In light of the most recent Associated Press release-US church goes to Brazil; instills fear, splits families– I believe it is appropriate to repost this review from August of 2010. (click “back” button to return here)
The lead paragraph from this article:
SAO JOAQUIM DE BICAS, BRAZIL (AP) — At the Word of Faith Fellowship churches in the Brazilian cities of Sao Joaquim de Bicas and Franco da Rocha, the signs of broken families are everywhere: parents separated from their children, siblings who no longer speak, grandparents who wonder if they will ever know their grandchildren.
This AP release goes on to chronicle the process of WOFF taking the practice of destroying families from North Carolina to Brazil. The Brazilian churches have become a sad reflection of WOFF NC. Jane Whaley’s ministry of destruction and pain has indeed transferred its dark stain seen and felt in America to Brazil.
Read the post below and note the heartache and angst. The WOFF-effect on families is real. It is indeed an international travesty.
On a personal note, my daughter is expecting or has already delivered her child this month. I am one who wonders if I will ever know my grandson…
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Jane Whaley and her crew from Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) have been making trips to Brazil for many years. The first time I knew about the trips was in 1992. At that time, I heard about previous trips in previous years made by members of the Greenville church traveling with WOFF members to Brazil for seminars. There was always a certain mystique associated with the trips and the privilege of going to help the Brazilian church members. During the early years, those who did not go to Brazil would hear about shopping trips to rock shops and eating at Brazilian restaurants. The seminars would also include many deliverance sessions and teachings about WOFF ways and WOFF life. Many of the teachings were about “hearing God” as Jane or certain others would speak, with Jane’s approval. For sure, the church members in Brazil would emulate WOFF members and end up copying many of the WOFF ways and in order to live in WOFFness.
Since my time at WOFF ended in July of 2008, I have heard several accounts of WOFF doings that as a member inside of WOFF, we just did not learn about. Why would that be? A few months ago, someone began to let me know about things happening in Brazil. At first, I was shocked. But, as I considered what I knew has/had happened in America over the whole WOFF saga, it all began to make sense. What I will share here is from a translated email sent to me from Brazil. The names of the church members affected are not the key part of this story. The key thing about the scenario of events is to note the strange and sad similarity to previous events here in North Carolina and/or in other states caught in the WOFF-web.
The email begins “What happened to my children was terrible and very demonic.” The former Brazilian church member goes on to explain the events preceding the exit of her family from one of the WOFF Brazilian churches. Under the direction of Jane Whaley, a WOFF “minister” has been sent to Brazil to help “take hold of them.” She is listed on the WOFF website as an “Associate Pastor” under the “Missions” tab, then “Brazil Ministerio Verb Vivo”. My impression of her during my time at WOFF was extremely dedicated to Jane Whaley and the “purpose” of WOFF and WOFFness. Since leaving, I have learned things about her that really do not surprise me. She is definitely “locked-in” to Jane on a “high level”.
The email goes on to explain the “abuse with the children and the yelling with them in the school” had this person’s spouse concerned. They “thought it was better for (them) to get away from the school for a while and be a minister only at the church”. With this move, the American “started realizing something was wrong and started a plan for my children”. Basically, there was strife planted between the parents and their children. It was worded like this, the children were told “we had forsaken her (them) and we did not want her (them) anymore and we were possessed by demons and didn’t want to see them any longer.” This person admitted, (her children) “got very shocked because (she and her husband) … always taught her (the children) ministers were always right and we always hid from them the wrong things the ministers did.” Former WOFF members: Does any of this sound familiar? Am I saying the Jane Whaley and her ministers have ever separated children from their parents with a rouse that pits the parents fighting and denying “God” “or “God’s will? Am I? Do I have any personal knowledge of this scheme? So, do I?
So, why would I share this? Because I can believe it as the events do not sound strange, but in many respects common in WOFF-land. The accused acts of the American WOFF minister are not abnormal sounding in relation to WOFF and I fully understand the statement of the person affected- “we always hid from them the wrong things the ministers did.” Talking about mistakes that Jane or WOFF ministers would make was not allowed. So, for children, youth and many adults; the idolatry and worship of Jane Whaley and her WOFF ministers is passed down and around. There results have very detrimental effects in many lives year after year after year. From what I read, this family and several others have been separated and torn by this American WOFF minister and her doings. Directed by who? Am I shocked? No. Does it cause me deep regret? Yes.
