Thousands of members of the embattled Prayer Palace congregation cheered on their pastor yesterday as he bragged about his suntan, the support of worshippers and the openness of his administration while one congregant warned, “The devil decided to mess with the wrong church.”

The investigative articles by the Canadian and Florida papers were not about the devil,  spirituality, persecution, lack of freedom to practice religion or worship; they were about financial accountability.

This was quite the show by the charismatic preacher who is happy to deflect inquiries about how the Prayer Palace finances are administered and distributed. But it not upexpected or surprising in the practise of what is called Prosperity gospel.
 
A cult of personality is a powerful thing. (Cult of personality or personality cult is a term for what is perceived to be excessive adulation of a single living leader.) In this case it is Paul Melnichuk. He has groomed his twin sons to continue his ministry. Again that is not uncommon, son’s are often ‘called’ to follow their fathers; Oral/Richard Roberts, Paul/Tim/Tom Melnichuk, Jerry Johnston/Jeremy, Joyce Meyers/children, John Hagee/Matthew. Nepotism is common.

“I’ve brought a little bit of Florida with me in my suntan,” Melnichuk told his congregants, most of whom are black.

“You can see my white teeth better. … I want to look so much like my congregation,” the 72-year-old evangelical preacher said.

After the story was published, Star reporters involved received threats and were inundated with emails promising to pray for them.

Yesterday’s service lasted three hours inside a coliseum-style setting, with a gospel choir and testimonials by those whose lives had been changed or “saved” by the church.

Three hours would give anyone shocked or upset by media investigation quite the spiritual high, and numb and shame them into less inclination to check facts.

But the words of protest didn’t make it inside the sanctuary, where Melnichuk encouraged worshippers to stand up and take a good look at the news reporters who may have infiltrated the congregation.

Brushing off the media attention, Melnichuk told his cheering worshippers that tithes in the wake of the Star’s investigative report have actually increased by 10 per cent.

After the story was published March 4, he said, “our board of directors said the pastor will be back and will make a statement.”

After pausing to welcome the media yesterday, Melnichuk added: “The statement is this … the board of directors met and discussed (Saturday), with about 400-500 key leaders of this church … and a solicitor has been retained.”

As well, Melnichuk said, a “strategic communications solutions” team has been engaged.

The congregation would be well served to stop listening to statements of being ‘attacked by the outside’ and start asking for current financial statements so they can make their own decisions.  The congregation did not get the financial statements they are entitled to from their board under law. The congregation is also free to ask what law firm and accounting firm was hired.

Within moments, a woman in a burnished gold dress and head-dress ran to the stage and slapped a $50 bill onto Melnichuk’s forehead.

The move was met with cheers and, following a request by a church volunteer, congregation members started throwing money at Melnichuk’s feet.

“First the funds go the church,” said the beaming pastor. “After that, if the folks want to bless me…”

The church volunteers, acting on Melnichuk’s instructions, divided the growing pile of cash into three collection buckets; the pastor then instructed a young member who is training to be a preacher to dip in and take out “a handful of cash.”

“I hope the media got a picture of me with a $50 bill stuck to my forehead,” Melnichuk laughed.

The Prayer Palace Press Release-  No ‘hired’ forensic accounting firm or law firm was named. (see update)
All Headline News

Update: 14/03/07 The Toronto Star

The Church has hired Peter Turkington of the Public Relations Firm, Strategic Communications Solutions (Oshawa) 
An audit will be done by Bruce Armstrong, (Toronto) LECG. 
Marek Tufman, a lawyer for the Prayer Palace threatened The Star with an injunction unless the paper stopped publishing stories about The Prayer Palace, telling The Star’s lawyers:
“Your clients have been warned.
We trust that they will understand the wisdom of conducting themselves properly.”
Lawsuits were mentioned in the Bradenton Herald Florida paper comments.

Hundreds of calls were made to The Toronto Star by concerned people. A reporter was called a Mormon…a racist (also Mormon came up in the Florida article comments) and numerous threats were received, including a death threat.

The language by Melinchuk, behavior of leadership and the congregation is strikingly and predictably parallel to the breaking financial investigation into mega church First Family,  congregational reaction, and it’s leader Jerry Johnston. (Kansas City Star)

Below the fold:  ex-cult.org - Jan Groenveld, Freedom in Christ. Identifying a cult.
structure of Bible-based, Psychological, Educational and Commercial aberrations in churches and groups

IDENTIFYING A CULT

There has been much confusion about cults and how to ‘pickem’.

