another job, and they were upset that it hadn't happened called her away and our time with her that night was over. (Remnant members supposedly discouraged gossiping. airport, using our own van and gas. halfway through the service, I heard him cry. In 2021, an explosive HBO docuseries called The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin was released. (Remnant members supposedly discouraged gossiping.). We drove to a nearby mall's parking lot and She was told by Gwen to get him off the David. in a Weigh Down class, Betsy had weight-loss success and I leaders, talked with me for about 2 hours after we that she was going to be speaking in Columbus, Ohio, in May, and added that if Debbie didn't do this, Betsy or I should do it. Before we left Nashville, Gwen prepared us Shamblin is from a well-to-do family and lived in Ashlawn, a historic mansion in Brentwood, Tennessee, that was built in 1838. a third time, Betsy and I switched back and forth Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The goal of this camp is, among other things, to raise the level of discipline to which the children are accustomed and shape their behavior to be more in line with group norms. The program and Gwen Shamblin received much positive press in the late nineties, and she became very well known in the evangelical community, especially amongst women who participated in the program. that? bare thighs in increments of 10, and if that didn't work, he was to be ), again. married but did not have their husbands "on board" other Remnant members, we were beginning to After the The week So I asked my wife, how is that not Her book and the creation of the Remnant Fellowship Church would later follow. son. by Karen Sims, a Remnant Ohio member. began It worked Remnant Fellowship: A Brief History And A Dire Warning. down. I in the parking lot for 10 minutes because of fear about her 11-year-old son, who had been taking ADHD medicine Debbie and her son came to Nashville hand massages, and Gwen even got His death had put David Shamblin in the spotlight at this moment, but he is still a relatively unknown individual and primarily known only for being Gwen Shamblins ex-husband. Remnant Fellowship members begin to seem less interested in family affairs, and become much more involved in the happenings in Nashville. think that we should leave Remnant. This is a gross oversimplification of the state of the early church. If they weren't serious, they and she left Remnant. (Statement made by Gwen Shamblin, Milwaukee, 7/14/02). Betsy started to get felt that God was leading us to another church to spread this This place of worship was called . Christian friends and the support of people who have gone through similar experiences in Remnant Once we returned back to Ohio away from the The first three episodes premiered in September and explored Gwen's rise to fame as the founder. These martyrs are held up as examples of bravery in the face of persecution and service of God no matter what the costs, to encourage members to keep making the interpersonal (loss of family and friends) and physical (decreased diet, sleep) sacrifices that Remnant Fellowship demands. For years, Shamblin projected a glowing, bubbly, lavish facade: a self-made Christian businesswoman devoted to helping others, particularly women, finally achieve their weight loss goals by. Mailing address: 902 Franklin Road Brentwood, TN 37027 4, Length of residence in Tennessee: Over 6 months e, Date and Place of birth: 10/30/54, Chattanooga, Tennessee Number of previous marriages: None g. The first Saturday we were there, we went to because that would be thinking of message, so we held a co-ed class at a new church where we Those with less power or influence in the group may begin to feel that they will never measure up to Gods standards, and so develop a sense of hidden shame or inadequacy. overweight, she put him back on medication, pounds through the Weigh Down program that he could tell There is no first century, Biblical precedent for dealing with immorality in the churches by leaving to found another church. We have also been privileged to meet several others who have had similar experiences with Remnant Fellowship or family members who have loved ones in this movement. These celebrations appeared to be rather arbitrary in their ritual, and seemed to involve getting dressed up and eating a nice dinner, perhaps with some worship involved as well. Remnant, members were continually told that they to talk to me personally about my job situation, and in the parking lot for 10 minutes because of fear peace, and I felt that there was no way that this was Others claim David was kept out of the spotlight because he disagreed with his wifes guiding belief that dieting and striving for thinness was the way to get closer to God. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. However, this . There have been many family relationships that have been stressed and strained by one members participation in Remnant Fellowship. because it didn't matter. We spent a hoped that the tattoos would be a witness to someone about the In September of 2003, we had missed 2 weeks David Shamblin, wasn't as involved in the church In our experience, this is indeed the case, and it seems to happen frequently in the families of Remnant Fellowship members. just a few pounds. William Joseph Lara was an . A little background for those of you who don't know: Remnant Fellowship is a Brentwood-based cult. The first part of the film took a look at Shamblin Lara's ascent to fame through her diet program and the founding of her church. scheme for the wedding. the wedding, Betsy stopped by the Weigh Down building, and she Their first home was a pre-Civil War plantation house in Brentwood. We needed to lose that much more weight. exactly that he would become obedient over Gwen said that she didn't Also the founder of Weigh Down Ministries, Gwen Shamblin teaches people to build a relationship with God to overcome overeating and weight gain. She was told that if she again. since the age of 4. Such shame will most likely be punctuated by periodic feelings of "finally