To The Brazilian People:
I want to take this opportunity to express my deepest regrets and apologies for strife, division and error that Jane Whaley, her WOFF ministers and regular members have taken to your nation. Jane Whaley has taken her home grown WOFF doctrines, WOFF-life and WOFF-strife to you. As in America, she has destroyed many of your families and furthered the notion that she and her members are some special elite breed of “Christian”. The events from the last few years just do not affirm this insane notion. Whatever “good” that could be attributed to WOFF is tainted and annulled by the destructive results we have witnessed to families over the years.
How can I make this claim? First, I supported WOFF with tithes and offerings for years. I also traveled to your country with WOFF and joined in the delusion. I allowed the error to reside in me for years. Now, as I witness the WOFF-strife in the lives of former church members in Brazil, it grieves me that I had a part in furthering the WOFF deception.
The message and lifestyle portrayed at WOFF does not accurately reflect the American ideals of freedom of religion or freedoms in general. Our Founders certainly did not envision the brand of WOFF-life that has developed here in America, to be held up as a standard or benchmark by which all other Americans should model their lives. Jane Whaley and her leaders claim it is God’s will for some to have freedoms and some not to have the freedoms guaranteed in this nation. How do we know this? It is evident by their ACTIONS! There is a level of freedom for Jane and there is a stricter lifestyle for regular members. It is sad to realize that WOFF-life is one of the American exports to Brazil. Then of course, the Brazilians already know this, as certainly they have seen it with their own eyes. WOFF-life is exported other places as well in the world. In my opinion, this whole WOFF-mess is dark stain on the United States of America.
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 166.
Think about how many Brazilian children were sent to the WOFF church in Spindale, NC. Many times it was under the ruse of an American college education. But, many were not allowed to study in the areas that they felt they were suppose to. Also, these children (young adults) came from wealthy Brazilian families. So, more money was being poured into the local WOFF church through them. The Brazilians also all seemed to marry someone in the NC church. This was a way that the talons were kept in the whole family both in NC and Brazil. I know a few families who did not approve of their children marrying in NC and definitely not the ones that they “heard” they were to marry. You know they would not go back to Brazil. There are a few Brazilians that have to remain in WOFF because their families are still in the WOFF church in Brazil and the other way around. They all want to live in the U.S. even if it is in this church, so when they live here they are threatened to be sent back to Brazil. I remember one couple that was sent back because of “sins against God”. When I heard that I thought, “oh how terrible, what could it be?” Later I found out they had marital relations during a seminar week and a few other times that was a “sin against God”. They were sent back to be dealt with by their families who were in leadership in the church in Brazil. I believe they found a place of repentance.
My husband and I lived next door to a woff home in Rutherfordton where we became acquainted with Derick Moser who like you, realized that he needed to get his family out of this cult. He succeeded after some struggles and decisions that were in the news several years ago. He took his children and left for Montana. Was persued by woff but was able to keep his family out. We tried as Christians to help him as he shared with us his concerns about the life and controling influence woff and Jane W. had taken on his life and family. We were so happy when he stood up for his rights against woff and this cult. Thank God for this brave young family man who was able to rescue his family from this.
Deborah,
You may not be surprised if I told you that what you read in the newspapers was not shared with us on the inside. At least, I NEVER remember that article from the Courier being read aloud. I was not as “active” at that time, as I was later in doubting WOFF-life. Thank you for sharing.
John
I had forgotten about the Mosers. He left with their boy, but his wife would not go. They spent several services talking about chasing Derick to Montana. They said they disguised themselves and followed his moves with binoculars while in hiding. Then his wife got up and shared about the trip to get her son back. Finally, she moved out there with him. After all of that Jane talked about them again and how she had gained all this weight or must be pregnant AGAIN (her emphasis). Derick’s big sin was wanting to run his own business again (I think he was a plumber).