Gary Green and Arthur Brown Jr. are set to be killed next week by the State of Texas. So honestly I was never for my parents speaking out and all that but if they hadn't, I doubt this info would be out there. But after praying and studying Scriptures, they came to the conclusion they should not only give Elder the money he sought, they should give him more. All a member must do in such a scenario is explain the situation and the group will gladly understand, they say. So happy you did this, so thanks for taking the time to share and answer questions! The psychological impact of this was terrible.. Many are trying to rid themselves of the discomfort of sin that forced them to leave the group, Wheeler says. They say it's for "nurses, doctors and teachers" but they don't use any teachers. Members would rather talk with people about what they believe than tell them to read a book, they say. He admitted that he confessed this to the elders and they just told him to go home (where his daughter was!) . Has your community ever intentionally covered up cases of child abuse among your . And most of the young people that wanted to go to college left the group because they werent allowed anyway. Photos, illustrations and other art may be available for syndication but must be confirmed. This is done over a long period of time. Without being too specific in your answers for my questions: How did your family get involved in this cult? The Observer asked Homestead Heritage for an in-person interview with Blair Adams or other elders, but our interview request was denied. And if part of that is letting people know what I personally saw and experienced then I'm more than happy to do that. We have reposted it following a recent report on Homestead Heritage by WFAA in Dallas. Its the same sort of shift that happened in Germany between World War I and World War II as anti-Semitic propaganda took hold, says member Tsafrir Yarden. There are many different types of stables in use today; the American-style barn, for instance, is a large barn with a door at each end and individual stalls inside or free-standing stables with top and bottom-opening . Ironically, it was technology, something the church generally shuns, which would provide the vehicle through which ex-members could finally, publicly, channel their discontent and in many cases, their extreme anger and despair. It lists hundreds of questions, including controversial ones like Did you find it necessary to cut off relationships with old friends and family when you joined this fellowship?; What do you believe about dating?; Who is your leader here? and Are you a cult? Blair Adams composed a number of the answers. What started out at a lone complaint from a former member (who later decided it was too risky to continue providing me with information) evolved into a laborious quest to track down and authenticate allegations of abuse. he says. She finds it hard to date people and often worries about the children still living in the community of Elm Mott outside of Waco. As the teaser for WFAAs investigation says: Some fear for the children that remain in the community.. After this you are off "Friday Night Status" and can come to the Sunday meetings and various other prayer meetings, etc. Personal experience and academic study have taught him that people often fear religious sects that are different, he says. Alex Hannaford writes about the death penalty, crime, prisons, religion and human interest issues for the Telegraph, Times and Guardian in the UK, and to GQ, The Nation and the Texas Observer. Even more damning for Arnn, they say, is the fact Arnn commissioned the articles. And as long as the leader is allowed to act without any checks and balances, they tend to become more and more domineering., Homestead Heritage has made new members sign and notarize a resolution obtained by the Observer, which states, among other things, that each openly, voluntarily, under no coercion agrees, even should [they] leave the fellowship to never bring before the public outside our church any disagreement the individual may have with the church, any accusations of wrongdoing or any charge or suit or court action against any of its members., It says all disputes should be settled within [italics theirs] the confines of the church covenant., Tellingly, it also states: Since the church is the Bride of Christ, we do not view its marriage relationship to God as a public spectacle; nor for us is religion an agent, or the proper province, of the corporate State and its investigative, police and judicial services.. To that end, the group compiled information they say refutes some of the posts on the Internet discussion board and gave it to the Tribune-Herald. Even when people break the rules, the discipline is not as some Homestead Heritage ex-members claim, the group says. Making the point that Watchman Fellowship claims to be a truth-discerning ministry, Homestead Heritage officials furnished documents which show that several articles on Watchman Fellowships site about Branch Davidians were written by a man named James Trimm. We wondered if something was up, it seemed a little off. When Roger Olson set out to write an article about Homestead Heritage, he had some reservations. The program is a cooperative partnership with Heritage, the Department of Human Services, law enforcement, health and human service providers and others in the community. You went to group functions and then as a guy I would have had to go to one of the lower elders and tell them God had told me I should marry a certain girl and then that process would have begun. Theyre existing under enormous psychological pressure., In 2005, Roger Olson, a professor of theology at Baylor University, wrote a gushing piece about Homestead Heritage for Christianity Today, headed: Where Community is No Clich. He concedes that he got the type of vehicle wrong but says it was a simple mistake. OK, apparently I had a lot of questions! The format is akin to that of Sunday services at most churches, plus the meetings are more intimate. Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2023. The Homestead Acts were several laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of government land or the public domain, typically called a homestead.In all, more than 160 million acres (650 thousand km 2; 250 thousand sq mi) of public land, or nearly 10 percent of the total area of the United States, was given away free to 1.6 million homesteaders; most of the . About one fourth of them live on the Brazos de Dios community property, and the remainder live on their own personal properties in the surrounding area. When you work these cases, you need all the help you can get as far as testimony is concerned, he said. It's funny because they believed the world was going to end in y2k and people spent a fortune on huge water resivoires and all sorts of stuff like that but my dad didn't buy into it. At Homestead Heritage theres an order to the authority: Blair Adams is at the top. The posts cover a range of topics of varying importance. Did others leave the cult at the same time? On Sundays, however, services often revolve around church business or discussions about how the group can become a more perfect expression of the body of Christ, Wheeler says. . He chooses the elders; they choose the group leaders; the group leaders choose the members. So it was pretty hard to leave seeing how crazy a lot of people got after leaving. However, the group doesnt believe in salvation as a phenomenon that happens at just one moment in time. When my dad said he was leaving they started coming over to our house for hours a day for over a week, calling threats of hell and generally scaring the shit out of me. On one hand, the Baylor University seminary professor wanted to let others know about a group he considers unique on the countrys religious landscape. Anyone who honestly reads the groups literature or listens in earnest at meetings could not possibly come away with that idea, he says. An ex-member told me, To join, first of all you have to say youve heard from God that this is a place youre supposed to be. . Characteristics of such groups include not quickly admitting people into the group and not allowing people to stay if they dont follow group rules. He met with Homestead Heritage leaders as well as some ex-members. I mean, we had a garden back then that I liked but I still do! Pasture-raised beef, fresh breads, award-winning local cheese, and house-made sauces and condiments; these are a few of the things that help make Cafe Homestead one of Waco's most-loved restaurants since 1994. But the group points to the example of Jesus when he was questioned by Pilate before his crucifixion. The organization doesn't consider Homestead Heritage dangerous in a physical or legal sense, he says. They have a book they give members called "Questions Visitors Most Often Ask" in which they tell you how to answer questions. That belief isnt arrogance, longtime member Joel Stein says. Welcome to our online showcase of unique, traditional, solid wood furniture. Homestead Heritage is an intentional community in rural Texas. Christina was a member back then, and she recalls Adams quoting scripture as he went into some detail about what fathers should use to beat their children with; what kind of switches to utilize and what they could be made of. The motivation behind that attack, members say, is to make Homestead Heritage seem as if it deceptively recruits members, further fitting the mold of a cult. A fourth has been charged and will likely soon plead guilty. I never liked going to the members only places or participating in the fairs to show off how great we were, every bit of it felt fake. But the wholesome, carefree appearances portrayed on publicity videos, according to some who have left, is a facade, masking a quiet culture of abuse. Its because of their doctrine. I suggested to him that he should turn himself in and he said he would.. The hope is the person will realize the disadvantages of living outside the group, drawing him or her back into the fold. And in July 2011, 31-year-old Richard Santamaria, another member of the community, was charged with continuous sexual abuse of a minor. Size: 6 PackColor: Brown Verified Purchase. But in those examples, and all of the others given by the group, ironclad proof that ex-members are purposefully lying is elusive. Homestead Heritage CULT. Homestead Heritage Info "Whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light." Pages Home About This Blog Contact Recovery Resources HH In The Media Personal Stories Tuesday, November 9, 2021 More Lewd Behavior at Homestead Heritage But yes, they do have great food! But dig a little below the surface, and the idyllic veneer of this place begins to peel and crumble. The group does teach that the spirit of Jesus is manifested within the body of Christ. They lie and steak and have decieved many. They've been doing lots of really terrible things, and it's getting worse. (I realize this could be too specific). I was told the leadership was trying to get him counseling and help before they turned him in because they didnt want him to go to jail., Bill DeLongs son Andrew, then an employee of Brazos Walking