Christian Message Boards: Dangerous Cult

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Posted by BradA (Member # 1267) on :

I was involved in a group called Sound Doctrine based out of Enumclaw, WA headed by Timothy and Carla Williams. Winepress publishing is affliated with them and prints all their material. www.sdoctrine.org

This is a very dangerous group!! I became completely brain washed and was never so scared or terrified in all my life. The Lord pulled me out of that situation and I praise HIM!! My wife did a remarkable job at finding ex-members to help me recover.

I never thought that could ever happen to me, but the Lord showed me what happens when I put HIM aside and take hold of a man. My guard was down, and I was nearly destroyed, but the LORD is faithful, even when I was faithless. AMEN.

I no longer have anything to do with Sound Doctrine ministries, except to warn others.
Timothy Williams has found a way to justify his own hatred using God, and keeps those around him to feed his conscience. He feeds off praise. Sadly, those people are honestly seeking the Lord, but are decieved by Tim Williams. I pray for them.
Here is how they work:

They make it sound as if they serve as a connection point for those who wish to join their church. The connection point by means of their message board, "loser for Jesus” message board (which is private), email, phone calls, etc...

Here is an excerpt from their application:

quote:

Many of the individuals who contact us are looking for a church in their area that shares the same beliefs as we do. Unfortunately, we are seldom able to point them to a suitable fellowship. As Jesus said, the love of most grows cold in the last days and finding a good church is extremely difficult. This agreement form is an attempt to reach out to those who are struggling to find a fellowship that both preaches and lives out the true gospel of the message of the cross. Of course, nothing can compare to close and daily fellowship with other disciples of Jesus — the power, love, and joy are overwhelming, and sin is sure to be dealt with. Since there are individuals in a various places who desire to follow Jesus by denying themselves and picking up their cross, Sound Doctrine can serve as a connection point.

Fellowship in the Light (1 John 1:6-7) is crucial to our spiritual growth and safety. As a member you
will gain the following benefits.
· Love and purity by the power of the Holy Spirit (Colossians 1:8).
· Online fellowship through email lists.
Prayer board.
Women and Men’s boards.
Loser for Jesus™ message board.
· Weekly sermon tapes mailed at no cost.
· Prayer covering and accountability by those who understand the message of the cross.
· Special meetings in Enumclaw, WA as the Lord leads.
· Fellowship with those around the world who desire the crucified life.
· Someone you can turn to and fellowship with day or night.
Visits and fellowship by others as the Lord leads.

The following took place over a period of about 6 months:

I submitted my application, and they put it on "hold" to put it "before the Lord". The initial requirement was to agree with about 12 points (which were not astoundingly unusual, but basic Christian beliefs) and listen to the tape called "joining Sound Doctrine".

Each step of the way more requirements were added to become accepted as a member. The only proclaimed requirements are:

quote:

Anyone can join Sound Doctrine Church by either becoming a disciple of Jesus or by proving that they have been a disciple of Jesus. There are members are in different parts of the world. Why This Agreement? This agreement is for your benefit. We want you to understand in advance what it would mean to
join, so there are no surprises down the road (Acts 26:26). We want your joy to be full, so this agreement is intended to help alleviate any fears you may have - for the love and joy that God has worked, and continues to work, in our fellowship is powerful and holy. But, you should also have a holy fear about joining, (Acts 5:13).
Joining Sound Doctrine Church is about following Jesus close enough to “honor one another above yourself” (Romans 12:10). It is a decision you should make in the power of the Holy Spirit - a
power that the Holy Spirit can give because you hate your own life, deny yourself and carry your cross as you follow Jesus. Carefully consider the points below and, if you agree with them, you can join Sound Doctrine Church by signing this agreement.
Test us, as we test you, and those approved by leadership may join Sound Doctrine Church (1Thessalonians 5:21).

All of that is pure deception. They add requirements along the way, until you have moved to Enumclaw, WA - with or without your family- where they will finally accept you a member and probably only after being baptized by them - . They may allow you to stay where you live only if it benefits them in some way, usually having to do with money. I was not such an exceptional case. There are only 3 of these exceptional cases (as far as I saw). One couple is in England, one lady is in Japan, and another person in the U.S. Everyone else has moved from other places to Enumclaw, WA. The church first started in Springfield, Missouri; then moved to Colorado. Then they moved to WA, because they were invited by the owners of Winepress publishing.

The next step was for me to read the book "essential piece".
Then they wanted me to listen to more tapes.
Then they wanted me to listen to a couple more labeled "let your life boat go", "prepare to fellowship", and "calling someone a brother".

Then I was to pray about either them visiting me or me visiting them. I was to pray about it, although according to them the obvious and best thing would be for me to visit them. I live in PHX, AZ.

Then I was to pray about taking at least one of my children with me.

All the while my wife grew more and more hostile toward Sound Doctrine. The more my wife was enraged, the more they insisted on me visiting with at least one child.

Then I was instructed to separate myself from my family for at least 3 days, to seek the Lord, since my wife became very hostile toward me, and rightly so. I was also instructed to buy a cell phone so they could contact me at anytime. I was also instructed to make up a list of requirements for a Godly home and send it to them for revision, before presenting it to my wife after the 3 days.

My wife was in complete agony and desperation by this time.
I was in complete terror and agony as well. As I followed their instructions, I became more and more terrified. I became extremely confused and tormented. I had lost who God is. My image of God had become extremely distorted.

After the second night, I felt more and more at peace when I thought about Paul saying "stay where you are called" in 1 Cor 7. I finally felt ok to tell my wife, that I did not have to go to Washington. She then spoke to me of her repentance to God of all she had done in the past. I never heard my wife speak like this before. She was truly repenting to God. I told her I was coming home, but after more prayer first.

