A recent conversation with a person who has never been a member of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) revealed something to me that helped me understand the quandary for many outsiders. After asking several questions and trying to understand the dynamics of life inside WOFF, this person said, “You know, I don’t think about my salvation constantly. I am not worried if I am going to hell over every single thing I do…” I was shocked at the statement, but suddenly I could see the problem and at least some of the answer. Let me explain.

First, the fact that I was shocked showed me I was still at least in the shadows of WOFF thinking. Why? Inside WOFF, for faithful members, the life is saturated with “salvation critical issues”. What do I mean? Everything at WOFF – every behavior, every attitude, every decision, every thought, every purchase, and every choice of a garment, every relationship, and every facial expression – can be and is subject to being scrutinized to see if you are saved, born again and submitted to the will of God. This may seem strange and should to those outside the WOFF sub-culture. So much revolves around this one aspect that is may be difficult to fully explain the vital role that this has in the control environment of WOFF, but, I will make an attempt.

We have chronicled many of these issues here on this blog in previous posts. Your walk with God and eventual salvation could and would be judged for how you talked, how you walked, how you dressed, how you drove, how you handled your cell phone, how you left a bathroom, who you wanted to be friends with wither inside or outside the group, where you wanted to work, what classes you wanted to take in school… The list can be endless as new situations would arise and you would be judged in that new situation as to whether you were “hearing God” or were “under authority” or were “lawless” or “giving over to your sin” or “giving place to the devils in you” or risk being “put out of the church and the MOVE of GOD”… All of these phrases were meant to instill fear over your eternal destination while relating to common occurrences such as how you cleaned your house or folded your clothes or if you cleaned your deck, or whatever Jane decided to use for her purposes. All of this would be covered in the phrase- you need to walk, talk and act “like a minister of God…”

In a totally different conversation on Tuesday, I was talking to a person about life after WOFF. I made this statement, “In retrospect, I cannot think of an area of a person’s life that was free from WOFF control…” It was the first time that the totality of WOFFness had occurred to me. Yes, I have been out of WOFF since July of 2008, but, just coming out of WOFF- doesn’t take WOFF out of you. It can take years to unlearn, relearn, reprocess the events during WOFF years and wash away the legalism/punishment mentality which is foundational to Jane’s religion. As I considered the totality of WOFF-life, I remembered the statement that helped get me out of WOFF: “This place is subject to being called a cult because people (WOFF members) are more afraid of Jane Whaley than God.” That was uttered to LB on June 6, 2008 and in two hours I received a phone call telling me that Jane had put me out of the church.

Let’s reflect on this aspect that everything is a “Salvation Critical Issue” from a couple of different perspectives, first- from the outside looking in. Many people on the outside looking into WOFF marvel at the big houses, nice cars, and neat dress and well mannered children. Many see this as a plus and wonder how all of this can be with so many members. In my opinion from the years of being there, the fact that all areas of a member’s life are considered subject to the authority of God – in Jane; this creates a motivation and compulsion to conform and to be in union with others and not risk losing your salvation and going to hell! Visitors to WOFF would not be privileged to see or hear how the administration of critical issues would take place. We did not have “family meetings” with visitors present. Family meetings were ones where members would be openly corrected and brought back into line with “God’s standards” according to Jane.

This mindset that everything is a “salvation critical issue” was considered normal during my days at WOFF. Anyone could be called out or corrected about ANYTHING –since the least little bit of sin could “pull you out of the move of God” and into hell. Jane had final say as to what was sin and what was not. How we slipped into that mindset was a gradual process over years. Jane grew into her “gift” or position, as we grew into our position under her. It was a step by step process to subvert, overtake and replace the critical thinking of over 400 members. Some submitted to it sooner and some took longer. But in order to stay, you at least acted like obeying all of Jane’s rules were vital to you making it to heaven. If you expressed a doubt, you could soon be out. One time visitors or those who may work with WOFF members in the community probably are not aware of the function this trait has in molding members to Jane’s directives. For those members just coming into Jane’s kingdom, you are “loved in” as Jane directs your integration into WOFFness. New members are allowed time to “understand the ways of God” and thus submit to all of the rules and norms and be able to breathe in the seriousness of all issues as they relate to their ultimate salvation.

I see a difference here that needs to be noted. I believe God is concerned for His children and how they live. But, no one person, man or woman, has the responsibility to dictate to the minutest detail another’s life in the name of their religion, while holding over them their prospect of making into heaven or not. For Christians, that is the Holy Spirit’s mission – to lead His people- not Jane. Only the Spirit of God can know the minds and hearts of His people.

Having a working knowledge of this mindset that for faithful WOFF members- EVERYTHING they do, say , think, feel, wear, own as well as every relationship they have – can and will determine if they go to heaven; as determined by Jane Whaley- is vital to understanding how those who leave WOFF or relatives who don’t embrace WOFF are treated. We covered some it in the Stockholm Syndrome post, but, we will share more here.

In a post titled:  Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism – The University of North Carolina Press/Chapel Hill and London By Robert Jay Lifton, M.D. found here – http://www.rickross.com/reference/brainwashing/brainwashing19.html    The information is from Lifton’s book on brainwashing. He explains in Chapter 22: Ideological Totalism that the belief and administration of the doctrine in a totalistic group supersedes the human experience and the validity of the person involved with the group. This is reflected inside WOFF as all members are subject to Jane’s absolute revelation (doctrine). A WOFF member’s preference or desire never supersedes Jane’s desires or directives. Nothing happens in WOFF unless Jane approves of it. This requires the label of “totalistic” environment.

Lifton also explains another characteristic of thought reform in such groups: The totalist environment draws a sharp line between those whose right to existence can be recognized, and those who possess no such right. Simply put, once you leave WOFF your “right to exist” within their subculture goes away and you become “non-existent”. You are shunned unmercifully unless Jane restores your right to exist. For a faithful WOFF member, recognizing a former member’s right to exist apart from Jane’s approval is a “salvation critical issue” and can jeopardize your right to exist within the group.  Likewise, for family and relatives who have been labeled as “attackers” by Jane, their right to exist in a WOFF member’s life is non-existent as long as Jane says so.

During another conversation on Tuesday, I realized that Jane has not ordained a knife to the physical body of former members, but, the requirement to shun and count as non-existent those who leave is a knife to the soul. Her destruction of family relationships as a normal course of WOFF business sets her as guilty of attempting to murder the souls of her former members- her perceived enemies. Since this severe activity has existed for years concerning former members, we have no other conclusion to draw except that for Jane it is a normal course of WOFF -life to attempt soul murder and totally remove those who reject her “authority” and her religion. If you can’t live by her rules- what good are you?

There is so much more to cover on this topic. But, in closing, let me just point out that for a WOFF member to go from an environment where EVERYTHING is salvation critical, to being out and determining from your own experience and knowledge what is critical to your salvation or even daily living – is traumatic. To go from an atmosphere where decisions were made for you to making your own decisions can be liberating in one way and scary in another. For those who were recruited into WOFF and have a previous life to fall back on or use as a counter perspective, adjustment may be a little easier. For those born and raised in WOFF, getting out is like starting late out of the gate and it may be tough just to keep your head above water. All of this considered, it is still better to be out and making progress than stuck in a place that uses the ploy of “religious freedom” as an excuse to abuse.

   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 383.