Sticks, a company affiliated with Homestead Heritage, pleaded guilty to four offenses of child sexual assault, waiving his right to a jury trial and his right to appeal. Did you have any personal interaction with the founder at all? . The family sells its products onsite Wednesday and Friday, at Sunsport. As for John, he said his effort to maintain a relationship with his parents, who are still members of Homestead Heritage, has been emotionally taxing. To Olsons dismay, the article provoked opposition to Homestead Heritage. Also, what did people in the community think in general about the visitors that came through? They include such challenges as suicidal tendencies, faltering marriages and family dysfunction. He suspects the caller was a member of a New Zealand anti-cult group that he believes has had contact with an ex-member of Homestead Heritage. But my parents have set up a pretty awesome support network for people who leave and a few families left after us and are great friends now. Seated on 510 acres and consisting of a craft village, faming land, pastures and housing, the close-knit community is home to around 1,000 members. But he still worries that others might not bother to investigate the group after hearing lies from ex-members. He even sat in on an April 2005 workshop for exes held by Watchman Fellowship, a self-described Christian research ministry devoted to exposing cults and giving voice to those who had escaped their all-controlling influence. Then came a so-called recovery workshop in April 2005, a forum for ex-members to discuss their experiences. Does that make them a cult? The law in Texas is gray here. I didnt think about the effect this would have on a child, particularly one who was home-schooled and all he had was his family. Rooted in Oneness Pentecostalism, it denies the doctrine of the Trinity and teaches an anti-grace message denying salvation by grace alone. In fact, according to court records, DeLong claimed the abuse stopped after he confessed to a church elder. But because of his knowledge about cults such as the Branch Davidians and his fear that Homestead Heritage, too, might be a cult, he held back from joining for about five years. Improve this listing Similar Experiences Anyway after that we did have several weird instances of people following us and coming up to our house in the middle of the night but I can't really prove it was them and honestly I don't care. They strictly enforce dress codes (I remember an elder yelling at me for wearing a T-shirt). Still, Alexander said, his family was eventually dis-fellowshipped. Or was it strictly on their own? So many people who started to tell their stories backed out for fear of severing ties with family and friends within the compound many took months to convince to talk Some would only talk on background, others were able to provide me with compelling evidence but wished to remain anonymous. D) I never once would have dreamed of calling it a cult, that was unheard of for members. In an email, one elder, Dan Lancaster, wrote of the groups concern that countering in a public media forum a laundry list of sour grapes accusations and distortions would, at best, simply lend credence to a characterization of our community that is misleading. Instead, Lancaster suggested meeting in person to talk completely off the record. The Observer asked for a telephone interview instead. Thats the anchor thats got you. And they preach that they are representatives of God. Whether you're traveling with friends, family, or even pets, Vrbo vacation homes have the best amenities for hanging out with the people that matter most, including outdoor grills and BBQs and swimming pools. The McLennan County Sheriffs office wouldnt release details of the cases against Bill DeLong, Andrew DeLong or Joseph Ratliff, even though they are part of the public record. Members still go to local stores for some needs. Posted by stripesfordays. 5.0 out of 5 stars Right price and product. Furthermore, the Observer has allegedly "learned from a number of different sources of other cases of sexual abuse within Homestead Heritage. Olson described the sect as a mix of Pentecostal fervor with Anabaptist simplicity and accountability. He wrote although they dont use the word Trinity in teaching about the Godhead, his close questioning detected no aberrant teachings about God., Olson noted that the group made decisions by consensus; babies were typically born at home; and prayer and medicine were combined for health and well being. The religious group even wrote a book entitled What We Believe in response to Olsons request for information. It was really the tone we removed, he says. The truth is visitors are asked to come to Friday night meetings because they will be more edifying, followers say. Professor Olson ignored repeated requests to talk to me for this story. In interviews with the Tribune-Herald, Homestead Heritage members repeatedly described the allegations of their critics and ex-members as incendiary, inflammatory or insidious. Members continually compared the claims to allegations made against persecuted groups, including Anabaptists, blacks and victims of the Salem witch trials. We could be a family again. Homestead Heritage Discover a selection of 500 vacation rentals near Homestead Heritage that are perfect for your trip. Homestead Heritage leaders learned of the site three days after it was launched. I mean, when you live on 60 acres you can always find a place to sneak away to. But the specific violation is not the issue. It was founded by Blair Adams, a tall, imposing, bearded man, and his wife Regina, who