Category Archives: Books, Resources

Books, Resources for learning about religious cults

“Jesus Camp” – Kids on Fire

   “Jesus Camp” is a documentary produced by Loki Films for A&E Indie Films Copyright © 2006 A&E Television Networks. (www.jesuscampthemovie.com) The film presents a close –up look at Becky Fisher, a children’s minister. Her website is  https://kidsinministry.org/ . The film crew is allowed to document a week of summer camp, “Kids on Fire”, led by Becky Fisher and her team. The camp is located at Lakewood Park Bible Camp near Devil’s Lake, ND. The camp includes certain normal summer camp activities plus intense teaching sessions led by Ms. Fisher as she presents a Pentecostal, Evangelical message. She includes teaching sessions using props along with teaching about sin, living for God and praying for the government and specifically the President.

    It is my understanding, the directors; Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady do not claim to be Christian. This would explain the composition of the film. Many political references are made as the radio talk show host, Mike Papantonio, of the Ring of Fire (http://www.ringoffireradio.com/ ) is allowed several minutes to express his views. This show is the voice of the Progressive Movement which constantly takes aim at Evangelical Christians in this nation.

    Continue reading “Jesus Camp” – Kids on Fire

Rules, Rules, Rules – The Results?

     We have posted several times on blog about the rules or “don’ts” put upon members of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). It is understood that in a group like WOFF, the rule count may ebb and flow, but the general direction of the number is up. Until I was out of that group, I did not stop to count or consider the effects of the large number of behaviors regulated from the pulpit in spoken rules on among the members in unspoken rules. Many rules were so ingrained, that you don’t know of them until you leave and see others who do not follow the rules or adhere to the “don’ts”. Then you begin to examine your reason for doing or not doing something. It is then you begin to see the massive number of detailed regulations that were imposed on you as a member of WOFF. The details of the rules can be debated or argued as to when and why and who made the rule. Today, we will look at the effects of the rules other than the obvious behavior modification. What mindset evolves after being under so many rules? Here is the list I posted earlier. No, the rules were not written at WOFF, therefore it was easier to manipulate and deny the existence of so many restraints that were issued. (WOFF Don’t List WOFF Don’t list from 03 10 ) This list spans the 16 years of my involvement in that group. I feel VERY sure some have changed and new ones have been added.

    These next quotes are from the documentary- “Join Us”. The film is presented by Interloper Films along with Lusitan and was produced by Ondi Timoner and Vasco Lucas Nunes. (copyright© Third Floor Productions, LLC 2007). Here is the link to the second post for that film…https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=3464   Kristy Sullivan is describing her time and her thinking while in the cult called Mountain Rock Church in Anderson, SC. She and her husband have since left the group and received counseling at Wellspring Retreat. I use this quote as it typifies the result of living under the control of a cult leader. From what I can see and determine, Mountain Rock Church has LESS number of rules than WOFF. Their dress was less monitored and they were able to celebrate some holidays. So, the comparison would not be absolute, but it does give a great indication of the emotional state of being in such a controlling environment.

Continue reading Rules, Rules, Rules – The Results?

Could You Be a Cult Member?

    The question is not for the present, but for looking into future. Could you be involved at some point in the future, in a controlling religious cult? Could you be considered as a “regular member”? I am not asking if you could be a cult leader. That question is for another post. Could you tell when the people around you that you love and trust are beginning to take your freedoms away? At what point would you know that what started out as benign and maybe even beneficial had morphed into a controlling environment? Are you so sure?

     My experience is one that has taken me to, into and through years of a group that began as what I considered as beneficial and by no means harmful. Did I miss the changes and the signs of control? Apparently, I did. Was I susceptible before I even came into the church in Greenville, SC known first as Grace and Truth Fellowship and then Word of Life Church? That is not a question I am able to answer here, but possibly in another post. For this post, we will review several statements from those involved with cult groups on some level. After all, cult survivors should be able to give at least some insight into how they were taken into a cult group, right?

      Continue reading Could You Be a Cult Member?

“Breaking the Chains”- by Shari Howerton- Introduction

    In an earlier post titled “The Church at Rock Hill” found here.. https://religiouscultsinfo.com/2010/06/the-church-at-rock-hill/  we began reviewing the movement started by William Sowders. It was a brief review and only served as an introduction. The post included a couple of links for information on Sowders and a summary of a testimony from a former member of one church in this group in California. I listed aspects of that testimony that contained similarities to ones I had seen in my years in Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). The movement was brought to my attention through the free service from Google® called Google Alerts®.

    This was my introduction to a movement begun in around 1914 and at its peak had about “75,000 believers in 300 congregations in 31 states.” (Source here– http://www.dmgac.org/about/leaders/ a church within group)  The leader, William Sowders died in 1952. Recently, a book written by a survivor of this group, Shari Howerton, came to my attention- again through Google Alerts®. “Breaking the Chains” Overcoming the Spiritual Abuse of a False Gospel (Copyright © 2009 by Shari Howerton, ISBN- 978-0-9713499-4-0) –The author was born to a family in a church in that movement. She stayed in that group under the pastor, Cornelius Mears, for 43 years. Near the beginning of the book, she provides more background that helps understand the impact of the doctrines and practices on the lives of its members.

