25 years since disfellowship

Last Saturday I heard a lady speaking about having been brought up in a cult in New Zealand. She talked about having had no freedom and that her every move was controlled. She asked the question: “Do you know what it is to live in freedom?”

I knew exactly what she was speaking about, having lived in a very legalistic arm of a cult. I had similarly lived with firm boundaries about what I wore, where I went, who I associated with, how courtship would be conducted (viz, attending cult meetings), who I married, how much schooling was necessary, what I could study (bearing in mind that, as a female, study was frowned upon), what job I could do (ideally it was being a stay at home mother), what I did in my leisure time and how family life would be structured.  Fear invoking consequences ensured no one would carelessly test those boundaries.

I realised this morning that it is exactly 25 years since I received a formal notice of being disfellowshipped for upholding a Christian understanding of being saved by grace and the presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life.

So I know what it is to live without freedom for 47 years but, through God’s grace, I know what 25 years of living in freedom is. I think I’m in an excellent position to write about what freedom in Christ looks like.

Firstly, I’ll point out that on a personal level living in freedom was transformative. No longer being encumbered by oppressive doctrines and expectations, I’ve found worth and value through the unconditional love of God. The fear-based mentality instilled in me was broken and I could now approach God without anxiety, confident in His grace, mercy, and guidance.

I learnt that serving God out of fear, duty or obligation gave way to experiencing a joyful, personal relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. Worship became a spontaneous expression of love and gratitude rather than a formal and rigid act of compliance.

I could now engage in community and ministry that promoted love and growth rather than fear and control. My relationships were now based on respect, love, and mutual encouragement, rather than manipulation and control.

I could now explore faith, question beliefs, and grow spiritually without fear of reprisal. This has led to a lifetime of learning and transformation through the study of Scripture and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

I am now living with an inward peace that comes from knowing my position in Christ, anchored by the assurance of salvation and the presence of the Holy Spirit leading and comforting every step of the way.

These 25 years of freedom have given me a robust sense of hope, joy, and purpose—a stark contrast to the years of confinement. The transformative power of grace and love can only be found in a truly free relationship with Christ.

#kristinatrott #thepoweryouhaveavailable  #thewingsofadove  #trottpublishing #disfellowship # freedom #livingingrace #excommunication #cult