I've written a book which I feel helps expose some of the fundamental theological flaws that TLWF was rooted in, and helps those who want to pursue a relationship with Jesus know what feelings, experiences, and challenges to experience as they more forward. It can be found here:

[docs.google.com]

Excellent, and does anyone know of any other document like it on LW? I think not. Thank you!

pressingonbyHisgrace Wrote:
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> Excellent, and does anyone know of any other
> document like it on LW? I think not. Thank you!

Thanks! Unfortunately, it's not nearly as scholarly as the Woodrow Nichols piece, but it has a different purpose, too. This whole thing just SCREAMS for a documentary film. Or series. Or a bigger and much more complete nonfiction book.

JJJ - I am halfway through your book and I want to say: THANK YOU.

I want to find a way to distribute it more widely, especially to many family members I have who are either out of the walk church for many years, leaving that fellowship now, or some who have decided they want to stay in the church and try to move forward under some of the past teaching. I want them all to see your book and I am not sure I can get any of them to come to this Forum.

May I suggest that you append your book with the designation of "Copyright 2019" and then your name so no one can reproduce your work for money.

And then, would you make it available to us to save and share for a fee? Or can we arrange to have it available on facebook? OR - Maybe I just need to be educated about this: Can the google docs link you posted be shared so I can give other people the link to go view the book themselves?

Thank you so much. You may humbly describe yourself as not scholarly but your work is well written, enjoyable to read, very informative and accurate, and really gives a road map for understanding the many TLWF deviations from Scripture.

Here is some info if you still need it:

Martha Katherine Stevens' maiden name was Mickelson. Her daughters are Mary Christine Stevens DeYoung and Martha Kay Stevens Helphand Jensen.

There are Mickelson family members still involved in TLWF.

Marilyn was married to Richard (Dick) Holbrook who was a police officer with LAPD. They had two children Richard David Holbrook (Jr?) and Marti Leah Holbrook.

Marilyn divorced Holbrook and moved into the Blix House in early 1970 or 71. She married JRS in aprox 1980.

Gary Hargrave was married to Donna Hargrave and they had a daughter Dawn. Approximately one week from the date Gary's divorce from Donna was final, he married Marilyn in the backyard of the residence at Kling, on March 17, 1984.

After Marilyn passed away in 2015, Gary married Silvana Jenkins and lives with her and her son from a prior marriage in a home they rent on Maui in Hawaii.

Gary has personal wealth inherited from his family and inherited from Marilyn and in their own real properties purchased with both personal and church funds. Maintenance and improvements have been provided on most of their luxurious
properties by volunteer workers from the church. I understand some (but not all) workers in the construction field in Hawaii may have been paid for their services.

Onion Wrote:
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> JJJ - I am halfway through your book and I want to
> say: THANK YOU.
>
> I want to find a way to distribute it more widely,
> especially to many family members I have who are
> either out of the walk church for many years,
> leaving that fellowship now, or some who have
> decided they want to stay in the church and try to
> move forward under some of the past teaching. I
> want them all to see your book and I am not sure I
> can get any of them to come to this Forum.

> Here is some info if you still need it:
>
> Martha Katherine Stevens' maiden name was
> Mickelson. Her daughters are Mary Christine
> Stevens DeYoung and Martha Kay Stevens Helphand
> Jensen.
>

We were traveling earlier, and FB is so much easier to use on my phone than this site, which is why I replied to your message there first. However, I wanted to follow up here and thank you again for your kind words. They mean more to me than you know! I think someone needs to expose even more of TLWF in a book and/or documentary film. I would consider fleshing out what I have written, but had a sense of urgency to get it out as soon as possible, which is why I shared it in its current state of completion. I guess I think of it as triage but more would be so helpful in future.

Also - thank you so much for the info about marriages and children. I think perhaps my husband's family is related to some of the folks you listed, but I'm not sure. There are family members I should ask. Also, we ran into Eva a year or so ago. She would be an interesting one to talk to, I'm sure. When were JRS and Martha divorced? Any insight into why Marylin's daughter took Gary's last name, but not her son?

I'm very interested in reading what you wrote.
I may be able to help you with some Iowa family relationships.

JJJ:

Thank you for all your hard work. Every blow counts.

Kboy and NancyB - thanks for reading and commenting. I just think it will be easy (as is apparent by the responses that people still in the Fellowship are having) to dismiss and/or "deal with" the sexual abuse, and not realize that it was a symptom, and not the disease itself. Hopefully people's eyes can be opened.

Amen

JJJ when you are in the forest you can't see the forest for all the trees.

Sexual abuse is a difficult issue. "We don;t talk about these things, " was the norm until not so long ago. If you made waves the whole family structure collapsed so families kept 'secrets". Some people say rape or incest are not "Biblical".it is shocking for many to learn that the bible does address this heinous act that has existed since almost the beginning.it was uncomfortable for people to speak of such things- so we having teaching to do among our friends and family. Christ taught us to care for one another so I would interpret the Christian thing to do is to protect the little ones.

I think among many Christian still today that the hierarchy of respect is wrongly interpreted as if you tell on your husband or your priest or your brother it is a sin...that is twisted by the perpetrator to cover his wrong doings. He (she guilt those you suspect something is going on by twisting scriptures- main stream Christianity and Catholics are all people who fall into the clutches of power and control seekers just as in the clwf. The sexual abuse is about Power and Control over someone who has no right to do take what they want.

Did you know that the first Rape Centers did not open until 1972 And what a to-do stir it caused Iowas City , Iowa had an early Rape crisis Center.
[pdfs.semanticscholar.org]

I know that talking about these kinds of things are extremely uncomfortable for older generations, but we must talk it. In doing so perpetrators will get the message that they will get caught. Still the statistics on child molesters is that they commit this heinous act of Power and Control as many as 200 to 400 times before they are caught. A child predator will not be on the sexual abuse registry until he ( she ) is caught. Being accused tho' in no way guarantees a conviction. The accused ends up having more rights that the victim at some point in the trial. It is important to understand that if this creep does not have a fair trial and he is guilty as hell he will walk. so it is extremely important to collect the facts very carefully during the investigation.

For what it is worth it is not only men who prey on children or just men who rape women and men. Women sexually victimize as well. I know nothing about any women in CLWF who are been accused. But, I think it is worth bring up that I could have happened and it is hard to conceptualize in people minds and or they are more likely to dismiss a women's inappropriate advance as "nurturing" or accidentally misinterpreted.

Here's link the may help inform any victims who are wanting to ask what to do or think about some incidents.

[www.scientificamerican.com]

I know that it is a struggle for Christians who want to be meek and mild and turn the other cheek then forgive and forget in fear of being judged as not being a Christian. Can we come up with the scriptures that will help our brothers and sisters to know that the God's word does not tell us to stay quiet as victims? God di not give us a spirit of fear.