The other evening I watched a Lakes Region family praising the Lord in the company of friends. The living room was filled with joy. It was one of those breathers that comes when we need it most.

This family in particular was remarkable for its faith journey. The bottom line? They were once in a cult. They were once webbed in by a theology that appeared biblical, programming that seemed legitimate and friendship networking that on the surface was satisfying.

Their tie to this untoward group went on for several years. Their rewards included socializing, compliments for jobs well-done, and a sense of worth for doing what the operators wanted done.

When they looked around them, they saw other families smiling, clasping hands, congratulating one another. They were also enveloped in prayer, Bible studies and worship. What could be wrong about that? Nothing, apparently.

However, in time this family came to realize they were being had.

The structure they had fallen for was manipulated by an extremely self-centered, power-hungry husband and wife team. The group’s middle class gloss-over was attractive. The swirls of religious activity were exhausting. And the confirmations that they were doing the right thing were voluminous.

Then gradually they came to understand that the whole scene was not according to the Bible’s call to humility and service for Christ alone. Over months of analyzing the cult’s mindset as well as the organization’s basic motives, they concluded that they were puppets for those at the “very top.”

To come upon such truth is shocking, especially if those concerned are well educated, savvy and consider themselves tuned in to detect deceptions. It was further unnerving when realizing they had involved their own children in this black hole.

As they spoke with other couples in the group, there was a growing awareness that not everyone was happy with what they were doing, what was going on around them, and the overall tenor of the church. In fact, the more they investigated, the more they reasoned it was not actually a church at all. It was a cult they had been ushered into – most carefully, sweetly and gradually. A cult.

As I looked into their faces that evening, I thought back to what once was apprehension, suspicion, and then bewilderment. There then followed hurt, a sense of betrayal and that awful conclusion that smart people can be taken in by even smarter people.

However, they did work their ways out of the labyrinth into genuine liberty in Christ. They now have shed the brainwashing. The Holy Spirit has been faithful in loving them to what is eternally real – biblical hope.

They shared realistically with us that they still have flashbacks. And at times the sense of being imprisoned by others controlling their wills creeps up behind them to attack. It is not quickly that one lets go of something sinister trusted. It takes time.

So, as I type this, I thank God for His oversight of sincere seekers for truth. The Lord does see the heart. God does care. Christ does know how to reach way down into the suffering soul for eventual healing. And He surely knows how to unfold His Word’s promises for a solid grounding.

This family sang hymns with us. They shared prayer requests with our fellowship. They were enriched by the Bible lessons studied. Their smiles refreshed us with our awareness that the dark haunts of their pasts had given way to Christ’s sunlight. One could feel the release they had come upon. It was astounding. Even for us it was liberating.

It so happened that a friend in our circle knew that a couple of the family’s birthdays fell into that particular month. So a birthday cake with candles had been tucked into the evening’s closing. With “Happy Birthday to You” sung at the top of our lungs, and our smiles reaching from ear to ear, each of us wished the family well.

As we separated to return to our own homes, our intercessions encircled those once imprisoned by tight cultic bands, but now set free by Christ’s love enlightening.