Category Archives: WOFF and Money Issues

Issues and Questions surrounding WOFF and the funds they take in and how they are spent

Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized, WOFF and Money Issues, WOFF Don'ts

The WOFF “Don’t” List – Part 2

February 26, 2010 Admin Leave a comment

In part 1 of the WOFF “Don’t” List, we covered just a few don’ts having to do with attending services at WOFF. We also covered some basic “don’ts” like tobacco, alcohol, movies, newspapers and magazines. We neglected to mention you don’t watch television. Let’s stay with some more don’ts you needed to know about attending services at WOFF.

You don’t take pictures or make your own recording of the services. Well, one fellow did back in 1995. Search for “Inside Edition, Word of Faith Fellowship” to see the video. Of course as a WOFF member “you don’t do that, that would be lawless.” During graduation or wedding services, Jane would tell everyone when it was time to take pictures. “Don’t be loose with your camera” and for sure don’t think you will send pictures to your friends in the other affiliated churches. Jane stopped that years ago.

One service, the main church secretary stood up to say “Don’t put large amounts of cash in the offering, if it is not in an envelope. The IRS does not like that.” As mentioned, don’t bring your child into a service without taking them to the restroom. Feed your child before coming in the sanctuary. (some folks would feed their toddlers in the services.) This “don’t” was enforced at different levels at different times. If you had to feed your toddler during a service, don’t bring chocolate or dark liquids for them. It could stain the new carpet or new chairs. Don’t chew gum in the sanctuary! Don’t come in the sancutuary with muddy shoes or boots. Take them off and leave them out front.

Don’t park along the side of the parking lot closest to the buildings. Those spaces are reserved for the elderly and mothers with babies. Don’t do it, you will be called out and told to move your car. Don’t park in Jane’s mother’s parking place. Don’t drive around with expired tags. You will be reminded by the member who checks the parking lot. Don’t speed in the church parking lot. Don’t go the wrong way around the building. Don’t speed or be on your cell phone when approaching the school building to pick-up or drop off children. (as mentioned, some don’ts were for safety.) Don’t touch the thermostats unless you have been cleared for that duty. Don’t bring your child to school without a jacket when it is cool, you will be sent home. Don’t forget your homework or your bible as a student. You will be sent home. From time to time, the dress code for the school would change. So, don’t wear the wrong shirt color on the wrong day. The children were very aware of the don’ts and could recite them with ease.

We can change direction and talk about clothing. There were several don’ts in this area. As a review, no jeans. Well, some folks may wear jeans on a construction job. But, “If it stirs that rebellion in you, then wear work khakis.” Don’t wear a bathing suit unless you had long shorts below the knees and a dark t-shirt to cover the bathing suit. Boys and girls don’t go swimming together. Families may swim together in certain situations. Men don’t go swimming shirt-less. No shorts except for swimming time and maybe bedtime for men.

One service it came out that God had convicted certain men about their facial hair. Some men got up and went in the restroom to shave their beards or other facial hair. After that, men didn’t come in the service with noticeable facial hair. “We don’t do that.”

Let’s move on. As a member in good standing at WOFF- you don’t take a job or even go on an interview with “getting ahold of that in God”. You don’t buy a house unless Jane can go and look at it and “get the feel of the neighborhood.” When you do buy a house, don’t assume you know how to decorate it. Jane and her helper will come help you. Don’t go out and buy what you think you want for your house. Jane could say “it is not right.” Jane hears God about flower arrangements, also. Everything in a house is subject to change when Jane comes in- so whatever you have in your house- don’t get used to it. Of course, why would that be a shock? You don’t decide where you are living when you are a member of WOFF. All of the houses on the road leading to the church are owned by the church, except two. (the last I knew…) There are 3 double wides below the church as well as two more houses out on Oakland Road- owned by the church.

As a member, you don’t buy a car unless you check it out with Sam. (that is a topic for another post!). One fellow who has been with Jane and Sam since their days in Oklahoma bought his car and did not get it from Sam. Jane rebuked him in front of everyone and said “He paid too much”. She went on to say, “If anyone buys a car and does not let Sam help them; they will pay too much.” So, don’t buy houses, cars or take a job without “getting it checked out”. There was an “approved” Realty company inside the church owned by church members to help you hear which house may be yours. Don’t start your house buying venture without checking with one of these “ministers”.

