Dear Mr. Ross,

I am a former member of The Lighthouse Church of Santa Monica, California. Rob Scribner who was a running back for the Los Angeles Rams in the late 70’s pastors the church. The church is officially a Foursquare church, and yet the pastor has no Bible school education or formal counselling training whatsoever. Over the past several years, the pastor has linked himself and the church up with Wayman Mitchell’s group, Christian Fellowship Ministries, out of Prescott, Arizona. Rob Scribner has said he is submitted to both Harold Warner and Wayman Mitchell as his spirtual leadership/headship. This means he goes to Bible conferences put on by Mitchell and Warner about 3 or 4 times a year, and other special meetings throughout the year to show his loyalty to the Fellowship.

During the short time that I was a part of the church, I can witnesses and testify that I have seen the following happen: control of peoples’ lives and of their free time; the belittlement of higher education and of career opportunities; the idea that everyone must do and follow the pastor’s vision to be in right standing with God; from the pulpit one can expect name calling, chauvinism; financial manipulation, fear tactics and the use of guilt trips.

The message that one gets when they leave from a typical sermon is that unless you are doing what the pastor/church/the Fellowship (this means Wayman Mitchell’s group) is doing, you are out of God’s will and you are missing your destiny, and eventually your life is meaningless without them.

In their minds, if you follow them, you are following God; otherwise, you are a rebel, a backslider, religious, and maybe even unsaved. It is a very black and white world in pastor’s and church's mindset.

I was a passive member of the church. From time to time, I was urged to become a “disciple” of the pastor. This meant to do what he did. This would entail coming to church Monday through Friday at 6:00 a.m. for prayer, worship services three times a week, outreach on Thursday nights, and revival meetings, which were schedule almost monthly. Because I did not jump through their hoops, I was looked down upon and even labeled as “lone ranger” and was to be avoided because I did not follow their program to their satisfaction.

I was not alone in the church when it came to who was “playing church” and who were the real “disciples”. That is the reason why Scribner has these prescribed revivals every month or six weeks. To be truthful, they are just Wayman Mitchellism indoctrination sessions that regurgitate the pastor’s message a different way, but the message is the same: submit to the pastor, follow him and you will be saved, etc. etc. etc.

I left the church last month, January 2006, after the revival meetings of Bob Overson from Anchorage, Alaska. I was told by someone that you did a expose’ on television about this man and his church. Well, maybe you should go back and do another one. Overson used fear and intimidation to manipulate people that if they left the church, they would die and go and go to hell. After hearing him, I decided that I should find another church that preached the Word of God without manipulation, control, false doctrines, and legalism.

I am writing a letter to Jack Hayford, the president of the Foursquare denomination to tell him of my experiences in greater detail. After reading your site and many other websites on the internet about Wayman Mitchell and his churches, The Door, The Potter’s House and Victory Chapel, I am convinced that I have made the right decision to leave and find another church. But, I still have much concern and care for those who are still trapped by their pastor’s lies and deceitful lips that manipulate people for his selfish desires. I hope and pray that Jack Hayford will take action and restore it back to a healthy church.

Thank you for reading this.

A Truth Seeker

Hi,

Your description of the high level of program/involvement required for your old church matches exactly the same as i found in my old church, which was a potter's house church here in oz. I was a member for 7 years.
I've been to Mitchell conferences, and so on, and so on.
I left CFM in 2000, and it has taken me this long to finally feel like i am on way to recovering from my involvement.
I too, would say i was a bit of a lone ranger, in that i took most things in with a critical ear, and i did not become/do some things which i was subtly pressured to adopt.
I was only a new christian before i entered the church, so i did not know about pentecostal things and what my future would be in this church.
I left in the end because my mind felt like it was being torn in two, and i had had enough.
There is so much more to my story.
If you like, you can send a private message to me, and i can discuss further experiences (which would probably be similar to yours) with you.
I have, after a bit of looking, found a new church.

I appreciate your response. It lets me know that I am not alone in my thoughts about this destructive church and pastor.

