Category Archives: Behavior Control

Behavior Control, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized, WOFF Don'ts

The WOFF “Don’t” List – Part 5

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      We move on to the fifth installment in the series titled, “The WOFF “Don’t” List”.  The subjects are varied. We will pick back up with games. There were/are so many “don’ts” in the area of entertainment.

      Steven Hassan in “Releasing the Bonds” (copyright 2000) explains the “B” in his “B.I.T.E.” model. The “B” stands for “Behavior control“. Defined as the “Regulation of individual’s physical reality… the list includes regulation of clothes, hairstyles worn, food the person eats, drinks, amount of sleep and financial dependence. This next part is a direct quote, “Little or no time spent on leisure, entertainment, vacations.” (page 42) During my time at WOFF, there was very little time for adults to spend on leisure or entertainment.

     One entire service was spent delving into what possessed several men and young boys to be taken over by the “ping pong devil”.The competition for the “King of Ping Pong” of course did not measure up to previous “don’ts” established at WOFF. The meeting ended as all participants were led to repent to Jesus and to the whole church as well as Jane Whaley personally. After that service, the pool table did not have a chance! Yet, another entry in the “don’t” column.

     Just a quick one, here. WOFF members don’t whistle. Jane said “It was better to sing the words and not loose confusion”. Besides, whistling in mixed company could be mis-understood.

      One service several years ago, Jane Whaley stood up and held up a set of camping toys. They had been left on the previous Friday night in one of the classrooms. She was using this to make a point. “Who did this?” She went on, not waiting for someone to admit the “sin” and explained we “don’t” allow these toys. “It teaches our children that playing with fire is okay”. The person who felt responsible stood up and interupted Jane to admit their gross sin. Jane is all her loving caring attitude snapped back and told the person that she already knew who did it. She was not going to reveal it in front of everyone. (She obviously was using the scene to further establish her power as sole authority on children and toys…) The person sat back down and finished taking their scalding in the privacy of their own thoughts. Similar scenes were played out with play tools. “We don’t let our children have those. They will confuse them with real tools and could get cut or hurt handling a real tool when no one is looking.” When would that happen? WOFF children are not left alone at any point. Well, that is the way things were years ago. “Don’t leave them alone, the devil is waiting to attack them.”

     At one point before my time at WOFF ended, there were 34 children under 5 years old. (as far as I can remember..) I saw several playing with toy musical instruments. Cute. But, also another “don’t” from previous years that changed to a “do”. Reason: “We have ahold of these children at a higher level. They don’t have the systems in them that your children did. God can trust them with more.”  Another example, years ago a “don’t” was concerning children’s Bibles. “We don’t give them the ones with pictures. After all, those pictures don’t show Jesus as he really was…” Before my departure, that “don’t” switched to a “do”. I saw many children’s Bibles with pictures and shortened stories. Years ago, another don’t was not allowing children to make noises like animals. Well, that changed. I heard certain ones quacking like ducks and mooing like cows. Cute. But, some “don’ts” seem to be relative. It depends on who your relatives are as to exactly how many don’ts are placed on you…                  (see quote from Steven Hassan in part 4 https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=750   )    

      Don’t be late going anywhere if you are a member of WOFF. One called prayer service during the week, in March of 2008; Jane announced that the doors would be locked at 7:00PM. She was tired of people dragging in late. So, promptly at 7:00PM those “on watch” locked the doors and that was it. I know a man that was locked out and he went back to his car to “fellowship with Jesus” and had a “grand time”. Sure he had to answer to someone about his tardiness.  Several times, Jane would complain to the congregation about Sam not being ready when it was time to leave their house and go to the services. Not sure if she ever left him, but it sounded like she would in order to “get ahold of Sam”.

     There may be a better place to put this quote, but I will put it here to bring some perspective….

  Luke 11:42 (Amplified Bible)

42But woe to you, Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every [little] herb, but disregard and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone.(A)  

     Disregarding the “love of God”, certainly WOFF members don’t do that. (see previous post here… https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=498  )  As long as you don’t mess up my stay in “Don’t-dale”, I will show you “love”.  In short, you don’t talk to those who have left unless Jane gives the okay. That is the “love of god.”

     The list of “don’ts” is not finished. We will continue in future posts…

     Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. It could very well save their life. There are readers at WOFF. I hope this is a help to them. Use the comment section to let me know of any “don’ts” that I missed.

