Christian Revival Church (CRC) London

[Spud]

Does anyone know anything about this church? I have two friends who are attending it and I'm a bit worried about them. Some time ago one of them said she was trying out this big church at the O2 in London. She said the music is very loud, but she might get used to it. They have small groups locally, midweek, and share lifts up to London on Sundays.

She says the pastor dresses and behaves in a pretentious way, and doesn't like it. But the small group members are pressing her to keep going. Some of the analysis online labels it as a cult. Any thoughts?

[Hope]

Does anyone know anything about this church? I have two friends who are attending it and I'm a bit worried about them. Some time ago one of them said she was trying out this big church at the O2 in London. She said the music is very loud, but she might get used to it. They have small groups locally, midweek, and share lifts up to London on Sundays.

She says the pastor dresses and behaves in a pretentious way, and doesn't like it. But the small group members are pressing her to keep going. Some of the analysis online labels it as a cult. Any thoughts?

I've heard of it, Spud, but don't know of anyone who attends it regularly.  What I have heard of it is from folk who have visited it.  Some make comments similar to your friend, others say its a fairly run-of-the-mill set-up.

Perhaps you could explain what your friend means by her comment that 'the pastor dresses and behaves in a pretentious way'?  After all, I've been very traditional Anglican/Baptist/Methodist services where the same could be said of the person/people leading those services.

In a way, what you say after this is perhaps more telling.  I wonder why your friend doesn't like the way things are done?  Is it because she isn't used to the type of service and/or worship?  Is it because some of her pre-conceived ideas about Christianity and her own faith are being challenged?  Is it simply that she prefers being part of a smaller, more 'intimate' congregation where she knows most of the people?

[Spud]

Hi Hope. She is a committed Christian, and finds the local CofE church, which I also go to fairly regularly, unwelcoming. I would say this may have something to do with her being a foreigner. CRC is very welcoming, she says.
I have read that they put pressure on people to tithe 10% and tell you you are not a Christian if you don't.
She also says at the midweek groups they don't really study the Bible, but focus on encouragement. They also play recorded music, the same three songs every week, and make her jump up and down! Apparently the neighbours have complained about the volume.
They also have a duty to invite as many people along and attend as many meetings as possible.
I haven't found out much about the pastor, but she says 'its all about himself'.

[jjohnjil]

I would have thought you had enough information there to realise what's happening here!

10% tithes .... duty to invite as many suckers as possible!

Can you really be in any doubt as to what it's all about, Spud!

[ippy]

I think it's one of the churches my wife goes to from time to time when she does her gospel singing the proceedings are a load of old pretentious crap but the singing is really great and usually very loud.

It sounds like it's a very black church to me and there's very little that can compare with those superb black singing voices.

ippy

[floo]

Spud why do your friends bother to attend a ghastly place like that if they don't really care for it?

[Hope]

I would have thought you had enough information there to realise what's happening here!

10% tithes .... duty to invite as many suckers as possible!

Can you really be in any doubt as to what it's all about, Spud!

Nothing wrong with a 10% tithe if that money is being spent on work that the local authority doesn't - such as debt advice, counselling, etc.

[jjohnjil]

I would have thought you had enough information there to realise what's happening here!

10% tithes .... duty to invite as many suckers as possible!

Can you really be in any doubt as to what it's all about, Spud!

Nothing wrong with a 10% tithe if that money is being spent on work that the local authority doesn't - such as debt advice, counselling, etc.

How does that work then, Hope?  You're on benefits with £150 a week and in debt to half a dozen money lenders ... and the best way out of it is to pay this 'church' £15 every week to have someone advise you?

I would have thought you'd be a lot better off using that £780 a year to reduce your debt!

[Rhiannon]

I think the point, Spud, is that your friend feels uncomfortable. Whether or not this is a cult (and you have certainly described enough to make it sound dubious to say the least), she doesn't like it. perhaos you could suggest to your friend that she asks herself what it is that is prompting these gut feelings of unease.

[Hope]

How does that work then, Hope?  You're on benefits with £150 a week and in debt to half a dozen money lenders ... and the best way out of it is to pay this 'church' £15 every week to have someone advise you?

I would have thought you'd be a lot better off using that £780 a year to reduce your debt!

It would be interesting to know how many of the members of CRC are actually on benefits.  If, at it appears from Spud's original OP, people are travelling in from a distance, the chances are that they aren't.  Mind you, I have to admit that I'm not for one these megachurches. 

[cyberman]

It sounds like it's a very black church to me and there's very little that can compare with those superb black singing voices.

ippy

Very black? Does your racism extend to degrees of skintone? You'll be telling us next they all have a great sense of rhythm!

[Spud]

I think the point, Spud, is that your friend feels uncomfortable. Whether or not this is a cult (and you have certainly described enough to make it sound dubious to say the least), she doesn't like it. perhaos you could suggest to your friend that she asks herself what it is that is prompting these gut feelings of unease.

I think the problem is it's too much like going to a concert. I remember being taken to a similar mega-church in Florida, and I walked out half way through, it was just not my cup of tea. What made me suspicious about CRC was that she and I arranged to meet up the other day and she was delayed a couple of hours to meet up with 'a friend'. When I arrived she was just saying goodbye to a tall fella from this church, whom she'd been for a coffee with. I've mentioned this lady friend before- I am sort of in a relationship with her ('sort of' because it doesn't seem to be going anywhere). But I'd read online that some cults break families up. Hence my worry. Anyway thanks for your advice, and the others. She is going to stop going, I think.

[Anchorman]

These megachurches might be Gospel based (though all too often, they are 'prosperity gospel' based), but they are usually centred around an individual or small elite of individuals. The test comes when they
A) tend toward schism over niggling points of doctrine,
or
b) when the founder either dies or moves on: the structure has a tendancy to implode.

[ippy]

It sounds like it's a very black church to me and there's very little that can compare with those superb black singing voices.

ippy

Very black? Does your racism extend to degrees of skintone? You'll be telling us next they all have a great sense of rhythm!

I don't quite know how to answer you about that perhaps if I asked one of my two adopted black sons they might put me right Cyb.

Our Joss Stone has something like a black voice Anastasia has too, there are a few examples of "white" people with black voices they take some looking for whereas if you need a few good black voices it's usually a case of how many do you want, there's plenty of them; it's a compliment Cyb.

ippy