How To Avoid Cults (6 characteristics to watch out for)

I first learned about the danger of cults when Rachel disappeared.

It was my first year of full-time ministry, and I started a discipleship school to teach people in the church about the core components of walking with God. One of the students was Rachel; she was new to our church and new to faith. Rachel was like a sponge, always ready to learn and grow. Her background contained a lot of pain and brokenness, but she seemed to be experiencing breakthrough and healing. Some of her family members even started to visit our church.

One Sunday afternoon, I got a phone call from Rachel’s roommate that she was missing. Everything in her room was gone, and she wasn’t returning phone calls. As it turns out, she had recently made some new friends and had been spending increasing amounts of time with them. They met at a shopping mall, where they randomly approached Rachel, asking her questions about God. It all seemed suspicious, and we assumed this could have something to do with why she was gone.

Sure enough, the next day, she made a phone call to her mom. She was joining this religious community (a verified cult) and couldn’t have contact with the outside world for some time. She moved in with them, and sadly, we never heard from her again.

Stories like this happen more often than you may realize, and it can be destructive for everyone involved. For me, this experience highlighted the importance of teaching believers how to detect and avoid cults. You hear about cults on Netflix and the news, but it becomes real when it affects someone you know and care about.

You need to know that cults exist and prepare to handle them appropriately. Too many churches fail to equip their people with this knowledge. Let’s dive in and discuss the typical characteristics of cults so you can be protected on your church shopping journey.

What is a cult, exactly? The term comes from the French word “culte,” which simply means “worship.” The modern definition emerged in 1932 as a way to differentiate between heresy and orthodoxy. For our purposes, a cult is a religious group detached from the beliefs and behaviors of historical and scriptural Christianity.

There are two main methods to detect cults. One is belief; the other is behavior. The most straightforward way to detect a cult is to examine their beliefs. Do their beliefs line up with Scripture? Do they affirm the core doctrines of historical and orthodox Christianity?

For example, The Apostles Creed is one of the earliest confessions of faith for the Christian church. These truths have been affirmed by all legitimate churches for nearly 2,000 years.

If a group denies the core tenets of historical Christianity, they are either a cult or another religion entirely. But what if the problem is not their beliefs? Some may have an accurate doctrinal statement, but their behavior smells like a cult. The list below details six common characteristics of cults.

1) Cults promote their leaders higher than Jesus.

They typically center around a charismatic leader who abuses authority to get others to follow them. Cults require greater loyalty to human leadership instead of Jesus. Healthy churches honor Jesus as the head of the church.

2) Cults dishonor the value of family.

Rather than promoting the biblical priority of family, they ask you to cut ties with them. Cults are notorious for destroying families. Healthy churches promote a biblical family structure and value reconciliation.

3) Cults don’t allow questions.

They won’t let you think for yourself and ask critical questions. Cults belittle the unique talents of individuals and seek conformity in all things. Healthy churches allow members the freedom to test and discern teaching.

4) Cults insist they are the only true way.

They believe they have special status from God and disparage those on the outside. When someone decides to leave a cult, they are shamed and rejected rather than blessed and sent. Healthy churches know they aren’t the only church in the world and promote a culture of honor towards the body of Christ.

5) Cults cross biblical boundaries.

This often occurs in the areas of sex and money. They exert pressure and manipulation that twist God’s good design. I recently heard of a church that would spend hours taking the offering in order to pressure members to give until the sum reached a certain amount. This is explicit cultic behavior. Healthy churches honor biblical boundaries.

6) Cults emphasize special revelation rather than Scripture.

Cults either add their own holy books or teach that their interpretation of Scripture is more important than the original versions. They only promote their unique brand of Christianity. Healthy churches promote God’s Word as the authority.

These characteristics are major red flags and should be treated as such. If you see a group that exhibits some or all of these behaviors, run for the hills. The spiritual health of you and your family is not worth the risks involved with being in a cult. There are many healthy churches out there for you to choose from.

That being said, you should be aware that many good churches get wrongfully labeled as cults. These accusations are unfortunate because “cult” is not a term to be used carelessly. It’s okay to disagree with other churches while continuing to honor them as brothers and sisters in Christ. As you research churches, don’t believe everything you read online. Larger churches will inevitably have some enemies who post negative comments about them on blogs and social media. This type of research is rarely helpful for the church shopper. Instead, you should evaluate your experience with scripture, the material provided in this chapter, and your own wisdom and discernment.

Ultimately, you want a church marked by the fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5:22–23: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” This is what you should be looking for in a church, and if it seems more like a cult, then steer clear. There are many good and legitimate churches out there ready to welcome you with open arms.

This article is an excerpt from the book Church Shopping: How To Find A Church & Thrive In Your Faith available for purchase on Amazon.