Tag Archives: Holocaust

Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

After a glance to 2015, we look forward…

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Judges chair
Judges chair

Before many of us settle into the first Monday of 2016, I need to take a few lines and recap what has been a year full of surprises. Of course, there will be events I don’t mention that were important to others. If you feel so compelled, comment and share with us your signature events of 2015.

On January 22, 2015, the Daily Courier reported the reindictment of the five defendants in the Matthew Fenner Case. This reindictment came after the new District Attorney for Rutherford County, Ted Bell, expressed his concern over the processes surrounding the first round of indictments in December 2014, during the tenure of District Attorney, Brad Greenway. See the post- “Word of Faith Fellowship members re-indicted- Daily Courier”

The five Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) members who were indicted include Brooke McFadden Covington, Justin Covington, Sarah Anderson, Robert Lewis Walker, Jr. and Adam Bartley. The charges include second degree kidnapping and simple assault for all five with an additional charge of assault inflicting physical injury by strangulation against Sarah Anderson. These charges stem from the events of January 27, 2013 inside the sanctuary of WOFF. The story of the indictments was picked up nationally and internationally after the first round of indictments in December 2014. Again, bringing attention to the unsafe practices of WOFF.
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Behavior Control, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Controversy over support of WOFF Holocaust Museum continues (video)

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The drama in Florida concerning the Word of Faith Fellowship(WOFF)-Word of Faith Christian School (WFCS)Holocaust Museum added another chapter Tuesday night. The city council of Cocoa held their first monthly meeting for April. Included in the public comment section were two individuals from the local Sister Cities group seeking continued support from the city, and President of Temple Beth Shalom, David Pelzman who spoke for the local Jewish community in reconsidering the council’s resolution of support for the WFCS Holocaust exhibit.

The lady speaking for the Sister Cites group admitted her organization found out about the WOFF indictments in March. That is not in dispute. What is in dispute is when did Ron Shelton, Program Director of the upcoming display, know about the five WOFF Indictments?

The Sister Cities representative put forth the idea that the indictments had nothing to do with the children or the museum. She asked for continued support of the Sister Cities project.

David Pelzman made an impassioned presentation on behalf of the local Jewish community. He stated that Ron Shelton was presented information about the indictments in mid-December. Going on, he pleaded with the council to see the children of the school as no different from the leaders, members and the work of the church. He stated the Jane Whaley is the leader of the church and a principal and teacher in the school. He likened the Holocaust display to the true story of the concentration camp, Theresienstadt. At this camp, the Germans organized a concert given by Jewish prisoners “who could play music” against the background of a “Hollywood set” to the watching eyes of the International community. He recognized no difference in what WOFF does in using the “Holocaust museum project to hide (from) the eyes of a moralistic and ethical society.”
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Behavior Control, Thought Reform, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates, WOFF Website

“The Art of Remembering” – Charisma Magazine® (2)

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Our last post explored an article in Charisma Magazine® about Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) and their Holocaust Museum display. It was dated October 1, 2013 and can be found here. The article was written by Marcus Yoars. Here is the contact information for Mr. Yoars: marcus.yoars@charismamedia.com main tel:407.333.0600  

This post will review more material from the article and contain more thoughts on the subject. The Art of Remembering mentions that Word of Faith Christian School (WFCS) has “no art teacher.” It also featured Nahum Burgeson and his insight into how the Holocaust work began. Without a doubt, Nahum is a talented artist. The article also quotes Nahum, “I know without a doubt that God flowed through us to do this, “… When we first started, many times we would have a problem getting the paintings to look right. But, as we cried out to Jesus, you could see fruit. The more and more we cried out, the better we would get.”

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Books, Resources, WOFF Updates

“The Art of Remembering” – Charisma Magazine® (1)

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A recent gander at the website for Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) revealed a new header on the home page. The purpose was to direct visitors to the article recently released by Charisma Magazine® posted online October 1, 2013. The article titled-“The Art of Remembering” features Nahum Burgeson and the story behind his art work as well as extolling the “multilayered miracle taking place in tiny Spindale, NC.”  Before we review some information about the article, let me give the link and some of my own reflections on Charisma Magazine®.

The article can be found here. Oh, reading this article and perusing the website brought back fond memories of years gone by as well as some very disturbing questions. First off, I so enjoyed the memories of actually receiving the magazine in the mail for many years and devouring the content of every page… I cannot deny I was an avid fan before the magazine even went digital. Then as we moved to Greenville in 1992 and began to attend Grace and Truth Fellowship, our hunger for the magazine began to wane. Certainly by the time we moved to Spindale in 2002- the magazine was off limits and held no content which was meaningful to those “walking with God” and serving the Lord at WOFF.

