Several months ago, right after getting accepted to go on the World Race, I encountered an interesting Google search: “The World Race Cult” or “Adventures in Missions Cult”. I read the criticisms, was worried for a few moments, but didn’t give too much thought to the issue. I SHOULD HAVE given more thought to the possibility of joining a potential cult, but the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension kind of took my mind off of it after a little bit of anxious prayer (Phil 4:6-7). And when praying about something like this for such a short time led me to drop the issue, I am pretty satisfied. I’ve decided to elaborate on the things that I realized in the hopes that it will assuage some fears that people have. I am going to be blunt; I’m not going to pull punches; I might make enemies; but I will be honest and biblical.
It seems the cult hysteria comes down to 2 main issues: 1) “Abandoning” your family and 2) Mixing Eastern religion with the Gospel. I will discuss these two separately.
Abandoning Your Family
We live in America, where Christianity often boils down to Focusing on the Family, giving your 10% (actually 2%), going to church on Sundays but not really paying attention, and ignoring Jesus all the rest of the time until your life is so hard that you need money or help for your marriage. BABY BOOMERS AND GEN X’ERS, I AM TALKING TO YOU!! (i.e. parent’s of past, current, and upcoming Racers.) Christianity in the Bible is a complete ABANDONMENT TO YOUR OWN WILL! (See Luke 9:23-25, Luke 14:27-28, Mark 8:34-36, Matthew 10:38-39, Romans 12:1-2) If your life hasn’t been RADICALLY CHANGED by Christ, then in the words of Paul, I ask you: to TEST YOURSELF to see if you are really a true Christian (2 Cor. 13:5). I fear the words of Paul are true of many American “Christians”: lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, HOLDING TO A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT DENYING IT’S POWER. (2 Tim. 3:1-9) Many who are opposed to AIM don’t like the idea that their children are abandoning their superficial American “Christianity” to live out the living, redeeming Christianity.
So what does Jesus have to say: “He who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matt 10:34-37, Luke 14:25) What else does He say: “GO! And make disciples of all nations.” (Matt 28:19-20). Following Jesus will make enemies within your own family. (Matt 10:34-36). If you are going on the World Race to obey the Great Commission and make disciples, then the cult hysteria is just a scheme of Satan to keep you back.
So now we come to the next issue within “abandonment” problem: no communication with family. Honestly, I have yet to find any mention of the World Race saying to NOT COMMUNICATE with home, but even if it did, this is pretty ridiculous. For nearly two millennia, missionaries have left their parents and lives and everything to follow the Great Commission, knowing that they would have little communication with home for quite some time, if ever again. Why does the advent of technology suddenly force a change in the way missions are to be conducted? Too much communication with home can actually hinder the effectiveness of the Racers, because we are on a mission and need to not get entangled with domestic issues, just like Paul warns against (2 Tim. 2:3-4). But in reading blogs and seeing Facebook pages of people on the Race, this is clearly ridiculous hysteria, because there is ample opportunity to communicate with home.
Eastern Religion
This issue was a little more troubling for me, but I have reached a satisfactory answer for myself, but it might not satisfy all of you. I haven’t done much research into Eastern Religion, nor have I deeply researched all the criticisms about contemplative prayer that are levied against AIM, nor have I deeply researched the resources that AIM recommends on the subject. But here is my understanding of the contemplative prayer issue: if the answer conforms to the Word of God, why are you worried about it? God speaks through His Word often. When you are engaging in “listening prayer” and God says something back to you that is BIBLICAL, what reason do you have to doubt it? Who can truly deny the times that you have prayed in times of need and God floods you with Biblical truth: either by giving you direct references or general themes. When you listen, God speaks. And if God “speaks” and it contradicts His Word, it’s OBVIOUSLY WRONG.
That is honestly as far as I have delved into this issue. Training Camp and life on the mission field will likely lead to me having more exposure with this issue. I can’t predict what I will be taught, but there is one thing I know for sure: I AM NOT GOING TO PRACTICE ANY FORM OF EASTERN RELIGION! If AIM does actually advocate or demand Eastern religious practices, I WILL VOCALLY OPPOSE IT! (And joyfully suffer all repercussions). Racers, if I see you participating in Eastern religious practices, I WILL LOVINGLY CONFRONT YOU ABOUT IT! And, God-forbid, if I end up engaging in Eastern religion, CONFRONT ME! That is the BEAUTY of accountability. If we are strong in the Word of God and active in prayer that we be conformed to Christ’s image and faithful to His Gospel, we will be equipped to fight any internal attack. If the Word of God is our foundation, we will be on guard against Satan’s schemes!
Regardless of whether AIM is actually a cult (I highly doubt that it is), I’m becoming a missionary, and I chose the World Race because it is an AMAZING OPPORTUNITY to do it (Very reminiscent of Paul's missionary journeys)! I am going to go to 11 countries, and I am going to PREACH THE GOSPEL: the pure, unadulterated, true Gospel that redeems sinners! If in the ridiculously unlikely chance that AIM is a cult that doesn’t preach the true gospel, then I’m still going to preach the true gospel!
Racers/Parents, there is only ONE question that needs to be asked: WHY IS [X] GOING ON THE WORLD RACE? If the answer is, “Because I want to go on an adventure”, “Because I want to feed to poor” (or any other “social gospel” reason as the SOLE reason for going), “Because I can’t find a job out of college”, then you should possibly reconsider why you are going on the World Race. If the answer is “Because I want to obey the Great Commission and MAKE CHRIST FOLLOWERS of all the nations!”, then quit listening to the hype about cults AND GO! Make it your commitment to be a missionary of the living Gospel, regardless of what internal or external hysteria surrounds your decision. You don’t have control over all the hysteria, but you do have control in ensuring that you personally are a faithful minister who will one day hear Christ personally tell you, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
(P.S. I welcome/enjoy feedback, discussion, comments, etc. So please post your thoughts!)