     Look on the right side of any post for the option to subscribe by email for notifications or RSS feeds notifying of new postings. It is a great feature.

      (Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be. )

Behavior Control, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

A Knock at the Door… A Visit from WOFF Members

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     Recently, while working from home, I received a knock at the door. This in itself was strange as the number of visitors has been limited. The door to my place had been recently replaced and thus no peephole installed. So, I asked, who is it? The person identified themselves and I knew it was a WOFF member. So, I opened the door to two WOFF members. They expected an invitation inside, but since they had given no call ahead of time, I refused them entry and we talked in the hallway. I asked them why no call ahead of time? “We could have met somewhere”. The reply – “We just wanted to show-up.”  There were smiles at first, but they soon faded.

     Before I go any further, let me say that I was not recording and have no real way to tell everything that was said on either behalf, mine or theirs. So, upfront know that this post is NOT a full account of this encounter. Also, I am leaving some parts out on purpose to not reveal the identities of the two ladies. For now, it does not add to the purpose of the post to identify them.  For sure, you the informed reader will understand the main points and get the gist of the events. I purpose to make it plain as possible.

     The first lady admitted she had been reading this blog. She then went on to assess the content as being “lies, full of lies!” I asked which part? She said “All of it. It is all false!” I got the message she did not like my blog. 🙁 I mentioned to this person that I was telling my experiences. (Remember, my experiences cannot be taken from me. Learned that at WOFF.)  She asked at some point, “How could you have slipped so far?” She gave me the impression that she thought I was “backslidden”.

    Then the second lady said the piece I wrote about her was wrong and false. She claims to have spoken in person to me on a Saturday morning about the thoughts I was having. ( I disagreed..) She did not dispute that I was “put out of the Church” with a phone call. At this point, she was “gagging on gnats”, as far as I could tell. She said many things about losing the “call of God” and “blaspheming God”. She made light of the place I lived. “What are you doing here?” She gestured with her hands as if to mock the place of my residence. From my memory, this was a common tactic to use on those who have left WOFF. The fact is most everyone in WOFF lives in very nice houses, but at what cost? The main difference in the place I live now  and the one I left, is just that- I live here. No one from WOFF, ” in authority” had to approve of my decision. In that regard, this is a beautiful place to live!

     The next door neighbors came up the stairs and I introduced the two ladies at my door. I told them that these ladies said I could not or should not have a blog about my previous experiences at the cult church. The neighbors were a little taken aback, nodded and went inside. This comment set these two ladies off into a rant. They again gestured with their hands and said “See there, why did you have to add the last part?” I asked isn’t that why you are here? You think I post “lies”? You want me to stop, right?  No, “We are here to encourage you to find God and the call of God.” “We are not telling you that you can’t post on your blog.” The second lady began to recount my previous “evangelistic” activities while at WOFF.  I told her I gave those folks so much “false religion” because that was what I was hearing. I repeated what I was told. She looked a little more upset but, did agree that “we have all given others religion, that is what we came out of…”

     They went on to say that I was using the books for sources over the Bible. That I had slid way off the mark. I asked them, “Are there were no other books to read beside the Bible?” They did not answer that one but, they said, “Truth is in the Bible! Not other books.” (okay, so, I will put more scriptures in my posts. I have resisted for not wanting to sound “preachy.”)

     At one point, I told them that when you list the characteristics of other cult groups and chart them against my own personal experiences with WOFF, there are so many similarities! They had no real knowledge of other groups so they could not comment on that point.   I told them that several other folks said I was very accurate! Though I did not volunteer names. 

     The second lady claimed to care about me and the many years our families had spent “in the things of God”.  I mentioned that this was the third time we have talked since I left in July of 2008? One of those times, I paid the her group a surprise visit and that one does not count.  So, if she cared, why so few contacts?  Then I  asked her about her husband?  She had mentioned he was glad to know that I had showed -up at the surprise meeting. “He wished he could have been there”.  Would he talk to me? She said,  “I don’t know.” Then I asked, “Would he be allowed to talk to me?” She did not answer as I feel certain she truly did not know. 

     During the conversation, my landlord came through the hall wanting to enter the apartment across the hall. I again introduced the ladies but, this time left off the “blog and cult” remarks. Then I turned to the second lady and said, “Better?”

