Tag Archives: WOFF

Behavior Control, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

My Trip to Brazil with WOFF – Part 2

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My Trip to Brazil with WOFF – Part 2

     This series of posts includes my remembrances from a trip with members of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) to Brazil in 2005. For sure, I will not remember everything in correct time order and some of the surrounding “observations” may be misplaced or just misstated. However, the main points of this trip I do remember and still do cherish the encounters with the Brazilian people. Each one of them welcomed us and made room for us in every regard.

   We begin this post where we ended the last one,  the arrival on the first day of the time in Brazil. After we stopped at the first house, I believe we again boarded the bus and went around to the main entrance of the church. There the luggage was unloaded and we were grouped by the assigned household list and ferried to our respective homes for unloading and settling in. The streets were dirt and gravel.  We were in a neighborhood on a large hillside. Each home was fenced in and gated. I was told that because of the poverty, everyone needed heavy security for their properties.

    For my time there, I would stay a very nice, large home on what looked to me like about three to five acres. The surrounding fence was brick and the large electric gates were wooden. The owners were a very sweet husband and wife, who were leadership in the local church. The estate had a large home, a pool and a large pool house where another couple lived with their children. There were several fruit trees on the property, some near the front and more towards the back of the property.

    Continue reading My Trip to Brazil with WOFF – Part 2 →

Behavior Control, Uncategorized

My Trip to Brazil with WOFF – Part 1

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Beautiful Rock from Brasil Trip 2005
The Rock

     In December of 2004, I experienced a serious personal health set back. For those who were around me then, they will know what I am speaking about. For this post, the details have no relevance. Later in January of 2005, I was tested and released to accompany other Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) members on a trip to Brazil, in February. This was a trip I had been waiting for since the third quarter of 2004. The trip expenses were already paid before my health set back. I was glad to be able to go.

    During those years, trips to Brazil were considered a really big deal at WOFF. There would sometimes be over 100 folks that would take the trip to visit one or both of the two churches in Brazil that were under Jane Whaley. At one time, there were three churches under her influence, which was “apostolic direction and protection”. I do not know for sure, the full story of why the third church was no longer mentioned. Seems to me that may have been merged in with one of the others? Anyway, Jane Whaley made or still makes regular trips to Brazil, unless things have changed. (We will speak to that a little later..)

    Continue reading My Trip to Brazil with WOFF – Part 1 →

Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

“Know the Marks of Cults” Part 8

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      We will wrap up our series with two more comparisons from the book:  “Know the Marks of Cults” by Dave Breese, (copyright 1975, SP Publications, ISBN 0-88207-704-x). We have been reviewing the insights from the author and comparing them to my experience at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) led by Jane Whaley. In the seventh post from this book, we reviewed chapter 11 titled “Financial Exploitation”.  I encourage readers to obtain their own copy and read this book.

    Breese writes in Chapter 12 titled “Denunciation of Others”, “When one announces himself as the true Messiah, all others of course are false and must be put down.” (page 110) For certain, I have never heard Jane Whaley say she was the “Messiah”.  She did say she was “no one’s Savior”. However, we must look at her actions that I have witnessed, to verify the view she has of herself and her position. I have seen in writing and heard in person; Jane and Sam Whaley reference themselves as “Apostles”. Recently, the written titles have been “Pastors”… I am not sure what has changed. While I was there at WOFF, we were never told, that I remember.  

    Continue reading “Know the Marks of Cults” Part 8 →

Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized, WOFF and Money Issues

“Know the Marks of Cults” Part 7

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   For now, we continue on with yet more comparisons and observations from the book:  “Know the Marks of Cults” by Dave Breese, (copyright 1975, SP Publications, ISBN 0-88207-704-x). We have been reviewing the insights from the author and comparing them to my experience at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) led by Jane Whaley. In the sixth post from this book we reviewed several characteristics of cults as put forth by Breese. The last one in the post was the “Enslaving Organizational Structure” as explained in chapter 10.  We have been comparing some aspects of these “Marks”, to what I have known about WOFF. As a note, I will not write full length posts on the entire list all of “The 12 basic errors of false religion” that are mentioned in the subtitle of this book. Reviewing each one in depth is not for this forum. However, a brief reading would affirm that out of the twelve listed errors, I have seen and experienced all of them during my time at WOFF.  I encourage readers to obtain their own copy and read this book.

   Breese states in Chapter 11 that a cult would/could display “Financial Exploitation” of its members. This was another chapter from which it was hard to only pull a few quotes. The author writes, “It is clear also from the Word of God that the Christian is never put under obligation to do, give, sacrifice or expend himself in any way in order to be more sure that the has the Gift of God which is eternal life.” (page 105 emphasis added) He continues, “The Word of God, however, is clear that service for Christ is a voluntary proposition on the part of the Christian, and nothing that he does will increase his own guarantee of eternal life.” (page 105) For those who are now or have been at WOFF, do these statements take your breath? I read them and found myself reeling with doubt then catching myself, as I saw this was old patterns of WOFF-think kicking in. Is “service for Christ” really voluntary? Do you mean that “pleasing Jane” or “doing the will of God- the WOFF way” does not get you on the inside track to heaven? Is this cause for pause?

