Imagine this dilemma: Your beautiful baby daughter is screaming and frantically grabbing at her nose. As a mother, when you hear such a scream, fear grips your heart and you run to see what is the matter. The baby can't yet talk to tell you why she's crying so you get a flashlight and look in her nostril to see if there's something in there. To your horror you see that there's a cap to a pen lodged inside and you try to remove it with tweezers or whatever you have on hand only for it to slip further down the sinus cavity.

As the child's cries intensify your instincts tell you to get help, to call paramedics or take the baby to the emergency room. But your religion won't permit you to seek out experts, that would be giving in to the temptation of the devil. The only recourse you are allowed is to call the pastor who will make a house call to pray for your tortured baby. So you fight your protective motherly instincts and try your best to keep the baby pacified while crying out to God for help.

Such a thing actually happened to the Bickings family who are members of the Faith Tabernacle congregation, a church headquartered in the Nicetown section of Philadelphia at 3620 North Fifth Street who teach that all manmade remedies are acts of unbelief. After a period of 92 days the cap finally worked its way out and the baby recovered. Jesus would be incredulous as he was when dealing with the Pharisees. In Luke 14:5 Jesus asked them "If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?" But Faith Tabernacle teaching would consider that an act of faith in man and want to wait for God to pull the son out. Of course, I say this tongue-in-cheek, but the point is Jesus would expect us to use everything at our disposal in helping our son or even our pet because at least even a sinner has the slightest feelings of compassion for others. And Jesus went around doing good to others and we with our limited abilities should do likewise if we want to follow His example.

The Bickings cheerfully testified that "during this time the devil fought us with many dark pictures, but, thank God, as we held steady [interpretation: did not seek help] and believed God, He brought the victory. We are so thankful for God's loving hand, for we had many valuable lessons to learn during this time." One lesson they did not learn is that it is utterly unbiblical to withhold medical attention from your child and that to sit by and do nothing about her screams is a blatant act of child abuse.

Shocking as it may sound the Bickings are merely echoing the teachings of Pastor Charles Reinert who is leading this family and hundreds of others into grave error. "God does the healing," Reinert is quoted as preaching in a 1991 Philadelphia Inquirer article. "God's provision is to trust Him and Him alone," he added. " He pointed to the book of Job as an example of how believers should learn to suffer. "He was robbed of everything he had. He was smitten with sores. As he went through that trial, he learned through it.

Early in 1991 Philadelphia was thrown into a panic as one of the worst measles outbreaks the city has seen in recent history began to claim young victims. Five of the children who died came from Faith Tabernacle and another from the First Century Gospel church. According to reports the disease usually kills one out of every 1,500 who contract the virus, but the mortality rate for medicine rejecting groups soars to one in every 70. At the height of the 1991 outbreak city health officials temporarily closed down Faith Tabernacle's school until the disease could run its course and by court order forced immunizations on many of the healthy children. In the end 129 of the school's 194 students came down with the measles.

The Faith Tabernacle members are forced by their unscriptural belief system to live their lives suffering from ailments that 20th century man has relief from. Conditions such as headaches, sinus pressure, arthritis pain and menstrual cramps can be easily relieved by taking a Tylenol or aspirin. Even a cough drop or nasal spray to ease the discomfort from the common cold are rejected as an act of disbelief. The church's tract "Death of Self" explains how far they are to take it: "The Bible plan is to trust in the living God alone, without the slightest remedy of any kind, not even a cup of hot water for dyspepsia, or hot lemonade for a cold, or bathing the feet in mustard water for the same. The Bible does not permit the slightest remedy upon which we could place the least dependence for help."

One recent Faith Tabernacle defector who admitted taking Tylenol to a current member was told "you're blood is tainted." But Jesus would disagree. He declared, "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him unclean?..What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean" (Mk. 7:19-20). This ex-member and others were shunned by friends and family members after exiting the group.

Many ex-members suffer from guilt and depression as a result of seeking relief from this legalistic yoke. Since the group rejects the doctrine of eternal security, the threat of hell looms large over many who can't live up to the unbearable demands imposed on them by a works centered theology. One ex-member told how she and some of her friends had attempted suicide or considered trying it. And if any attend a Christian church they have to fight the fear that they are in a false church since rejection of medical intervention is seen as the central doctrine that divides the true from the false believers.