      A little later during this exchange, one of my neighbors came back out and asked a question. He said, “Excuse me, you mentioned you had a blog on religious cults. My girl-friend and I would like to read that. What is the address?” At that point, I gave him the address and mentioned I could answer any of his questions. That comment was a surprise to me. It was a question of his own.    

     The second lady did most of the talking and stayed more calm. In fact, she spoke very sincerely and I told her so. The first lady spoke a rehearsed type of speech that obviously had been approved. She got upset and shook her finger at me. She also mentioned my jeans. That bothered her very much. The conversation did get heated at times. At one point, I asked them if they ever had doubts that Jane Whaley heard God perfectly every time? To which there was no reply. (you may read more by clicking the prompt)    Continue reading A Knock at the Door… A Visit from WOFF Members →

Behavior Control, Books, Resources, Information control, Uncategorized

Book Review: “Slave and Citizen” by Nathan Irvin Huggins

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     This book, “Slave and Citizen” written by Nathan Irvin Huggins, subtitled “The Life of Frederick Douglass” (copyright 1980) was an inspiration to me during the first few months of leaving WOFF. The investment was only 49 cents. The benefit was immense. I picked the book up at a used book store.  It was a relatively quick read of only 185 pages. My emails and notes show I read this book in September of 2008.

     The book outlines the life of Frederick Douglass from his birth to his death at the age of 77 in 1895. He had risen from slave to being a Statesman and Ambassador to Haiti for the United States. He advised President Lincoln and had many other accomplishments. The intriguing part to me was his life beginnings and how he learned to read.

     In 1825,… Frederick was sent to live in Baltimore, MD to the house of Hugh and Sophia Aduld. There is the city he caught his first glimpse of freedom. Mrs. Auld took time to teach Frederick to learn to read the Bible. He was a quick learner and Mrs. Auld was excited to show her husband. Her husband not happy at all, in fact he was enraged. “Hugh Auld with course and brutal language told his wife that slaves should never be taught beyond their station. ‘Not only was it illegal to teach them to read, but it would spoil the best n[igger]r in the world.’ A slave, ‘given an inch, he will take an ell,’ he said. A slave should know nothing but the will of his master. ‘If you learn him how to read, he’ll be running away with himself.” The text goes on… “Frederick … on the other hand learned the most important lesson of his youth: there is something unnatural about slavery;…” (page 5, emphasis added)

     I read this passage in September 2008, about 60 days of being out of WOFF. Those were frightful times as I was struggling with the notions put in me while in WOFF. Those who leave are “under a curse, Judases, digging themselves a deep hole” as some would say. So, this passage woke me up! The reason that Information control is so heavy at WOFF, is because, “If you learn him how to read, he’ll be running away with himself.”  Teaching slaves to read was illegal. Of course members are allowed to read- their Bible.  In the cases of students: textbooks are monitored and censored. Allowing members to read ANYTHING they want is illegal at WOFF. Otherwise, those dutiful, hard working, tithe giving members will get ideas and be running away with themselves!

     After I read this I sent an email to a dear friend. In the email, I share how I read this between 3:00AM and 5:00AM and could not sleep! It all made sense. Keeping members from the newspapers, TV, magazines, most every book and other sources of information; keeps them “in their place”. (if I may be so bold to use a WOFF phrase!) Also, as Frederick Douglass learned, “..there is something unnatural about slavery.” It is unnatural to not have access to the free flow of information. The choice to partake or not partake should be up to the individual, unhindered in any way.

     “A common form of information control involves blocking out any critical or negative points of view.” Some cults simply forbid members to have access to any non-cult material such as newspapers, magazines, television or radio, and the Internet…”. These words from “Releasing the Bonds” by Steven Hassan (copyright 2000) make it very clear. Religious cults as well as other mind control groups, attempt to control the information available and thus “keep their members from running way”!

     One main “breach in the dam of control” for me occurred when I searched the term “shepherding movement”. The similarities between the religious move of control in the 70’s and my life experiences at WOFF were too stark to ignore! That started the process of my “running away”.  If the WOFF experience had not been so blatantly like the stories of control I was reading about; I may still be at there, today. Here are some links to the type of information I read:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherding_Movement 

http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/04/shepherding.htm

There are plenty of other sources for this subject.

     To my good WOFF readers: you may think that you have free access to all the information sources that you want. You just don’t “want to read the newspaper or watch television or freely surf the Internet”. I remember that rationalization tool. Is it really true or are the consequences of admitting to partaking of the “forbidden” too great for you to risk a violation? Remember– “there is something unnatural about slavery”. In reality, you had to give up your freedoms to continue to be a part of the group. Isn’t that “spiritual slavery”?

