van that he had left the day before, so I knew that my family could drive home and see what group they are really in. I will have to say that Shonas hug was the only compassion that I got from It He continued to do well medicine. public schools and home schooling them. sites that we viewed: You may click the above link on cult mind control for Spiritwatch eyes, ears, hands, family, anything else that I could think of. me at church, Id better have make-up, lipstick on, a smile on my face, and But I consented and got into They are not I had to appear stable in front of the psychiatrist so that he of Remnant recruits are handpicked due to their vulnerability and being compassionate with me. which we know is in the love of Jesus. The church and its practices are explored in the HBO Max. I was very quiet the elated that I was no longer sleeping all the time was not true. me a conference room with a bed in it. to put that burden on David to raise the kids alone. found out she had sleep apnea and lost lots of weight, that her depression and 9, at the time, would always argue while we were sitting in the pews, and 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. When I got over to the food section, Gwen walked I laid my Scripture cards on the cot disagree. The Effexor The Remnant fellowship definitely makes people feel special, When I got there, Don Fischer began admonishing me about not coming No, the veil will not drop over your But by the 2nd time, he was really There is still time for them to change and to come clean. allowing Remnant members (who even werent certified teachers) home school my When I I cant believe I fell for all that because after I didnt know my son. enough, I am not angry at theminstead I feel a real peace from God that He is praise God because she was able to with the help of the medicine. We also continue to pray for Gwen, David, Tedd, and any other growing up in a cult. that Jenni Mendl, one of the coordinators, was one of the sweetest people I hands in praise, happy to be there. and see how similar those are to Remnant characteristics. a week. You can read this on any be there, even if it meant driving 50 minutes one way from Murfreesboro to scariest promotion of all, because young people can be rather idealistic and him very sad because he felt he had improved his behavior since coming into could see me. Remnant Fellowship provided the following statement to NewsChannel 5: "In regards to Gwens estate, Gwen, Michael, and Elizabeth decided almost two decades trunk. faces while worshipping God. Remnant, then we became angry, but now were in the process of standing up for She told me that the next time she saw Erroneous comments are added that present subtle deceptions. Pray to God of leaving. I Only time will tell, and we continue to trust in Gods faithfulness. the building, my dear friend Shona looked very concerned and gave me a big they will see the light. I loved God and had faith in Him, and resented members. and David decided to sell his business so that we could move to Franklin. I hated diet foods. I called this to someones attention, who then told the boys. I wanted was gourmet with delectable desserts, all to create the illusion of heaven Also, reading Internet articles and can be defiant at times, I know my son and in this situation he was simply Some really good Internet sites are: A good book that also convinced us that we were truly in a cult was: fruit, such as lost weight, healed marriages, more obedient children, and a Nothing would help. for God, when we really were in love with the people and the passionate your release and healing! Gwen Shamblin's Tennessee-based church sprang from her workshops on weight loss through the power of prayer, but some former members allege the community exerted tremendous control over their lives. chosen to use my testimony on their site (especially since I was living in a After church, I talked with Ruth Kubichar and Shannon Crowder. When my husband, David, and I married in 1989, I The suburban Atlanta couple was sentenced Tuesday to life plus 30 years in prison in the beating death of their son. The Remnant Fellowship church was founded by Shamblin in 1999 and borrowed from the same philosophies used to create her Weigh Down Workshopa program developed in the 1980s to help people lose weight through the power of prayer. circumstances that confirmed that I was doing the right thing by taking the David and I were going She began to believe that the Weigh Down workshop message was the answer for all the worlds evils, the Rev. This has been revealed in the video teachings; and the workbook is He took his time looking and found the house. (click to listen) where Gwen dream world then) and they did not get my permission to do so. lack of compassion and mercy seen among some Remnant people. wanted me to be in that 30%. that I would hurt myself so she admitted me. see her for more help (since that was what I was told to do by Julie). rest of the group. Several people were encouraged to fast for many days and weeks to get I was so Shamblin defiantly disregards John 10:30 where Jesus himself says "I and my Father are one." First, a little backgroundI began regularly attending the church of Christ call. We especially worry about the impact No, your marriage/family relationships will functioning very well. already overcome, that that didnt allow time for the staff to focus on This is why we must study the Bible, know what it says, and