During a recent visit to one of Faith Tabernacle's Sunday services, I noticed many people, especially the older ones, squinting. None wore eyeglasses. That's because glasses, as well as hearing aids, are only for those of little faith. The church service seemed like any other service on the surface. The racially mixed congregation sang hymns, had announcements and people slept through an uninspiring sermon delivered by an older gray-haired pastor. But, the feel of the place was like going back in time, not just because modern medicine is shunned, but because the customs of the church are so archaic. Men sat on one side of the church, while the women sat on the other side. Women with young children and babies sat up in the balcony. All the women wore big brimmed hats that looked like they were out of the 1930s. All the women wore long dresses and most wore bobby socks and all of them had very long hair. The men wore dark suits and the atmosphere was depressing.

The fact is that Faith Tabernacle is culturally stuck in the era from which their pastor sprung. Perhaps Reinert misses the good old days and imposes his own ideas of what a righteous wardrobe and grooming standards should be onto his congregation. A similar phenomena is seen in Islam, where modern day Muslims keep up the customs of a seventh century Middle Eastern culture. The culture itself becomes idolized. According to the pastor's cultural taste the Faith Tabernacle congregation must adhere to an outdated dress code. Women are not allowed to cut their hair or wear makeup. They cannot wear pants and must wear dresses even in the winter time. Men must have short hair also, but their restrictions are not as demanding as the women's.

The list of "Thou shalt nots" could fill a book. Some activities considered too carnal to indulge in include spectator sports, bowling, roller skating at public rinks, watching television, going to the movies and listening to the radio. One young fellow testified: "When I first stopped listening to radio, at times others would ride in my car and ask whether my radio worked. I would then turn it on. By God's grace I can now say to anyone who asks me to turn on the radio that it is not God's will to listen to the radio, to drive faster than the speed limit, or to watch any sports. All these things will, sooner or later lead a person away from God." Other activities condemned as a lack of faith include joining labor unions, holding mortgages, receiving social security benefits, having insurance of any kind, and even wearing seat belts is considered a lack of faith.

Every aspect of the faithful's life must be in subjection to the church's standard. Even the marriage bed is interfered with as newly married couples are given conjugal instructions to impose the church's brand of purity in the reproductive act. Passion in lovemaking is frowned upon. One gets the impression that pleasure of any kind is considered sinful. Birth control, even natural family planning, is prohibited and expectant mothers get no prenatal care; babies are delivered at home by untrained midwives.

The trail of human suffering due to Faith Tabernacle's presumptions on the Word of God could fill a book. The premature deaths that were reported in the local newspapers are only the tip of the iceberg of the actual loss of life. Consider some of the reported cases from congregations in Nicetown and Wissinoming (Other Pennsylvania locations are Harrisburg , Lebanon, Shippensburg, Schuylkill Haven, Altoona, Flinton, and Scalp Level. There's also one in Northfield, New Jersey, as well as foreign ones in West Africa, Kenya, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Jamaica and Sri Lanka):

· Five children dead from the measles.

· A 17-year-old boy dies of a ruptured appendix.

· His 15-year-old sister dies of what appears to be meningitis.

· A woman's twins (her 7th & 8th children) die soon after birth (a year later the same family loses a daughter to the measles epidemic).

· A two-year-old boy dies of a stomach tumor.

· An 18-month-old girl dies of pneumonia.

And what about the cases that go unreported? How many members have controllable diseases such a sickle cell anemia, diabetes,Cystic Fibrosis, or hypertension. When someone dies they don't know what the person was suffering from and worse, they don't even want to know. "Some people have not been wise," wrote Pastor Reinert in his March 1994 newsletter, "and have explained physical trials to unsaved loved ones. The unsaved loved ones went to their doctors and explained the conditions, then came back and told the believers the names of the diseases or troubles. This struck fear in the hearts of those going through the trials...Their faith was feigned and some of these people turned to men for help."

In the church's monthly newsletter, testimonies of those struggling to live up to these imposed works are featured, perhaps to pressure the rest to try harder to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. One sad testimony came in from the Nixon family. They write: "We especially thank God for the peace we enjoyed in the passing of our son and during our dealings with the authorities. The devil fought hard with dark pictures, but we came to realize that we had to BELIEVE God was still over all and that His promises never fail. We thank God for blessing us with two more strong, healthy boys and for the nice deliverances in childbirth each time." Do they really think that the two new sons can replace the one they lost? And how long will the two new boys remain healthy if all their bumps and bruises go untreated all their lives?

If the Nixons' boys grow up and want to play basketball they could suffer the same fate as 16 year-old Curtis Houston, who in 1993 died from the infection in his leg from an untreated compound fracture which was not allowed to be set. He broke his leg a year before while playing basketball and must have suffered greatly before he finally succumbed. But he did live to see his 28 year old mother, Sharon Houston, die giving birth to a stillborn baby just several months before his own death. Commenting on her death the deputy health commissioner, Robert Ross, said, "Every few months, we're going to see a stillbirth or a preventable death in the church."

