This has been another busy 48 hours on certain social media outlets. During this period three Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) survivors have put short versions of their plight inside the group. Each left at different times, but you will see certain commonalities in their stories. You may ask John, why would you repost here? The answer is simple. Not everyone is on Facebook® nor does everyone care to be socially connected in that way. In light of that, I have asked for and received permission to repost these short stories here. I have been in contact off and on with Morgan Sample for longer than any of them. She told me this part of her story when we first connected and yet, she did not feel comfortable to share it here on this blog or other social media outlets. Now, she has let others know what she had already told in private. Continue reading for the survivor stories…

The following is her synopsis as it was posted on- Citizens Against County Corruption  

Morgan Sample-

“I remember the day I had massive black and purple bruises on my chest back and shoulders from being slammed and grabbed pushed and shaken during a “prayer” session for all my “rebel demons.” I was told it “was the love of god” and not to show my mother. …
I was told hell would be so much worse. Only I felt I was already there. It wasn’t long after that I finally got out. The final straw was being slammed repeatedly against a refrigerator and left in a room by myself after being caught contacting someone outside of the church. So much transpired that the public should know but I can only share as important points come to mind.”

 The irony is that the person who slammed her against the refrigerator felt she had the right to do so… How does that show the Love of God? Religion and its pursuits, no matter how sincere, never justify or make a valid excuse for abuse. Agree?

Next, we will post Christina Bryant’s story as she tells it. I had heard some of this before and am only so honored to allow all of these survivors a forum to tell of their times of abuse and confusion.

 Christina Louise Bryant posted on – Citizens Against County Corruption
Sylva, NC  
“Ok, so I know that it’s “hard” for some people to believe that sexual abuse occurs and/or is covered up at the Word of Faith Fellowship but it does and this is my story.
My name is Christina Bryant. I am 31, have a wonderful daughter, supportive boy friend, and a rewarding career as a RN Case Manager on the Cherokee Indian Reservation. I was sexually abused from as early as I can remember until I was 10 and could say no. This happened at the hands of my step-grandfather. A known predator and child molester. For reason I cannot remember I was too scared to tell my parents. I came really close to telling a camp counselor when I was 10 and really wished I had. Secrets like that eat away, devouring your self-importance and esteem.

My family became affiliated with the (Word of Faith Fellowship)WFF when I was 11. By age 15, I HAD to tell someone what happened to me. It was destroying me and I needed help. I turned to the “best” help I knew of, Karel Reynolds. I told her during a deliverance session, I was sobbing hysterically and shaking uncontrollably just to utter the words I was abused. Like most children who are sexually abused there are parts they blame themselves about and I had so much misplaced guilt. She took my “confession” and said she needed to talk to Jane Whaley and get back to me.

I don’t remember, but I think the next day, she has me meet in her office and I told her everything that was done to me by my abusers. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of my soul! I was ready to put that man behind bars. The same man who (had) raped my aunt, and (had also) molested several other family members. I remember a clear as if it was yesterday her next words which came from Jane Whaley, “Do not tell your parents anything of what you have told us. They wouldn’t be able to handle this information by the spirit of god and to cry out to god for him to heal me and forgive my abuser.”

That’s was it. Never to be brought up again until I found out he was dying of cancer. I went to Karel and asked to see if I could talk to him and tell him what he did to me was wrong, but I forgave him and try and preach salvation. I was given permission to do that but was unable too before he died. My mom was already at the church I believe by that point and again she knew nothing of what happened to me. I left the church in 2006 and got married in 2007. I was pregnant with my daughter in 2008 and I had all these new found maternal emotions and I couldn’t understand HOW my parents and other family members could know about this child predator in the family yet allow their kids around him.

 I confronted my mother and told her everything. I will never forget the look of “you got to be kidding me” and acted as if I was lying. Fast forward a few years and I began to train to become a forensic sexual assault nurse examiner. One of the things I learned about NC is that there is a law that states if a minor child divulges abuse of a nature to an adult, they are required by law to report it to the appropriate law enforcement. I told Karel in 1998, he didn’t die until maybe 2002-3? I (we) could have had justice.

In October of 2012, I was invited to come and meet with Jane to clear the air over issues they had with me and thus cut my family off from me. I heard of Jerry Cooper’s story of being invited then they called the police and said he was trespassing. I had no way of knowing what would happen in this meeting so to protect myself I bought a recorder and stuffed (it) in bra (I have been blessed to be able to hide stuff in that way haha). Well, I have 3 1/2 hours of recording. Some of which Jane candidly admits that she doesn’t have to report sexual abuse. Also have her admitting to other cases of sexual abuse that have been hidden and covered up.

Some people may ask, why are you putting yourself out there like this? Why? It’s for my niece who is 2 and all the other children who cannot stand up for themselves or even know what is happened(ing) is wrong. Yes, I have become successful and have wonderful friends and new family and reconnect with blood family. but how can I just “move” on with my life knowing this will only get worse. My worst fear is my baby niece someday asking me why I never did anything to stop the abuse. The same questions I have asked my own family.

Thank you, Christina for sharing the hurts of your heart and the unmet desires to have a better world for those that can’t know the danger they are in or make a way to change their world!

Another survivor came forward on social media recently. Here we include Benjamin Talley’s version of some of his trauma during his time at WOFF. Again, this is used by his permission.

“FORMER MEMBER – I was raised in a religious cult in North Carolina. I have been a deist->atheist->agnostic all of my life. So I had to pretend until I was 17 and ran away. The church currently still sexually, psychologically and physically abuses children to this day. Nobody listens. The local Government is paid off. The state government doesn’t want to cross its political supporters. The US Government assigns task forces that get bored and drops cases. Anonymous members would rather pursue Rothschild conspiracy theories than help actual people. My profile picture is the face of the woman, Jane Whaley who runs everything. I wake up in cold sweat nightmares with vivid emotional recurrences of my beatings and isolation. One entire grade (I) was pulled out of school for a year for giggling in class. We were forced to carry boulders in the mountains to develop land so the land developer David Caulder of Caulder Realty wouldn’t have to rent equipment to do the job himself. I was beaten and molested at the same time from 6 PM to 3 AM one church service for not raising both hands in “praise to God”. When I faced my accuser in court, my mother was bribed by the privilege of owning a car and testified that the night that I went crying to her for comfort after the incident didn’t happen and that I am a pathological liar. When I left, I had adjustment problems to say the least and I could not tell anyone because they either called me a liar or told me to simply move on. I have close to one hundred friends just on Facebook from this place. Survivors, just barely who are being ignored, disrespected and shamed. If I could make these nightmares go away I would. THE ONLY comfort I get is the thought of someone listening one day and the doors of that church closing for good so future children will never experience the nightmares that my brothers and sisters have.”

Much of this testimony I had not heard because I was inside when it happened. This speaks to the INTENSE effort to control information inside WOFF. EVERYTHING is on a “need to know basis.” Do other survivors agree? After leaving that place, I have learned from very credible sources that while inside we were “information managed” or lied to in many cases. Why do I say that? Because not telling the truth to those that are directly affected by it is lying and manipulation no matter how you cut it.

Thank you to these survivors for allowing their stories to be posted here. More survivors will emerge from WOFF. More stories will be told, not all will be the same, but many will include abuses and manipulations that will astound many and shock most! Soon we will take up a review of the “Federal Injunction” that many in Rutherford County government have come to fear. We will look at the actual documents which outline the guidelines for a DSS investigation. What we won’t be able to do is learn how these documents have been interpreted by who knows (?) to cause this surreal fear of WOFF.

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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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 466.