In order for folks to be convinced one way or the other, there needs to be evidence. Evidence could point a person to a conclusion on a certain issue in question. There certainly is evidence that I have attended churches of different types over the course of many years. The first memories of church for me are of a Methodist church in Maryland. The memories are shadows and glimpses of events long ago. I remember the nursery, the toys, certain sights and smells. At that time, I was probably four years old.

    The next church I remember was a Methodist church in Radford, Virginia. One scene I remember is of the pastor raising his hand at the end of the service in order to pronounce a blessing on the congregation. I thought that meant I was to lift my hand, also. My mother reached for my hand and put it down real quick. I don’t remember what she said, but I don’t remember doing that again.

    Our family spent years in that church.  There were friendships started there that I still consider as ones to cherish and remember in fondness. During those years, there were spaghetti dinners, summer vacation Bible schools with games, fruit punch, grape drinks, cheap cookies and trips to the local park near the river for cookouts and fun. Fellowship dinners included volleyball and other games. There were celebrations of Christmas with the hanging of the greens, advent wreaths and other Methodist traditions. As I grew older, there were also Cub Scouts activities sponsored by that church.

    When my family moved to Dublin, VA, we joined the Methodist church there. Though these were different folks, many of the same activities were there. Many of the very same Methodist traditions we celebrated at the Dublin church. There were several young people my age and that helped. There were several activities for our age group. A few of these same folks I have reconnected with and communicate with them regularly.

      During my college years, I did not attend the Methodist church just off campus or any other church. It was not until April 1984, that I restarted church attendance. This time, I attended a Baptist church in Summerville, SC, for a time. The assistant pastor and his wife were a big help to me. We had many discussions over church practices, doctrines and Scriptures. In that church, I started studying the Bible as no previous time in my life. I loved the people and needed the fellowship. This church was a very “typical” Southern Baptist church with very sincere people. I still recall many of the faces of the members.

   When my roommate at that time met someone from another town, there were a series of events which lead me to a church that was a non-denominational church in Sheldon, SC. This church was not Methodist or Baptist. They met at 2:30PM on Sundays and later started Bible studies, during the week, in several of the member’s homes. This church was led by a man who had studied the Kenneth Hagin message and taught basically from that basis. He would add some other things that may have been from Charles Capps or Kenneth Copeland. There I was introduced to the “Charismatic” message and it became a part of my beliefs. During the three and a half years there, I would meet many folks who had rearranged their lives in order to live their faith and convictions. I felt this was very inspiring. This church practiced the ordinances of the Protestant church such as baptism and communion. They also taught salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. In addition, this church sponsored a school for the children.  Though, many of the members of that church practiced their faith and convictions with intensity, there was always the freedom to accept or reject many of the “rules” of conduct. There was no restriction to limit access to the media or music choices. Also, when you felt like it was time to leave and seek God elsewhere, there was the freedom to do so with no pull from the pastor or others in the church. There were freedoms to serve there and the freedom to walk away.

    For the next few years, I would be a part of two other non-denominational churches in the Charleston, South Carolina area. One was in West Ashley and one in Summerville, SC. More could be written of those times and I will in another forum. In summary, the pastors of these next two churches came from different backgrounds; the basic message of salvation and the Holy Spirit were the same. There were different emphasizes, but, in each church there was communion,  baptism, teachings of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and the ministry of laying on of hands. All of these activities could in my opinion, be considered a part of any Protestant, non-denominational, evangelical church.

     In summary of my church experiences up to 1992, I began church-life in two mainline denominational churches and then moved to three other Protestant, non-denominational, evangelical churches with charismatic beliefs and emphasizes. Different pastors and churches would concentrate on different doctrines or outreaches, but overall, there was never a strong move to control member’s lives in detail and keep them in the church beyond their own desires to belong and serve. Each group had many very caring and loving people in them, who longed to serve the Lord and help others. 

    In 1992, I made my second contact with the pastors of the Greenville church in Greenville, SC. Previously, in 1988, I had meet them briefly and had no reason to believe their church was other than a Protestant, non-denominational, charismatic, evangelical church very similar to the ones I had seen and been a part of before.  Again, there is so much more that could be shared here and I will later. Those observations would not add significantly to the direction of this post. The decision to move to Greenville in 1992 was made without the full understanding that in doing so, I would be exposed to the ministry of Jane and Sam Whaley, founders of WOFF, in Spindale, NC.

    This post and the next explain my church background as well as the observations of Word of Faith Fellowship in 1992 and in later years. What was my background and what evidence was there that the Greenville church and WOFF would be the same or different from other churches which I had attended? What evidence was/is there that confirms that WOFF is a “Protestant, non-denominational churches (as defined by classical Christianity) with traditional, evangelical doctrines.” Is it possible that the beliefs and practices of WOFF include several traditional, evangelical doctrines in addition to other doctrines and practices that may not be found in similarly labeled churches?

    The basis of my observations about WOFF comes from the 16 years of being exposed to their teachings and practices. I will share the experiences I had and many of the WOFF practices. My personal observations and experiences are offered as evidence to the practices of WOFF, at least during my time in the group. Could my “experiences” and observations be dismissed as fantasy or lies? Sure, they could, but why would someone do that? What would be their purpose? We continue our search for evidence in the next post.  

    Thank you, for taking time to visit and read this blog.  Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. The author is not a licensed mental health professional and encourages those that need professional help to seek it. The intent of the material is to inform and be a resource. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. There are readers at WOFF. Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

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      (Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be. ) Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 179.