On my way to the mountain to pray, I got a call from Malcolm at Sound Doctrine. I told him of my wife's repentance. He questioned her sincerity and told me that was not true repentance. I asked him for an example of true repentance. He said, "True repentance would be for example, if she allowed you to go visit Washington with one of your children, and if she called Carla Williams to appologize for how she talked with her on the phone."

Malcolm also stated to me that even if I did not have the conviction in my heart from God, I still needed to listen to whatever they said, because after all, I was just a babe in Christ and can not hear as clearly from the Lord as they can, since so much of my flesh and sin is in the way.

I was much more at peace after speaking with Malcolm, because the Lord started to expose their errors to me.

They operate by being rude and unkind. This is supposed to get you to feel pain, which they call the "cross". They focus so much on sin and exposing sin, that it keeps everyone beaten down; but keeps Tim Williams elevated and in control. Those people will do just about anything Tim Williams says, and if there is any question about it, he will twist and distort scriptures to drive home his point. Every one is kept in complete mental fear. If they dare to question too much, they will be "disciplined" by some form of public humiliation or by not being allowed to fellowship with others - disfellowshiped.

Sound Doctrine has left an enormous amount of pain and suffering in its wake. It is terrible and has no love. Tim Williams has found a way of justifying his own hatred and gathers other people under his control, to seer his conscience. I pray those people will leave and his hatred will be exposed. I pray that he will repent. I pray that he will confess and ask forgiveness from those many, many, many, many, broken and hurting families.

This group is the darkest of cults. This is a real cult. I no longer consider Jeovah witness, mormon, catholic, coc, Icoc, cults; but rather damnable heresies. Sound doctrine is a cult; a pure cult.

Here is exactly how the mind game works:
http://www.caic.org.au/biblebase/abuse/abuse1.htm

I would like to post an email I recieved from Malcolm. It is good that the efforts of warning people are making their way back to Sound Doctrine. Amen.

quote:

Brad,

It is disappointing (if not unexpected) to find that you have now resorted
to spreading slander, gossip, and false accusations in order to justify
yourself and cover over your own sin.

Prov 21:28 A false witness will perish, and whoever listens to him will be
destroyed forever.

love in Christ,
Malcolm

I would also like to show what was written to me from Malcolm, so others may better understand these things:

quote:

Hi Brad,

I’m going to lay some stuff out clearly:

1. You need to make a decision; either God or your wife. Right now, you are still holding on to your wife way too much and this is allowing her to control you- and, therefore, God cannot get control of the situation through you. You need to make a clear-cut decision to either give up everything (that means, quite possibly, your job, your family, your house, your money…everything!) and follow Jesus, or to hold onto your wife and your life and give up God.

Mat. 10:37-38 “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”

Right now, you are not proving yourself worthy of Jesus Christ.

2. It is absolutely vital that, if you choose God, you stay in fellowship. You need to put forth some real effort. There are obviously obstacles to this- but you need to overcome them by faith. Buy more than one phone card or, even better, go out and buy a cell phone – and make sure you keep it with you and out of reach of your wife. The bottom line is this: Tim Williams has been through this kind of situation many times before and wants to help you. But if you don’t make some real effort to stay in touch and take advantage of his experience and wisdom from the Lord, then there is little point in him continuing to give you advice.

This is serious. You are being way too weak and not showing the zeal and commitment and love for the Lord of a true brother. If you continue to be slow and lukewarm and choose your own way – and allowing your wife to control the situation – then there is also little point in us continuing to fellowship at all. Don’t misunderstand: it’s not that we don’t want to fellowship, but God requires those who will be committed and forceful. He’s not going to waste time with those who don’t really want Him.

Mat 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

3. If you get through points 1 and 2 and are still determined to follow the Lord and fellowship with us, then here’s what you need to do in order to get control of the situation and get back in step with the Spirit.

Gal 5:25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Leave the house for at least three days. Preferably, don’t even go home after work. Simply go to a friend’s house or check into a hotel. Then call your wife and tell her that you are seeking the Lord and will not be home for three days. Do NOT allow her to persuade you to go back earlier and do NOT tell her where you are.
If that’s not possible and you have to go home first (or have already gone home when you get this message), do NOT talk to or tell your wife about your plans. Make preparations while she is not around and leave in the middle of the night while she is asleep. Leave a brief note explaining to your children that you have gone away for a short time to seek the Lord. Under NO circumstances return home before the three days is up, or before talking to us about it.

Take the earliest opportunity to get a cell phone. Keep it with you, take it to work (even if you can’t us it), and preferably don’t even let your wife know that you have it.

While you are away, make up an agreement form of what YOU (and God) require from your marriage. Do not tell your wife about it. Work on it and e-mail it to us so we can help you with it. Before you return home, you can meet with your wife and find out which parts of it she will agree to and which parts she won’t.

If there are obstacles to any of this, ask the Lord how to overcome them or call one of us here to talk it over. But don’t hesitate on taking action.

4. Go over this message carefully before the Lord and make sure you understand it clearly and are firmly resolved in your own heart. We are trying to help you as brothers in the Lord, but this is all your choice. You must have the conviction of the truth and wisdom of this in your own heart from the Lord.

Please be assured of our continued love and constant prayers. My cell phone number is 555-555-5555. You can contact me ANY time on that number if you have any questions, problems or for any other reason.

Phil 2:1-2 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being on in spirit and purpose.

Love in Christ,
Malcolm