20 episodes
Oops! I'm In A Cult Walk Doc, LLC
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- Society & Culture
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4.9 • 31 Ratings
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What do you do when you realize that the church you grew up in was actually a cult? You make a podcast all about it! Born and raised in The Living Word Fellowship, hosts Scott Barker and Charity Navalesi discuss their experiences growing up in this modern day cult, conducting in-depth interviews with other former members and exploring 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. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support
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Apostolic Abuse | Interview with LuAnn Banoczi
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
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support -
John Robert Stevens | How A Cult Leader is Born
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.
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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
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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
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support -
Girls Turn it Off | Misogyny in Christianity
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
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support -
The Cult Killed My Mom
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
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support -
Oops! Season 1 Wrap up
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!
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support -
Babylonian Toilet Paper | Ep014 | Letters From Listeners
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".
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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
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oopsiminacult/support
Customer Reviews
Courageous
I admire their courage to speak out,previous member of this group
Wonderful show, the hosts have great dialogue
I’m really enjoying listening!
A perfect next step
I couldn’t be more grateful to the makers and guests for committing to create this podcast. The dialog between the two hosts is helpful, listening in on a conversation between sane people talking about a shared crazy past. It’s so well-made, too. And fun, if that even makes sense. I was listening today while at the gym and literally laughed out loud from the absurdity of it all at at least a handful of times. But just as many times (if not more) I found myself overcome with emotion taking in the sheer magnitude of the tragedy, also. This is the perfect next step in the collective “sounding of the alarm” by survivors to ensure the snakes don’t slither back out of the dark to try winding it all up again. Here’s to survivors, and to those giving of their time and resources to make this amazing production possible.