    As I have been reading this book, I have seen several things to note. First there are some differences in the leadership of the church Howerton was a part of and WOFF. The leader(s) in the Sowder movement were men and at WOFF, the leader is a woman- Jane Whaley. There are some similarities on many levels between to the two groups. We will mention one likeness here and we will note more of both, in future of posts.  

   Continue reading “Breaking the Chains”- by Shari Howerton- Introduction

Things Have Changed….

     From 1992 until 2002, I was a part of the now defunct – Word of Life Church in Greenville, SC. When we first arrived there, the church was meeting on some trailer buildings off of Batesville Road in Greenville. After a while, the church moved to 208 Blacks Dr. off of Pelham Road on the eastside of Greenville. The property purchased by the church at some point in the 90’s has seen some major facelifts and changes, since the time I was there. The property is now for sale again. Follow the link here— http://tinyurl.com/6at685w   to the commercial listing for the property. Allow the link to settle and you will be directed to the “Map” feature of the listing. If you select “Bird’s Eye”, you will then see an aerial view of the property. You may need to copy and paste the link into your browser.

    I will explain the changes to the property. First, by posting this link, I am making no comment as to the status, beliefs or doctrine of the church that owns the property now. Second, the present owners added the large sanctuary, the front drive and the parking lots in the rear and side of the building. The drive way cutting between the house and the pool is new. The photo shows the pool covered and you can still see the cemetery under the big trees near the second driveway that leads to the house. In this cemetery is reportedly the first pastor of the first church that was located many years ago, on this property. He was reported as one who started many churches in the area. During my time being attending the church, descendents of this man or others buried there, would come visit the cemetery from time to time.

    Continue reading Things Have Changed….

Exclusive Brethren Compared to WOFF (2)

     Concerning the Exclusive Brethren:For 175 years the sect has counted among its strange proscriptions – no public entertainment, no novels, no eating with outsiders, no university, no membership of other organisations of any kind, no shorts (“God has no pleasure in the legs of a man”), no party walls shared with non-Brethren, no films, no radio, no television and no mobile phones – an absolute ban on worldly politics.” This is an excerpt from the article found here.. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/hidden-prophets/2006/07/01/1151174401719.html

    This post is part two of a comparison sent from a survivor of this religious cult group called –“Exclusive Brethren”. He has taken the list of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) “don’ts” that was posted earlier on this blog and reviewed it for similarities with the Exclusive Brethren.  The survivor who we will call “Paul” has taken the list and commented after every few rules with his observations. The list of “don’ts” can be found here.  WOFF Don’t list from 03 10  Follow down the home page of this blog for the first post in this series. Also, the first post about Exclusive Brethren on this blog can be found here. https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=3198  

    These comments are from an email returned to me from “Paul”. His comments will be italicized after he quotes from the WOFF list. My comments will be after his comments. 

Comparing the list between WOFF and the Exclusive Brethren From Paul

WOFF Rules on Pictures, Videos and such….

Don’t take pictures during a regular service.
Don’t make your own recording of a service.
Don’t bring visitors unless you tell someone in the office so they
can tell Jane.

EB- Pretty much never ever happens.(Paul mentioned in the previous post that visitors were very rare, to none, in the EB)

Continue reading Exclusive Brethren Compared to WOFF (2)

Exclusive Brethren Compared to WOFF (1)

  A survivor of a religious cult group called –“Exclusive Brethren” (EB) has taken the list of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) “don’ts” that was posted earlier on this blog and reviewed it for similarities.  The survivor who we will call “Paul” has taken the list and commented after every few rules with his observations. The list of “don’ts” can be found here. (WOFF Don’t list from 03 10)  The first post about Exclusive Brethren on this blog can be found here. https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=3198   

    These comments are from an email returned to me from “Paul”. His comments about EB will be italicized after he quotes from the WOFF list. My comments will be after his comments.  

 Comparing the list between WOFF and the Exclusive Brethren From Paul

WOFF- Do’s-
You will be required to attend every service. If for some reason
unforeseen at this time, you miss a service; you will be required to
listen to the tape at the church. (Death, severe illness and surgery may
be considered excused absences.)

EB- Yes, in the early stages of the cult known as the Exclusive Brethren
which here a
fter will be refer to as the EB, there was a rule of strict
adherence of need to be attending all services .Members risked being put
under assembly dis
cipline by way of separation for a period of time, and
ex
communication for any who were not repentant or those who became
repeat offenders
. However, these days these rules have needed to become
rela
xed a little, this being because of fear of losing to many of the
youth should t
hese rules be kept as strict as they once were …. (in my
opinion)
Public scrutiny has also played a big part in the relaxing of
these rules
, the EB doesn’t want to seen as a domineering cult by the
public
.    (That is what WOFF needs- PUBLIC SCRUTINY!)

Continue reading Exclusive Brethren Compared to WOFF (1)