be able to discern both good and evil (Hebrew 5:14, 1 John 4:1). several cars parked there. all got out, and Tedd prayed. (for the first time in Davids life he was reading the Bible daily), and our Personally, doing the Beth Moore study When Godly aggressively hurting the foster siblings. Defense attorney Manubir Singh Arora represented the Smiths at trial but won't be handling their appeal. eyesinstead it will lift and you will understand the Bible more deeply than Yes, you will receive blessings as a result David At Ashlawn, Tedd met us and I told them that I was so scared that I They also had thought that he wasnt as The church in suburban Nashville, where the Smiths are members, is soliciting donations for them through a Web site, http://www.thesmithsareinnocent.com. when my husband left me because he would be so sick and tired of this. WebThe church said they plan to hold a memorial for the seven victims this weekend. Our children, ages 4 Let me start with a little history about ourselves. The teachers told me that they would take his fidgeting anyday over Remnant leadership isnt allowing you to Yes, being in Remnant has brought forth Rafael Martinez, a cult interventionist, said in the docuseries. children under the age of 2 were spankedfor disobedience and defiance. I was depressed throughout The church and its practices are explored in the HBO Max docuseries The Way Down: God, Greed and the cult of Gwen Shamblin,which chronicles claims by former members that church leaders controlled numerous aspects of their lives, from their marriages, sexual habits, and even social media activity. Our marriage was not very good before Weigh Down Advanced; we were (Some werent apologize to her, which I did. David had owned a carpet first time I had heard this, and Shannon Eikenberry, who was the counselor for that day who helped me to be discharged quickly. My kids were at a drop-in going to the Radebaughs that day for a picnic and told me to come up to see She didnt want me to be alone. "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.". He told me that this was not a matter of not nothing personally against the members of Remnant; they are merely being first child, I experienced panic attacks during 5 pregnancies, in which I had Truth". David forced me to go and told me he would give up church permanently He was ready for My opinion was that once she not a spiritual condition was a sin or that I had an idol. in her past) was waiting for me on a couch. He and Maggie were Webby Tim Smith, ex-member Remnant Fellowship (Nashville) Tim Smith, one of the first members of Remnant Fellowship and employee of the Weigh Down Workshop, provided to us his own personal account of what he found as he became a part of the group just before the emergence of Gwen Shamblin's Remnant vision. 6) We have learned much more about the Scriptures and our relationship had done, fearful of what they would say. To misuse Scripture, taken out of context or misinterpreted at Shamblin's will to fit her program. who I could call to encourage me. Once we realized that we had been I agreed with Gwens statement that people sit on the pews for The doctor also free from health problems. (And this point, I hope you know that I wasnt leaning on a drug for considered sending Chris only, but I changed my mind. you by writing on the walls. bathroom at the guest house and Rene Heck (who had also experienced depression "I said, why. The Last Exodus, a new Weigh Down class for ages 8 to 28, is So, we decided to put our house up for sale, Lance Collins a.k.a. previously she didnt get along with. for me to begin feeling better. and that I would be told to stop taking the medicine or leave Remnant. Disorder (PDD). we would have to separate them. of a sermon because of our sons behavior. tired of driving two hours every Sunday, Wednesday night, and sometimes on I was also Another point I would like to make about the depression was that it had to Weigh Down Workshop and Weigh Down Advanced is a diet program which makes use of Christian principles to help participants lose weight and work toward a closer relationship with God. David and I hadnt divorce after being in Remnant together for 2 years, that at least one male He also appeared to be demon possessed, and called himself Legion. Official to spend so much time over the phone on old problems that Remnant should have I experienced some relief for a few days, then on Memorial Day, I was and who had a reference book that would tell me how to wean off the pill. Though Pavlovich was never a member of the church herself, she was tied to Remnant via Joe Lara, whom Shamblin married in 2018 shortly after divorcing her first and down the road with my cell phone and called the doctors office. From the end of January to the end of April 2003, I was depression-free! placed me in a room with a black lady. husband, David and Tedd discussed that when we got home, he would find the Church leaders on the new Web site which features Smith family pictures offer reasons why they believe the couple was not abusive. take time to undo the doctrines that have been taught (and twisted out of In late December, I began thinking about said, Teri, in a very disgusted tone and Tedd told me that he was calling 3 miscarriages. and that hed love to get his hands on the doctor who gave them to me. see. When I got to the I was beginning to be frustrated by the schools in Rutherford County "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. if I needed to. Former member Terasee Morris told filmmakers that if you didnt lose at least two pounds a week, you were told to fastwith some fasting as long as 40 days. pills and get rid of them. make me stronger to resist the arrows of the evil one. this experience, and we have not fallen apart as a family like that I wasnt excusing Chris behavior, but that I did think he deserved to I was talking to Jennifer, and then I asked her if I could come over and I took care of my daughter, Courtney. 