     So, to the newest members: did you realize that in order to keep the job or housing you were given that you would have to give up your freedoms in so many areas? Has the spiritual bondage been too slow in developing for you to notice? How is that “..freedom in Christ” working out for you? My critics from WOFF say I don’t use enough scripture. For them:

“My precaution was] because of false brethren who had been secretly smuggled in [to the Christian brotherhood]; they had slipped in to spy on our liberty and the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might again bring us into bondage [under the Law of Moses].
Galatians 2:3-5 ( Amplified version)

     Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. It could very well save their life. There are readers at WOFF. I KNOW for sure and will share that post. Holocaust teacher: Are you reading this one?

     Look on the right side of any post for “Categories”, select the drop down box and view any previous post by selecting “Uncategorized”. Use the slide bar on the right to scroll down to the bottom. Select “Previous Entries” to review older posts. As always, comments welcome.

      (Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be. )

Behavior Control, Uncategorized, WOFF and Money Issues

The $50,000 Offering

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      One evening service, Jane came to the podium and said “we need $25,000 to meet the bills in the office”. She went on to say God had told her that some folks were saving money for their children. “God said to give it”.  What kind of pressure was this? With the environment already described, would this cause certain folks to feel bad or evil if they did not give up their children’s inheritance? The person that “hears God” on every matter in the church just said “God said to give it”…

     Later after the offering was taken and counted, Jane came back to the microphone. She was very excited, “We have had a miracle”. The offering had been counted and it was $50,000! (wow, on the first try!) She then shed a tear and thanked those folks who had obeyed God say to give the money they were saving for their children.  By the offering coming in, it confirmed to Jane she had obeyed God in her “putting it before the people”.

      One of the first questions in my mind, what will you do with the “extra” $25,000? But, as we have discussed, it was never mentioned. There is no complete open accounting of the offerings given by the members. It only leads to more questions. What is all this money being spent on? It was mentioned that it takes $20,000 a week to meet the bills. So, what is done with the million or so dollars taken in over a year? Some of the larger needs we were told were property insurance and taxes. The church has people watching the grounds 24/7. This is supposed to help get a discount on the property/liability insurance. Men or couples “volunteer” to take shifts over night. The premium was “high because some folks had made a claim against the church insurance” according to Sam. We were also encouraged to not put large amounts of cash in the offering if it was not in an offering envelope. The IRS did not like that.

     If more than one offering had to be taken because we have not “met the budget”, then folks would be strongly encouraged to inquire of God, again! Sam would say, “If we don’t get the need met the first time, some folks are not “hearing God”!  As mentioned, some services the plates would be passed three or four times, “until we get it”.. Then folks would be chastised for not giving the right amount the first time the plates were passed!

     Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. It could very well save their life.

      (Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be. )

Behavior Control, Information control, Uncategorized, WOFF and Money Issues

Jane Whaley – the Medical Debt Collector

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      On Sunday, after an evening service in December of 2007, there was a list read from the podium of members that needed to report to the fellowship hall. My name was on the list and I immediately tried to figure out the purpose of the meeting from the other names on the list. It was a mystery, but not for long.

     After the group was all in the room, Jane Whaley came in as her daughter and another lady were already at the front of the room. Jane began the session by saying that a certain doctor in the church had not taken a salary in two years.  She wanted to talk to those in the church that owed him money. She was given a list of names and balances. (apparently, I did not see the list, but she constantly referenced it during the meeting.) Jane’s daughter and the other lady worked for the doctor. The second lady  was the doctor’s daughter! They were answering Jane’s questions about who was paying and who was not, in front of the whole group!

     Jane began addressing individuals calling their name, saying how much they owed and asking what they could pay? One of the attorney’s in the church was present. He asked why he was there? He was told in front of everyone- “Your grandmother owes a balance” (under $300). He immediately stroked a check, handed it to the doctor’s daughter and huffed as he left the room. That answered my question, if Jane had sought legal counsel before she set out to “help her friend..”.  

