The similarities between the NTCC and WOFF are alarming. The blind zeal is definitely prevalent in our former church. Zeal was almost an understatement. We would raise our hands and work ourselves into a frenzy during many of the services. I’m not saying that the raising of hands is wrong but we really took zeal to a whole new level. Most of our members were young male soldiers in their teens and twenties that were already trained to follow orders and were motivated to be all that we could be. We opened our services in prayer which consisted of “holy hands being uplifted to God”. This would include a very loud offering of voices at maximum decibels in addition to the pastor’s amplified voice often enhanced by a sound system.

Then we would have our song service which many times would consist of singing loudly, clapping, dancing and sometimes running. I’ve seen folks doing somersaults around the altar on occasion. The preaching would usually be loud and in your face. Ultimatums would fly from the pulpit. The primary thrust was to create more tithe payers and to get folks to give more in offerings. There was an altar call that involved much pleading and the supposition that all non-members were lost. Those of us who worked the altars were taught to “make the people realize they are lost” so they could be saved. We were expected to hound them and be persistent to the point that many would walk out of service during the alter call. People were made to feel uncomfortable and uneasy. People that prayed were called brother or sister, but people who claimed salvation already were not called brother or sister. They must first receive NTCC style salvation. Some exceptions were made for tithe payers or givers.

There was definitely blind zeal in our former group. If we questioned anyone, we were rebellious. If we looked in our bibles to find references while the preacher was preaching we got blasted from the pulpit. If we did not act or think or live the way that we were expected, we were also castigated and demeaned. The only way to live a Christian life was to follow their non-biblical policies and doctrines with unwavering faith and blind zeal.

Blind zeal is what many cults require of their members. A cult is a religious group whose leaders desire wealth and power. To obtain that wealth and power, they seek out and embrace those that will follow them with blind zeal. They need people with blind zeal because they can not gain wealth and power through people that have their eyes open and ask pointed questions. The reason they are a cult is because they have much to hide. There is little if any transparency. Blind zeal creates an atmosphere of euphoric hype and a worked up emotional state of mind that makes people think that they are a part of God’s last move on earth and that they are special above all others.

When a person feels this way they will do anything and everything to please the leaders of their cult because they revere them as an extension of God’s voice. At this point in their life they are tender and believe they are an important part of God’s work. It is at this point in their lives when they are most vulnerable to manipulation and spiritual abuse. This is the precipice where true salvation becomes mixed with mind control. Blind zeal allows the person to continue blindly into this dark realm of abuse and control. They so want to please God. They so want to please those that they revere as God’s messengers and God’s shepherds.

Many people adapt to this new way of life that is supposed to be a life of freedom and liberty from sin. They get used to the abuse and they endure it. Blind zeal carries them through the mind control and the demanding requirements that take up all their time and financial resources. The life is slowly drained out of that person and they are still being driven by blind zeal. When a person is completely used up and there is nothing left inside for that individual to contribute to the abusive group or cult, they are kicked to the curb. They are thrown away like rotted trash and then they are talked about as evil and wicked sinners that hate God and refused to live by God’s standards.

It’s a vicious cycle and if it hasn’t happened to you, it will if you let it. The WOFF and the NTCC are basically the same in so many ways. They are controlling groups that spiritually, emotionally and in some cases physically and sexually abuse it’s members and depend on blind zeal to keep people in the dark. If it swims like a duck and quacks like a duck it’s most likely a duck. Don’t be fooled by great swelling words, profound speeches and dynamic preaching. Ask questions. Don’t allow blind zeal to drive you into making a decision that will affect the rest of your life. If you think you are in a cult use the same scrutiny that your cult leaders use against you to determine if they are for real. Is there transparency? Are you truly free? Do things feel right? Are you told who to talk to and who not to talk to? Are you expected to cut ties with family and friends? Do they keep you too busy to think? There are many common sense questions that you can ask. If they rebuke you for asking these questions then run, walk or crawl as far away as you can from this group. You can’t get away soon enough. Redirect your blind zeal to escaping with anyone and everyone you can take with you. You will be doing yourself and your friends a huge favor.

Don and Ange