I hope that my story here helps others who want to leave churches like the one I was a part of.

A Truth Seeker

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A Truth Seeker
Dear Mr. Ross,

Over the past several years, the pastor has linked himself and the church up with Wayman Mitchell’s group, Christian Fellowship Ministries, out of Prescott, Arizona.

Did this church change it name? It was known as the Potters House and also the Door.

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TomCat

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A Truth Seeker
Dear Mr. Ross,

Over the past several years, the pastor has linked himself and the church up with Wayman Mitchell’s group, Christian Fellowship Ministries, out of Prescott, Arizona.

Did this church change it name? It was known as the Potters House and also the Door.

No, it has always been known as "The Lighthouse Church". Officially, it is a Foursquare church, however, the pastor has joined up with Wayman Mitchell's organization and is in their directory of churches. If you visit their web site, www.lighthousechurch.com, you will find that they say they are a "Foursquare Gospel Christian Fellowship Church". Which is kind of like saying you are a "Latter Day Saint Jehovah's Witnesss Church". Very screwy because Mitchell despises and HATES the Foursquare denomination.

More to say later,
A Truth Seeker

when you find the belief that is for your heart then read what is written and interpret that yourself...never take the word of another person as gospel...
the reason is, they will interpret the writings them selves and veiw them differently to you...
the bible is well written and the changes made by converting it to the king james version still had a lot of the teachings in place...
what you get told in church, go home and read it from the bible...
If your minister(or pstor or whatever) is really true to his heart then what he says should be the same as what you read...if its not then it comes down to what you want...
christ never had a church for the earth was his church so to pray only in a building is not what he said you have to do...he also has told people not to judge and not to profit from these practises so its there soul and you should help your self first so you can then help others...
Please be yourself first and Then you will learn how to help others next...

Here are some basic warning signs that might be helpful.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Also see [www.culteducation.com]

I'll state first thing that my experience contradicts all that is being said. I attend The Door Christian Center in Fairfield CA. They are very passionate about people's salvation. We outreach most Saturday's and give our testimonies to all (believers & non-believers) In no shape or form have I seen scare tactics being utilized at any of these events. If telling people that salvation comes through our Lord Jesus Christ and denying him will result in an undesirable outcome are we lying? Are we using scare tactics or are we stating the "TRUTH" as stated in our Bible. Now, I am not doubting peoples experience at other affiliated churches. However, most of your forum(s) state that this network of churches is evil or very distorted. If that is the truth then I haven't seen it. Programming or Deprogramming doesn't mean anything. Either way you look at it it is forcing one to believe other than what they already believe in. Wouldn't deprogramming also constitute as a form of programming. Shouldn't we call it "reprogramming" instead? We also have to take into accountability the mental capacity of many of the offended family members and disassociated members. The Bible constantly calls on discipline of its people and structure with in the Body of Christ. I read earlier of a 14 year old boy who gave up drugs for his church (Potter's House). Now his mother wants him deprogrammed. Please make me understand this? I can't help but laugh at the irony of that story. For those that left the church I understand that they fully believe in their cause for parting their ways with the church but whatever happened with loyalty to those above them. The same mentality for the lack of loyalty to structure will result in the same situation elsewhere. Just like divorce, if you divorce your first wife the chances of your 2nd marriage ending in the same result rises twice as much. I believe its only fair to state the other side of this conflict.

