((Graphic depiction of what they told/showed my kid further down))
This church makes me physically sick.
Never, ever bring your children here. Unless you want your youngest ones to be traumatized behind your back.
I found this church while it was still called 'Pathway Church'. Not anymore.
And at first? Amazing. Enthusiastic people, kind pastor, some people giving sermons, wholeheartedly preaching. (Wholesome stuff, really thought I could feel the presence of God there, back then. Happy people.)
A year into it now, they've changed their name to Abide Church (same people though). I was a bit turned off, the vibe had changed (money trouble? They never stop begging and guilting worshipers for money now, bad vibes), but sure.
And I took my kid.
They are HIDING things from the parents, in the kid's room grades 1-6. (Kids 5-10 years old, approx.) (A door called 'Ignite' on the outside of the building)
Luckily for me, my kid is young, and, VERY literate.
Two very kindly, nice-looking elderly folk were there to meet the parents on their way in and teach the kids while the parents went to the main worship room.
What they told the parents?; 'We will be teaching about the ascent of Christ!'
And they showed us a little donut cut in half, popsicle sticks in the shape of a cross sticking out; as an arts-&-crafts activity.
Y'know; Awww, Cute stuff!!! He spent three days in a tomb and went to heaven! He died for our sins; Jesus loves you!
They *hid* props in that room.
They had large (fake) nails, and crown of thorns that were HIDDEN from any parents line of view coming in, *UNDER* ALL the other, more innocent-looking props.
They aren't GRAPHIC in the main worship room!!!
What they told these kids?!?
They didn't focus on the ascent of Christ at all, I'll give you that.
(Warning: graphic words ahead)
They vividly described the Crucifixion; They GRAPHICALLY described how his skin was torn off by whips, they compared Jesus's skin to that of a hamburger (sick bastards), skin peeled like a banana (they had bananas present, APPARENTLY AS GRAPHIC TORTURE VISUALIZATION PROPS, *AND* for snacks later), how they speared him through his guts and spilled his blood, water, and gut, how he was bloodily nailed through the WRISTS TO THE CROSS (THEY DO NOT SAY THAT IN THE MAIN WORSHIP ROOM. And yet THE CHILDREN. Are given the scientifically torture-accurate information.)
They drew this all out, REPEATING parts of this, all while insisting Jesus loved them because 'of how much he was willing to suffer for them'. Yeah. Cute, right?
(A kid asked for them to be less graphic; that it was stressing them out.
The adult said no.)
They had another child, who looked to be younger than the age limit (perhaps as young as two) PRETEND TO BE WHIPPED while they described this. The little kid looked on the verge of tears. The adults insisted.
The thieves struggling; breaking their own bones to try and breathe?!!?
How the crown of thorns was forced upon His head to the point of deep cuts.
They acted all this torture out, either by using nervous kids as impromptu props, or acting it out themselves.
'And then, the tomb was empty'
They didn't even talk about the actual Ascent; they may as well have just enthusiastically described a Rated R Graphic Horror Film, with semi-unwilling kids under ten as 'on-the-verge-of-tears' participants.
They just wanted their treats and gift-bags.
They were just finishing off with their donut arts-n-crafts by the time the parents were back to pick up their kids.
None of the previous had been told or even HINTED to us, parents.
(they have a screen in that room, with chairs for the children. I'm not sure I want to know what else they are showing these kids)
-
A kid had asked an a adult "Will they be showing the war today?"
The adult answered "No"
The kid said "Phew"
A.K.A.; This isn't new to them, AT ALL.
Reminder that these kids are of the age that get brushed off by those older than them, because of the differences in how they experience the world, and how it can sound to us.
"Oh yes honey, Jesus was nailed to the cross by his hands, I know, it's awful, that sounds horrid, yeah? I bet that was hard to hear, yeah"
No.
Graphic torture was being described in that room. With props. Of which were being hid from the parents.
If it wasn't for the obvious deception, I may have brushed this off as a more hard-core church, of which the parents were CHOOSING this for their kids.
They were hiding this. In an otherwise, seemingly wholesome church.
I fully believe that old couple enjoy traumatizing kids, with the level they attempted to hide what they were doing, and how intense and completely age-inappropriate they made their sick 'class'.
ALWAYS Beware services choosing to be around children in hidden settings.
Children that are hurt by trusted figures, will look for ways to reenact hurt, and you will never truly know where they got it from. read more