according to one former member, had broken away from a Pentecostal church in Austin a few years before. Members believe they would have prevailed in court, too, after Elder brought legal action against them. FEBRUARY 2023 DEER COUNT REPORT_0.pdf. The Observer found more allegations of sexual abuse of children that have never been reported to the authorities. Only now it is worse. And at that moment I knew I was never going to another meeting.. . Howard Wheeler, a member who acts as the groups unofficial spokesman, recalls being awakened at 5:32 a.m. by the ring of the telephone. It would go on and on like this. It was, he said, an intense mix of Pentecostal preacher with fire-and-brimstone judgment. John said his father was a leader one minute and demoted the next. Search results for "Heritage" at Rakuten Kobo. Over the years, the church has been called, variously, New Life Fellowship, Fellowship of Christ, Emmaeus Fellowship, Koinonia and Heritage Ministries. Rather, Homestead Heritage teaches that every member receives a piece of it. As for one of the things they are mentioning in the article, recently a member turned himself in for having sex with his 13 year old daughter. Day after day, half-truths and outright lies designed to poison people against the group have been posted on the Internet, he says. An example of a less serious post is one in which Crow says Homestead Heritage founder Blair Adams lives in a home with luxurious touches such as leather furniture and the best of appliances. My dads in his 50s now and is still being disciplined., Johns comments echo those of Christina. He told me tonights broadcast is explosive stuff.. Some involve matters of ministerial confidentiality. Heritage's Elder Rights Program focuses on the prevention, intervention, detection and reporting of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. The group noted that the attorney Elder hired became so impressed with the churchs handling of the matter he started bringing his family to Homestead Heritage events and continues to do so. People who dont continue walking in a relationship with God can jeopardize their salvation, they say. So no, no physical threats. Their silence on the Web might play into their critics claims that they have something to hide, leaders acknowledge. He was furious., Alexander said his mother told a church elder about it, but that the elder in question did nothing. The group said those crises and shortcomings help explain the troubled states of mind that spurred some of the accusations. A total of 4.03 inches was logged, which is 0.31 inches or 8.3% above normal for the first month of the year for Mount Airy, which averages 3.72 inches. The Shrinking actor talks mental health, being queer, and why the Lone Star State is the perfect home for his new play Silver Foxes. The group practices nonviolence. To back up its claim the document is not secret, Homestead Heritage presented the Tribune-Herald with affidavits from nearly 50 people who say it was read and that copies were distributed during a meeting in Colorado in 1988. Do you think free access to journalism like this is important? Although the group was founded by Blair Adams, he has no more authority than the other ministers, they say. And by extension, it believes it can discredit the entire body of allegations. Since then, the board has exploded with posts, thrusting the Waco group into an unwanted glare shed mostly by its critics. He told me he didnt even realize hed done it. It also talks about Adams owning a Toyota Land Cruiser and a private ranch in Colorado. The truth is the group believes salvation comes through grace and that Christs blood alone cleanses them of sin, members say. Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2023. He and the rest of the elders recently tried to get even more money by taking all the members' private businesses and making them part of the church so they would get a tax break but that's when the county stepped in and said no. Years later, he asked her about it, but she denied it had ever happened. Others were affiliated with anti-cult groups or those that defend Christian doctrine. As for the information about the ranch, he says he was just repeating what his father once a group leader told him. Luckily he still turned himself in but it makes you wonder how many times this doesn't get reported. No matter what we say, as the Jews have experienced, you cannot falsify the accusation that someone has a secret, Wheeler said. Theyre well known in this city of 125,000 along the Brazos River as harmless religious folk devoted to an earlier, simpler way of life. The other elders are beneath him. South Africa's relationship to Zimbabwe, is not ANC-ZANU PF, but South Africans-Zimbabweans. Rooted in Oneness Pentecostalism, it denies the doctrine of the Trinity and teaches an anti-grace message denying salvation by grace alone. He intends to plead guilty, according to the McLennan County DAs office. A child is defined as anyone under the age of 18. I am a male and all the people who said it happened to them are female, so maybe that has something to do with it. Members produce much of their own food, whether from individual efforts such as home gardens or group projects such as Homestead Heritages cattle ranch. We just dont believe obedience to God is negated by some kind of cheap grace.. It was published in the February 2005 edition of Christianity Today, a magazine distributed throughout North America. Monday May 7, 2007 Homestead Heritage Phillip Arnn has created a public presence for a group of people who once felt invisible. I sat down with Sandy (not