Oops! I'm In A Cult

Arlivia Fisher became a member of the Living Word Fellowship after meeting a member on a dating site. She was quickly indoctrinated into the cult and it took over her entire life. She lost longtime clients and was distanced from her family and friends as she was drawn deeper into the inner circle, even becoming Gary & Marilyn’s personal hair stylist. She shares her experience of becoming lost in a high control relationship within a high control group and how that still affects her till this day. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support

--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support

In this two-part episode Scott and Charity read excerpts from the official deposition of Gary Hargrave, former leader of The Living Word Fellowship and current head of Hargrave Ministries. This deposition was done in connection with lawsuits that were filed against Gary and the church by several former members alleging they were sexually abused within the church when they were minors. Follow along as we read you some of the highlights of the deposition, where Gary is finally held responsible and forced to answer questions about his role, his knowledge of events, and the toxic culture he fostered for nearly forty years. See how after years of relishing his role as co-leader supreme, he now denies that he had any real authority at all. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support

On this episode we will be speaking with the Internationally known cult expert and deprogrammer Rick Alan Ross who is the founder and Executive Director of The Cult Education Institute. Rick has personally assisted thousands of families in an effort to help the victims of destructive cults, groups and movements. Ross has been an expert witness in court proceedings across the US including the US federal Court and has been featured in numerous publications including Time Magazine, People, The New Your Times and appeared on national TV on shows like Dateline, 20/20 and Oprah. Ross' analysis has been sought on virtually every major cult story for decades. ________ Scott Barker and Charity Navalesi are former members, born and raised in The Living Word Fellowship. They are investigating this organization, founded by John Robert Stevens in 1951, that branded itself as a Christian church for over seventy years but turned out to be just another cult. Stevens demanded full submission of his followers until his death in 1983 and when his successors, Gary & Marilyn Hargrave took over, the beliefs and practices became even more extreme as they levied control over the congregants for the next three decades. In 2018 a former member finally spoke up after Marilyn's death accusing her son of abuse. There are five active lawsuits. The organization is a shadow of what it once was, but some remain believers of John Robert Stevens' teachings and many maintain loyalty to Gary Hargrave. Gary has a new following on social media and an active "ministry". _________ If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Use these resources to find help for you, a friend, or a family member. ⁠⁠⁠https://988lifeline.org/⁠⁠⁠ https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help Podcast Links: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-im-in-a-cult/id1703501829 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YlZeTiuons5y4J3RZYXSv Support our Supercast https://oopsiminacult.supercast.com/ Contact Oops! www.oopsiminacult.com eMail - oopsiminacult@gmail.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oopsiminacultpodcast More - https://linktr.ee/oopsiminacult --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support

Oops I'm In a Cult and Snapping Out of it Cross over Episode! Both podcast are hosted by Former members of The Living Word Cult. Charlie and Mike discuss their processes in telling the story of cults and the Living Word, plus we discuss personal growth from the brainwashing and how the dynamics of their family that are still loyal to the cult play into their daily lives. Listen to Charlie and Mike's podcast Snapping Out Of It: https://open.spotify.com/episode/79YFEditILwyIiA0rL91CV?si=2LE1Xjs-S4am9pDt23-WEA Scott Barker and Charity Navalesi are former members, born and raised in The Living Word Fellowship. They are investigating this organization, founded by John Robert Stevens in 1951, that branded itself as a Christian church for over seventy years but turned out to be just another cult. Stevens demanded full submission of his followers until his death in 1983 and when his successors, Gary & Marilyn Hargrave took over, the beliefs and practices became even more extreme as they levied control over the congregants for the next three decades. In 2018 a former member finally spoke up after Marilyn's death accusing her son of abuse. There are five active lawsuits. The organization is a shadow of what it once was, but some remain believers of John Robert Stevens' teachings and many maintain loyalty to Gary Hargrave. Gary has a new following on social media and an active "ministry". If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Use these resources to find help for you, a friend, or a family member. ⁠⁠⁠https://988lifeline.org/⁠⁠⁠ https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help Podcast Links: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-im-in-a-cult/id1703501829 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YlZeTiuons5y4J3RZYXSv Support our Supercast https://oopsiminacult.supercast.com/ Contact Oops! www.oopsiminacult.com eMail - oopsiminacult@gmail.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oopsiminacultpodcast More - https://linktr.ee/oopsiminacult --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support

