Charismatic Captivation: Authoritarian Abuse and Psychological Enslavement in Neo-Pentecostal Churches

Multitudes of sincere and trusting believers are caught in the virtually invisible web of religious captivation in the churches they attend, ministries they are under, and networks they are aligned with...and don't know it!These faithful followers of Christ are unaware victims of spiritual abuse, psychological enslavement, and exploitation perpetrated under the heavy-hand of hyper-authoritarianism. That is to say, the leadership of the church-group of which they are a part is dominating, controlling, manipulating, and exploiting their followers for personal gain and private kingdom-building. Through systematic indoctrination, victims are duped into accepting as biblical and beneficial the oppressive and abusive predominance imposed upon them by unscrupulous, tyrannical church-leaders.Without realizing the spiritual effect of what they are doing, myriads of sincere, faithful believers, in submitting themselves and surrendering unto their spiritual leaders their God-given right to self-governance, have become what God explicitly admonished against: "DO NOT BECOME SLAVES OF MEN!" (1 Cor. 7:23).Authoritarian abuse (aka, "spiritual abuse") is one of the most widespread and troubling problems facing the Church today. Indeed, the truth is that ecclesiastical enslavement and exploitation is pandemic in many sectors of 21st Century Christendom, though those churches and ministries employing it go to great lengths to disguise and conceal it.Though religious predomination is certainly nothing new, and hyper-authoritarianism is by no means limited to the Neo-Pentecostal branch of the Church, it has especially flourished in Charismatic and other Neo-Pentecostal groups since it was infused into the fabric, foundation, and functions of that branch of the Church in the early- to mid-seventies through what became known as the "Discipleship or Shepherding Movement." The doctrines and practices spawned in that false movement remain an integral part of the operations of many churches and groups yet today!Written from an "insider's" perspective by a noted and respected Charismatic minister, Charismatic Captivation, has been appraised and praised by ministers, scholars, theologians, church leaders, and laymen as one of the most comprehensive and convincing volumes written to date on the prevalent problem of authoritarian abuse, yet without the "Charismatic-bashing" characteristic of other books citing Neo-Pentecostal abuses.