What Defines a Cult?

When I think cult, I think Mormonism, Scientology, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Science, and perhaps Seventh-Day Adventists. But, really, what is a cult? I just looked it up in this handy pocket dictionary and it says, "A community or system of worship." Wow, could it be any more vague? According to that definition, any religion or church could be considered a cult.

But, when I think cult, I think of the episode of Everybody Loves Raymond where Robert is whisked away to that feel-good group who wears Hawaiian shirts, sits cross-legged on the ground to be closer to the earth, and to do little chants. So, when I think of a cult, I think of a smaller group of people who seem so high on a substance, that they have no concept of reality whatsoever. Now that I define it, where can I find one? Just kidding.

I bring this up, because I'm curious about a church I used to attend and if it could be construed as a cult or even cult-ish. It's a very small church. I'd be surprised if 30-35 people attend every Sunday. Back when I went, we'd be lucky if 20 people showed up on any given Sunday. But, let me bring about some points to make me wonder about this church:

1. The pastor just up and brings out his trumpet during the middle of a sermon and plays it for the attendees.
2. The pastor and his family write their own songs and sing them during the middle of a sermon. Sometimes, there is no sermon and they just sing songs and play instruments (trumpet and piano).
3. The family wears the same outfit every single week, homemade clothes that make them appear to be from The Little House on the Prairie.
4. Politics enter sermons, bashing the left and praising the right.
5. False online chain letters enter the sermons, claiming that they're factual.
6. Bashes other Christian denominations (Catholicism, in particular).
7. Will do surprise skits with he and his family for the entire length of a sermon.

I have not heard them speak in tongues yet, but I have not attended the church for quite some time, so I can't verify this regarding the past year or so.

Is it a cult? Cultish? Back when I regularly went to church there, we had a different pastor and he did not partake in these methods of bashing churches that were different or didn't bash people based on political affiliation. He also didn't bring his family along to sing songs or perform skits for an entire sermon. Yeah, so many reasons why I don't go there anymore. Is it a cult? Who knows? If I go with the definition from the pocket dictionary, then yes, it is, but since that definition is so vague, almost any church could be placed into the category of "cult." According to my before-mentioned definition, I don't think it could be necessarily deemed a cult, but it may be on the borderline and if things continue the way they have been, it might cross that border and reach cult status in the not-too-distant future.