    Continue reading “Know the Marks of Cults” Part 7 →

Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

“Know the Marks of Cults” Part 6

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     We will continue with a few more comparisons and observations from the book:  “Know the Marks of Cults” by Dave Breese, (copyright 1975, SP Publications, ISBN 0-88207-704-x). We have been reviewing the insights from the author and comparing them to my experience at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) led by Jane Whaley. In the fifth post from this book we reviewed the “Doctrinal Ambiguity” as noted by the author and compared some aspects of that, to what I have known about WOFF. As a note, I will not write full length posts on the entire list all of “The 12 basic errors of false religion” that are mentioned in the subtitle of this book. Reviewing each one in depth is not for this forum. However, a brief reading would affirm that out of the twelve listed errors, I have seen and experienced all of them during my time at WOFF.   Again, let me repeat that I will not be able to cover all the good information given by the author. I encourage readers to obtain their own copy and read this book.

    Breese titled chapter 7 “The Claim of Special Discoveries”. From those who have been at WOFF, what shall we say then? Do we have space to list the “Special Discoveries” claimed by WOFF? We go from the WOFF-talk to WOFF-dress to WOFF-lifestyle to WOFF-prayer to WOFFness in general. The whole experience at WOFF was billed as “special”. Does this lead to problems and/or does it reveal the error inherent with WOFF? For sure we must ask does the “special” aura of Jane and WOFF give place to even further deceptions.

   Continue reading “Know the Marks of Cults” Part 6 →

Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

“Know the Marks of Cults” Part 5

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Know the Marks of Cults” by Dave Breese Part 5

    We will return to a few insights from the book:  “Know the Marks of Cults” by Dave Breese, (copyright 1975, SP Publications, ISBN 0-88207-704-x). In the fourth post from this book we reviewed the “Presumptuous Messianic Leadership” as a mark of a cult. Next, Breese writes about “Doctrinal Ambiguity”. Again, let me repeat that I will not be able to cover all the good information given by the author. I encourage readers to obtain their own copy and read this book.

    Breese mentioned several points in this chapter from which I will use a couple to support my opinion about Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) lead by Jane Whaley. I will be cautious not to assess every doctrinal area that is proposed from WOFF. Some of the areas I am still working through myself after having been under Jane Whaley’s teachings for so many years. After I left; there was a time when I put everything I believed about Christianity and the Bible on a figurative shelf. One by one, over time, I have been examining my beliefs and attempting to hold onto to what is true and right. What I have found as questionable or unsupported by Scripture and “good sense”- I have been throwing out. Contrary to the confession of some, I do not believe that the two standards are mutually exclusive.

   The author defines doctrine as the “systematic presentation and understanding of truth”. (page 60) In a previous passage he writes; “Doctrinal ambiguity is a mark of a cult. One of the very fascinating characteristics of the cults is the interesting and sometimes hilarious changes of doctrine through which they pass. Their doctrines are being continually altered in order to adapt themselves to new situations, arguments or the whims of their leaders.” (page 59)

   Continue reading “Know the Marks of Cults” Part 5 →

Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

But There Is No Pain? (sorta)

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     Recently, I was reminded of a typical experience of someone who has been lured into Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) which is lead by Jane Whaley. No experience is considered the exact same, but there are similarities to be sure. Some folks meet a WOFF member on their job on in some other way in the community. It may be at a softball game, a department store, a business meeting. Somehow the contact is made and the relationship begins. The WOFF member seeks to gain trust and at some point bring up the question of relationship with God. The normally unsuspecting person begins to respond to the inquiries and soon may be invited to WOFF for a special service of some type or even a Friday night fellowship. Once at WOFF, other members would notice the new person and automatically go and “show themselves friendly”. All this is meant to dispel any negative notions of the new person(s) from what they might have heard previously. You know “rumors out in the county…”

    At some point, the new person would be brought to meet Jane so she can “get a feel for that person”.  Since Jane would have already been briefed and determined if they could attend, the next step would be to “help them see their need for Jesus”. The WOFF recruiter would get a telephone number and begin “keeping in touch” with the interested person. Many times, the member of WOFF (recruiter) would be told by Jane or someone in leadership, how to help this new person keep coming. Objections raised by the new person may or may not be answered directly. Many times, vague replies would be given, enough to soothe the doubt and keep the person coming. The needs of the new person would be met in some way, either with transportation, money or food or just loving, caring, acceptance.  Many folks are not aware of all the religious or lifestyle ramifications of joining a group like WOFF. They are just drawn in by the “love bombing”- special attention that every new person receives.

     Continue reading But There Is No Pain? (sorta) →