In 1995, Inside Edition aired two segments on Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) in Spindale, NC. Bill O’Reilly actually was the announcer for the first segment! Inside Edition had acquired much of their information and footage from the Trinity Foundation (link- http://www.trinityfi.org ). The Trinity Foundation sent an undercover investigator inside WOFF. For now, we will review this video and the statements contained in it and compare them to what I was told and now remember from my time in WOFF.

   Our last post included this statement made by the announcer, ““Outsiders seldom see the decidedly different way this secretive sect worships God…”  That is an understatement- would you agree? The scene being shown is of a regular prayer service from that time that included small groups of folks sitting in circles around one person and praying for them. The announcer goes on in the same line of thought, “… regularly screaming to split the ears of devils…delivering this man and others from demons inside them so they can walk with God.” The next scene is shown from below, looking up into a member’s face as he received prayer. I recognize this man “getting prayer” and the one above him praying.

    The announcer continues, “Until now, many of the members may have been kept in the dark about allegations of child abuse, sexual molestation and unlawful imprisonment and cult like mind control techniques.” As the announcer speaks these statements, footage of members going in and out of the church building is shown. One can recognize very clearly, Frank and Robin Webster going in the front door of the sanctuary along with others. The scene shifts to a view of Jane Whaley standing in a parking lot and speaking with Ray Farmer in the background. You can tell Jane is speaking, but, you cannot follow her words. The announcer continues, “Their leader is 55 year old Jane Whaley, a former school teacher with no formal theological training…”  

   Let’s stop here. My perspective during this time is from what was said during special meetings I attended and also hearing what I was told from Gerald and Linda Southerland in Greenville. I can say with a clear conscious that NO, I was not told all that was going on during this time. Many things inside WOFF are told or shared on a “need to know” basis. I feel safe to say that Jane Whaley did not allow everyone to know all the drama or “warfare” that was going on. Why? Because it may cause some to doubt and LEAVE! Was information about WOFF and the true nature of what went on filtered out or held back from regular members during this time? Absolutely. Does it still go on? Absolutely. Is control of information a common characteristic of mind control groups? Yes. Controlling information is vital to controlling members and their ability to make informed decisions. Information about events within the group and outside the group is still shared with members on a “need to know” basis. Jane must not think her members need to know much about certain events that would cast WOFF in a negative light. Even if Jane decided to tell her members about a series of events or a “battle” going on, it was always shared in the light that “we are right” and they are “wrong”. Regular members are influenced and expected to always presume that Jane “walks in the will of God” and is never to be doubted or questioned. To admit or think otherwise could cause the whole sham to crumble.  

    As far as Jane being a former school teacher with no formal theological training? That is true. Also, I have searched my memory of the time I was there and I can honestly say I don’t remember ever being told which group of folks or ministry ever ordained Jane. For her to perform weddings and memorial services, one would think she had to be ordained and licensed. That sounds like a research project.

   The announcer continues, “And according to former church members like Roberta Priest, a woman (Jane) with little patience for followers who won’t follow.” Then Roberta is shown speaking. “What she would do is, say this is what, this is the way I believe God wants us to go and everybody just went”… Now, I don’t remember ever meeting Roberta Priest. But, as far out of it sounds, she is correct when telling about the “flow” of events and decisions at WOFF. Jane speaks and others listen and obey. To question Jane and express doubt is a quick ticket to “church discipleship” or even being put out of the church.

   The next scene shows a clip from Robert Tilton with eyes closed, hand raised and screaming at devils to leave his television viewers. Yes, I was in services in when Robert “Bob” Tilton attended. We were all given special instructions before he came into the services to not stare or approach him.  He would stand up front by Jane and eventually by Leigh Valentine. They married at some point and had a tumultuous relationship. Not sure really who had the bigger “devils” in that go round. But, I had no contact with Bob Tilton and only saw him as he stood toward the front. I tried not to stare. But, I knew from times previous to WOFF and from other things I had heard about, that he had huge personal struggles and needed “major help”. Remembering and looking back, I thought he would get his help from being exposed to the methods used at WOFF. Wow, was I wrong or what? Bob Tilton is still putting out his message… with a new wife. Here is a link- http://www.roberttiltonlive.com/home.html  The announcer says that Bob Tilton was doing what he learned at Spindale. Maybe during that time, Tilton was doing on air deliverance (?). But, I did not verify the message he is putting out now, as I don’t subscribe to the television stations he uses and I did not listen to his webcast.

