A Former Maranatha Pastor Believes the roots of EN's dysfunctions are to be found in Maranatha. **READ HIS STORY INSIDE**
"It was Joe Smith, second in command of Maranatha Ministries and the chief [and proclaimed] "prophet" of the movement. "If you leave the ministry I will tell you that there is almost a 100% chance that you will backslide into sin, but there is an even more serious matter that concerns me." I grunted, and had now fallen almost face down into the shag carpet in my parent's family room. "The Bible", Joe continued with his voice now taking on the tone of Gospel preaching, "says that it is better to have a millstone tied around your neck and to be thrown into the sea than to lead the little ones astray. When you moved into full time ministry you became a leader with greater responsibility. If you leave could cause members of your congregation and those you are shepherding to lose their faith and their blood will be on your hands! And you will be cut of from the vine and your spiritual family! "What he said was true- if I left it could cause people to stumble and I would lose the "family of Maranatha" that I had had in for 5 years. I had no other "real" friends outside of Maranatha Ministry, and in fact, they were my only source of income. I knew what happened when people left "God's movement": they were shunned, apostate, dirty, and of Satan. Was my soul in jeopardy?"
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