For a time, there was a Jane-endorsed insurance agent in the church. Just so happened this insurance agent and Jane were very close. I think the term is related. During that time- don’t go anywhere else to buy insurance until you check it out with this person. (yes, more material for a post for another day..)

As a member of WOFF, you don’t take a vacation or “take time away with your family” unless you check it out with Jane. Don’t assume you are going to a funeral of a family member. Jane could say she “does not have a hold of you going”. Same with weddings of relatives or other family gatherings. Don’t assume you can freely contact your family that does not go to WOFF. As mentioned, members of WOFF don’t celebrate holidays or birthdays. (see post here.. http://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=249 )

These are a few more examples of life at WOFF. Can you see how living in “Don’t-ville” was tough in many regards? The number of don’ts was ever changing. We have yet to mention so many other areas which the “don’ts” ruled the day. Does this lifestyle sound like “Freedom in Christ” as mentioned in scriptures? Really? You don’t want to miss the next post! 🙂

Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. It could very well save their life. There are readers at WOFF. I hope this is a help to them.

Look on the right side of any post for “Categories”, select the drop down box and view any previous post by selecting “Uncategorized”. Use the slide bar on the right to scroll down to the bottom. Select “Previous Entries” to review older posts. As always, comments are welcome.

(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. )

Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized, WOFF and Money Issues

We don’t do that “out from under authority..”

February 17, 2010 Admin Leave a comment

In the first few years after moving to WOFF, I worked for a property management company owned by a family in the church. Though, I had many years experience in consumer finance, I had no experience in property management. That new experience in itself will proivde material for more posts at a later date. Sufficient to say that even with another part-time job at a credit union, the personal finances were tight.

If my memory serves me correctly; these events occurred during the summer or fall of 2003. I had heard of a job opening in sales and was quite impressed with the chemicals sold by the company. I called for an interview. Later, I went to a hotel in the same city in South Carolina where I worked in property management, to speak with the regional manager of the chemical company. After leaving the interview, I did not particularly want the job; but just looking for other possibilities for income gave me hope.

The very next church service I was called outside to speak with some “leadership” in front of the church. One of the owners of the property management company began, “I heard about the job interview.” He went on to tell me that going to the interview was not “gotten ahold of in God”. Up until that point I did not even know why I had been called out. As best I remember there were at least two other “leadership” folks there. One was the person who would eventually become the Holocaust teacher who is big on keeping people from books, TVs, magazines and newspapers.

(see previous post – http://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=284 )

The teacher began by saying she had just gotten off the phone with Jane. (Jane was in Brazil (?)) “Jane was very grieved that you would do something like this without getting ahold of this in God. We don’t do things like that out from under authority. You need to find a place of repentance for even allowing the thought of going to that interview.”

At this point, the pressures mounted up more than I could take and I began to cry, slowly at first. I now realize that the “leadership” there may have taken that as a sign that I agreed. That could not have been further from the truth! As I am writing this post, I can still feel the emotion of being told I needed to repent for not asking before looking for another job! The financial pressures were too great to just ignore. Later, I found out that many at WOFF were in the same predicament, barely paying their bills. Even with the part-time job, we had taken a cut in income to move to North Carolina.

Again, the owner of the company spoke up and asked if my wife was getting paid for teaching in the Christian school? I said “No”. He said, “I have been carrying it that she should get paid.” He would talk to Jane about that…..

Looking back, I should have recognized that “getting ahold of things in God” meant asking Jane for permission to do something and “being out from under authority” meant you had not asked Jane for permission. Any delusion about how things worked at WOFF, should have gone out the window! I had just been scalded for seeking employment outside the church. I went to an interview for a job that I didn’t really want. But, the pressures were too great to stay in the job I had at the time. The hours were very long and the pay was limited.

Another thing that should have jumped out at me, the people in that meeting thought that what had just happened with me being pulled out of the church service to be told that Jane was upset with me, was normal! Apparently, everyone else there in that meeting had already been shown how critical to life at WOFF was to not “be out from under authority!” That meant they had already been shown who ran the church! It would be five more years before I would exit from this church. Apparently, I was a slow learner.