her real name), for whom every day is a struggle coming to terms with what happened to her at Homestead Heritage. Members also point to a statement Arnn made later in that first Internet post about Homestead Heritages Sunday meetings being open only to certain people. Most of the time, that takes care of the problem, members say. I really didn't care bc it was good fishing. In the past, its primary focus has fallen on religious movements that many would consider aberrant. Interestingly, John said the children in the congregation would actually look forward to Sunday meetings an intense drama they couldnt watch on TV or listen to on the radio because both were banned. The charge that Homestead Heritage leaders profess to be Christ in the flesh is a perfect example, he says. Crow maintains that Adams had leather furniture the last time he was in his house, suggesting that it may have since been replaced. A year after that, Bill DeLongs 23-year-old son Andrew was told he would serve 15 years in prison after admitting four counts of sexual assault against two children. Others boil down to a he said/she said contest. Heritage School of Woodworking Our Heritage School of Woodworking, located in Central Texas, has successfully taught thousands of aspiring woodworkers over the past 20+ years. His attorney, Darren Obenoskey, told me what the church did or didnt know about his clients crimes never came up. Using pseudonyms, they continue today to post their testimonies on online forums like F.A.C.T.net, a resource for those recovering from the coercive practices of cults and religions, and on Topix.com, a web-based discussion community. But he has found its leaders and followers not only extremely theologically literate but also uncommonly gracious. Then you were put on "Friday night status" for a few months or years until they felt like you were buying into everything again. 2021 The Texas Observer. I love answering good questions that make me think about why I am who I am. tony trotter. Because of that reaction, Morgan came to Waco to talk to people on both sides. They have allowed their memories to become altered by Watchman Fellowships tainted information. I still am to an extent but I love interacting with people now. Crow said with that mindset, people could lie about anything. Im going to hurt other people emotionally if I dont, she said. Homestead prides itself on being an intentional Christian community valuing sustainability, agriculture, self-sufficiency and craftsmanship. Their literature was mostly books about how we should behave and how we should explain ourselves to outsiders. But the intent of discipline is not punitive. I believe in God but I dont believe in religion, he told me. This is normal and was accepted in HH (if your condition is considered spiritual or a judgment.). . That was basically the gist of every 8 hour long Sunday "meeting". Before they died, its members couldnt keep suppressing these normal human feelings and emotions so some of the men had themselves castrated. Then only if they decide you can be forgiven can you be forgiven, he said. Visitors see traditional craftsmen and women who bake their own bread, sow their own crops, make their own furniture and build their own homes. I also used to get super emotional in movies, I would cry when the actors did, laugh with themman, that was awesome. Fourteen years into it, Homestead Heritage has some 500 total families it feeds. But if that doesnt work, the church takes a series of increasingly severe steps. More Info Classroom Gallery Get a glimpse of our classes and workshops in this photo gallery. They tell anyone on the outside theres a plurality of elders but in a regular church, those elders are chosen by the members. This was no isolated incident. If he walked by and patted you on the shoulder, it was as if God shined down on you. If, for example, a member was asked whether the children there are allowed to go to college, she said they were taught to say something like: Well, if anyone really felt God leading them to do that, then of course he would be able to. The problem with that, she said, is that what they meant by God leading them actually meant if the leadership tells them God wants them to do that. It was a cut-and-dried case, he said. The rationalization that Elder and other ex-members have engaged in, the group says, has left those ex-members vulnerable to Watchman Fellowships manipulation. Theologically it therefore is considered to be a cult of Christianity. Shopping Gifts & Handcrafted items Heirloom furniture Organic grains, flour & baking mixes Groceries, meat & produce Gardening & Homesteading Supplies Homestead Heritage fights back, disputing claims of deception, abuse What is Homestead Heritage? The same thinking, not secrecy, guides distribution of literature, members say. and pray about it. Sandy says she informed an elder, but instead of taking the matter to police, she says he dis-fellowshipped the individuals she said committed the crimes and forced her to accept responsibility for her part in what they deemed immoral relationships. The Observer urged Sandy to go to the police to report the individuals responsible. Built in Middlebury, Connecticut, in 1783, it was taken apart and moved to Deary last summer where a crew (under Brother Kevin Durkin's care) restored it to its original beauty. After about a year it was clear to me this act that Bill had done was weighing very heavy on him, Klingensmith wrote in his statement. Services are held every Friday night and Sunday, but for its members and they currently number about 1,000 Homestead Heritage is a way of life.