Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens
Posted by:
changedagain
()
Date: November 11, 2021 03:05AM
The ruinous application of the 'unequal yoke' in the Walk/TLWF:
Posted by: larry bobo
Date: March 13, 2011 10:08PM
(excerpt)
It's difficult to understand how those who claim to have a shepherd's heart can be so calloused towards those they have damaged. Behind the divorces for an "unequal yoke" are spouses and kids whose lives have simply been trashed. If they are no longer involved in the church, they are treated as though they don't even exist. It goes right straight to the top.
The wounds of TLWF are especially deadly because there is a deep sense of starting with the presence of the Lord. It is very difficult to separate the wheat from the tares when they have been allowed to grow together. The generic answer is that if you leave, you must be a tare. Many left as a result of seeing things that they knew deep in their hearts were not of God, even though the leadership continued to imply infallibility. Even when "false shepherds" actions came to light, those who were damaged under their hand were still considered to be in deception for not mindlessly following.
Posted by: paleface
Date: July 09, 2013 06:37AM
I've heard from Walk leaders that the theory behind this is this: If a couple are looking like they might leave the fellowship together, it is best to split them up if there is a chance to retain one of them. It is better if one of them continues to stay in the group than for both of them to leave as a couple. It is all done as a move to correct the "unequal yoke". This theory is also applies to families where kids are separated from parents. Also, with couples, whichever spouse is the most loyal to the leadership (esp. Marilyn) that person is made "the authority" over the marriage and family. Loyalty to Marilyn trumps everything. In fact loyalty to G&M covers a multitude of sins.
Posted by: paleface
Date: January 17, 2014 07:40PM
There are so many LW spouses that live in a fear of being split up from their partners by Marilyn, in the name of the "unequal yoke". This is the insecurity that drives much of the submission to G&M. And we are told "insecurity is the satan of the kingdom". Seems like it is the "glue of the kingdom". G&M's kingdom, that is.
Posted by: changedagain
Date: December 24, 2015 09:36AM
kBOY Wrote:
> Many church-exits led to relationship-splits that ended
> in ‘crash & burns’, some quite ugly, which is
> why great care must be taken if you value your
> marriage.
So much emphasis in TLWF concerning the danger of the 'unequal yoke'...with an acceptance from the leadership of the break-up of long term marriages simply because one partner has a 'revelation' and commitment to an authority (John, Marilyn, Gary, Rick etc.), while the other does not. Even if this is the case, and the one that insists remaining in the fellowship believes he/she is submitting to God's will, it is not apparent, at least to me, that this serves as a scriptural justification for the break-up of a marriage and/or families. As kBoy, Larry and so many others have pointed...the wounds caused by the application of this errant concept are deep and often devastating.
"And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband"
1 Corinthians 7:13-14
Posted by: slandjt
Date: January 04, 2016 10:09PM
(excerpt)
I apologize profusely, but I just read my post and realized that I made an very misleading error. Instead of "Many shepherds (me included) and sheep gave . . . ," I should have typed "Many shepherds and sheep (me included) gave . . .". My ex-husband was the shepherd, not me! He was also an alcoholic and womanizer. When we were deemed "unequally yoked," I faded into the background with all of the responsibility for the children and he went on to marry a woman whose family was considered "Walk royalty." They are still holding court to this day with both present and former Walk folk. My life has been a struggle, but I came out of that situation knowing who I am and what I stand for.
Posted by: paleface
Date: January 05, 2016 06:53AM
An alcoholic, womanizing shepherd. Why does that not surprise me? An all too common situation in the LW, even to this day.
Your story is gut-wrenching, slandjt. The term "unequal yoke" was used to justify leadership directed divorces in the vast majority of LW couples that split up. Much spiritual abuse has occurred in the name of the Unequal Yoke. It must have been awful for you. But on the bright side, imagine how awful it would have been if you stayed?
Posted by: changedagain
Date: January 05, 2016 08:01AM
Unequal yoke--one partner worships Marilyn and Gary, the other does not. The one that does not loses God's favor, and is typically disposed of.
Good for you Slandjt in managing to navigate your life through this mess!
p.s. I stopped praying for the Alcoholic ministry many years ago. It's something I do not regret.