Over the past few months, not much has been happening at all. A few of the major players migrated to Norfolk like Richard Brand, but their numbers are declining. The exposure on a now-deleted thread on the City-Data forum brought nearly 30,000 views before the moderator closed it down. The MySpace page is still active.

[cfcmi.aimoo.com] - new message board

[www.justcfcmihelp.com] - new website with analysis and feedback

[www.mychristianfellowship.org] - new official church website

By Edward Thomas' own admission CFCMI usually takes in $13,000 and spend $29,000 in a week on expenses. That's a shortfall of $16,000 per week. He goes on to say, "I'm not here to hang you upside down and shake you until the money falls out, but have we been robbing God?"

He seems to see a lack of money in the collection plate as his Church robbing God. In actuality, it show a lack of fiscal responsibility on the part the general pastors. They are running in the red so much that one wonders how long they will last. Thomas asks the same question in this sermon.

This sermon also illustrates in many other ways why they are a cult. Thomas asks them to be: pure, flexible, generous, diligent, positive, friendly or at least tolerant, supportive of ministers, content with their lives, and to not neglect their families. One can't help but see how everything revolves around CFCMI. They have to jump through many hoops. They may see ever changing requirements. What sounds like virtue, when taken to the extreme becomes destructive and controlling. The CFC ministry demands a lot of money. With this economy, it just isn't there. Traditionally, the Single Men--'Eunichs' had a take home pay of $20 a week. The rest was owed to the leadership.

After a lot of traffic on another website, the numbers aren't there. Membership is down. It seems odd to have to command people to take care of their families. Church life may interfere with excessively busy schedules.

Source: [www.pillars.net] Sermon: Eleven Commandments for being an Effective Christian in Our Church 8/5/09

Other links: [www.justcfcmihelp.com] [www.abusivechurches.org] for those looking for some reliable information on this cult.

They seem to be dwindling. We keep watching.

On another website there was a post about Joe Watson, the pastor of CFCMI San Diego, walking out. The poster said that Watson doesn't want any more to do with CFCMI nor with anyone who is affiliated with them. I'm not sure how to verify this tidbit.

If this is true, then it will have a huge impact on Norfolk Headquarters Church and the fellowships, because there will be less fear of leaving, in my opinion. It could show the rank and file that if even Former Pastor Watson sees CFCMI as a sham, then they, the rank and file, can trust their own observations about the abuses and money squandered. The Staff can feel safer in leaving after seeing Joe Watson left before them.

CFC's own website shows fellowships are dwindling in numbers. Some have no leader at present time. Some have no scheduled events.

I received the information on Joe Watson from another ex-member who has connections in San Diego. He told me about Watson's departure. Unfortunately, I was also told that Watson still practices his sexual deviancy, only now without a cloak of religion to cover it up.

Quote
xcfcmi2003
I received the information on Joe Watson from another ex-member who has connections in San Diego. He told me about Watson's departure. Unfortunately, I was also told that Watson still practices his sexual deviancy, only now without a cloak of religion to cover it up.

I'm sorry that he is doing that, if that is indeed the case. I would hope he would leave all that CFC garbage behind and start following Jesus for real. Maybe in time he will come around. We should pray for him.

CFCMI was snowed out last weekend and may be this weekend. Will miracles never cease?

Hi Bramble. I went to CFCMI for only a little over a year. I had met one of the members online while he was deployed in Afghanistan last year. He had suggested for me to visit his church after he found out I was looking for a church. I fell in love him while he was deployed and he with me before we even met in person. I attended the church the during the time he was deployed and really connected w/most of the ppl there. I was approached by Pastor Taylor's wife to join them in ILD global/Amway. I went to just two mtgs and had bad feeling about it and that it had a cult like appearance. I saw right away that more than half including four of the five pastors were in it. I told Edna that if I went in I would rather go in with Ken, my now husband. She shunned me for a several mons because of that. My husband and I met face to face in Oct. 2011 and married Dec 2011 at city hall as my husband had gone to pastor paine confessing we were living together. he had told Ken we had to separate or get married. We both had settled into life w/the ministry and didn't go into ILD/amway because of how i felt. we had no more issues about amway until just a few weeks ago when a newlywed, wanted to help me w/my home business. The young bride was excited about it as it was going to help her non-profit org but before she and i could even start it was shot down by her husband, pastor ship and their mentors of Amway. That is when my husband and I decided to leave as I felt even stronger than before about how the church is a cult led by Amway. It was after we left that my husband opened up more and said many times he had wanted to leave the church in his 20+ yrs there but pastors always talked him out. he just told me a cpl of nights ago about pastor davis being a convicted child molester. The church still puts the founding Father on a very high pedestal. I'm just thankful God opened our eyes and got us out of there.

In Christ always,

Tabitha Portal

Tabitha,

I am sorry I didn't see your post sooner. I thank God you and you husband have found your way out. Thanks for sharing your story.

What I understand about the Amway thing is that it came along later. Originally, people were following L.R. Davis--cult leader, child molester, rapist... In time, the other pastors--two of who married his two daughters, later joined Amway. This may have happened after Davis' death. I don't think Amway members like CFCMI very much. They see CFCMI as a cult.

Selling Amway seems to be popular among some sailors. We had a free sample from another Amway salesman--the main ingredient is mineral oil. It didn't really clean anything!

(Another site to visit is: www.factnet.org. I like this site, but the other one gets more hits. Come and join us!)


God Bless You,
Bramble

A few months ago, Geneva Paulson - mother of former CFCMI member Randy Paulson - released a book titled Rescuing Randy. It's an excellent read, and is available on Amazon.com; she tells in vivid detail what her son experienced. I have shared this with my family.