Jeremiah Tipton warns against cult-like dynamics in churches: cutting off family who question the group, demonizing people who leave, and using fear to trap members. Healthy faith communities don't enforce isolation or label dissenters as evil.
If you feel like you have to cut off family members because they don't exactly align with the ministry you're in, it's a sign you might be in a cult. When you have people who leave the church and they're all talked bad about, that's a sign that you might be in a cult. When you're discouraged from leaving through fear and intimidation, it's a sign that you might be in a cult. I mean, everybody who left was the problem? Everybody who left was deceived? That's isolation. Or they'll say, cut off those family members, cut off those friends who would dare cause you to question us. Good, godly, grounded people—not chronically offended people who get offended just because it's the church doing it—but I'm talking about people who are are walking with the Spirit. They love you; they love the Lord; they love ministry; they love the church, and they're seeing some signs there, and they say, "Hey, that might not be a healthy environment," and you're told to cut yourself off from them. All of a sudden, the people who've been there your whole life—all of a sudden, the people who've helped you through seasons of ups and downs—all of a sudden, they're now the problem. Think about that. Out of nowhere, they're the problem. That's a red flag. This idea of isolation, especially watch, especially how they treat those members who leave. It's always a spirit of rebellion. It's always God's judgment. You're treated like a villain. That is unhealthy. There are moments that you ought to disconnect. Bad company corrupts good morals. We understand this. But that disconnect comes when the darkness in others is weakening the shining of the light in you. This idea of isolation doesn't apply to other believers.
