at peace among yourselves okay so here he's saying to know them that are over you admonish you and to esteem them very highly that's appropriate isn't it that's appropriate loyalty to esteem people highly inappropriate would be loyalty even if those people in serious disqualifying sin wouldn't it okay that would then be inappropriate loyalty and look no a pastor's child doing something wrong and being disciplined for it doesn't disqualify them okay and again I'm not going to go into that again because it's it's ridiculous we're years later and it was an incident okay it might have been an incident going on for a bit but that's done it's done isn't it it's moved on from it's being dealt with that does not disqualify them however many disgruntled ex-church members say otherwise and produce YouTube videos and other things that doesn't make that true does it funny how the people that seem to care so much often attend less qualified churches if at all it's funny that isn't it they go to these churches with these pastors where like the kids are completely wayward you know where the wife's in a job or whatever else and not guiding the home or anything else but it doesn't matter because they're just because we know what the truth is spiritual it's an attack on so many churches isn't it okay maybe inappropriate loyalty is when your pastor is preaching false doctrines and heresy every single week and you don't even politely disgust it with them maybe that is inappropriate loyalty isn't it no one says we have to just sit in a church like that week and week out yeah and when you're hearing things like that you're not even discussing I would say that's inappropriate loyalty isn't it okay and again if I was preaching just clear blatant heresies by all means you should be discussing it with me and same if our pastor was yeah okay so number four no number five dishonoring the family unit our churches are the biggest champions of the family unit aren't they aren't they I mean wow you hear preaching on the family unit all the time constant preaching on the importance of it the fact that pastor doesn't have any power inside someone's home okay they don't do they okay again that that's just again you can't use that that's ridiculous number six then crossing biblical boundaries of behavior versus sexual purity and personal ownership we sure as hell aren't some sort of sex cult okay definitely not we preach hard about sexual purity don't we don't we we're the only kind of churches where you hear regular preaching on fornication yeah and many other sexual sins including even kicking people out okay that that that are involved in that sort of sin okay we're some of the only church that do that and crossing biblical boundaries on behavior I mean how about just rolling out the red carpet for sodomites into your church I would say that's crossing biblical boundaries isn't it okay praise God that we that we don't do that and number seven separation from the church which church is that led a separation from the church we are the church aren't we how do you separate from yourself that's odd it's a bit hard isn't it unless you're into that invisible universal Catholic Church stuff okay but fortunately we're not into that if we separate from our church that would be odd wouldn't it but I suppose if a group from the church did so if maybe a group from the church you know some sort of you know for example some sort of objection to us teaching the biblical Trinity decided that's it they're out of it and then they started doing their own thing now that could be considered a cult couldn't it okay or at least it would tick that one that one box it would probably start to tick all the others with time as well wouldn't it okay so as you can see the accusations are completely ridiculous aren't they I'm look I don't know where because where else you going to you either going to the dictionary and every single one of those points to can't apply to our church and and our church and churches like ours or you're going to some sort of you know false prophet or whatever seven signs you're in a so you're in a cult and it's not much different out there they're their signs and look there are many cults that yeah I could have like giving you histories of all the famous cults but it's it's just pointless isn't it just a lot of wicked perverts and everything else okay so anyone that throws it out as an insult is clearly a complete imbecile aren't they they're just showing their complete ignorance they're showing how stupid they are aren't they so anyone that's still anyone that watches this sermon and then comes on the comments or sends me something or carries on ringing our church members going I'm scared for you you're in a cult yeah it's clearly a complete moron aren't they and look if you want to show that you're a complete moron go ahead okay you already done that anyway the people that have done that but but we're gonna keep seeing this you'll see it on the message boards won't you and then like I said they're just showing their foolishness but look the truth is that being saved let alone Bible believing and wanting to follow the Bible does make us a minority and a target doesn't it okay that's the truth it makes us a minority and a target so we are gonna keep getting this we of course the devil wants to find ways and it is one that will shake some people up now again I'm not gonna ask for show hands but I would imagine there people there that probably have been a little bit shaken up by that sort of accusation got a bit worried and everything else no look we follow the Bible okay we follow the Word of God the Word of God that got you saved yeah and if we built it if you believed it for salvation what are you just gonna discard the rest of it no we believe the Word of God don't we so turn to Matthew 7 it doesn't make us a cult being some of the few it just makes us some pretty blessed people okay it makes us some pretty blessed people that we're some of the few Matthew chapter 7 and verse 13 says enter ye in at the straight gate for wide is a gate and broad is a way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in there at because straight is a gate and narrow is a way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it okay no one's calling the mainstream denominations the mainstream Christians a cult are they no one's calling the atheists a cult no one's calling the Catholic Church the Muslims some we might call the Muslims a cult the Catholics a cult but most aren't are they they're not but who cares most of them on the broad way to hell aren't they that's the truth most of them on the broad way to hell yeah we want to get them saved yeah we want to try and get people saved but they're gonna keep calling us a cult they were calling them a sect before they'll call us a cult now but just stay strong stay in the faith you know keep bold we're some of the few with some of the blessed few with some of the remnant aren't we with some of the remnant on that let's pray heavenly father I thank you for your word I thank you for this group of people this group of people that you know we want to be bound with bound together with but with with that love for you that love for the truth the love for the Word of God and I thank you that that you strengthen the strengthen us with your word that you help us to see through these these you know these people that just just shoot their arrows from their tongues the poison coming out of their mouths are set that you just help us to just put it clearly in perspective with the Word of God with the examples and with your clear scripture thank you that you blessed us with this church thank you for everyone here thank you that that we can all come together and be strong and bold against these attacks please protect us from that please keep us strong starting with today when we go out and preach the gospel help us to get people saved this afternoon help us to to encourage people to want to get involved with with our cult with our with our group of Bible believing Christians here that the world will call a cult but but you will call your beloved your beloved children and we thank you for that you know we pray that we have a good day and that we can all return back here this evening for this evening service in Jesus name we pray amen