It might be beneficial to review some of the statements that have come over the pulpit of major Living Word churches over the years. In every instance, these statements have never been rescinded. The leadership would never do that. So they stand as part of the LW "truth". After all, they're supposed to be "Words from God", right? Here's a partial list: "
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QUOTE: Changed4meDate Added: 07/25/2013Posts: 6 Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens I remember when M started designating the wife as the spiritual leader of a marriage and that husbands were to submit themselves unto their wife. I remember the date, time, place where it happened to me. Part of the"pitch" to accept this was M telling my wife and I that
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

What about JRS's wife, the first wife. The story I got from EVERYBODY was how wicked she was, and how good for John Marilyn was. I am curious about her, and the statements she made about 40 million dollars worth of property and cash that was in direct control of John Stevens. Is there any truth to that? I think by now I can ask a simple question here without getting "shunned"&g
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

CHANGED4ME, First of all, welcome to the forum. I am hoping that you will give some insight on John Robert Stevens. I have wondered for many years what he was like personally, what he was like in the early years, before Marilyn. I did not know him at all. The only contact that any of my family had with him in person was once at Shiloh my son and him shot off firecrackers outside right befo
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Larry that is a very good post. You mentioned the spiritual return of the Lord (JRS used the word parousia, which by the way, means presence, whether spiritual presence or literal physical, I checked it out in interlinear bibles) anyway, the jist was always assumed to mean the coming of the Lord in His body, BEFORE His physical coming, however I have heard LIVING WORD adherants and former ones c
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

sierradawn, I was in Des Moines from 1969-1982 and often visited Shiloh, Grand Junction from 1982-4, and Palmer Lake from 1984-1999. You may know my kids - Erika, Alina, and Justin. I do understand the many reasons people post anonymously, and I respect them. I also understand the courage and honesty it takes to express yourself where not only your words, but who you are as a person, are ope
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Quotelarry boboThank you Sierra for sharing your story. TLWF has obviously had a deep impact on your life and your overcoming is an encouragement to others. I knew your parents but was not close to them. Thanks also for your openness and honesty to share very personal areas of your life without the veil of a ficticous user name - I know many others will know your family and your story will hav
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Mike S, like a lot of pastors, had to leave when the toxic level got too high and the worship of Marilyn became intollerable. It's still that way today, by the way. Intollerable. I think I have singled him out because I really liked him, I considered him a valued friend. Also, I was not out on the west coast or Shiloh enough to hear all of them saying that, I didn't know they were
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuotepalefaceChaos - Why are you singling out Mike S? The phrase you are claiming he said -- there were dozens of people that said that over the pulpit. It was a slogan. A catch-phrase the we all said to earn points with "the cool guys" back then. We were young, crazed and trying hard to be accepted. Mike S, like a lot of pastors, had to leave when the toxic level got too high and
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

BY THE WAY, does anyone know what ever became of these people: Bob Raba (played for Washington Redskins, he and I swept up one day around the kitchen and eating area at Shiloh) and his sister, she drove a tractor trailer, and visited our church one time in Decatur Georgia, also Bill Maybee, also a guy by the name of I think it was BRENT Finney, Larry Hayes and his ex wife Sandy Hayes, he had a s
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteChaos1952I am curious about something. I was familiar with all the Living Word churches in the Southeast United States when I was in it, but I had limited exposure to the churches of the other areas of the country. Other than a visit to Shiloh now and then, and a call to Com-central or whatever that was it. We just listened to the tapes and nothing was mentioned about any "designated
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I am curious about something. I was familiar with all the Living Word churches in the Southeast United States when I was in it, but I had limited exposure to the churches of the other areas of the country. Other than a visit to Shiloh now and then, and a call to Com-central or whatever that was it. We just listened to the tapes and nothing was mentioned about any "designated relationships
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Paleface, what years were you involved with the Walk? I should know, I have been reading the posts, but can't remember offhand. Anyway, at that time, there was a mad scramble to "hook up" with whoever was going to be taking over. When it became apparent that Marilyn was going to win because after all she marred John, the old guard was out the door pretty fast. You know, the thi
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I hesitate to call the whole thing a cult, I mean there was a lot of great people in the WALK, and for the most part, JRS had an incredible knowledge of the bible. Comparing the WALK to the churchianity as a whole, it was and probably still isn't all that bad. You see, people tend to make a gold calf out of their leaders, for one thing, if they can put the leader on a pedestal, if they can
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Whatever happened to John Miller? I met him at Shiloh. BTW, let me introduce myself. I was in the Walk from about 1977 to 1983 or early 1984. I am from the South, and most likely there are few people that realize there were churches in the South, I was in the Atlanta (Georgia) church, we were under the Knoxville Tennessee Church. This is my first time posting here. I am interested in how th
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I was in the LWC and have talked to some of the old timers who left the LWC around 1980, pastors and leaders like Royal Cronquist, Howard and Ruth Klein, Helen and Paul Young(many of these are no longer living in this world). Those I just mentioned were wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ and I feel very blessed to have had a chance to know them. I think the story of the LWC would make an i
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