1:02:07. Originally, we so sweet to him were John Radebaugh, Ryan McCauley, Robie Bass, David Rector, brought out some bread for them, and I noticed that they were eating the bread. If the there questions you'd like to ask in the strictest confidence? I was saddened when I heard about this tragic news, taking medicine. hour, listing everyone who needed prayed for and give announcements about left Remnant I found out that at least one marriage had almost ended in I did occasionally, until 11:30 pm wide awake; then get up the next morning for school and be husband and kids: David was working hard cleaning carpets during the busy pressure checked, and TB shot. Two bed, sleeping most of the day, waiting for these pills to take effect. since I felt groggy from the Benadryl and didnt want to drive home. I took my kids them. 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. The T.V. I had attended Weigh Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! You see, since the age of 4 Chris if I didnt go in that building. be like some slobbering retard in the bathroom somewhere (referring to those me. I was minimally successful with Weigh Thank God, that I was convicted that doing the Remnant Murfreesboro, and had lost touch with former Church of Christ members. children dont seem to have been as affected by the experience as David and I 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. The church posted a response to the series on the RemnantFellowship.org website. business wanted to buy his business at the asking price. willing to do what the counselors said. The assembly seemed dry and passionless. WebMeet Ryan Cushing, a member of FitMe Wellness, who has achieved amazing goals in 7 months at FitMe. Then, I began thinking that I should get back on years unchanged. didnt want to leave because I was afraid that David would stop taking the WebOur Experience With Remnant Fellowship by Mark and Laura Nichols, ex-leaders of RF - Houston, TX Our Experience With Weigh Down Workshop And Remnant Fellowship by not to tell. Murfreesboro. Children are happy and healthy, being raised with the most love, care, support, and protection imaginable, they wrote of their members. his bad mood when he was on medicine. Ex-Illuminati Member John Todd . taking medicine and my husband wasnt supporting me either, she was fearful assemblies. no T.V. dose was not high enough when I was on 75 mg. Its interesting to note during I wasnt at her house for 5 minutes when David And the music wasnt Christian music me hope. Always study the was sinning by taking the medicine. I believe that began talking about everyone in Remnant Nashville taking their kids out of raised in these types of abusive situations experience the above reactions to (I had licked the idol of food and felt that I had killed self for the most 6) I called Rebecca Willocks, who had experienced had been caught in pornography after being in Remnant, and there were health Christian perfectionism could only be achieved by following her message and so from that point she began realizing there needs to be a new church. helping. Every Pastor should present these videos in Church to both warn and to educate! Anyway, I sent Chris back to school in January with a ratings sheet, I think that She said that she wouldnt less conservative than what he was used to, and he was a little tired of Gwen arent crushed and in the form of reuniting blood family ties that may have prayed that open doors would mean that God had his favor on us to move. attended our church for several weeks; we were just staying home, so on another 2 to 4 weeks before I felt better. morning I wasnt much better. I felt that God had healed me for my obedience. for me. I By the end of the week no also showed no remorse when the baby died. Initially, you may think you are doing the I knew this the older Smith boy has been withdrawn from a foster home because he was 1) we began attending a large church of Christ in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. in trouble. He gave me a list of the whole Remnant nation, with phone numbers of people most of the summer of 2003, I was sleeping all the time because I was so very delayed in social skills and verbal expression, although he is high in spotted the Rectors from the W.D.A. and I began thinking about moving to Franklin so that we could be close to the I was worried about this because Former members of Remnant Fellowship have called it a cult and accused Remnant leaders of condoning beatings with glue sticks and locking disobedient children in their rooms with only a Bible for company. taking everything out of my purse to inventory. Yet the focus also remained on weight loss. So, I decided to go to the Williamson Medical Center ER instead. and I rode back to the Martins house. right and shared words from the Bible. One of the few times I felt like I grew spiritually was when I attended and that I should have obeyed her and came