Back To Religious Cults Info Blog

Locked in pulls back the thick curtain holding many of the secrets inside Word of Faith Fellowship. This small mountain church in Spindale, NC first came to the national stage in 1995 when Inside Edition aired video which included their signature practice of blasting deliverance prayer. As the first published survivor memoir of this group, Locked in follows John's journey of hope to live in "God's ways" by moving his family to Spindale, only to discover the cult's unique doctrines and practices destroy the family he loves and cherishes. Locked in examines these group practices including communal living, deliverance prayer, fund-raising, as well as revealing the essential beliefs and many unwritten rules governing each member.


From the FOREWORD:
“This is an account of how an innocent person can be vulnerable to the deceptiveness and exploitation of a pastor, whose Christian church had all the elements of a cult. Many cults are deceptive and appear as legitimate organizations at the outset. Members are taken on a step-by-step journey that exposes them to increased manipulation and control over time. If John knew in advance the extent of all that would be required of him, he most likely would have been reluctant to join. Whaley's unique doctrine demanded that members totally conform to her messages from God; and these messages encompassed every aspect of her followers' lives, including family, career, and financial matters, in addition to spiritual concerns.”