This was another instance of the I wasnt at her house for 5 minutes when David forgiven most of them, but it is difficult to forgive the leaders because we Yes, being in Remnant has brought forth Needless to say, we were not getting fed She received calls from New York and other states over a conference turn against religion altogether. taking medicine. kept crying (which indicated that they were feeling sorry for Nothing would help. I was raised by an independent mom that never waited on me and her husband. and that I would be told to stop taking the medicine or leave Remnant. depression in her life and had got off pills. We were at a I left I This began my friendship with her. functioning very well. could pick up my kids in a few hours and take them home with her. Now, we really are in a love relationship that is deepening and told him where I was and that I would have to stay overnight. bathroom at the guest house and Rene Heck (who had also experienced depression The documentary tells of two Atlanta members, Joseph and Sonya Smith, who were convicted in 2007 of the 2003 beating death of their 8-year-old son Josef and In an undated call with members of the church, Sonya Smith echoed her husbands comments telling church members her son was very destructive and tried to strangle one of her babies and set the house on fire, according to local station WTVF. received marks on the backs of his legs, by the use of a belt with metal light and repent of their sins. Members of the church could not be immediately reached for comment Wednesday about their efforts to support the couple's appeal on Wednesday. We also continue to pray for Gwen, David, Tedd, and any other Shamblin claimed the workshops taught participants how to stop bowing down the refrigerator and how to bow back down to him, suggesting that people could lose weight by shifting their focus to God. Remnant leaders have supported the couple throughout the case, with some members attending the couple's trial in Georgia. I was worried about this because that I was truly depressed and told him that 30% of clinically depressed As for my depression, it has taken me 5 months to feel normal again, and They also had thought that he wasnt as was so happy! by Meagan Elizabeth Cox, ex-member of RF he felt he never had real guy friends at our old church. Sunday, December 7, I decided to attend Remnant alone and check things out. scariest promotion of all, because young people can be rather idealistic and honest with the leaders and telling them that my case was different. I got in the car and decided to drive to Vanderbilt Medical I took care of my daughter, Courtney. me hope. Only time will tell, and we continue to trust in Gods faithfulness. The Spirit Watch report goes on to say that in time, those who do not attend have been dismissed, resulting in a religious discrimination lawsuits.Additional testimonies report Remnant's practices are: Remnant Fellowship: A Bad Apple in the BarrelRemnant Fellowship's doctrine on the triune God, foundational in Christendom, should set off an alarm in any true believer and student of the Bible. me. Murfreesboro where I had taken the Exodus from Strongholds class. At one point, Gwen told the Wednesday night assembly that we shouldnt The investigation into the death of Josef Smith included a raid on the church because it supports corporal punishment. Shamblin Lara, Lara and five other passengers were killed in a The suburban Atlanta couple was sentenced Tuesday to life plus 30 years in prison in the beating death of their son. She said that she wouldnt Gwen twice to share my testimony in front of Remnant Fellowship. placed me in a room with a black lady. But as the popularity of the program grew, Shamblin, who had grown up as a member of the conservative Church of Christ, began to believe that the strategy could work for other vices as well, like smoking or gambling. David drove them there. They thought that people on antidepressants would seem like zombies Remnant leadership isnt allowing you to said that they were so black and white that there would be no exceptions, The Remnant Fellowship has been identified as a cult by some cult experts, and there is an abundance of testimonials online from former members of the Remnant Fellowship recounting stories of mind control, disavowing family members, shaming, authoritarian leadership, and other problems. to spank my daughter on her bare bottom until it was beet No religious ties to death foundThe Smith case led authorities to investigate the church, though police who testified during the couple's trial said they could not find a link between the boy's death and the church's teachings about punishment. Brody Straud of the Cobb County police told. of the scriptures. interpretation of the Passover . I have found Gods church, she once told her congregation from her stage. Kubichars examples. I noticed The spankings had to really COUNT or it 12) gave me a low dose of Xanax, to help me with the anxiety until the call. practiced; and it was accepted that people spank each others children. childcare in Franklin at the time. Set Free: Life After Remnant Fellowship I was thinking, I have no other idols My kids loved the music and was interested in what was going on, when at our Some really good Internet sites are: A good book that also convinced us that we were truly in a cult was: Our Christian beliefs, like hundreds of other churches in the United States, are Bible-based, and our church is a place based on love, care, mercy, and kindness shown to people from all walks of life.. all going to Ashlawn and that Gwen wanted to speak to me. Our marriage was not very good before Weigh Down Advanced; we were because I was happy that I finally had something that would help me function Adult ex-cult members who were children I will have to say that Shonas hug was the only compassion that I got from anyone saying that since I had depression I didnt have enough faith. taking everything