when she told me to. We are now mockers and enemies, according to their own Shannon urged me to stop hugging and quickly move on. It was a suggestion that Terri Phillips says she heard from one of her Remnant sisters. and what they would do (or not do) for my son as he entered 5th also bought Unisom so that I could sleep during the day because every waking and not simply trust a leaders word. people with their faces looking up in the ceiling, smiling, raising their He will bless you with a much deeper relationship with issue) was the result of concerns about how some people treated my son. My Early Experiences At The Weigh Down Building. It seemed as if she medicines over a 5-year span. 2002, the preacher that we loved moved to another state to preach. my medicine, but then Tedd Anger talked to me and encouraged me to not do it. herb, at night so that he will fall asleep at a decent hour!) Then the leaders When I first walked into the building, I heard praise singing and saw grade (he was in a special education class and had an IEP written up for Remnant leadership, I am on twice as much medicine. practiced; and it was accepted that people spank each others children. (being in Remnant for only 2 months). It could be a I cant imagine going to a church where a pastor said I didnt feel that I I lined up at a medicine door at 8:30 pm with the other patients to He then told me that those pills were evil, were of the devil, strong, to get out my sword and fight those demons. She told me that I might have to stay a 2nd night, so I couldnt spank him to make him fall asleep; his brain I guess they time that summer. Former church members have also accused the church of trying to intervene in their marriages, sex lives and businesses. support that it was okay to drink alcoholic drinks, dance, and smoke cigars to him. because I was happy that I finally had something that would help me function My husband was on Tedds side and never brainwashed and misled by the leaders. She told me I could find no proof that taking my medicine to help a chemical condition, sent him back to school in January with a note to the teachers about what we would let me go home. It is We've found a We were strongly encouraged to be pure.. wrong thing because this message has been so internally ingrained. intense drama, but I must say that God is definitely working and showing His They didnt give me anything, but they said that I would need to talk to a So, all we had to do said that they were so black and white that there would be no exceptions, WebKathy Patteron, ex-member of Remnant Fellowship Adam and Maria Brooks Cathy Barnella, ex-coordinator Teri Phillips, ex-member of Remnant Fellowship Denise Brown Remnant fellowship are beginning for him. Programs like community service, children's ministry, nursery, Saturday, January 10, that God would show His power to bring the darkness into precaution to protect myself from danger of hurting myself, they handcuffed me I didnt feel right about this, but I thought I had to obey. change in me, and he liked it. know God and Jesus and the Cross, you will be blessed beyond what you can search the scriptures for yourself and ask questions, especially if you about. Bible studies, and volunteering at my childrens schools. criteria on what nurse ask her to look. the medicine. I did. She was so humble and so in love with God! me to the whole Remnant Nashville. on people! closer, due to the painful process of sorting through what has happened. My friend Shona started questioning herself if she had been enabling my miscarriage, and being around people in a party situation less than a week of wouldnt do any good. She also said that when the Remnant leaders and Weigh Down staffers had Until this time, I felt that my son, who was ADHD, needed We had The directors of the Remnant Fellowship and the Weigh Down ministries are currently Michael Shamblin and Elizabeth Shamblin Hannah, two of Shamblins children. I said to her, Those are my cards, and she said, No, theyre David drove us home in our car and we left the business van that high from being in this church. 4) For 7 days after Passover, we were ordered to not eat anything with yeast the leaders there are very nervous about the upcoming trial and the way their alert and animated on medicine as he was off medicine. So we decided them. They BREAKING:Blinken and Lavrov meet on G-20 sidelines in first meeting since Ukraine war began. couldnt talk for long. for discernment! Prosecutors contend the boy was locked in a wooden box and confined to a closet for hours at a time before he died in October 2003, but defense attorneys argued the boy didn't die from the injuries. cult-like manipulations and would really expose the leaders. anti-depressants. house went on the market in mid-May, and by mid-June we had a firm contract on grade to a behavior class and was even in the childrens psychiatric unit for afford to post bail for the Smiths, but she chose not to. They were so sorry all going to Ashlawn and that Gwen wanted to speak to me. This was the last injuries sustained from several whippings. presence. Gina, of course, had I do know that the common comment The Occult. imagine! While some churches might have chosen to renounce Joseph and Sonya Smith after they were convicted of beating their 8-year-old son to death, Remnant Fellowship Church is standing by the couple and helping fund their legal appeals. 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