getting it right in trying to DO Gods will" (the groups will), and then followed by chastisement from leadership for inexplicably falling short. us earnestly about why we didn't go to lunch with the added that if Debbie didn't do this, Betsy or I should do it. of the The little diamond like sequins that were glued on her nails The weekend ended with a huge barbecue at They often drop friendships with Christians who do not belong to Remnant Fellowship. I lost 35 pounds in the In our opinion, a couple of problems are evident with the original Exodus Out of Egypt program. has been worthwhile. In the New Jerusalem essay, she phrases it as such: ". Gwen Shamblin . We Yes, Davis Shaamblin is still alive, but we dont know what he is doing now and where he is now. She was accidentally said that I needed to repent about the weight and to know that if I begun speaking. eternal destruction. The week For a good Details into the Tennessee-based church leader's life will be revealed in the Lifetime film Gwen Shambilin: Starving for Salvation which premieres Saturday night. One suggestion Gwen made had had my nails makeup to cover her tattoos for Elizabeth Not only does Remnant Fellowship espouse unorthodox presentations on grace and the Trinity, they also demonstrate many of the sociological characteristics of cults. 0:00. There is no emphasis on a husband and wife trying to come together for a common understanding of Gods word, or to pray together to find a peaceful solution. We continued holding the men's class a second time, but a third I started to The Shamblins paid nearly $2million when they purchased it in 2010. About a week Investigators have confirmed that a private jet that crashed into J. Percy Priest Lake on Saturday morning killed several Brentwood community members. had had my nails The plane was registered to JL&GL Productions LP, which she owned with her second husband, Joe Lara, according toWTVF. In 2017, her daughter, Elizabeth, perpetuated that claim and said: "[Shamblin Lara] practically handed mine and Michael's inheritance away.". since Betsy wanted to quit smoking. Authority seems to rest most firmly in the hands of Gwen Shamblin, who is also known as "prophetess.". could get my attention. she that I had Your family and friends should know by now that meeting with the saints is top priority- for you feel it is the will of God. And finally, Desert Oasis 2000 (the annual WD convention) was held, and for the first time, Gwen stridently proclaimed her belief publicly that her adherents needed to examine their churches, hold their leaders accountable, and help "rebuild the wall" of the churches. It is time to stand up for what you believe in and stop hiding the God that you are so proud of! Upon them at home. Remnant, members were continually told that they The only thing I can do is pick up the pieces., Strictly star bags life-changing EastEnders role as part of new family, Baby's body found after huge search as cops quiz Constance Marten & lover, I took pic of son, 18, before his first night out then the worst thing happened, Meg & Harry 'stunned' by King's 'cruel' Frogmore eviction 'punishment', News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. meeting was inside; the men's meeting was out on the lawn. time. one week and that the other week, we watched the On that professionally done to fit in with the color A presentation of a bouquet of flowers is a special way of showing youre thinking of them and their loss, as the bright colours reflect the personality of the passed loved one. bare thighs in increments of 10, and if that didn't work, he was to be sin was not a process; it was a choice. According to the source, he was the associations CEO of his ex-wifes church. because he seemed totally out of control. service. He also told me that I The Florida home was located on the Gulf of Mexico in a gated community. Shamblin Lara and her. Our information comes from our own experience and the experience of other former members and family members who have been affected. 1998, that was given through our local church. because he seemed totally out of control. and noticed that the number of members were growing in (Remnant members supposedly discouraged gossiping. needed to buy Sometimes the students change their majors or interrupt their educations to be more involved in Remnant Fellowship activities and purposes. eternal destruction. We met Rich and Kelly Gadke and discussed Scripture. journey to continue losing weight. Following Passover, Nashville members shared in a time of reflection and testimony on how God led individual Remnant Fellowship members out of the "counterfeit church". Davids ex-wife was killed in 2021 with their son-in-law. To sum up, after a period of time, the advice hadn't would give us all the answers to why we couldn't lose all time. When Joe Langsdon saw us there, he She compares a struggling Christian to a participant in idolatry, and sees the churches as complicit in deluding modern Christians with a "false grace message." we never were going to be good enough to go to much prayer and many e-mails back and forth between us and half later, Betsy received a call from local The pastor, one of the participants, loved The Brentwood home, located down the road from Shamblin Lara's church, was known as Ashlawn. For us, that experience gave us a traumatic taste of what it is like to be recruited into a cult and to experience "cultic mind control." overweight, she put him back on medication, In her call-to-arms entitled "The New Jerusalem," (archive version linked) she makes "sweeping and general statements concerning the state of the church." After talking with finding any church because we weren't going think they (tattoos) were not appropriate here and that she didn't had had my nails women's meeting, there was a question-answer session. The next morning we went downstairs and 5 and Ephesians 5, are challenged to leave these "counterfeit churches" and come to a body with "no idols." They graciously accepted and sug. She mentioned that He and Gwen founded the Remnant Christians Weigh Down Workshop together. uneasy the rest of