When planning your programme for the year ahead (or the months ahead) you may want to consider including Concerned Christians Growth Ministries to be part of your programme.

CCG Ministries constantly researches, and gives counselling relating to, a wide range of cultic and other religious groups. Part of the Ministry's programme is to provide information. One of the ways in which we share information is through talks, lectures, and seminars.

These are conducted in Sunday services, church meetings, combined and inter-church meetings, youth/men's/women's groups, community clubs and interest groups, business and special fellowship groups. They may be single sessions or a series of talks/lectures. Most sessions, other than Sunday sermons, are timed at 1-2 hours, with a short break in the middle - but other time arrangements can be negotiated.

At present overhead transparencies are used in most presentations, and an overhead projector and screen are generally needed.  We are gradually moving into the use of Power Point presentations and have some material already in this format.
 

TOPICS LISTING FOR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

A wide variety of topics can be dealt with.

The topics for meetings in churches and community groups listed below are basic suggestions. They can be adapted, added to, or altered in ways to make them more suitable and appropriate for local needs, concerns and interests. Our purpose is not to speak on things that may interest us, but to try and meet the local needs of churches and groups.

We also appreciate the opportunity to speak on the role and work of our Ministry.

OUR FINANCIAL POLICY: CCG Ministries is both a missionary organisation, dealing with the mission field that comes to our doorstep - the cults, the occult, and extreme Christian fringe groups, and a benevolent service organisation providing specialist services to the churches and the community.

Our work depends on the voluntary support and contributions of concerned and interested people. We do not charge fees for counselling and our many other services - except for our own Training Institute Courses and legal work.

However, conducting church, and public, meetings form a large part of our work, and take time and money. Our Board therefore feels that churches, and large groups, inviting us to conduct meetings or seminars, should, where possible contribute a minimum of $75-$100 per meeting, from their own funds, and then allow those attending to also contribute through a freewill offering.

Additional specific needs, such as long-distance travel costs and accommodation, may also need to be considered and discussed. This is particularly relevant in relation to airfares and related costs in visiting interstate or overseas.

Small groups need to keep the above comments in mind in determining what they can contribute to the ongoing of our Ministry.

Topics that can be dealt with include specific cults, sects, and religious groups such as the:

Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Moonies/Unification Church, Scientology, Hare Krishnas, Raja Yoga, Siddha Yoga, Sahaja Yoga, the Baha'i Faith, Children of God/The Family, Freemasonry, Transcendental Meditation, Sokka Gakkai, Mahikari, Johrei, etc.

and specific occult related topics such as:

modern Western witchcraft, Satanism, the spirit world/spiritualism/ancestor worship, fortune telling/divination, Dungeons & Dragons type Fantasy Role Playing games etc.

Other, broader, topics (generally needing several sessions) include:

• Cult Characteristics - the various components that are present in most cults, and should not be present in Christian congregations.
• Cultic Concepts of God - how the gods and Christs of the cults are false gods and false Christs - but people don't realise that.
• Cults Affect Families - the effects of a person joining a cult on the rest of the family. Family Vulnerabilities - the things that can make family members more vulnerable to the persuasions of the cults than they ought to be.
• Cults and Communication - basic principles of communication and the problems of communication in relation to the cults.
• Cults Are Bad for Business - an overview of the negative affects of the cults on business.
• Discernment in an Age of Confusion - developing and using the skills of discernment in the Christian faith to avoid distortion and deception.
• Eastern Mystical cults - giving a broad overview of groups involved in yoga and Eastern meditation - and their influence in the West, and Westernised society.
• Extreme Christian Fringe Groups - groups that teach the essentials of the Gospel but have gone to extremes in some of their teachings, practices, and leader domination - they are causing as many problems as the cults.
• Family Responses - Preparedness - building positive protection into family life that will lessen vulnerability to possible cultic involvement.
• Family Responses - Reconciliation - how families can respond in helpful ways, rather than react in ways that can cause greater alienation.
• Fear, Intimidation and the Cults - examining the destructive control of cults and their leaders over people - the dangerously negative mindset that cults foster.
• Growing in Christ - developing in maturity as a person and as a Christian.
• Look Beyond the Fancy Wrapping - there ARE positive things in the cults - examining what some of these are and the need to look beyond them to the central issues of cultic appeal and involvement.
• Manipulative Methods - the persuasive propaganda techniques of the cults - how they gain and hold their members - a warning for Christian evangelistic methods.
• Mysticism and Meditation - the dangers and deceptions of popular mysticism and meditation today.
• Mysticism, Meditation and the Martial Arts - as above but also including and general examination of martial arts, their origins and hidden agenda.
• Reading the Bible with Understanding - background to the Bible and practical issues in interpretation and understanding.
• Syncretistic Thinking - the dangers of fuzzy syncretistic thinking which has become all too popular today and opens the way to cultic and occult involvement.
• The Challenge of the Cults - a basic overview of the cults, their deceptions and confusion - the challenge they present to the Christian Church.
• The Cults and the Bible - cultic misuse of the Bible and the basic principles of Biblical interpretation ignored by cults and extreme Christian fringe groups.
• The Human Potential Movement - examining the promises and claims of groups and courses that use motivational techniques and pop-psychology.
• The New Age Movement - examining the influence, philosophy, and complexities of this rapidly growing movement.
• The Occult - an overview of the increasing influence of the occult and its many different aspects.
• The Powerful Persuaders - cult leaders, their powers and influence - are they prophets or pretenders; saints or sinful conmen?
• Western Pseudo-Christian Exclusivist cults - the common characteristics of supposed Christian groups, mostly from America, such as the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, and how they differ from true Christianity.
• When the Church Gets it Wrong - recognising and dealing with biblical misunderstandings, as well as distortions in teaching and practice.
• Where Are You Heading? - salvation in the cults, contrasted with salvation through Jesus Christ.
• Why Do Christians Join the Cults? - a look at some reasons why Christians are not exempt from the appeal of the cults.
• Why Do the Cults Attract People? - examining some of the factors that influence the appeal of the cults to people today.
• Witnessing to the Cults - ways of responding positively to those caught in cultic confusion and deception.
• You're the Attraction! - why people, especially young people, are vulnerable to the cults of today.

With adequate notice we can also present talks or seminars on various major world religions.

Presentations/Bible studies on requested topics or on specific books, especially such as: Luke, Acts, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Philippians can also be conducted with adequate prior notice.