Wow, fool me twice, thanks for this. So, were these actually literal huge red flags? If so, completely apropos. Should have been flown in our faces since the very beginning!
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Thank you for your insightful posts, Reveal. And thank you changedagain for finding and re-posting such important pieces of information. Marilyn's funeral sounds like a study in distasteful TLWF practices. It's at extravagant events like these that the true beliefs of the leaders are on full display. Pomp and circumstance for royalty, special seats of honor with the rest standing on
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

From the Book of Gary the Mo-lijah... 14 and his servants came to him and said, "Oh, man of God, there is death in the pot." 15 Then Gary said unto them, "Why are you sniveling and telling me this? Go therefore and eat. Then let me know if you die or not... 16 but first get me something else to eat." 17 And so the servants brought Gary other food, then they all ate the p
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

OMG, the suncreen incident and the lead paint incident! Entitled, narcissistic leaders who make their wealth from the tithes, offerings, sales of church properties and the "volunteer" labor of the faithful are really a revolting breed of individuals. They demonstrate zero love or care for those serving them day and night. They are more concerned for their flowers than for the health of
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

“Christians want to believe that everything the church does for them is for their safety and salvation,” he said. “That simply isn’t true, not right now.” Apparently, clergy abuse is alive and well everywhere. It's a wonder people go to church at all anymore. However, as bad as this story is, and as much as it reminds me of crimes reported within TLWF, it still doesn't sink to th
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Dear RR Forum, We missed you last night. So glad to see you back this morning. Love, Reep <3
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

NancyB shared this link to the International Cultic Studies Association: **************************************** Scary stuff, NancyB.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Quotechangedagain Wasn't John ensconced in the Shiloh compound during the time period the mine scam was being dealt with by law enforcement (mid-late 70's)? I think someone went to prison, but it wasn't him. He was busy bringing forth the Kingdom of God That's very possible, changed. I never heard more about the mine until a couple of years ago when some survivors shared th
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

P.S. The problem for most of us who heard some of these reports back in the day was that we BELIEVED JRS/G&M. Sort of like the remaining "TLWF true believers" who won't read the accounts of abuse on Facebook and elsewhere. It is a hard step to take. I understand. The years and totality of self invested are cruel and criminal in light of the fact that the leaders are nothing but
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Quotechangedagain I guess the point that was being pushed...is that whatever wrongdoing was going on in the fellowship, G & M were not a part of it and not aware of it...otherwise they would have put a stop to it. That's laughable. When JRS and/or G&M found out about sexual abuse, they were happy to cover it up or blame and intimidate the victim. And if it was abuse by a "mini
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Quotechangedagain Who within the fellowship had the ability to put a stop to something without needing the approval of other "ministries?" I can't think of anyone (post-John) besides Gary and Marilyn. Is it possible given their propensity for monitoring everything that happened in their environment, they were somehow unaware of decades of sexual abuse involving people they were clo
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Oops! Thirty-five more years, not twenty-five...I must have lost ten. Actually I lost many more than ten years. :(
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

During the 1970s, this approximate quote was made by John Robert Stevens: If they carry me out of here feet first, you'll know that this word wasn't true. Truer words were never epoken by this leader. June 4th, 1983 should have been the end of The Living Word Fellowship. And yet the travestsy continued to torment members and devastate families for another 25 years. Why? Money?
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteFireWalker I saw the word "charges" and thought cops finally got smart. Sounds like no police involvement but instead people being brave enough to sue on their own. Right? Welcome back, FireWalker. Yes, that is correct. Because of current statutes of limitations for reporting child sexual abuse, civil suits are the option that is available. So diabolical that people were told no
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Quotemaggieb Hello I just discovered yesterday that my mother was a member of this church way before I was born--for about 10 years starting sometime in the early 70s. I am not able to talk to her about this time and was wondering if anyone on here was a member of the North Hills church (I assume she went to this church because she lived in Burbank) around 73-75. What I do know and what helped me
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