In this bonus episode I speak with author and webmaster of William Branham: Historical Research, John Collins. John was raised in the Message cult and has since worked to expose the teachings of William Branham who founded and led the cult until his death in 1965. In addition he researches other cult leaders who were influenced by Branham's Latter Rain teachings of the mid 20th century. Listen as we discuss how the founder of the Living Word, John Robert Stevens is connected to Branham and other cult leaders like Jim Jones.  Scott Barker and Charity Navalesi are former members, born and raised in The Living Word Fellowship. They are investigating this organization, founded by John Robert Stevens in 1951, that branded itself as a Christian church for over seventy years but turned out to be just another cult. Stevens demanded full submission of his followers until his death in 1983 and when his successors, Gary & Marilyn Hargrave took over, the beliefs and practices became even more extreme as they levied control over the congregants for the next three decades.  In 2018 a former member finally spoke up after Marilyn's death accusing her son of abuse. There are five active lawsuits. The organization is a shadow of what it once was, but some remain believers of John Robert Stevens' teachings and many maintain loyalty to Gary Hargrave. Gary has a new following on social media and an active "ministry". If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Use these resources to find help for you, a friend, or a family member. ⁠⁠⁠https://988lifeline.org/⁠⁠⁠ https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help Podcast Links:  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-im-in-a-cult/id1703501829 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YlZeTiuons5y4J3RZYXSv  Support our Supercast https://oopsiminacult.supercast.com/ Contact Oops! www.oopsiminacult.com eMail - oopsiminacult@gmail.com  Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/oopsiminacultpodcast  More - https://linktr.ee/oopsiminacult --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support

Before John Robert Stevens was the venerated cult leader we know him as today, he was a defrocked preacher cultivating a small following in his two Los Angeles churches.  In this episode, We will examine scandalous audio that documents Stevens’ greatest test to his authority and apostleship to date.  On this historic Sunday evening, JRS is publicly challenged over allegations of infidelity by an ex-witch who he claimed to have saved through the power of Jesus Christ. What you will hear is a public witch trial, a battle of loyalty, and the ultimate Oops im in a cult moment where his followers are forced to decide where they stand. Scott Barker and Charity Navalesi are former members, born and raised in The Living Word Fellowship. They are investigating this organization, founded by John Robert Stevens in 1951, that branded itself as a Christian church for over seventy years but turned out to be just another cult. Stevens demanded full submission of his followers until his death in 1983 and when his successors, Gary & Marilyn Hargrave took over, the beliefs and practices became even more extreme as they levied control over the congregants for the next three decades.  In 2018 a former member finally spoke up after Marilyn's death accusing her son of abuse. There are five active lawsuits. The organization is a shadow of what it once was, but some remain believers of John Robert Stevens' teachings and many maintain loyalty to Gary Hargrave. Gary has a new following on social media and an active "ministry". If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Use these resources to find help for you, a friend, or a family member. ⁠⁠⁠https://988lifeline.org/⁠⁠⁠ https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help Podcast Links:  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-im-in-a-cult/id1703501829 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YlZeTiuons5y4J3RZYXSv  Support our Supercast https://oopsiminacult.supercast.com/ Contact Oops! www.oopsiminacult.com eMail - oopsiminacult@gmail.com  Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/oopsiminacultpodcast  More - https://linktr.ee/oopsiminacult --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support

LuAnn Banoczi joined the Living Word Fellowship in 1967 and married into John Robert Stevens’ family at his direction and subsequently divorced, also at his direction. She was witness to his misogyny and inappropriate behavior towards women, and in this interview she talks about his fascination with the occult, witches and opening doors in his underpants! LuAnn also expresses great regret for not recognizing the abuse that was happening all around her, including her own, and uses this as motivation to help those affected heal. Scott Barker and Charity Navalesi are former members, born and raised in The Living Word Fellowship. They are investigating this organization, founded by John Robert Stevens in 1951, that branded itself as a Christian church for over seventy years but turned out to be just another cult. Stevens demanded full submission of his followers until his death in 1983 and when his successors, Gary & Marilyn Hargrave took over, the beliefs and practices became even more extreme as they levied control over the congregants for the next three decades. In 2018 a former member finally spoke up after Marilyn's death accusing her son of abuse. There are five active lawsuits. The organization is a shadow of what it once was, but some remain believers of John Robert Stevens' teachings and many maintain loyalty to Gary Hargrave. Gary has a new following on social media and an active "ministry". If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Use these resources to find help for you, a friend, or a family member. ⁠⁠⁠https://988lifeline.org/⁠⁠⁠ https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help Podcast Links:  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-im-in-a-cult/id1703501829 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YlZeTiuons5y4J3RZYXSv  Support our Supercast https://oopsiminacult.supercast.com/ Contact Oops! www.oopsiminacult.com eMail - oopsiminacult@gmail.com  Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/oopsiminacultpodcast  More - https://linktr.ee/oopsiminacult --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support

