Still is, in fact. But the cult got him at a vulnerable point in his life and it took him many years to escape their influence, years filled with conflict, pain and worry for all of us. It was a missionary cult that moved him from one dangerous location to another. When the Jonestown massacre took place we were devastated by fear as he was living in a similar region - and for all we knew, under similar circumstances.

So you can see why cults are a sensitive issue for me. However I took pains to portray YWAM as fairly benign. Compared with Amway, for example, Rick Ross has received few complaints about YWAM - and as stated in the OP, they are recognized for their good works. But he is not their only critic, and if you search "YWAM cult" you will find more criticism - as well as defense - of YWAM's methods, culture and even scriptural interpretation (Pelagian doctrine and Moral Government Theology, which left this former Catholic cross-eyed).

I recognize that cult definition has a moveable threshold depending on the definer, and that some personalities do poorly under authoritarian structure whether it exists in a religion or a corporate office. But while others thrive in a top-bottom organization that restricts their personal freedom, their ability to accept those limits doesn't change the nature of the organization.

In retrospect I regret leading this thread with the cult angle because the far more disturbing aspect is Loren Cunningham's association with Christian Reconstructionism and and others that indicates he is involved, unwittingly or no, with a movement to install a theocracy over our nation. And if it turns out that YWAM money helped finance a revisionist history of 9-11 to absolve a phoney Christian like George Bush, the implications will far outweigh any unhappiness experienced by a handful of YWAM recruits.