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By Gavin Tyte
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From Adelaide in Australia, I hitched with Christian guy who took me to a place called Klanagadoo near Mount Gambier. His family were very kind, and they put me up for the night and fed me. The next day his son showed me around Blue Lake – an extinct volcano that has filled with water. The water is pure, but goes a brilliant, almost unnatural blue due to the rock underneath. From Mount Gambier, I hitched back to Melbourne, and from Melbourne I caught a flight to Auckland in New Zealand.
I arrived in Auckland and stayed for a week with a good friend of mine from England. On one of the days while I was exploring the town I bumped into a guy in the street. He was well dressed, polite and very friendly. He introduced himself, shook my hand and gave me a piece of paper.
THE JESUS CENTRE OF AUCKLAND INVITES YOU TO A BIBLE STUDY. FOR A FREE LIFT CALL THE FOLLOWING NUMBER.
I said thank-you and went on my way. Being a new convert to Christianity, and always eager to discover new friends and please God, I decided to go. What harm could a Bible study do to one’s faith?
The date of the bible study arrived and the home where it was to be held was not far from where I was staying. I decided to make use of the free lift offered on the paper. I dialled the number and spoke to another extremely friendly chap who said it was not a problem to pick me up. It felt good to talk to other Christians and to have the chance to learn more.
I entered the house and went into the living room where the study was being held. In the room were about fifteen young people, most with Bibles. I sat next to a guy who had just become a Christian and who seemed as full of joy and excited as I was. He told me of the things he had done, such as praying on top of a hill and praying with different friends from the church.
The study began as Bible studies usually do, with everyone saying their name and where they were from. The topic of the Bible study was ‘churches’ and in particular, ‘the ideal church’. First we looked at the churches described in the beginning of the book of Revelation in the Bible. I used my own Bible to read from. The leader of the group asked someone to read out loud about each church, and then he asked us about that church. He asked if we thought that the church was God's right church. It was plain that the churches had made mistakes in some ways and that they were not as a church should be. The leader then read about the early church found in the book of Acts in the Bible, and about how possessions were sold to provide for those in need. Yes, this was the right church, and I was eager to discuss matters, point out facts, and learn.
When the study came to a close, one of the guys asked me to stay behind for a chat. He then went and made a phone call. I felt that I should get back to my friend’s house as it was late, but decided to stay. I loved to discuss the Bible. After about fifteen minutes all the other people had gone and I was left with the five guys who shared the house. Whilst we were chatting, another young man arrived and I was immediately introduced. From the tone of voice and their conversation I gathered that he was the product of the phone call. I could not explain it at the time but there was something strange about the guy, something that made me feel slightly uneasy.
He took me into one of the bedrooms and we sat at a desk. The following hour’s worth of conversation was somewhat confusing, and I will try and describe it as best I can. We started talking about what I was doing, my travelling, my plans and he kept emphasising the need for a church such as the one we had previously discussed in the Bible study. He told me how he was like me before he got settled in the Jesus Centre church. He whizzed through his Bible pointing out phrases and passages that supported all he was saying, and indeed all he was saying made sense. He then told me that it was God's will for me to stay and participate in an induction course at his church for two weeks, and that nearly every town in New Zealand had a Jesus Centre church in it. He told me it was very important for me to stay and that I must. I told him that I planned to hitch up north for a week, and that I’d think about it and then come back and give him my answer, but no, my salvation depended on me staying there right now, and that if I went travelling, that I would decide not to stay. He continuously told me what I should do and cleverly backed up everything he said with passages from the Bible. Everything he said made sense, but staying in Auckland was not what I'd been led to believe I was to do from my own previous prayer. He said I could stay in the house with them from the next day, and every argument I put up he pulled down with seemingly good reason. Eventually, feeling tired, confused and hounded, I agreed that I would stay for two weeks. It all made sense, but why did I feel sick inside?
One of the guys dropped me back at my friend’s house. On the way he told me that it was unlikely I would stay. He'd seen many people say they were going to stay and then they had backed out. He put me in a position where I was defending myself, convincing him I would stay.
That night, I told my friend I was staying in Auckland for two weeks with the people I'd met and then I went to my room. The sick feeling was getting worse as my stomach tied itself up in knots. I felt spiritually weak and tired. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. I went to bed and started to cry, pray, and read my Bible. Something didn’t add up and I couldn’t put my finger on it. I remember reading one passage in the Bible that contradicted something they'd said. I felt confused. What did God want me to do? That night I slept for about three hours. I read most of the New Testament searching for an answer, and I prayed hard to the God that I had talked to for the previous months. I read this passage:
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." [1 John 4 Verse 1]
In my gut I knew it was wrong to stay with them but what could I do? The next day they were coming to pick me up! I decided that in the morning I would call a pastor from another church to discuss it. It was this idea that gave me the comfort to sleep for a few hours.
