"I'm studying the bible with this friend who I recently met. He is apart of a sect [name deleted] I'd never heard of. He told me today that his church is international and that they teach and preach discipleship, but a few things concerned me. He said that they wake up at 1 am every day to listen to a podcast of a man from Korea -- apparently the only person in the world who understands the true 'perspective of God.' Have you heard of a church like this?" -- Cody Porter
No, I am unfamiliar with this particular sect [name deleted]. But there are 1000s of cults around the world that demand that we give ultimate allegiance to a single individual who isn't God. Sometimes these persons claim to be apostles or prophets -- illegitimate claims, as the church of Christ was founded on the foundation of Jesus' apostles and prophets (Eph 2:20), not modern-day pretenders.
Groups like this usually discourage independent thought, claim to have little to learn from church history, maintain severe group boundary-reinforcement practices, tightly monitor and control their adherents' lives, and so on.
As Paul put it, "If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations -- "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" (referring to things that all perish as they are used) -- according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh" Colossians 2:20-23).
The controlling cult group probably views itself as more enlightened, sacrificial, and holy than other groups (even if those other groups are living by faith). Keep teaching your friend the scriptures (for example, Col 2:20-23, or Matt 6:2 -- on trumpeting our righteousness). If he hears and embraces the gospel of grace, then you will have set him free.