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Books, Resources, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Confusion Around a Meeting at Word of Faith Fellowship (video)

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On Wednesday, March 6, 2013, the confusion and conundrums around the controversial Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) increased yet further. The controversy surrounded a meeting held Wednesday evening at the “campus”. This video link below from WLOS in Asheville, NC outlines the main points. Reporter Ashlea Surles gives a brief outline of the events. You may have to use your “back” button in order to return to this post.  Please, read on after viewing the video for the possible fallout from the confusion.

http://www.wlos.com/shared/news/features/top-stories/stories/wlos_church-blocks-gay-rights-group-10857.shtml

This was not surprise move from the WOFF playbook; they feel they are under “attack.” It appears that Brent Childers was trying to warn Dr. Kokkonen about the group. Well, that seems fair, right? Per Josh, “All I know is that the email disturbed the speaker.”  “We absolutely have nothing to hide,” said Farmer. I found that frankly a surreal stretch of a representation of their actions in the past, both while I was inside and now that I am out. Nothing to hide? Laughable! The façade that exists when visitors attend the services is vibrant evidence that there are things to hide, actions and practices that others may find strange or abusive. Shall we list them?

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Why is WOFF Obsessed with the Holocaust?

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    Recently, in a discussion on Facebook®, this question was posed. It is a valid question. For one, is there any other church in North Carolina besides Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) that has been so taken up with this historic event? If there is one, it has not crossed my radar. Also, there were academic areas of emphasis in years past, remember the science conferences or the Thomas Jefferson conference? None of the others have developed into a road show. Road show? Yes, see the article here from an online newspaper in Deming, New Mexico. WOFF is taking it on the road, again. http://www.demingheadlight.com/ci_18082999?IADID=Search-www.demingheadlight.com-www.demingheadlight.com

   Here is an excerpt: “Guests to the Night to Honor Israel will have a chance to see works of art on display, courtesy of the Holocaust Museum in Spindale, North Carolina. The museum was a dream come true for the Word of Faith Fellowship and the Word of Faith Christian School in North Carolina. Students, grades K-12 have their works of art across the nation, and now Deming can tour choice works on display at the DPS auditorium.”   

   Let me say I was there during the gestation period for the budding event. Who could have seen the development of this academic interest into a full blown take it on the road display? Some years later, I took the online Holocaust class through Cleveland Community College taught by Karel Reynolds from WOFF. The class was enjoyable though the irony did not fully hit me until I left the group. We were studying the beginnings of the Third Reich as Hitler came to power as Chancellor. Some of the restrictions he imposed on the Jews, as well as the Germans sounded awfully familiar. Why did I not see them while inside? I believe it was because of the blind zeal for Jane Whaley and the WOFF cause. Regardless if Hitler stole and violated personal freedoms of the Jews and then the Germans, we at WOFF were “learning God’s ways and walking with Jesus”.  It was as if we were thinking, “If we are in a cult, Jane will tell us!” Really?

   “To follow by faith alone is to follow blindly.” Benjamin Franklin

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

Anne Frank Remembered

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   This film recently came to my attention and caused me to reconsider several questions and points which have been considered previously in posts on this blog. The film, “Anne Frank Remembered” was written and directed by Jon Blair. (© The Jon Blair Film Company Ltd. 1995, in association with the BBC and the Disney Channel, part of the Sony Picture Classics collection) The documentary is a moving account of the life and death of Anne Frank as told by her writings and several survivors as well as footage of her father, Otto Frank.

   My earliest memories of learning about Anne Frank were from a play that my elementary class attended in Abingdon, VA. This may have been in the seventh or eighth grade. I don’t remember much about that evening, but I came away with a sense that there was a lot more to the story than could be portrayed on stage. There were terms used and concepts portrayed that I knew nothing about. What I have learned since then as well as in this film confirmed those thoughts.

   Before I go further, let me acknowledge that the direction I am headed in this post will be doubted by some and scoffed by others. Members of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) of which I was a part of for many years, will no doubt mock and scoff at many of my observations and conclusions. I would/will not be surprised since when I was in that group, my reactions to such conclusions would have been the same. This is only confirmed in my thinking by the continued cooperation between the Christians United for Israel (CUFI) group and WOFF. From a connection with Leigh Valentine, WOFF has become a part of CUFI and has displayed their “Holocaust Museum” exhibit at a few CUFI conferences.

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