“Churches That Abuse” by Ronald Enroth is the best book I know to help peel away the destructive layers caused by TLWF. For an online reference, see The defenses that most people build up against the truth, will not allow them to see their own blindsides so they can make healthy changes for their good. In this text, there are many examples of other groups whose errors are easy to see – bec
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I am looking for information about a former member of this church. His name is Dan White. If anyone has knowledge or information regarding Mr. White, please contact me. Or if you know someone that may be of assistance, please Email me. What little information I have is posted below: * He was married in San Jose approximately 1972 to another member of this church * 1973, he an
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuotepalefaceLets talk about LW worship. The whole expression of "singing in the spirit" that the LWF seems to think they invented. I've asked other churches about this and why they didn't do it. I got the answer like this: "we got into it a bit, but stopped. It seemed like it was something that should be done in private and not in public". Another said "
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Lets talk about LW worship. The whole expression of "singing in the spirit" that the LWF seems to think they invented. I've asked other churches about this and why they didn't do it. I got the answer like this: "we got into it a bit, but stopped. It seemed like it was something that should be done in private and not in public". Another said "we experimen
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hi. My step Grandmother followed John Robert Stevens for awhile, then she did not think he was "ok" any more -I didn't know why at the time, by then we were in the Living word fellowship church & fully dedicated. I was a kid at the time. I lived in Gainesville, and later Cedar Key -Florida. They held church meetings in a house. I think they have disbanded now. (That was when I
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

This is in answer to "recoveredfinally". I do not know when you were at Shiloh. I was there 1978-1984. I did my stint with kitchen and housekeeping, as well as working on a hymnal (which was never really used, BTW). The showers were not timed -- we were asked to limit the time of a shower, but they were not metered. And, the services were not as dreadful as you make them out to b
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I found this site over the weekend as I mentioned my past endeavors with this church to a friend who then looked it up on the internet. He told me what he found and I was amazed at how much information is out there about the CLW. I grew up in this church starting in the early 70's and left when things were getting out of control shortly after JRS died. When the leadership started praying for
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Shiloh really was a slave camp. I was forced to work all day long in the blazing heat cutting rose bushes one summer. I fainted from exhaustian. Most summers were spent like this: wake up at 6am, take a 5 minute shower that is timed, go to breakfast, go "wait on the Lord" for an hour, go discuss waiting on the Lord, get your personal list of chores, do your chores from about 10am - 6pm.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I was a member of "the Walk" from 1975-1984, and at Shiloh from 1978 to 1984. I also post on FactNet, which has a myriad of threads on this group. What I see out there is a world of pain, a certain amount of fear--both in former members, and the current members who dare to post--and a lot of sadness. "shiloh-is-bad" I read your post which mentioned Al Bailey. I remember
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

OMG- I remember this place..it's got Waco TX written all over it. My father would listen to the tapes. Everyweek week I would go to the mailbox a see them, even when I was 8 yrs old I knew this was a mess. He would go to Shiloh once a month, i went there with him a few times and I would hang out with this kid a few yrs older than me, he was always there when i went. He knew it was wack
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

i dont know how i happened on this site. i am not good with the computer. our family was in the shiloh fellowship in east lansing. we loved it there and still miss it. that was in the 70's. never have found a church to meet our needs since then. my husband and iwere separated because of his alcoholism by his choice. after he and iboth prayed about it, the children and i visited shiloh. we we
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Is anyone familiar with this movement? It is based in Kalona Iowa at a camp/compound called Shiloh. IT is primarily located in the United states, but also has churches in Brazil and japan. It was founded by John Robert Stevens and first called the walk. Stevens came out of the Latter Rain movement, built quite a congregation, and then died in 1983. The Living word Fellowship is currently bei
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families