Over the last few years, I have talked to different survivors from Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). The first reports I heard which contained information about physical abuse and beatings were a surprise to me. During my time there, I was never physically abused myself. Now, I was screamed at by Jane Whaley and other leadership, I was publically called out for infractions of unwritten rules. I was shunned by family and friends; I had times of segregation from others in the group. I saw others held down during prayer circles and a few corralled by a group of members and kept from running away after they made it outside. I overheard hard spankings by parents of children. But, adults abusing other adults by physically slapping, punching, kicking and beating- I never saw personally at WOFF. When I first heard the stories, I wanted to ignore and not believe it. Then I realized that that tendency is what kept me inside that group so long in the first place! We must tell the truth and face the ugly facts about life inside WOFF!

Now, the list of survivors telling stories of abuse is growing and the abuses seem to be worsening. We have previously exposed some of the details on this blog. Also recently, I viewed a documentary on Youtube® about survivors of Peoples Temple. It was done in 1979 by NBC, Inc. I cannot be sure if the entire documentary has been posted. I found three parts and will include them in this post. There was one survivor that explained two very important characteristics of Peoples Temple which have occurred at WOFF. In this post we will share those insights which I believe help explain why things evolved as they have at WOFF.

The documentary is titled – “The People of Peoples Temple” part 1

At 7:20 in the video Grace Stoen says this about Peoples Temple:

“Jim Jones offered them something, he offered them instant friends… But …what they saw in the beginning when they came to the church and what they saw after they were a member after they were locked-in are two different things…”

There is that common WOFF term: locked-in. Yes, once inside WOFF, you see things different than a visitor. The shine comes off and WOFF reality sets in.

In part 2, at 3:19 Grace Stoen is describing the evolvement of the abuses:

“It started years before with just catharsis and having to manual labor for punishment, then having to strip your clothes… then with a twig and then okay they escalated. But, (it) was not overnight. So, what would be very shocking to someone like you (outsider) became very common place gradually in our lives.”

This explains how members within WOFF have come to accept the abuses. They have gradually grown numb to them and even excused them as “God’s will.” I know the thought pattern. Well, that person deserves it. Or, if they had not been so full of rebellion, they would not have to go through that. Common everyday compassion for the victim of abuse is swept away by the fear of making Jane upset- which is equated to making God upset. If Jane got upset at you questioning the abusive nature of her punishments, you could be next!

4:13 Grace Stoen: “We weren’t allowed to communicate. Sure I used to look at beatings and I used to wonder, you know this is gross but, I don’t see anybody leaving. I don’t see anybody speaking up, maybe it’s just me. I mean, I could never go up to someone and say- ‘Am I crazy or is this or is Jim Jones crazy?’ I could never verify it.”

It is the same at WOFF. You can’t share you doubts about Jane’s decisions or you will be “a rebel” and put out and go to hell.

In the third video at 5:22 Grace Stoen:

“We allowed him to break up our marriages, our communication which is very important. Any church which wants to divide the husband and the wife…(shakes her head-no)  or the family. Jim Jones- that was his biggest thing, break down the family unit and that’s a mistake and that is where you get into trouble. That is where you make Jim Jones’. I think where we as members went wrong we just let him keep on going. I mean we did not have the courage to say no, there is not going to be anymore. We made Jim Jones.”

Well, there we have another similarity between Jim Jones and Jane Whaley. Both of them within their own systems, sought to break up marriages and families. That has been the end result inside WOFF for years. Let’s not be fooled by the marriages Jane arranges. Each person in that “family” must have undying allegiance to Jane and support her right to tell each of them how to behave inside that marriage or it will not be! So, those marriages are shams. They exist only to edify Jane – not the husband and wife and their life together free from control of Jane. A few couples have broken free from WOFF – but, as they leave Jane is sure to curse them as they “go play the harlot with the blessings of God!” Let me translate: that curse means Jane is upset that the couple took the things the church gave them at their wedding showers as their own property and left WOFF. It is as if receiving the stuff binds you to Jane and her group- forever. Does that sound like Christian giving?  

So as a WOFF survivor trying to explain life inside WOFF, I could say… “So, what would be very shocking to someone like you (outsider) became very common place gradually in our lives.”

There is much more in these videos. Let me know your questions on how much would pertain to life inside of WOFF. Thank you.

And with that, let us remember:

“It is never too late to wake up and leave and reclaim your life!” Steve Hassan

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. Jane told me. 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 452.