Oops! I'm In A Cult

Oops Media LLC
  • 4.9 (45)
  • DOCUMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Born and raised in The Living Word Fellowship, hosts Scott Barker and Charity Navalesi discuss their experiences growing up in this modern day cult, founded by John Robert Stevens in the 1950s. Together they conduct in-depth interviews with other former members and explore the hidden truths of an organization that masqueraded as a non-denominational Christian church for over 70 years, at its peak growing to 100 chapters in 10 countries.

  1. 04/28/2025

    Oops It's The End and Property updates

    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" under the umbrella of Hargrave Ministries.Podcast Links: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YlZeTi... Contact Oops!www.oopsiminacult.comeMail - oopsiminacult@gmail.com Instagram - / oopsiminacultpodcast More - https://linktr.ee/oopsiminacultIf 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-...

    1h 56m

  2. 03/14/2025

    Bonus Colorado Collapse - Interview with Sam and Michaela

    After a former member of The Living Word released letters exposing sexual abuse cover up in the Fellowship, local Living Word churches struggled with their identity and future as a community. In Colorado, Sam and Michaela Teres had a front row seat to those internal conversations. 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" under the umbrella of Hargrave Ministries.Podcast Links: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YlZeTi... Support our Supercasthttps://oopsiminacult.supercast.com/Contact Oops!www.oopsiminacult.comeMail - oopsiminacult@gmail.com Instagram - / oopsiminacultpodcast More - https://linktr.ee/oopsiminacultIf 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-...

    55 min

  3. 03/10/2025

    Interview with Sam and Michaela

    The Living Word Fellowship fostered a culture that demanded total submission to those in authority. Members were conditioned to accept inappropriate levels of involvement in their personal lives, to include Shepherds coming between spouses. Sam and Michaela were among the many couples whose marriages were interfered with. The abuse became so severe that Michaela, being told she was a hindrance to her husband's ministry and was "too strong", became a shell of who she once was. 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" under the umbrella of Hargrave Ministries.Podcast Links: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oops-im-in-a-cult/id1703501829Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2YlZeTiuons5y4J3RZYXSv Support our Supercasthttps://oopsiminacult.supercast.com/Contact Oops!www.oopsiminacult.comeMail - oopsiminacult@gmail.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oopsiminacultpodcast More - https://linktr.ee/oopsiminacultIf 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

    1h 36m

  4. 12/16/2024

    The Living Word Cult Collapse: Where is the Money, Now?

    In 2018 The Living Word Fellowship’s seventy-year reign came to end, collapsing after hundreds of current and former members began to expose years of rampant abuse on social media. Within two weeks after these revelations began, Gary Hargrave resigned and the church as we all knew it, fell apart. Facilities that were frequented and maintained by church members for years were soon left abandoned. In this episode we investigate what became of the many local churches and facilities within the fellowship, what transpired in the days following its collapse and the question we have all been asking for the last several years: Where is all of that money now? 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" under the umbrella of Hargrave Ministries. 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

    1h 32m

  5. 12/02/2024

    Rediscovering Christianity Post-Cult: Interview with Caleb LaPlante

    Caleb LaPlante was raised into The Living Word Fellowship, primarily in the small Grants Pass, Oregon congregation. After having left the church in his college years but staying involved on a social basis because of family ties, Caleb re-entered the world of TLWF in the wake of Shalom’s letters and was active in uncovering abuses, including leadership knowingly protecting pedophiles within the local Grants Pass church. Caleb also discusses his faith and how he discovered a relationship with Jesus for the first time in his twenties after realizing the beliefs he grew up with in the cult were not in line with traditional Christian beliefs. 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" under the umbrella of Hargrave Ministries. 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

    1h 39m

  6. 11/18/2024

    The Living Word Fellowship’s Secret Society: Interview With Kristy Pfeifer

    Kristy Pfeifer’s family was part of the inner circle of The Living Word Fellowship and were members of an exclusive group created by Marilyn Hargrave known as The Purples. As a child growing up within this secret society, Kristy regularly saw behind the facade of John Robert Stevens’ and Marilyn and Gary Hargrave’s public personas. Kristy was a plaintiff in the recent lawsuits against the Living Word Fellowship and speaks publicly in this episode about her experience for the first time. In her deposition, Kristy says that she was sexually abused from the ages of 8-14 by two prominent leaders of the church, Marilyn’s son, Rick Holbrook and his friend, Scott McDonald. When members of her family informed Gary and Marilyn of the abuse it went ignored and both men maintained their positions in the church until 2018 when Shalom published her letters. Kristy, having been out of the church for nearly thirty years, was immediately moved to take action and help bring accountability and justice.

    1h 59m

  7. 10/14/2024

    Finding Your Tribe and Embracing Self-Love: Interview with Jean Alice

    Jean Alice joined The Living Word Fellowship when she was eleven years-old, homeless and alone. She was passed around to family after family within the cult, constantly being told she was unwanted because she wasn’t good enough. Though she was eventually adopted by a loving family, the abusive messaging that pervaded the cult kept her self-esteem at rock bottom. She found herself in an abusive marriage that ended in her being forced to leave everything she knew behind to protect herself and her child. While the cult threatened and shunned her for speaking the truth, they kept her abuser husband protected and in good standing within the church. _________ 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" under the umbrella of Hargrave Ministries. _________ 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

    1h 60m

  8. 10/07/2024

    Breaking Generational Trauma | Interview with Rebekah Stassinopoulos

    Born and raised in The Living Word Fellowship, Rebekah's independent and critically thinking nature made success within the cult impossible. Even years after leaving the high control group, she is still discovering how deeply the toxicity of the fellowship's teachings affected her, especially in relationships. Rebekah's story provides incredible insight into how to break generational trauma. ___________ 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" under the umbrella of Hargrave Ministries. ____________ 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

    2h 8m
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4.9
out of 5
45 Ratings

About

Born and raised in The Living Word Fellowship, hosts Scott Barker and Charity Navalesi discuss their experiences growing up in this modern day cult, founded by John Robert Stevens in the 1950s. Together they conduct in-depth interviews with other former members and explore the hidden truths of an organization that masqueraded as a non-denominational Christian church for over 70 years, at its peak growing to 100 chapters in 10 countries.

Information

  • Creator
    Oops Media LLC
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Oops Media LLC
  • Show Website
    Oops! I'm In A Cult

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