Origin. The name of Jack and Gaye Stradwick's new church (as of the middle of 2013), based in Onehunga. An emerging religious cult questioning and denying foundational Christian doctrines, including but not limited to the authority of the Bible, eternal punishment, and the nature of sin. Mind control evident includes exclusivism and secrecy. When talking about the name change from Fusion, Gaye states it "was necessary to get rid of that because it had so much history and stuff attached to it that we wanted to leave behind." Jack refers to Origin's mission statement as "rediscovering the divine design" and goes on to say "recapturing innocence back to the garden, further than the garden." Unfortunately this is language which already has "history and stuff" in the New Age and occult that they probably don't want to be associated with.

With the continually changing doctrine and practical emphasis of the Stradwicks, Ephesians 4:11-15 is very relevant, with emphasis added.

¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

– Ephesians 4:11-15 (NIV).

Gaye has this to say regarding their church focus, emphasis added.

We won't be held to what is found in the epistles as if they are laws. We're not under laws or law of any kind. We're creating something fresh here with God's help. We're not first century people as the people in Acts.

Romans 13:1-10 directly addresses the topic of Christians obeying the law.

¹ Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. ² Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. ³ For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. ⁴ For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. ⁵ Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

⁶ This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. ⁷ Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

⁸ Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. ⁹ The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰ Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

– Romans 13:1-10 (NIV).

This raises the question, do they hope to show God's love without fulfilling God's law? Also, how can anarchy lead to love? Gaye's statement is very typical of the Emergent Church movement, with a strong emphasis toward hypergrace (an over-emphasis on grace and doing away with the law totally) while claiming to have new revelation. Similarities have also been noted with the hippy movement's love philosophies.

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Printed on 18 December 2019 at www.cults.co.nz.
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