    The announcer on the video continues with another scene from a group prayer session at WOFF, “But, it is not only the unconventional way they worship, since early last fall we have been investigating what they have been doing inside the church to their youngest, most helpless children; all in the name of God.” The scene shifts to a close up if Eddie Taylor. He is shown saying, “I know a few things…” The announcer, “Eddie Taylor, who just left the church after six years, says he got the shock of his life one Sunday morning when he just happened to go in to a part of the church he had never visited before.”  Eddie says, “One time I walked into the nursery and all the kids were tied in their chairs with a cloth tied behind them, tied to the chair where the kids couldn’t get out and play. I don’t really know; they were just sitting there…”  

   The scene shifts to Roberta Priest while she works with her roses and the announcer continues, “Roberta Priest knows, she worked in the nursery where no matter how young or fussy, children who are brought here are regularly restrained with their bed sheets at the direction of church leaders.” The scene shifts to an unfocused video of a man with two children in the nursery and a lady screaming in the background. The announcer keeps talking, “The screams you hear are prayers they are subjected to in a nearby bathroom when they won’t sit completely still.” Back to Roberta; Steve Wilson is interviewing Roberta, he asks, “Why tie them up?” Roberta chuckles and answers, “Because they got out of their chairs if you didn’t and, and, according to Jane, that was the restraints of God. In fact, something was said about how we tie the children up in the nursery and she (Jane) came back within the next day or two and said don’t ever say that, just say that is their seatbelt.”  

   Let me stop right here and say I remember this instructions from Jane that gave us all the rights words to say. This transition from “tying them up” to “it’s their seatbelt” was given to all the church, not just nursery workers. During this time, we were all given the right words to say, coached as it were, and we were all cautioned about speaking to the media.

    The scene shifts back to a father praying over his son. Both of these men are still in the church. The son has had his struggles, but, I heard had gone on into the medical profession providing services in a nearby town. The announcer says, “Older children endure it, too. This father and his young son are screaming to break generations of demons. Across the church, another dad is upset that his daughter will not settle down, and obey Jesus.”  Here, we will stop for now and make some closing comments.  The dad who was upset with his daughter is still in the church and so is the daughter. I saw her at a local business recently. I was witness to the many times this young girl would get prayer to help her submit and obey Jesus.

   You may be wondering why I would take time to review this video and even bring it up after so many years? Honestly, during my years at WOFF, when questions and scrutiny would come from the outside, behaviors would moderate — for a time. The long prayer sessions did moderate and many times were replaced with intense teachings about strict obedience to the dictates and rules. Outside pressures did cause internal changes no matter how much Jane Whaley would deny it. A survivor, who left after I did, recently told me that the spankings were less often and that the children were “becoming brats.” We have mentioned that Jane has a grandson now and this has caused some changes in the rules and downright reversals in many areas of disciplining children. Have you seen those new shorts the WOFF children wear?

    But, even for the younger children, this new era of less restraint has its twists. Seems it is only for the Jane’s grandson and a few of the leadership’s children. This survivor quotes Jane as saying having her grandson “has taught her a lot”. But, just because her grandson or his friend (daughter of one of the main church leadership) have or do something, it does not mean (other) parents can “run off and do or get it, too.” That’s because she (Jane) “has ahold of certain things in God for them and other parents wouldn’t have a hold.” According to her (Jane), that’s the parents trying to put their children in a “false place”. So, what Jane’s grandson gets or does or says is not automatically okay for other children in his class. What does this sound like?

   John, what does all this mean? It means don’t be fooled. The infants may not be tied to their chairs or subjected to hours of blasting, but, there are still control measures being used to rob free will and mold, shape identities of the young while replacing identities of the older ones. The stories told to me from recent survivors drive home the truth that the measures used to control an individual’s free choices and access to information and relationships outside the church are still being used daily within WOFF. Cover-ups can and do still happen. Members are still told what to say and not say about their living conditions and how they have been treated physically and emotionally. Forced confessions are still going on and deception is still being used to keep what goes on behind closed doors from being known to local authorities and the community at large. Families are still being destroyed. Men are being forced to sleep at the church away from their families. Does that make sense? We will continue with more from this video in a future post. We are only about five minutes into it. I hope to also bring you more evidence of what happens behind the lily white doors of WOFF.

    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, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his 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 347.