In the morning I read my Bible and prayed some more. The more I prayed, the more I became scared of them coming for me. The more I became scared, the more I knew it was God telling me not to go with them - although I couldn't see any logical reason not to. At the earliest reasonable time to call anyone, I looked up the local Assembly of God church and called the pastor. During my travels I had visited these churches before and had always felt they were a safe place to be. I talked with the pastor in a confused and worried state. He told me that he'd seen many people coming from the Jesus Centre in a similar state to me. He said he couldn't say they were 'bad' but he asked me if I found peace? I answered 'no'. He suggested that perhaps this was my answer. I thanked him for his help and decided not to go with the people when they came for me.
I didn't want to see the people who were coming for me so I left a note on the porch. The note quoted the scripture I had found that contradicted what they had told me, and also informed them that I was not coming. Then I waited. When the time was close for them to arrive, I hid. Eventually, I heard two pairs of steps on the wooden porch. I froze. They knocked on the door and called for me through the letterbox - then there was silence. It seemed to go on forever, then finally I heard the footsteps leave. I was shaking. I didn't come out of my hiding place for another five minutes.
I decided to leave Auckland within the next couple of days. However, before I left, I received two phone calls from the guys at the Jesus Centre. Both times my friend's father answered the phone and thankfully told them that I was not there.
Two days after my ordeal I was still very confused and worried. I had been brainwashed as far as I could see, and I still questioned my decision. I wanted to feel as I did before, but it was difficult to be happy and worshipping God whilst feeling so spiritually drained. My faith felt as if it was in tatters. That morning I decided to hitch north - to the 'top' of New Zealand - and did so. In one day I covered a good distance, walked only about 25km, and arrived just outside a town called Opua in the Bay of Islands, on the northeast coast. It was to be my last hitch of the day as it was starting to get dark and I had to find somewhere to pitch my tent. I prayed, "Father, please let me be picked up by a Christian. My faith needs building up. Please let me meet someone with whom I can stay for the night - someone who can build up my faith. I place my trust in you. If it is not your will then that's okay, but if you could do it then that would be so good. Thank-you. Amen."
I stuck my thumb out for the last time that day. It was a quiet country lane, but it was not long before a small car pulled up, driven by a middle-aged lady. I got inside and as we drove along the lady asked me if I knew Jesus. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Once again, God had heard my prayer. After feeling drained from my encounter with the Jesus Centre, and a whole day of hitch-hiking, the last hitch of the day was with a Christian. However, not only were she and her husband Christians, they were amazing. After offering to put me up for the night, they placed a huge plate of food before me and watched me eat - they were not eating because they were fasting. The husband had been miraculously healed whilst in hospital with a stress related illness and subsequently given his life to Jesus. These guys didn’t even have any house insurance. The way they saw it, God could protect them. and they and all their belongings belonged to God. They prayed with me and gave me verses of the Bible to carry with me. After one night with these guys, I was well on the way to being charged up again and my faith restored.
There are many churches and denominations that teach things contrary to a mainstream understanding of the Bible and Christianity. We call them sects. Later on, I did find out why the Holy Spirit rescued me from getting involved with the Jesus Centre. Although much of their theology is bang on, they have one fatal flaw. They believe that to be a real Christian you must belong their particular church. Another feature of the sect is that they actively send members to infiltrate other Christian churches and organisations in order to try and win converts to their church. By doing this, they do a great deal of damage to lives. They are disrupting and confusing.
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that Jesus taught that we should be, “as gentle as doves but as wise as serpents”. This passage from the Bible also came to mind:
"I urge you brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naďve people." [Romans 16 Verses 17-18]
View Comments (3)
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Hey Gav, I still remember this account from when you first told me the story over ten years ago. On reading the story again I am struck by how timeless a good testimony is. The secure hand of God is evident in protecting you during an obviuosly difficult time, how fantastic of God to send along a christian couple, just at the right time, just for you.
If I could add one point. There is something about a good testimony that breaks down my defenses to God. After reading your God story, the reality of God's presence kind of jumped out of the box for me, I was feeling a bit stale this morning but now I feel great - thanks.
Wow - thanks Chris. That's great to hear. Heaps of Peace. Gavz