(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. )

Behavior Control, Uncategorized, WOFF and Money Issues

The $50,000 Offering

February 8, 2010 Admin 6 Comments

One evening service, Jane came to the podium and said “we need $25,000 to meet the bills in the office”. She went on to say God had told her that some folks were saving money for their children. “God said to give it”. What kind of pressure was this? With the environment already described, would this cause certain folks to feel bad or evil if they did not give up their children’s inheritance? The person that “hears God” on every matter in the church just said “God said to give it”…

Later after the offering was taken and counted, Jane came back to the microphone. She was very excited, “We have had a miracle”. The offering had been counted and it was $50,000! (wow, on the first try!) She then shed a tear and thanked those folks who had obeyed God say to give the money they were saving for their children. By the offering coming in, it confirmed to Jane she had obeyed God in her “putting it before the people”.

One of the first questions in my mind, what will you do with the “extra” $25,000? But, as we have discussed, it was never mentioned. There is no complete open accounting of the offerings given by the members. It only leads to more questions. What is all this money being spent on? It was mentioned that it takes $20,000 a week to meet the bills. So, what is done with the million or so dollars taken in over a year? Some of the larger needs we were told were property insurance and taxes. The church has people watching the grounds 24/7. This is supposed to help get a discount on the property/liability insurance. Men or couples “volunteer” to take shifts over night. The premium was “high because some folks had made a claim against the church insurance” according to Sam. We were also encouraged to not put large amounts of cash in the offering if it was not in an offering envelope. The IRS did not like that.

If more than one offering had to be taken because we have not “met the budget”, then folks would be strongly encouraged to inquire of God, again! Sam would say, “If we don’t get the need met the first time, some folks are not “hearing God”! As mentioned, some services the plates would be passed three or four times, “until we get it”.. Then folks would be chastised for not giving the right amount the first time the plates were passed!

Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. It could very well save their life.

(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. )

Behavior Control, Information control, Uncategorized, WOFF and Money Issues

Jane Whaley – the Medical Debt Collector

February 7, 2010 Admin 1 Comment

On Sunday, after an evening service in December of 2007, there was a list read from the podium of members that needed to report to the fellowship hall. My name was on the list and I immediately tried to figure out the purpose of the meeting from the other names on the list. It was a mystery, but not for long.

After the group was all in the room, Jane Whaley came in as her daughter and another lady were already at the front of the room. Jane began the session by saying that a certain doctor in the church had not taken a salary in two years. She wanted to talk to those in the church that owed him money. She was given a list of names and balances. (apparently, I did not see the list, but she constantly referenced it during the meeting.) Jane’s daughter and the other lady worked for the doctor. The second lady was the doctor’s daughter! They were answering Jane’s questions about who was paying and who was not, in front of the whole group!

Jane began addressing individuals calling their name, saying how much they owed and asking what they could pay? One of the attorney’s in the church was present. He asked why he was there? He was told in front of everyone- “Your grandmother owes a balance” (under $300). He immediately stroked a check, handed it to the doctor’s daughter and huffed as he left the room. That answered my question, if Jane had sought legal counsel before she set out to “help her friend..”.

Next, Jane called the name and amount owed for an African American lady sitting close to the front. “You owe this amount- (she stated it)- You have not paid since (she named the date)…When can you pay? Jane then brought her mother into the conversation by asking her to explain why her daughter was not paying? The accused lady began to recount her struggles of finding a job. Then Jane and her daughter chimed in that it was her fault she could not keep a job. Jane’s daughter told her – God has given you several jobs and you are not grateful. You attack God’s plan by the way you act on your job. Finally, it was either Jane or her daughter who told the lady in front of everyone that if she could not pay, then find another doctor. Actually, it was addressed to everyone, if they were not able to pay then go to another doctor.

There were about 25 folks in the room. My name was called, but the daughter of the doctor told Jane I was paying every month. Every person’s information was reviewed by Jane, some people she would not call out for what ever reason. But, it was clear, Jane was “trying to help her friend”.

So, what is wrong with this picture? My background is consumer debt collection. I have been in this field for most of 28 years. I have heard several attorneys speak on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), as well as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996(HIPMA). Though I have never personally been cited for violations of these two acts, I have seen others who were accused of such violations. In my opinion, this meeting was a total violation of both FDCPA and HIPAA. Not only Jane, but her daughter and the doctor’s daughter were violating the rights of EVERYONE in the room who where protected by these laws. There was an attempt to excuse the meeting as “trying to help a friend”, but the privacy of each person was violated. The audacity of Jane Whaley to call out individuals and reveal their medical debts in front of others is AMAZING! Obviously, she did not seek any counsel as to the legality of the meeting, otherwise the attorney who left a huff would have redirected her efforts. But, what is new about that thought? Jane seeks help from no one who would stop her personal agenda.