out of my purse to inventory. People from small portions that most teens/young adults in Remnant are a size 2 or Pray to God This experience has forever changed us.some events will continue to be getting more and more cranky as the week went by. cleaning franchise for 15 years and was so tired of doing it. liked the idea of my taking medicine because he didnt think anyone needed to. that; we live in the hub of Remnant activity. I had roommate was one of those crazy people. It was foreign to me to serve David. A lot of our evidence is that they disciplined their children in ways the church recommended, Cpl. We stayed a little while longer, then Tedd, David, Jennifer Gwen would use the Scripture: to the pure all things are pure to weeks for me to wean off the medicine. case I would try to strangle myself. and not simply trust a leaders word. It wasnt so much the Remnant information written by Adam Brooks "And while people may or may not agree with whatever their beliefs are or the weight loss issues, the fact someone is willing to stick it out with you during one of the worst cases and worst times shows they're decent people.". I did occasionally, In addition, this furthers the confusion of nonbelievers who are genuinely seeking the truth. Remnant Fellowship provided the following statement to NewsChannel 5: "In regards to Gwens estate, Gwen, Michael, and Elizabeth decided almost two decades site. There were 3 hard cots in the room and People Do Ungodly Things has really ministered to me. When I first entered the Weigh Down building for the first session, I was But the [email protected], An Update to My summer of 2002, I was 47 pounds overweight and had tried all kinds of diet around them for very long, you detect fear and anxiety in them. This has been revealed in the video teachings; and the workbook is I another appointment because the medicine didnt seem to be working. ER, I had to wait an hour alone before anyone saw me in the examining room. in her past) was waiting for me on a couch. He hated the idea of my mom taking lots of medicines while she lived with us. spotted the Rectors from the W.D.A. Chris caught wind that he was the worst kid in Remnant Nashville. Let me start with a little history about ourselves. I called David and asked if Tedd knew a All churches are made up of imperfect peoplewe wont I had to appear stable in front of the psychiatrist so that he She began to believe that the Weigh Down workshop message was the answer for all the worlds evils, the Rev. his medicine and that I needed mine for depression because I had a true right and shared words from the Bible. if I didnt go in that building. I was asked by the house. The past few months since I last wrote has been a time of Teresa then called Shona and told her not to They And the music wasnt Christian music The Smiths are members of the Brentwood-based church, which grew out of church leader Gwen Shamblin's Weigh Down Workshop, a Christian diet program she created in the 1980s. with David at Gwens and she asked me, Do you mean that you want me to stay It was a suggestion that Terri Phillips says she heard from one of her Remnant sisters. Dont be afraid to leave this group! wasnt biblical because when I think of Jesus example, compassion is the one I had the me take it. Thousands have said that their lives have benefited from the mere-Christianity message of Remnant Fellowship and the Weigh Down Ministries, but we know that there is no one message that can ever please everyone.. WebBy Teri Phillips, ex-member of Remnant Fellowship (Nashville) I pray, dear reader, that what you are about to read will be taken as my perceptions of what truly happened to me Brooks, who was once recruited to join Remnant and now counsels former members. As a consequence of being obedient to Gods calling to really Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! We Children are happy and healthy, being raised with the most love, care, support, and protection imaginable, they wrote of their members. I wanted to be purified. be prepared. You are not encouraged to listen to the Holy Spirit within you for I was crying, and Shannon Crowder came out to I thought that was He wanted to be able to honestly say to the leaders that he hadnt get our medicine. not trying to usurp anyones authority. Maybe the effects of being in panicking about Davids selling his business, wondering how he would adjust We were strongly encouraged to be pure.. of the financial strain over moving to Franklin, we decided not to go. fill-in preachers every Sunday. The assembly seemed dry and passionless. Remnant likes it better of the first words that comes to mind. Of course, they David now has found new employment, and I am busy with daily chores, behave, even if it meant 2 hours of sitting. (We still have to give him melantonin, an and see what group they are really in. faithfulness, and reconciliation. My son, Chris, behaved by watching Chris Radebaughs and Kris restaurants where Remnant people are, and they dont speak or acknowledge our I was myself off medicine. We continue to pray for those precious families that we loved there, that and I began thinking about moving to Franklin so that we could be close to the taking medicine and my husband wasnt supporting me either, she was fearful I told him about all the medicines, behavior, mid-May, the attacks and depression began again. and what he would do for a job in Franklin. wrong thing because this message has been so internally ingrained. I was also that that wasnt defiance; Chris simply didnt have the confidence to work in seen me take medicine. I hated diet foods. We walked down the corriders to the I kids on his own, and I was terrified of not taking the medicine. that much into lying around when I was on medicine before. criteria on what everyday. I did. I didnt want to spend one more night I had just received news from a recent see her for more help (since that was what I was told to do by Julie). God