The two churches in Hawaii, Grace Chapel Honolulu and Hale O Na Kaula (House of Prophets) in Maui, have taken down their websites. A Palavra Viva in Niteroi, Brasil also not found. La Iglesia de La Palabra Viviente, Monterrey, Mexico ( Piel Roja 244, Azteca CD, Azteca, 67150 Guadalupe, N.L., Mexico) seems to have sold their domain Shiloh in Kalona, IA has not yet received the memo . It's
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Check out the new website for Church of the Living Word, North Hills. Note the donation button at the bottom. Don't all rush to send your tithes now. ;)
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Yes, amen, that's right! It's a new day...no, really! (Oops, sorry. Old conditionings...)
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Another link:
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Good job to all involved. You are awesome!
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

NancyB, you brought up many valid questions about mental health and substance abuse in TLWF. A quote: "I Don't mean to lump all metal health and substance abuse into one package...except in the eyes of the cult any problem was some kind of enemy assault - they had no licence to diagnosis and treat - they sure did not have the wisdom to know when to get someone help. There was NO heal
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Quotekbyrne We were indoctrinated every day. Our focus was singular, get JRS into the Kingdom and he would take us with him. Slay the Nephilim through violent intercession. We were either releasing something or binding something. Thanks for your patience forum members. As we put together puzzle pieces on our trauma I believe the good community of Washington who opened their arms deserves some
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteNancyB Reep and I were teenagers in the '60's and aspiring "help meets for a future pastor". We were obedient children who did know things were off but no power at the time. OOPS we have good memories tho'. "Aspiring helpmeets for a future pastor." Lol. I know, right? Little did we know what lay in store for such obedient children. But good memories...ye
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteImapurple So All of this is very interesting. So much history, so much hurt. I’m new to this but have been reading it for years. I was VERY involved in the back side of all this with JRS , G&M , Rick and everything that was going on at Blix, CLW, TLW and Shiloh. I just want to say I have so much love for so many and know a great deal of healing is still needed for so many including mysel
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Great post regarding the questions raised by community members about Shiloh, NancyB. I'm interested to see if anyone who worked for Shiloh, especially in the early days, wants to chime in. My guess is that there was little to no training given. KBoy has shared some of his experiences working at the sawmill. I have experienced attending summer camps there and have gotten ill from dehydration
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteNancyB John was nothing like his father. WJ as i knew him was loving and kind. Anytime there was tragic news to deliver in town and they weren't members of a church WJ went with the police or sheriff to deliver the bad news. WJ opened the doors to anyone even the poorest in town whom other churches did not want. WJ had compassion. He did not put up with his flock being hurt. One
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Quote NancyB wrote: It is increasingly more clear that tlw collected all kind of data on us but not as sophisticated in the early days as is possible with computers. Watch the key words you use - it is easy to do a search engine search for even a not so expert to find out a lot about you and know how to target anyone as a victim. changedagain wrote: Following John's death, I recall Mari
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteNancyB YIKES! the impact of this just hit me - hit me hard on how diabolically deceptive jrs was to sneak in occult garbage to suspecting Christians in Iowa where I grew up in the '50's. OMG! thanks to posting this eye opener - my gut did know this- but I need to see the facts in back and white to move forward - not move on. I, along with all the other survivors needs to get the
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

If TLWF Ran the Titanic First of all, likening TLWF to the Titanic seems apropos right now because it is sinking fast. Because of that fact, I got to thinking about what it would have been like to sail on the Titanic with TLWF leaders making all the rules. There would have to be a special dining room for the leaders (hereafter to be known as “Apostoic Fathering Ministry or APCO”), or it lea
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Onion and changedagain, I agree with your conclusions. Hopefully the only thing the leaders in question are actually accomplishing with their elaborate machinations is the rearranging of the deck chairs on the the Titanic.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families