french known christian movement established france december close communion church belongs movement founded gather churches created assemblies developed quickly eastern northern france numbered members church founded converted christianity healed subsequent leader farmer pastor churches discovering evangelical mission directed church main beliefs expressed creed articles faith practices nearly identical evangelical groups special focus gifts holy spirit late 1990s church embroiled trials grounds financial issues losing sex scandal church led federation dissolved church independent church subject recurring public controversy anti cult associations organizations members vast majority media presented dangerous group mainly intensive missionary activities healing practices church eventually listed cult parliamentary reports established protestant academic circles disagreed assessment considering church genuine group responded criticism defensive strategy included outreach historians better ties mainstream religions local national institutions history founder born deceased said healed leader religious groups switzerland led baptized june created documented files church president followed born family lived father farmer mayor city expected run family farm older age developed interest pastoral ministry attended theological training training later completed studies farmer missionary departments discovered missions notably attracted form christianity emphasized missionary zeal ministry founded evangelical group city caused conflict family religious leaders neighbors early 1960s pastor church conducted humanitarian activities farm providing relief homeless prisoners drug directed church years later decided farming fully devote religious activities appointed treasurer elected president seven years later leadership church quickly opened places worship northern trained converts including son ordained sent direct new assemblies legally registered purpose churches composed thirty pastor accused adultery church members resulted expulsion january father considered guilty covering son actions refused retire led believers leave church vote federation dissolution officially announced defunct november churches northwest previously members gathered union association registered champagne places worship independent including church evangelical church late beliefs church said situated crossroads movements explanations provided define place religious group christianity wrote church created meeting movement sensibility inside french movement tradition peaceful considered fits assemblies god history second wave european experienced revival 1970s 1980s described encyclopedia newest protestant groups evangelical expert deemed church non baptist group common characteristics explained professed high degree religious activism according church displayed classical structured little contact churches anti cult association centre les said church comes classical movement emerged france 1950s includes groups church main beliefs expressed creed initially composed articles faith based biblical passages adopted church beliefs identical ones evangelical groups including biblical authority viewed word god literal biblical interpretation trinity special focus gifts holy spirit later number articles faith reduced points noted explicit concerning issues subject public controversies said evolution linked generation gap continues advocate healthy living illustrating speeches stories resulting non christian lifestyle son placed emphasis spiritual gifts depth faith website church defines respects current principles freedom conscience discourage medical treatment encourages believers participate social life claim exclusive salvation practices church weekly services located especially people disabilities meeting devoted particular christian practice prayer bible reading singing weekly worship meetings composed biblical studies religious experiences hymns meditation worship prayers services dynamic charismatic emotional evolving trance results pastor calls holy spirit come congregation usually lasts minutes women heads covered worship established record public baptized member life known faithful important place church pastor break religious affiliation determined foundation new group despite obstacles said directed god spiritual course mixes extraordinary presented example follow noted purpose strengthen converts faith generally common thread lifestyle faithful presented story wandering covered failures god decides manifest life future member future convert demands sign god reality requires variable length time strength faith experience holy spirit engages fully church conversion said lead lifestyle provide expanded network friends members actively participate personally family friends professional associates church door door big tent public squares mission weeks follow tightly planned program church denied practising christian people criticism methods church avoided insisting publicly continued highlight particular decided stop hospitals streets reduce frequency big church features religious instruction ages leads choir football team celebrates holy thursday supper believers marriages baptism practiced pastor approval reserved people aged years sundays month conventions year church scheduled church social humanitarian activities recreational days including activities theater library trips clothing exchange paint shop organization finances church headquarters located eventually moved building costing million federation associated established assist suffering people evangelical musical group property management church owns printing house publishes writings worship including quarterly newsletter ear published president vice president church spokesman secretary treasurer federation year week course organized churches belonging named blessing school intensive bible training consists prayers religious teachings history singing lessons film screenings debates organizational structure church similar local assembly autonomous form unique centralized organization gives role head church assemblies federation considered annex churches spirit protestant groups decisions federation church monthly pastoral meetings leadership team attending brothers meeting composed appointed elders men members certain length time church criticized wealth monthly quarterly donations encouraged second article statutes according property acquisition evidence significant income parliamentary report considered church small cult cult annual income million provided relatively accurate information annual budget church estimated million total donations respectively mainly sunday offerings donations loans financial products property income commission estimated church property million december church net active wealth composed real estate stock reached million concerning finances church said applies major principles economy recovery