Some have difficulty identifying a cult because it is not so easy to identify one that is not even religious. For this reason, over the years, different definitions of what actually is a cult have developed to make it easier when you know little about their beliefs.

The different definitions:

SECULAR DEFINITION

CULT - From the Latin “cultis” which denotes all that is involved in worship, ritual, emotion, liturgy and attitude.
This definition actually denotes what we call denominations and sects and would make all religious movements a cult.

CHRISTIAN DEFINITION

CULT - Any group which deviates from Biblical, orthodox, historical  Christianity. e.i. They deny the Deity of Christ; His physical resurrection; His personal and physical return to earth and salvation by FAITH alone. 

This definition only covers those groups which are cults within the Christian religion. It does not cover cults within other world religions such as Islam and Hinduism. Nor does it cover Psychological, Commercial or Educational cults which do not recognize the Bible as a source of reality.

UNIVERSAL DEFINITION

CULT - Any group which has a pyramid type authoritarian leadership structure with all teaching and guidance coming from the person/persons at the top. The group will claim to be the only way to God; Nirvana; Paradise; Ultimate Reality; Full Potential, Way to Happiness etc, and will use thought reform or mind control techniques to gain control and keep their members.
       
This definition covers cults within all majopr world religions, along with those cults which have no OBVIOUS religious base such as commercial, educational and psychological cults. Others may define these a little differently,  but this is the simplest to work from. 

THE ‘ORTHODOX BIBLE-BASED CULT’

A group is called a cult because of their behaviour - not their doctrines. Doctrine is an issue in the area of Apologetics and Heresy. Most religious cults do teach what the Christian church would declare to be heresy but some do not.
Some cults teach the basics of the Christian faith but have behavioural patterns that are abusive, controlling and cultic.

This occurs in both Non-Charismatic and Charismatic churches.
These groups teach the central doctrines of the Christian faith and then add the extra authority of leadership or someone’s particular writings. They centre around the interpretations of the leadership and submissive and unquestioning acceptance of these is essential to be a member of good standing.  This acceptance includes what we consider non-essential doctrines  e.i. not salvation issues (such as the Person and Work of Christ.) The key is that they will be using mind control or undue influence on their members. 

An excellent book on this subject is “Churches that Abuse” by Dr Ronald Enroth. 

Using these guidelines of definition, Bible-based, Psychological, Educational and Commercial aberrations can easily be identified.

(a)  The group will have an ELITIST view of itself in relation to others, and a UNIQUE CAUSE. e.i.  THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES RIGHT  -everyone else is wrong.  THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES DOING GOD’S WILL -everyone else is in apostasy. 

(b)  They will promote their cause actively, and in doing so, abuse God-given personal  rights and freedoms.   This abuse can be THEOLOGICAL,  SPIRITUAL, SOCIAL & PSYCHOLOGICAL. 

HOW THEY DO THIS

1. Their leader/s may claim a special, exclusive ministry, revelation or position of authority given by God. 

2. They believe they are the only true church and take a critical stance regarding the Christian church while at the same time praising an exalting their own group, leader/s and work. 

3. They use intimidation or psychological manipulation to keep members loyal to their ranks. This could be in the form of threats of dire calamity sent by God if they leave; certain death at Armageddon: being shunned by their family and friends etc.  This is a vital part of the mind control process.

4.    Members will be expected to give substantial financial support to the  group.  This could be compulsory tithing (which is checked) signing over all their property  on  entering the group; coercive methods of instilling guilt on those who have not contributed; selling magazines,  flowers or other goods for the group as part of
their “ministry”.  
     
At the same time bible-based cults may ridicule churches that take up free-will offerings by passing collection plates and/or sell literature and tapes.  They usually brag that they don’t do this. This gives outsiders the intimation that they are not interested in money. 

5. There will be great emphasis on loyalty to the group and its teachings.  The lives of members will be totally absorbed into the group’s activities.  They will have little or no time to think for themselves because of physical and emotional exhaustion. This is also a vital part of the  mind control process.

6.  There will be total control over almost all aspects of the private lives of members. This control can be direct through communal living, or constant and repetitious teaching on “how to be a true Christian” or “being obedient to leadership”.  Members will look to
their leaders for guidance in everything they do. 