Before becoming the cult leader that we know today, John Robert Stevens was a disgraced Pentecostal pastor who had been stripped of his ordination by the Foursquare Church. Kicked out of two major denominations, having been accused of adultery and financial impropriety, he began to form his own church, which came to be known as The Living Word Fellowship, AKA: The Walk. In this episode we examine Stevens’ origins and how he may have been inspired by the Pentecostal movement whose prominent figures included Aimee Semple McPherson and Charles Fox Parham. Pentecostalism birthed the Latter Rain Movement, which inspired cult leaders like Jim Jones, William Branham, and Stevens himself. Through it all we see how he was not unique in believing he was called as an Apostle and reveal the pattern that was used by so many like Stevens to enthrone themselves as cult leaders. Special guest commentary by John Collins of William Branham Historical Research. ______ Podcast Links: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-im-in-a-cult/id1703501829 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YlZeTiuons5y4J3RZYXSv Support our Supercast https://oopsiminacult.supercast.com/ Contact Oops! www.oopsiminacult.com eMail - oopsiminacult@gmail.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oopsiminacultpodcast More - https://linktr.ee/oopsiminacult ______ If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Use these resources to find help for you, a friend, or a family member. ⁠⁠⁠https://988lifeline.org/⁠⁠⁠ https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support

Marilyn Hargrave, the leader of The Living Word Fellowship was famously “anti-woman”. She perpetuated a system of misogyny within the Fellowship for decades. In this episode, we start by examining Marilyn’s infamous “Girls Turn it Off” message, a principle teaching used to demean and control women in the church. We compare her teachings to the misogyny inherent in Christianity that dates back millennia.  How did the Catholic church’s teachings lead to the extermination of women through the Inquisition? Were New Testament manuscripts by Mary Magdalene and others purposely excluded from the Bible to eliminate women’s voices? Why are modern day christian denominations suppressing women’s involvement in leadership of the Southern Baptist Church? Podcast Links:  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-im-in-a-cult/id1703501829 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YlZeTiuons5y4J3RZYXSv  Support our Supercast https://oopsiminacult.supercast.com/ Contact Oops! www.oopsiminacult.com eMail - oopsiminacult@gmail.com  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/oopsiminacultpodcast  More - https://linktr.ee/oopsiminacult If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Use these resources to find help for you, a friend, or a family member. ⁠⁠⁠https://988lifeline.org/⁠⁠⁠ https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support

In this especially personal episode, Scott and Charity show how The Living Word church leaders coerced Scott’s mom, Laurie Barker, into using unproven alternative medicine to treat her stage 3 ovarian cancer. The emails that Scott uncovered display how effectively The Living Word brainwashed their members into thinking that they were soldiers fighting for “resurrection life” and how they should lay their lives down to fulfill the Founder John Robert Stevens’ version of God’s Kingdom. You’ll see how the leaders, like Gary Hargrave, persuade the followers to not trust medicine and how his subordinates worked every day to ensure each member obeyed his Word. In the end Scott is left to put together the pieces 7 years after the loss of his mother. Scott Barker and Charity Navalesi are former members, born and raised in The Living Word Fellowship. They are investigating this organization, founded by John Robert Stevens in 1951, that branded itself as a Christian church for over seventy years but turned out to be just another cult. Stevens demanded full submission of his followers until his death in 1983 and when his successors, Gary & Marilyn Hargrave took over, the beliefs and practices became even more extreme as they levied control over the congregants for the next three decades. In 2018 a former member finally spoke up after Marilyn's death accusing her son of abuse. There are five active lawsuits. The organization is a shadow of what it once was, but some remain believers of John Robert Stevens' teachings and many maintain loyalty to Gary Hargrave. Gary has a new following on social media and an active "ministry". If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Use these resources to find help for you, a friend, or a family member. ⁠⁠⁠https://988lifeline.org/⁠⁠⁠ https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help Podcast Links: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-im-in-a-cult/id1703501829 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YlZeTiuons5y4J3RZYXSv Contact Oops! www.oopsiminacult.com eMail - oopsiminacult@gmail.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oopsiminacultpodcast More - https://linktr.ee/oopsiminacult --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support

We have compiled so many amazing stories from former members of The Living Word Fellowship on the Oops! I'm In a Cult podcast and on this YouTube channel. From the early conversations to the 14 episodes of the podcast we have truly discovered some wild and terrible stories about Gary Hargrave, Marilyn Hargrave, John Robert Stevens, and other leaders of The Living Word. Thank you so much to everyone who shared their stories on camera and through letters and a million thanks to everyone who avidly listened to each episode. We're super excited about what comes next! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support