devotion voluntary work solidarity money comes sunday collections personal loans donations intended particular use external financial support accounts published annual general assembly church financial commission federation work outside church permanent receive low salary affiliated assurance des membership enjoyed significant growth professor grace wrote religious movement reached status small decades following foundation number rose church membership varied members federation declared people regularly attend sunday service including members sunday worship according reported federation members noted criticism impact church growth number fallen year compensate number people leave church sex scandal founding church attendance services dropped assemblies belonging church widely established french regions called big regional cult spread eastern france following year parliamentary report listed places worship church stated list incomplete incorrect places missed belonged churches dissolved federation counted churches court cases direction des contested religious status church donations saying association devoted exclusive purpose celebration worship result tax recovery sent church december rose million years later penalties included tax considered tragic situation human rights fiscal administrative harassment church deemed decision tried possible legal means challenge january church president awarded overturned tax considered material injury sentenced france violating freedom thought conscience religion basis 9th article september case related custody year old child left child father member church mother member stating people affiliated church submit behavior time beliefs practice involve young children meetings religious practices sued twice church grounds complaint filed february letter movement labelled cult following definition groups activities result notable mental manipulation minds profound degradation human person managing people lose critical sense locking intellectual june march sentenced church pay court costs damages second complaint filed november sued distributing publication critical church complaints dismissed appeals filed church rejected court held writings fall said damages church honor proven called cult association merely nature trends religious community reports practices including relating disease healing methods recruitment agencies providing relief indicating community september recognized religious status church granted tax exemption place worship decision issued october judge stated refusal grant donations church supported evidence president said complaints faithful physical abuse dismissed reception included church list parliamentary reports based reports direction des labelled church evangelical movement despite similarities churches associated included list report said group active evangelical groups said motivated genuine slid role guru benefit freedoms protestant official structures edge parliamentary reports list legal status criticized religious historians academics circular prime minister statement secretary said list movements attached parliamentary report relevant longer recommended use anti cult groups considered church cult local branch centre les directed intense campaign group repeated warnings media president union des associations des said television considered church cult criticism church includes methods recruitment considered aggressive psychiatric hospitals schools buses similar environments directed suffering people interpretation bible pressure prospective members quickly join group family identical language clothing followers reflecting loss education children considered banned activities music television makeup trousers women long hair covered environment worship faithful excessive appeals money dubious detrimental members health strong influence members lack qualifications delegate said criticism based facts collected members families court response writer protestant journal contended sole case sufficient criticize federation delegate stated complaints come exclusively church association noted similarities church considered cult continued monitor hold faithful media generally critical church presenting cult negative local press articles appeared mentioning status beliefs controversial issues included critical reports members noted vocabulary arguments media intentionally repetition developed media coverage church facilitate objective investigation according study expert new religious movements member destroyed furniture belonging church july anti cult associations news media took member presenting victim cult french talk broadcast france father year old daughter member church mother said daughter criticized school closed role women church explained suffered cancer years earlier tried heal considered homosexuality said found diary spoke imminent death reach heaven meet grandparents association defense religious freedom conscience criticized talk lack alternative viewpoints response criticism church subject neutral press articles appeared normal respectable contends late 1980s leader said representatives consider cult church explained criticism came catholic vice president opposed conversion church son law explanation later denied educator hostile group including pastor founder anti cult group source parliamentary report critical beliefs church reported publication report including building permits spent period years legal fees defend interests church participated survey led possible change government policy new religious movements following publication parliamentary report church reacted seeking help academics specializing religious issues including generally criticized cult classification deemed church danger proven said classification cult absurd decision considered church bit radical overall harmless noting group sued maintained church criticized rapid growth deemed pastor influence faithful far critics said said debate sect sense certainly cult popular parliamentary sense term contacted academics participate documentary church refused explain position said church theology clearly mainline criticized belong establishment church bodies church established dialogue catholic_church agreed meet champagne reluctant want serve umbrella cult accusations agreed establish meeting october dialogue church advised develop ties publicly cult status church january protestant figures churches including president provided support expressing favorable opinion church church established ties local national institutions administrative courts municipalities tax authorities asked member reason cult designation response provide details content work direction des report advised ask sur les information june church representatives met president advised movement integrate clarify situation church appealed christian oriented organization protect freedom religion belief
Evangelical Missionary Church of Besançon