This is the fourth post in a series which will highlight several insights found in the book by Dr. Len Oakes while comparing his observations and conclusions to my personal experience inside Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). This work by Len Oakes titled, “Prophetic Charisma” – The Psychology of Revolutionary Religious Personalities (copyright ©1997 by Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, NY, ISBN 0-8156-2700-9) has captured my attention. We closed the last post in this series by noting that instead of a vision to spread the WOFF gospel “To The Nations” as the lyrics of a WOFF-song of several years ago proclaimed; I suggested that Jane Whaley has become her own vision. From the previous post, “Has her vision turned inward in order to make her comfortable and let her have the good life? Is this a predictable course when “prophets” age and come to the fall or winter of their ministry? When considering all that is WOFF- could there any other strong or noticeable message besides –Jane?” As I reflect on that line of thought, has Jane retired thereby limiting her vision or outreach and concentrating on her lifestyle here in Rutherford County? She never advocated allowing her members to “retire”, but, we have to assess her actions and not just here words or restrictions on others. Could the many fine clothes and jewelry be what she feels she deserves after all these years of “ministry”? Is that why she passes the offering plates until she gets what she needs?
Oakes writes that about David “Moses” Berg as an example of other leaders of the type he studied. “Because of his vision, his followers have suffered greatly, yet he retains their loyalty through his inspirational rhetoric” (page 14) He noted that the followers of Berg suffered because of the vision. I suggest that regular WOFF members endure a suffering because of Jane’s vision however that is defined. Their suffering includes lost years, lost relationships with family and friends as well as not knowing a true one on one Christian relationship with God. In the WOFF design for relationships, Jane is between her members and their personal walk with God. In her zeal and dysfunctional control of them, she keeps them from exactly what she claims the Christian walk is- a walk of “holy righteous living in Jesus”.