In our final episode of the season we dive into a treasure trove of archived materials from the 1970s that expose the secrets of The Living Word Fellowship’s bizarre doomsday preparations. These guidelines were delivered on leaflets that we recently received from a former follower of John Robert Stevens’ cult. We share more revealing letters from listeners, including another former tape editor with tea from the tape room. We also hear from a couple of Kalona, Iowa locals who experienced the cultiness of the Shiloh compound first-hand. Scott Barker and Charity Navalesi are former members, born and raised in The Living Word Fellowship. They are investigating this organization, founded by John Robert Stevens in 1951, that branded itself as a Christian church for over seventy years but turned out to be just another cult. Stevens demanded full submission of his followers until his death in 1983 and when his successors, Gary & Marilyn Hargrave took over, the beliefs and practices became even more extreme as they levied control over the congregants for the next three decades. In 2018 a former member finally spoke up after Marilyn's death accusing her son of abuse. There are five active lawsuits. The organization is a shadow of what it once was, but some remain believers of John Robert Stevens' teachings and many maintain loyalty to Gary Hargrave. Gary has a new following on social media and an active "ministry". ----- If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Use these resources to find help for you, a friend, or a family member: ⁠⁠⁠https://988lifeline.org/⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help⁠⁠⁠ Podcast Links: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-im-in-a-cult/id1703501829 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YlZeTiuons5y4J3RZYXSv WEBSITE - www.oopsiminacult.com Contact Oops! eMail - contactwalkdoc@gmail.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thecultdoc TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thewalkdoc More - https://linktr.ee/thewalkdoc --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support

Johanna Wozniak was born and raised in the Los Angeles chapter of The Living Word Fellowship and attended the church school from pre-school until her senior year. She spent most nights of her childhood in the church’s recording studio which was run by accused serial abuser and leader Rick Holbrook. She talks about how her troubled home life caused her to seek out family in the form of the church despite its toxicity by immersing herself in the never-ending work. She discusses her abrupt and dramatic exit from the Fellowship and how she was immediately shunned for making one big decision without the church’s permission. She shares with us how she had to rebuild her life on her own just a week after her eighteenth birthday. Johanna says, “I was born the day I left.” Scott Barker and Charity Navalesi are former members, born and raised in The Living Word Fellowship. They are investigating this organization, founded by John Robert Stevens in 1951, that branded itself as a Christian church for over seventy years but turned out to be just another cult. Stevens demanded full submission of his followers until his death in 1983 and when his successors, Gary & Marilyn Hargrave took over, the beliefs and practices became even more extreme as they levied control over the congregants for the next three decades.  In 2018 a former member finally spoke up after Marilyn's death accusing her son of abuse. There are five active lawsuits. The organization is a shadow of what it once was, but some remain believers of John Robert Stevens' teachings and many maintain loyalty to Gary Hargrave. Gary has a new following on social media and an active "ministry". If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Use these resources to find help for you, a friend, or a family member:  ⁠⁠⁠https://988lifeline.org/⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help⁠⁠⁠ Podcast Links:  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-im-in-a-cult/id1703501829  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YlZeTiuons5y4J3RZYXSv  Contact Oops! eMail - contactwalkdoc@gmail.com  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thecultdoc  TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thewalkdoc  More - https://linktr.ee/thewalkdoc --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support

Larry Bobo joined The Living Word Fellowship in Des Moines, Iowa in 1969. From there he watched as leadership was expelled for not fully submitting to John Robert Stevens’ teachings. As a teenager he experienced sexual abuse at the hands of a leader and a another member of the church. In later years he became a leader himself and was relocated to the Colorado church where he called out inconsistencies in the Living Word doctrine to Marilyn and Gary Hargrave and the head leadership of the Fellowship in a detailed letter. Afterwords he was immediately silenced, literally being told he was not allowed to speak in the church. Eventually he left the Fellowship and discovered his own path back into Christianity. We talk with Larry about personal relationships with God, abuse in Christian churches and what being a Christian means to him. Larry's letter to TLW leaders https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/02uif2gyiffd5hjmpk71i/CS-Shepherds1.pdf?rlkey=02pakfvazvyhs3pdidgmspepr&dl=0 Scott Barker  and Charity Navalesi are former members, born and raised in The Living Word Fellowship. They are investigating this organization, founded by John Robert Stevens in 1951, that branded itself as a Christian church for over seventy years but turned out to be just another cult. Stevens demanded full submission of his followers until his death in 1983 and when his successors, Gary & Marilyn Hargrave took over, the beliefs and practices became even more extreme as they levied control over the congregants for the next three decades.  In 2018 a former member finally spoke up after Marilyn's death accusing her son of abuse. There are five active lawsuits. The organization is a shadow of what it once was, but some remain believers of John Robert Stevens' teachings and many maintain loyalty to Gary Hargrave. Gary has a new following on social media and an active "ministry". If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Use these resources to find help for you, a friend, or a family member:  ⁠⁠⁠https://988lifeline.org/⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help⁠⁠⁠ Podcast Links: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-im-in-a-cult/id1703501829  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YlZeTiuons5y4J3RZYXSv  Contact Oops! eMail - contactwalkdoc@gmail.com  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thecultdoc  TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thewalkdoc  More - https://linktr.ee/thewalkdoc --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support