Category Archives: Uncategorized

Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Will Word of Faith Fellowship Survive? (video)

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This morning as the birds are singing announcing the beginning of what promises to be a day packed with new information and drama, I sit amazed at the next AP Investigative release. Ex-Sect Members tell AP: Prosecutors obstructed abuse cases.

Reading the text reveals the secrets and definitive patterns which others on the outside have only speculated about for years. In video below, watch Danielle Cordez describe the treatment of Matthew Fenner! She says, “I honestly don’t know how he survived, I thought he was the first person they were going to kill.”

And with that video, the drama goes to a whole new level. Up until this point, Word of Faith Fellowship members have been doing damage control be sending out text messages telling relatives the accusations are all lies and that WOFF has “proof – videos and testimonies which we will probably be posting soon.”

WOFF denies abuse of any kind. And Jim Jones was a sweet harmless man.

From this morning’s release:

“Frank Webster and Chris Back — church ministers who handle criminal cases as assistant DAs for three nearby counties — provided legal advice, helped at strategy sessions and participated in a mock trial for four congregants charged with harassing a former member, according to former congregants interviewed as part of an AP investigation of Word of Faith.
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Locked in, Uncategorized

Repost of Podcast Explains Struggles of Life Inside WOFF

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After publishing “Locked in”, I was afforded the opportunity to participate in an interview from Steve and Becky Lyles. The connection was over Skype and the sound quality is not perfection, but it is adequate. During this podcast, I answer questions about life inside of Word of Faith Fellowship. This was recorded before the AP Investigation- Broken Faith was released.

Listen, comment and share. I go into more detail here than in the book.

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Locked in, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

AP – Broken Faith- Unconventional Rules on Sex and Marriage

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This article details some of the odd but absolute rules for those in relationships and married couples. I have included a few excerpts. The full report is here.

SPINDALE, N.C. (AP) — When it comes to relationships, marriage and sex, Word of Faith Fellowship members must follow strict and unusual rules — or risk severe punishment, former members say.
Some of the edicts:

— Congregants need permission from leader Jane Whaley and other ministers to get married, and it then can take months — or even a year — before the newlyweds are allowed to have sex.

— No one is allowed to date without permission, and most relationships and marriages are arranged by Whaley and ministers.

— On their wedding night, couples are permitted only a “godly peck on the cheek.” When they get in bed together, they must roll over and go to sleep.

— For all married couples, love-making is limited to 30 minutes, no foreplay is allowed, the lights must be turned off and only the missionary position is sanctioned.”

In my book, “Locked In”– I share some of the same odd practices. I detail many of the same rules as mentioned in the above article and the one following. I list 145 rules in my book. The list was never written down; you were expected to remember “by the Spirit of God.” Of course, when you forgot one, you were “in sin and out of God’s will” and subject to a rebuke or worse.

“Sect rules include no TV, movies or reading newpapers”
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Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

AP Investigation – Broken Faith (main video)

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The Associated Press has released its extensive report centering on the abuses suffered by ex-members of the Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) in Spindale, North Carolina. There are two main articles released so far and a video containing testimony of ex-members. More media will be released in a few hours. Below is the full video which now includes the WOFF response.

The first article titled “Ex-congregants reveal years of ungodly abuse”.

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Books, Resources, Uncategorized

FaithFreedomFund.org – Q&A

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For the past few years, I have worked with the Faith Freedom Fund helping survivors of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) as well as survivors from other groups. During my time inside of WOFF, there were many misinformed statements made by the leadership about the purpose and people behind this support group. While many of us await the release of the AP Investigation “Broken Faith”; I thought it a good time to address some of the misinformation that was told WOFF members.

First, let me go on record as saying I took help from Faith Freedom Fund (FFF) during my first few months after leaving WOFF. My brother suggested I call the main contact at the time, Cal Sayles. Cal later reminded me of how skittish I was during the first few contacts over the phone. I would not even give him my name until I agreed to meet him at a fast food place in Shelby. There we talked about I don’t remember what- probably my exit drama. After that meeting, I kept in contact from time to time with Cal. Over the years, as I progressed in my open protests walking down Oakland Road, it became a regular thing to pass on survivor requests to the leaders of FFF.

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Uncategorized

Survivor of WOLCC Speaks Out as Defendants are Sentenced

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A few days ago, I received an email from Kristel Leonard. She is a former longtime member of Word of Life Christian Church (WOLCC) in Chadwicks, New York. Her message to me offered to answer questions about her brothers, Lucas and Christopher Leonard. I immediately became interested in her perspective and story. Recently, she publically began speaking out about the damaging effects of mind control. Today’s post is about Monday’s sentencing hearing. In a future post we will hear from Kristel as she recalls her time inside WOLCC and her exit from the group.

As a review:

On Sunday, October 11, 2015; Lucas and his younger brother, Christopher, were called into a “counseling session” by the leader of WOLCC church. Pastor Tiffanie Irwin arranged the meeting which stretched into the wee hours of the next morning. From what authorities learned later, the two teens confessed to sins never committed in an effort to be expelled from the group that after many years they wanted to leave. Investigations revealed these feigned confessions resulted in an untethered rage and anger fueling physical violence ending in the death of Lucas and severe injury to Christopher. Authorities also believe that statements from leader and Pastor Tiffanie Irwin being in contact with her brother who was participating; added to the intensity from which she bore culpability for the outcome.
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