Why would no one have sought help with this meeting before? I do not know that someone has not, but if someone has, they risked being shunned and put out of WOFF for even bringing up the questions. I left the meeting in total shock about what I had just witnessed. I had seen power displays before from Jane in different situations, but this one was one of the most blatant displays in my 16 years of involvement at WOFF.

Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. It could very well save their life.

(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. )

Behavior Control, Uncategorized, WOFF and Money Issues

Jane Whaley makes $600 a month (sorta)

February 5, 2010 Admin 2 Comments

One service the subject came up and Jane Whaley shared how much she gets paid a month. She said she gets a check for $600 a month. From that $600, she gives Sam $200. Sam volunteered at that point that he “squirrels away” his $200 for a future time. Sam is also a licensed used car dealer. He buys cars for those in the congregation and makes “about $500 a car”. ( If you buy a car from somewhere else, you are paying too much! says Jane.)

The impression given was that the $600 a month was Jane’s total compensation. The problem with that is vast. Everyone in that service had been to her house on 40 + acres. We remember her saying that she and Sam had taken out mortgages every property possible including their home, to pay attorney bills. Everyone had heard about the shopping trips in NC and also to Atlanta for the dresses and jewelry she had to buy. Many there heard her say at another time, “If all my clothes were laid out, it would cover 2 city blocks!”. We knew she had a cell phone, television and a pool at her house. Just a quick look at her lifestyle would cause anyone to wonder how she makes it on $400 a month? So, is it reasonable to think that the “church” pays for her house, cars, cell phone, new clothes, trips out of town and other things. But, why would we not know for sure?

Last January, I attended a church in McDowell county. That Sunday, they were handing out the Annual Report from the previous year! This report outlined offerings received and expenditures made during 2008. It was a pleasant shock for me as a visitor to be given this report. Why? Because in my 10 years in Greenville and 6 years at WOFF, there was NEVER a report issued to the members as to the amount of offerings received and expenses paid. After attending seminars and services for a total of 16 years at WOFF, I had no idea how much was received and where it went. Did others know? Well, maybe a handful of folks, like the Board may have known. Someone said (I do not remember if Jane or Sam) in one service that the church needed $20,000 a week to meet the bills. That makes over one million dollars a year brought in, if the “budget” is met. Would it not be reasonable to openly account for a million dollars of revenue to the people who gave it?

Did the Greenville church or WOFF – EVER issue any written information to the members about where the money was spent? No, not that I ever remember. There were always pleas for more money. I have been in services where the offering plates were passed four times. Maybe one offering would be for tickets for Jane’s pending trip or some other “special need”. The other times the plates were passed, Sam or the lady in the office who “balanced Jane’s personal checkbook”, would say “pass them until we get it…” Many times, we would all have to wait until the offering was counted to see if we were dismissed or if the plates needed to be passed , AGAIN! That rang hollow when there was no open accounting. We were told many times that the CPA for the church “said we were more than above board in the use of the ministry money.” Really? He also was getting paid to perform a service. Why not let the folks know where their “tithes and offerings” were being spent?

In the beginning years, both pastors of each church, Greenville and WOFF; claimed to not know who tithed. However, by the end of my tenure, that changed. Jane would say she looked at the offering records and “knew who tithed and who did not”.. She then offered a disclaimer- “I know when you are tithing by seeing if it (the amount) is consistent. If it is not, then you are not tithing.” Wow, people on bonuses or commissions were in a tight place… they were certainly assumed as “non-tithers..” Of course, it was preached tax refunds were a blessing that you needed to give tithes and offerings from to the church.

Sam would get up to receive offerings and make it plain: “If you are not being blessed financially, you are not tithing.” A person’s faith was called into question if they were not “blessed financially”. At some services, people would get up to testify about “how God was blessing them financially”. There was almost always funds raising projects for one cause or another. Certain individuals would accept the task of keeping the find raising projects coming for the school of other needs, yard sales, car washes, bake sales, make-up sales, picture sales, fruit sales and more.

Here is a link to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. This is how churches who want to be open with finances report and disclose to their members… http://www.ecfa.org/Content/7Standards.aspx

Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. It could very well save their life.

(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. )