January 29, 2014- a survivor of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) posted the picture below and suddenly as if from every corner of time and space comments began flowing into his post. Can you understand why?

In order to help explain, allow me to post the following video to help those who may not know.

The contents of the picture would be in the middle of the prayer circle in the video. So, for hours upon hours faithful WOFF members would be staring at the bucket and the accumulating “used” paper towels. The paper towels were used to catch the sputum, nose-blowings and other fluids emitted in the activities around the bucket.  The picture brought memories of how the buckets and paper towels were used and the intense emotions, contortions, sweat, sore throats, flush faces, tears, shouts, humiliation, anger that accompanied the use of the tools of the trade – so to speak. And really, who was surprised?

Oh, before I go much further, let me add I did not witness the entire event. I had to sleep and go to work the next day. I reviewed the comments in my email inbox. At first, I was deleting the notices, and then I realized this was a part of WOFF history being made! I stopped deleting and kept most of them. They were the musings, rantings and observations of survivors from different time periods of WOFF. A few had not ever known each other and were having to ask for time references to place each other.

The comments went way into the wee hours of the morning, into the next day and there are a few new ones even now being added and this is February 1^st. You who have been inside WOFF and now out can just imagine the content of some of the comments. It is not my purpose here to recount them all. I will just review some of the subjects covered. First and most obvious there were comments about being in a prayer circle and having one’s head pushed down and the resulting pains, aches and efforts to just make it through to get it OVER with. There were references to other well talked about facets of WOFF life such as the “under-ground.” That group included different youth at different times mostly engaged in “rebellious” activities which seemed fun at the time. No surprise, I laughed a lot at several of the genuine and honest reflections and confessions.

There were “new” survivors as well us more experienced “attackers”… It was a contrast in a way as the new survivors told the older ones about the new WOFF motto- “It is better to have bruises than to burn.” The reference was to the physical abuses inside the group. From my understanding, the slogan means it is better if we beat the devils out of you and you suffer bruising than to keep the devils and end up in hell. Do other survivors think that is a fair interpretation?

Then there came a warning from someone. It did not seem to be a shocking revelation to any on the page. There was the recognition that WOFF spies would be watching. And many seemed to not care and kept rolling out the memories. Yes, in some ways that seemed to fuel the fire! The references to happy faces and godly hugs and other WOFF-isms kept rolling. The next morning, I posted a comment about a WOFF dream I had the night before. Others were lamenting the same reoccurring malady. At last count, there were 396 comments.

So John, what is your purpose? Why share this? Here is the point. Jane and her crew will take all of this as an “attack.” There will not be the foggiest notion that this is a reaction to how they treat their members. This outpouring of memories and emotion is a REACTION not a premeditated provocation. I believe this kind of shared reflection can actually serve to help heal and process the damaged emotions caused be involvement inside WOFF. I did not say it was pretty. But, it was an explosive avalanche of confessions and memories. There can be a level of sanity restored by sharing one’s afflictions with those who understand, yes it can be therapeutic. It was not organized and preplanned but a gushing from those who needed to express their feelings and hurts. These expressions were more common on different forums in years past and I have read outpourings like this in years past. This is NOT a new thing.

These reactions are THE FRUIT of Jane’s ministry. These folks are products of their involvement in the subculture of WOFF.  Jane can deny it and probably will. She will not take responsibility for being the organizer of the events that inflicted these hurts on her former members. Why? One reason is because she does not see her present activities and disciplines as being the cause for the pain. She is clueless to that fact. It is the worsening abuses in WOFF which will only cause more severe pains and hurts. Therefore, it follows that in the years to come, unless things change their course, survivors of WOFF will come out with more horrific tales of abuse. It will be sad to see.

So, how will the morning service be introduced tomorrow? Those members, who have been there without visitors, know that there is usually an opening statement made about recent events of some other direction Jane wants to go in. Will it be – “The Attackers are raging…” or “The Attackers are stirred to the max…!” or “I told you Facebook® was evil!” We will know she has had a breakthrough if the opening statement is something along the line of “Well, I am getting what I deserve…” Well, I am reaping what I sowed…” “Well, I am getting my come-uppance…” Or maybe – “Well, I have heard God; we are stopping all this hitting, slapping, kicking and pushing… God is tired of it. And no more holding people down… and if you want to leave- I understand. Let me help you.”  WOW! That would be great- if she meant it.

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 and Josh confirmed it.

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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Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 460.