7.  Bible-based cults  may proclaim they have no clergy/laity distinction  and no paid ministry class - that they are all equal. 

8. Any dissent or questioning of the group’s teachings is discouraged. Criticism in any form is seen as rebellion.  There will be an emphasis  on authority, unquestioning  obedience  and  submission. This  is  vigilantly maintained.
 
9.  Members are required to demonstrate their loyalty to the group in  some way.  This could be in the form of “dobbing” on fellow members (including family) under the guise of looking out for their ”spiritual welfare”.  
They may  be required to deliberately lie (heavenly deception) or give up their lives by refusing some form of medical treatment. 

10.  Attempts to leave or reveal embarrassing facts about the group may be met with threats.  Some may have taken oaths  of  loyalty  that involve their lives  or have signed a “covenant” and feel threatened by this. 
Refugees of the group are usually faced with confrontations by other members with coercion to get  them  to return to the group. 

SOME  ABUSES OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS:

1.  ABUSE OF INDIVIDUALITY 
They adopt a “groupness” mentality.  They are not permitted to think for themselves apart from the group and only accept what they are told.

2.  ABUSE OF INTIMACY
Relationships  with  friends,  relatives,  spouses, children, parents etc are broken or seriously hampered. 

3.  ABUSE OF FINANCES
Pressure to give all you can  to the  group. In  non-communal groups, members usually live at the lower socio-economic strata, not  because  of a lower income level,  but because they are always giving money to the group for some reason. 

4.  “US VERSUS THEM” MENTALITY
Isolation  from  the  community  in  general.  Anyone  and everything outside the group is seen as “of the devil”  or “unenlightened” etc.  Their enemies now include: 

      -former friends;
     -the Christian  church;  governments; education  systems; the  media 
     -the world in general. Those who are involved with these in any
     way see such involvement as a “means to an end”. 

5.  ABUSE OF TIME AND ENERGY
The group  controls and uses  almost all the members time and energy  in  group activities.  They  are  usually in a  constant state of mental and physical exhaustion. 

6.   ABUSE OF FREE WILL
They must unquestioning submit to the groups teachings an directions and their own free will is  broken.  Their  “will” actually becomes  the groups “will” without their realizing it. This is done either by coercive methods including low protein diet and lack of sleep,  or over a  period  of  time  through intimidation.  Both methods make heavy use of “guilt”. 

RESULTS OF THIS ABUSE

1.  PERSONALITY CHANGES
    
 Relatives will say they no longer recognize  the  person.

From a warm, loving personality will come heaped abuse, rejection and feelings of hate.  The cult member sees himself as “righteous” in comparison  and  this comes across in their attitude toward all outsiders. 

2.  LOSS  OF  IDENTITY
   
They cannot see themselves as individuals apart from the group. Some even change their name as a rejection of their former life. 

3.  PARANOID - WE ARE BEING PERSECUTED

Any time you say anything  negative  about the  group,  whether justified  or not, it is regarded as “persecution”.  Any criticism of the individual is also seen as persecution only because  they  are the “true Christian”  or “enlightened” one - not because they,  as an
individual, have done the wrong thing.  However, at the same time they will feel free to criticise whatever you believe, say and do because they are “the only ones who are right”. 

4.  SOCIAL DISORIENTATION
   
They lose their ability to socialize outside the group.  This can go so far as to not being able to structure their time or make simple decisions for themselves when they leave.  Their world-view alters and they perceive the world through their leaders eyes.  They become very naive about life in general. 

5.  SEVERE  GUILT  COMPLEXES
    
They are made to feel guilty of everything they did before entering the group and are to strive to be “good” and “worthy”  for “eternal life”.  Misdemeanors are made into “mountains” so that members are in a constant state of guilt for infringing even the most minor rules. Guilt comes because they aren’t doing enough;  entertaining doubts or
questions; even thinking rationally for oneself.  

This guilt is piled upon pile with new rules constantly being laid  down  about what  is  sinful  and what is not.  Illness may be seen as lack of faith - more guilt.  Emotional illness may be seen as proof of sin in your life - more guilt. 

SUMMARY

Not  all  these  points will be found in every cult,  but all cults will have some if not most of them, although these may vary to some degree.