Joseph
Parishioner of the Door Christian Center - Fairfield CA

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BurningBush
I'll state first thing that my experience contradicts all that is being said. I attend The Door Christian Center in Fairfield CA. They are very passionate about people's salvation. We outreach most Saturday's and give our testimonies to all (believers & non-believers) In no shape or form have I seen scare tactics being utilized at any of these events. If telling people that salvation comes through our Lord Jesus Christ and denying him will result in an undesirable outcome are we lying? Are we using scare tactics or are we stating the "TRUTH" as stated in our Bible. Now, I am not doubting peoples experience at other affiliated churches. However, most of your forum(s) state that this network of churches is evil or very distorted. If that is the truth then I haven't seen it. Programming or Deprogramming doesn't mean anything. Either way you look at it it is forcing one to believe other than what they already believe in. Wouldn't deprogramming also constitute as a form of programming. Shouldn't we call it "reprogramming" instead? We also have to take into accountability the mental capacity of many of the offended family members and disassociated members. The Bible constantly calls on discipline of its people and structure with in the Body of Christ. I read earlier of a 14 year old boy who gave up drugs for his church (Potter's House). Now his mother wants him deprogrammed. Please make me understand this? I can't help but laugh at the irony of that story. For those that left the church I understand that they fully believe in their cause for parting their ways with the church but whatever happened with loyalty to those above them. The same mentality for the lack of loyalty to structure will result in the same situation elsewhere. Just like divorce, if you divorce your first wife the chances of your 2nd marriage ending in the same result rises twice as much. I believe its only fair to state the other side of this conflict.

Joseph
Parishioner of the Door Christian Center - Fairfield CA

I like how you highlighted the truth....Hmmm...now is that the truth according to you, as you are saying that you speak the truth...thats a pretty powerful word that can be a lie initself...
Every religion claims to be telling the truth but isit???

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BurningBush
I'll state first thing that my experience contradicts all that is being said. I attend The Door Christian Center in Fairfield CA. They are very passionate about people's salvation. We outreach most Saturday's and give our testimonies to all (believers & non-believers) In no shape or form have I seen scare tactics being utilized at any of these events. If telling people that salvation comes through our Lord Jesus Christ and denying him will result in an undesirable outcome are we lying? Are we using scare tactics or are we stating the "TRUTH" as stated in our Bible. Now, I am not doubting peoples experience at other affiliated churches. However, most of your forum(s) state that this network of churches is evil or very distorted. If that is the truth then I haven't seen it. Programming or Deprogramming doesn't mean anything. Either way you look at it it is forcing one to believe other than what they already believe in. Wouldn't deprogramming also constitute as a form of programming. Shouldn't we call it "reprogramming" instead? We also have to take into accountability the mental capacity of many of the offended family members and disassociated members. The Bible constantly calls on discipline of its people and structure with in the Body of Christ. I read earlier of a 14 year old boy who gave up drugs for his church (Potter's House). Now his mother wants him deprogrammed. Please make me understand this? I can't help but laugh at the irony of that story. For those that left the church I understand that they fully believe in their cause for parting their ways with the church but whatever happened with loyalty to those above them. The same mentality for the lack of loyalty to structure will result in the same situation elsewhere. Just like divorce, if you divorce your first wife the chances of your 2nd marriage ending in the same result rises twice as much. I believe its only fair to state the other side of this conflict.

Joseph
Parishioner of the Door Christian Center - Fairfield CA

Joseph,

From reading your post, I feel that you do not understand what constitutes a cult group. Have a read of some of the resources on the site, which explain what a cult is, how it is defined, the environment that exists, and so on. You seem to me to be making the common error of thinking of a cult by looking at the belief’s or doctrines. Just reading the documents on this site (or others) is very educational. After educating yourself, you might have another look at the statement of yours, “Programming or Deprogramming doesn’t mean anything.”
Joseph, I will agree with you that the good news is declared within the group. I don’t have a problem with the gospel.
Would you remain ‘loyal’ to a person/group/system, if it was being abusive to you? I don’t think so.
Also, would you remain loyal to a ‘structure’ while you were being abused? Why?
Your divorce statement should include the possibility of divorce because of unfaithfulness or adultery in one member of the marriage.
Finally, your taring with the same brush: “We have to take into account the mental capacity of many.....dissociated members”, is quite a presumptional statement in the negative don’t you think?
Such a statement as the one of yours above, immediately dismisses the possibility of actual abuse in a system being present. Which, in itself, is exactly the kind of statement that runs across many cult groups (again, educate yourself about the cult environment).
I don’t think you, Joseph, would adopt such an attitude as that, being in Christ Jesus.

sincerely.