As a mom, it's hard to imagine having to look into the eyes of a sick or injured son or daughter and try to fight the overwhelming impulse to call paramedics or rush the child to the emergency room under such extreme and deadly circumstances. Their pleas for help and crying out in agony would be more than I could take. And then to lose the child after holding out, how could one live with the knowledge that there was more they could have done to save the child? It's enough to drive a person mad. All common sense and pangs of the conscience would have to be fought away. And if one should succumb to what they call the temptations of the devil and seek help for their child, that person is looked down upon by the rest of the church as someone lacking faith. The Apostle Paul rightly said, "Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves" (Rom. 14:22).

Another sad testimony came in from an 18 year old girl in Nigeria. She writes: "I praise the almighty Father for His full protection. Our father departed in 1980 and our mother in 1987. We are six in number, four girls and two boys. Since then, the almighty Father has been leading and feeding us to this day." No doubt these orphaned children would still have their parents around had they sought out medical assistance. The girl's determination is admirable, but how much can she take before she decides that Christianity is just too difficult a way to live. The problem is it is not Christianity that puts such a yoke on her, but the distortion of God's word that is at fault. The Bible says "The letter [of the law] kills, but the Spirit gives life"(2 Cor. 3:6). Let's hope he finds that peace before she rejects God altogether due to the confusion.

Faith Tabernacle sees only two causes for sickness and trials in life; the oppression of the devil or the Lord's chastisement. With that world-view if one seeks natural means to remedy a supernaturally caused condition one would be fighting using the wrong weapons. In a statement published by the leaders of the church after the measles disaster, Pastor Reinert said, "Since the devil causes all sicknesses, the power of God is required to deliver us from his oppression." Of course, if prayers for the sick do not result in healing, then it must be God's will for that trial due to some sin on the part of the sufferer. You can imagine the guilt that would remain and the frustration of trying so hard in one's own strength to try to appease an angry God by one's good works. (An invitation to dialogue was made to Pastor Reinert but he did not write back or acknowledge my letter.)

But does the Bible really teach that prayers for the sick are the only actions a true Christian can take when faced with illness? Their proof-test is James 5:14-15 that says, "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." Christians have obeyed this command for two thousand years, but not at the exclusion of doing all that is humanly possible at the same time. This passage does not teach that you cannot do your best to make the patient comfortable and try to ease their pain. It's saying that ultimately healing comes from God no matter what instruments He chooses to use. And Jesus is the Great Physician just as He is the Great Shepherd. He does have under-shepherds, leaders in the church, just as He has under-physicians, those committed to treating people's ailments and injuries. He's given gifts to all men. And Jesus Himself said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" (Lk. 5:31).

The other passages they use document times when the physicians have failed to cure the sick and God stepped in and did so. But, events in the Bible cannot be isolated from the whole counsel of God. The events only confirm the direct teachings and commands that are clearly spelled out and nowhere in scripture does the Bible say "Don't seek medical attention." Even today in the church there are countless cases where believers have received all the treatment man has at his disposal and were given up for dead, but God intervened and supernaturally healed them. The biblical way is to do our best and commit the rest. That is what the good Samaritan did for the injured man on the road. He poured ointment on his wounds and took care of him. That was the medicine of Bible days just as Paul told Timothy to take a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent illnesses (1 Tim. 5:23). And Luke who wrote the gospel and the book of acts was a physician, even being referred to as a doctor by the apostle Paul in the present tense (Col. 4:14).

Sickness is not always tied to a spiritual cause. Living in this world in our corruptible bodies, we are subject to decay as is all the world. The highest act of love is to minister to others in both their spiritual and temporal needs. James said we are to minister to others "what is necessary for their body" (James 2:16) and I contend that dressing each others' injuries and applying splints and casts to broken bones falls under that category. In the end we will be perfectly healed when in the resurrection this corrupted flesh takes on incorruptibility. But until then we are subject to the physical law of decline as these garments wear out. But to do less than our best in helping ease pain for ourselves and others would be to make void the word of God by our traditions because Jesus said to love one another.

The pitiful truth is that these misguided Christians, much like Catholic mystics who crawl on their knees till they bleed in processions and flog themselves, have much to lose in this temporal realm and this attitude gains them nothing at the judgment seat of Christ. They will have many tears of regret that Jesus will wipe away on that day. But let's pray that many will be rescued from this destructive false ideology before that time and trust in the Lord Jesus' righteousness instead of their own.