The Department of Homeland Security and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation are investigating the “Word of Faith Fellowship” – a Spindale, North Carolina church – for telling its church members to commit unemployment insurance fraud and tithe on it.
This “Word of Faith Fellowship” is the same church Pulpit & Pen wrote about in June that nearly killed a homosexual man when “expelling demons” from him by chocking, beating, and slapping him.
According to Fortune Magazine, the Word of Faith Fellowship seems to have routinely and regularly encouraged small business owners to file fraudulent unemployment claims on their behalf and on behalf of their employees. The church “mandated” a tithing percentage that members were required to pay. The Associated Press reports that one man was “pleading” that his required tithe percentage be reduced so his business wouldn’t go under, and he was given advice on how to file fraudulent unemployment claims so that he wouldn’t have to reduce his church giving.
This particular church has also publicly been accused of abusing its members, controlling them, and even spreading its cult-like behavior to foreign nations. These claims stem from allegations from John Huddle, a former church member whose family seems to have chosen the church over him. The front page of the church’s website includes videos of Huddle’s family and ex-wife testifying on behalf of the church and speaking out against their father for calling the Word of Faith Fellowship a cult. One video shows his Huddle’s son saying that his father leaving, “was the best thing that ever happened to us.”
Former members have testified to the local news that there is a basement called the “lower building” (aka sounds like a dungeon) in which people are held against their will and occasionally beaten. The church has been officially charged with assault in the past. They engage in what’s called “blasting” where the entire church gathers around a sinner and screams at them until the demons leave the person.
Ouch. That was…on the front page…of the church’s…website. The church issued a press release relating to the abuse allegations.
Not a cult. Not a cult AT ALL.
Anyway, now the church is in hot water for telling members to tithe by defrauding the government. And it’s not a small church, with about 700 members and congregations in multiple countries.
