Multitudes of sincere and trusting believers are caught unawares in the virtually invisible web of religious captivation in certain Charismatic/Neo-Pentecostal churches. They are unwitting victims of spiritual abuse, psychological enslavement, and various forms of 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. High-profile incidences of authoritarian abuse and exploitation in Christian churches that emerge from time to time are only the tip of the iceberg. The truth of the matter is: ecclesiastical enslavement and exploitation is widespread in some sectors of Christendom, but the perpetrators, many of whom are prominent and respected church leaders, often go to great lengths to disguise it and have thus far been successful in concealing it. Moreover, it is transpiring in churches/groups espousing otherwise orthodox Christian beliefs, whose membership is comprised of a cross section of average Americans --individuals and families -- of every race, education level, station, and walk of life, rather than radical, fringe religious sects and cults as many would suppose. Though religious predomination is nothing new, and hyper-authoritarianism is by no means limited to the Neo-Pentecostal branch of the Church, it has especially flourished in the Charismatic and so-called third, and fourth wave (i.e., Neo-Pentecostal) groups since it was infused into the very fabric, foundation, and functions of that branch of the Church in the early- to mid-1970s via what became known as the Discipleship/Shepherding Movement. The Biblically-condemned doctrines and practices proliferated during that movement remain an integral part of the operations and culture of many churches and groups yet today. Charismatic Control delineates: * How to recognize unBiblical hyper-authoritarian doctrines and practices; * How they became a widespread, integral part of the Neo-Pentecostal church; * Why these teachings and practices are outright witchcraft/sorcery and doctrines of demons authored by Satan Himself; * The 33 Signs and Symptoms of Authoritarian Abuse employed by abusive ministries; and, * The 15 Common Control Mechanisms employed by hyper-authoritarian groups and leaders. This small but power-packed booklet is must-reading for anyone suspecting they or someone they love is a victim of ecclesiastical authoritarian abuse. It is adapted from a book also written by Dr. Steven Lambert, Charismatic Captivation (ISBN 9781887915001).
