I was just reading the introduction to Correcting the Cults by Ron Rhodes and Norman Geisler. I’m not sure that I’ll read all the way through it, although it does look to be a well written and well intentioned book. In any case, I picked it up after a fairly in depth conversation with a set of Mormon missionaries and ran across this short paragraph. I’m not sure how I feel about it yet, but it’s implications are certainly compelling.
“One noted cult researcher observed that the cults are “the unpaid bills of the church.” The church has failed to doctrinally train its members; it has failed to make a real moral difference in the lives of its members; it has failed to meet people’s deepest needs; and it has failed to provide people with a sense of belonging. The failure of the church is wide and deep, and this has made it easy for cults to flourish.”
Ouch. But I think I agree.
The theology and doctrine sit back seat to other causes like “community” or social justice or “organic” worship. Of course few seem to see how silly these things are, since without theology and doctrine, there’s no real foundation for such things.
The rise and increase in cult activity and membership might just be one of the symptoms of a theologically, doctrinally, biblically deprived church.