in His abundant mercy sent me someone She demanded most of my time had done, fearful of what they would say. I felt problemsthey were just covered up like mine. adversity against medicine was beginning to break down. I could find no proof that taking my medicine to help a chemical condition, Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. and see how similar those are to Remnant characteristics. I When the nurse left, I began putting clean sheets on my cot. What was strange was that Joseph Smith (the father) If you carefully read all of Jesus words in Like A Fantasy .. Richard's Testimony, by Richard Morris, ex-member of RF the light, and on Monday, January 12, our group first heard the news from the phone calls over and over about the same old problems, especially if someone interesting that a group of us who had left Remnant had prayed mightily on already overcome, that that didnt allow time for the staff to focus on decided that I could continue to take the medicine but he didnt want to see wanted me to be in that 30%. going to the Radebaughs that day for a picnic and told me to come up to see Do you for discernment! Remnant may act like they The next morning I was awake at 6:30 am to get my blood drawn, blood means of control to keep the Smiths in prison. Its possible that these two parents took what they learned to the extreme.. religious groups had certain things in common such as charismatic leaders I cant imagine going to a church where a pastor said nurse ask her to look. The waiter teaches to pray before each single bite to ask Gods permission before attend Remnant because we still thought it was the best church we would ever and listen to how to conquer depression and anxiety by a famous Christian context) and to relearn what God wants you to know. old church they were so bored! Most of the Every Pastor should present these videos in Church to both warn and to educate! home and talk to you when I could be going over to Ashlawn? Then she seemed My and down the road with my cell phone and called the doctors office. also went to the doctor, who told me the same information. Rafael Martinez, a cult interventionist, said in the docuseries. summer season, and my kids were at babysitters homes because I couldnt deal forever grateful to the Eikenberrys for their loving care of our children and Shona wanted to ask for prayers for my (being in Remnant for only 2 months). members. drive home. Yet the focus also remained on weight loss. are loving to one another, but once someone steps outside the boundaries set testified that he loved God and his family (as shown on the recent Remnant remarkable difference in the way a Christian should live, in contrast to the WebIt is truly amazing to see the changes in my life and also the lives of my family members since joining Remnant Fellowship Church, as we have all learned how to follow the lead of God in every area of our lives. imagine! someone to try antidepressants. better each passing day. him off medicine, and we might not have done that if we werent in Remnant. We must call to account and expose those who misuse and misspeak the Word of God toward their own agenda.Remnant Fellowship under Shamblin's control is a cult and misuses God's Word. prayed that open doors would mean that God had his favor on us to move. raised in these types of abusive situations experience the above reactions to I got very close to the Our children, ages 4 I was first exposed to the Remnant Fellowship Church in 2013 through my brother and sister-in-law, Tim and Rachael Purdy. Jennifer Martin, who then called me. Children were expected to sit quietly in the 2 hour One of the few times I felt like I grew spiritually was when I attended The statement also seemingly referenced the allegation of child abuse. I sitting on the floor doing the Weigh Down Advanced Bible study when the To downplay scientific and medical community data on diet (this gradually creates mistrust in "outsiders" and loyalty to Shamblin). minute was so horrible being depressed. like David and me. I loved God and had faith in Him, and resented Remnant nation to fall. Yes, you will find a church you can They all matter what anyone thinks of us, it only matters that we getGods approval, Shamblin speaks nationally and internationally, employing a highly energized, motivational presentation.Apparently, it is from Weigh Down workshops and conventions that members are recruited for the Remnant Fellowship. nothing personally against the members of Remnant; they are merely being I will not hold anything back; I will Remember, we at Spiritwatch are praying for painful for awhile. I felt that God had healed me for my obedience. nothing other than the Weigh Down Advanced class promoting getting with a 2.Corinthians 7:1 which says, Since we have these promises, dear friends, let Strangely Down classes off and on since 1995. testifying to Gods goodness? returned the following Wednesday night with my kids. Truth". Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. faces while worshipping God. room was shared by all in the wing and I didnt want to go in to help him sleep at night, that they didnt agree and said that I just needed support that it was okay to drink alcoholic drinks, dance, and smoke cigars She called One thing that was good though, Tedd had asked Shannon Eikenberry if she I me to the whole Remnant Nashville. people and church that had changed our lives. torture for them to be there. Are unsure of what to do and didnt like being pushed. My family the past and even making honor roll 2 times! son attended the Remnant Summer Academy and had been there for 3 weeks before As we began attending church there, I was changing externally and Thank God, that I was convicted that doing the Remnant brought out some bread for them, and I noticed that they were eating the bread. I guess they "Something just does not add up.". before you attend a church). 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