     Next, Jane called the name and amount owed for an African American lady sitting close to the front. “You owe this amount- (she stated it)- You have not paid since (she named the date)…When can you pay? Jane then brought her mother into the conversation by asking her to explain why her daughter was not paying? The accused lady began to recount her struggles of finding a job. Then Jane and her daughter chimed in that it was her fault she could not keep a job. Jane’s daughter told her – God has given you several jobs and you are not grateful. You attack God’s plan by the way you act on your job. Finally, it was either Jane or her daughter who told the lady in front of everyone that if she could not pay, then find another doctor. Actually, it was addressed to everyone, if they were not able to pay then go to another doctor.

     There were about 25 folks in the room. My name was called, but the daughter of the doctor told Jane I was paying every month. Every person’s information was reviewed by Jane, some people she would not call out for what ever reason. But, it was clear, Jane was “trying to help her friend”.

     So, what is wrong with this picture? My background is consumer debt collection. I have been in this field for most of 28 years. I have heard several attorneys speak on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA),  as well as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996(HIPMA). Though I have never personally been cited for violations of these two acts, I have seen others who were accused of such violations. In my opinion, this meeting was a total violation of both FDCPA and HIPAA. Not only Jane, but her daughter and the doctor’s daughter were violating the rights of EVERYONE in the room who where protected by these laws. There was an attempt to excuse the meeting as “trying to help a friend”, but the privacy of each person was violated. The audacity of Jane Whaley to call out individuals and reveal their medical debts in front of others is AMAZING! Obviously, she did not seek any counsel as to the legality of the meeting, otherwise the attorney who left a huff would have redirected her efforts. But, what is new about that thought? Jane seeks help from no one who would stop her personal agenda.

     Why would no one have sought help with this meeting before? I do not know that someone has not, but if someone has, they risked being shunned and put out of WOFF for even bringing up the questions. I left the meeting in total shock about what I had just witnessed. I had seen power displays before from Jane in different situations, but this one was one of the most blatant displays in my 16 years of involvement at WOFF.

     Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. It could very well save their life.

      (Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be. )

Behavior Control, Uncategorized

The Church Service No One was to Talk About

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     Sunday evening meetings at WOFF would often times include the discussion of “church family” issues. Sometimes issues were addressed in an open forum. Jane would ask a question and  open the podium for others to ask questions or tell what they saw during a “situation”.  At times, families or households would be called up front and stand before the congregation while the situation was being discussed.  These meetings could include public rebukes for anyone in attendance or listening over the phone to the service. Also, most engagements or births were announced in these services.

     One Sunday service, (not sure if morning or evening) Jane said, “I think we have an announcement?”.  Then the as the couple that was to announce came to the podium. This happened to be a couple slightly older than the normal range for first marriages. The fellow had come to WOFF a few years ago and had gone through many struggles and changes. The lady had come from Texas and may have been a part of a very large church there. She worked on staff at WOFF. He worked selling granite at a church-member owned company. The woman had been a “friend” to the fellow for a while. As he went through his adjustments and struggles, she was there to “help” him. They had been on two or three “ministry” trips together with other folks. So, this was not a surprise.

     Next, another older couple got up to announce that “God had shown them they were to be married”. He was quite animated and asked Jane if they could get married VERY SOON. Well, just asking Jane did not guarantee the ceremony would happen quickly. They still had to “walk out a relationship” and get some more “breakthroughs”.

     I am not sure of the order of the next few events. But, there may have been some singing and/or prayers of thankfulness offered. Members started coming to Jane who always sits on the front row, and speaking in her ear. This was common for many folks to do. Some even would kneel before her. Men and women of all ages made their way to the front. Jane soon allowed the “news” to start being told. The people were coming telling Jane that “God had shown them who their mate was to be..” When Jane had a “release” about it, she would nod or give some signal. The couple would come to the podium and speak into the microphone what had just taken place. They were “set on course in a new relationship” and the understood part: this would lead to marriage.

     The couples kept coming and coming. The flood gates were opened. By the end of the service, there were 21 couples engaged in the church! Most of them had been first acknowledged in this meeting. Each one had “checked it out with Jane” before moving to the podium to share with the congregation. Some had been friends for a while, some had never spent time together they were just “obeying God”.

     Towards the end of this time, Jane began to tell the members that this was not a service to go out in the community and talk about. Why? Some folks coming were under the legal age of consent and had heard to marry this person that they had never spent any time with… Jane said she was not sure about some of the younger couples of high school age, especially the ones in eleventh grade. But, she would “carry the whole situation and see where God would take it”. She did say “others would not understand what God had just done so don’t go talking about it loosely”. This was a service that I didn’t know if I understood. The behaviors displayed were strange even to one who had been in the group for years.

