At what point does a “cult” become a “church” such as scientology or moonies.
Time, growth, and settling.
In reference to itself, the Latter Day Saints, for example, are now a church. (Really a religion of their own.)
In reference to the body from which they broke away, they are a sect. The same can be said of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the 7th Day Adventists (although they are slowly drifting back into traditional Christianity)
The Christians were considered a sect of Judaism for some time.