     WOFF had been rightfully accused of monitoring closely the personal intimate lives of married couples. So, how would this news of impromptu relationships approved by Jane be understood within the surrounding community? Several folks have been married since this services. But, I have no updates on the young high school age folks that said “God told us to be married”.

      Later, Jane announced that one man had already been on the phone calling his son who had left the church, telling him if he was still in the church; God may have given him a mate! It was truly one of the strangest services I had ever experienced in the 16 years of attending WOFF. This is the only service I remember that Jane wanted kept secret.

     Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. It could very well save their life.

      (Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be. )

Behavior Control, Uncategorized, WOFF and Money Issues

Jane Whaley makes $600 a month (sorta)

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     One service the subject came up and Jane Whaley shared how much she gets paid a month. She said she gets a check for $600 a month. From that $600, she gives Sam $200. Sam volunteered at that point that he “squirrels away” his $200 for a future time. Sam is also a licensed used car dealer. He buys cars for those in the congregation and makes “about $500 a car”. ( If you buy a car from somewhere else, you are paying too much! says Jane.)

    The impression given was that the $600 a month was Jane’s total compensation. The problem with that is vast. Everyone in that service had been to her house on 40 + acres. We remember her saying that she and Sam had taken out mortgages every property possible including their home, to pay attorney bills. Everyone had heard about the shopping trips in NC and also to Atlanta for the dresses and jewelry she had to buy. Many there heard her say at another time, “If all my clothes were laid out, it would cover 2 city blocks!”. We knew she had a cell phone, television and a pool at her house. Just a quick look at her lifestyle would cause anyone to wonder how she makes it on $400 a month?  So, is it reasonable to think that the “church” pays for her house, cars, cell phone, new clothes, trips out of town and other things. But, why would we not know for sure?

     Last January, I attended a church in McDowell county. That Sunday, they were handing out the Annual Report from the previous year! This report outlined  offerings received and expenditures made during 2008. It was a pleasant shock for me as a visitor to be given this report. Why? Because in my 10 years in Greenville and 6 years at WOFF, there was NEVER a report issued to the members as to the amount of offerings received and expenses paid. After attending seminars and services for a total of 16 years at WOFF, I had no idea how much was received and where it went. Did others know? Well, maybe a handful of folks, like the Board may have known. Someone said (I do not remember if Jane or Sam) in one service that the church needed $20,000 a week to meet the bills. That makes over one million dollars a year brought in, if the “budget” is met. Would it not be reasonable to openly account for a million dollars of revenue to the people who gave it?  

      Did the Greenville church or WOFF –  EVER issue any written information to the members about where the money was spent? No, not that I ever remember. There were always pleas for more money. I have been in services where the offering plates were passed four times. Maybe one offering would be for tickets for Jane’s pending trip or some other “special need”. The other times the plates were passed, Sam or the lady in the office who “balanced Jane’s personal checkbook”, would say “pass them until we get it…”  Many times, we would all have to wait until the offering was counted to see if we were dismissed or if the plates needed to be passed , AGAIN! That rang hollow when there was no open accounting. We were told many times that the CPA for the church “said we were more than above board in the use of the ministry money.” Really? He also was getting paid to perform a service. Why not let the folks know where their “tithes and offerings” were being spent?

     In the beginning years, both pastors of each church, Greenville and WOFF; claimed to not know who tithed. However, by the end of my tenure, that changed. Jane would say she looked at the offering records and “knew who tithed and who did not”.. She then offered a disclaimer- “I know when you are tithing by seeing if it (the amount) is consistent. If it is not, then you are not tithing.” Wow, people on bonuses or commissions were in a tight place… they were certainly assumed as “non-tithers..”  Of course, it was preached tax refunds were a blessing that you needed to give tithes and offerings from to the church.

      Sam would get up to receive offerings and make it plain: “If you are not being blessed financially, you are not tithing.” A person’s faith was called into question if they were not “blessed financially”.  At some services, people would get up to testify about “how God was blessing them financially”. There was almost always funds raising projects for one cause or another. Certain individuals would accept the task of keeping the find raising projects coming for the school of other needs, yard sales, car washes, bake sales, make-up sales, picture sales, fruit sales and more.

     Here is a link to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. This is how churches who want to be open with finances report and disclose to their members… http://www.ecfa.org/Content/7Standards.aspx

     Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. It could very well save their life.

      (Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be. )