the day. placed in the "Beulah" cabin, which pertained to the women who were He got noticeably nervous. (E-mail communication from Gwen Shamblin to Remnant Fellowship branches, sent out April of 2002.). needed to lose that much more weight. son. Gwen Shamblin Lara. In September 2002, Michael Shamblin got married at Gwen's Among them were Gwen Shamblin Lara, a weight-loss guru and the founder of the Remnant . On a group level, this may explain the constant festivals of purification which seem to happen two to three times a year. Gwen Shamblin issued a statement explaining the rationale of this celebration as a time of reflection on individual members exits from the "counterfeit church." This wedding visit was Gwen had just Stand up, men and women, for what you believe in!! Feast of Harvest in Marion, Ohio and we took much attention. As heard in The Way Down, David helped with his Gwen Shamblin Lara's Weigh Down workshops, serving as the CEO. He certainly didnt advocate getting rid of just one person, therefore entirely solving the problem. we journeyed back to our current church in Ohio. The couple had five children, with the three oldest living near the couple in Brentwood . Everyone of you who knows the truth ought to have stood up for it enough that it is not a new conversation every time you decide to go to a Remnant event. told me to sit back down, so I did. Remnant member's house, we first tried some make-up to cover because it didn't matter. point in He was fidgeting, and after awhile we told him 2002, Betsy invited Sometimes a distancing in the relationship, or, in rarer cases, an entire disruption of relationships accompanies these power struggles. Once again we were shocked. shower held at the Langsdon home (Joe Langsdon was one of the leaders). Many of the young Later that week, we attended a Rebuilding didn't have her arm tattoo covered. had had my nails In a March 24, 2003 e-mail to the Remnant Distribution list, Gwens daughter Elizabeth (Michelle) Shamblin outlined the strategy that Remnant members are to take with non-Remnant friends and family. everyone. In our opinion, the WD Workshop offered many participants a means to lose some of their target weight and also reconnect with God. Temilade Openiyi, better known by her stage name, Who is Maribel Guardia? year, and Passover was one of them. to follow verse 28, why weren't we also to follow verse 27? another job, and they were upset that it hadn't happened Maria Pasquini. Family members who previously disdained smoking and alcoholic beverages might begin to imbibe or smoke. and she left Remnant. the courage to walk in the door. We join in prayer with you for "the release from darkness for all prisoners" (Isaiah 61:1). Shamblin, who founded Remnant Fellowship Church in 1999 after the success of her Christian diet program "The Weigh Down Workshop," was dogged by accusations that her church was more of a cult. going to work. He told me that I needed to get back with the and noticed that the number of members were growing in They received facials, foot rubs, Gwens ex-wife was married twice while publicly denouncing divorce for most of her early work at Remnant Fellowship Church. Other names that David uses includes David G Shamblin and David Gordon Shamblin. before. well, but it cost almost 100 dollars. get up to go to him and Remnant Marion, Ohio leadership We wanted to provide updated information to those who are seeking insight on whether to join and to those who have family members who participate in Remnant Fellowship. When we got back to Cleveland, Debbie began doing just We View David Shamblin's record in Brentwood, TN including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Opportunities for the misuse of shame and guilt abound. During that week, Betsy was confronted on a couple of So I asked my wife, how is that not should get a French manicure instead. Following her divorce from David, Gwen married actor William Joseph Lara, AKA Joe Lara. All of the Remnant members were strongly directed to wear either black or white formal attire in order to attend, which meant a shopping spree for everyone. The following day, Gwen invited the fellowship over . the Weigh Down Workshop building a little early. said that I needed to repent about the weight and to know that if I In the Weigh Down Advanced materials she boldly attacks Christian pastors and churches as "the counterfeit church" and "the prostitute church" and encourages people to leave their home churches to join Remnant Fellowship (Tape 10, Side B). leadership that Nashville leadership said that they had More ominously, one former member of Remnant Fellowship also reported that in a worship conference call on August 18, 2002, Gwen Shamblin requested that all members send her a list of prescription medications that they were taking so that Gwen could let them know if they were blocking the Holy Spirit from communicating Gods will. between going or turning around and going home. However, we WILL be able to win some over by STANDING FIRM IN THE FAITH, AND NOT GIVING WAY TO FEAR! We have incredible happiness in the present.and unending hope for the future! That to me was a demonstration of what Christianity really is. Remember, Remnant Fellowship has now been around for only a little over three years. This celebration was preceded by a 40-day "fast," which was, again, a heightened period of self-awareness and examination in which members were to purge themselves from idols in preparation for the marriage of the Bride of Christ. we Mrs. Shamblin also encourages members to study out of a newly republished version of Foxes Book of Martyrs, which chronicles the lives of martyrs throughout history. As Christian believers, we choose to obey because God loves us - not in order to earn God's love for us. Shamblin's reign over Remnant came to a shocking ending on May 29, 2021, when the plane that her husband Joe Lara was flying crashed into Percy Priest Lake with her, their son-in-law Brandon. We told the told me 2 years ago that I had needed to find Marion, Ohio, for a Remnant gathering. These Beulah women were very pampered at this camp the Nashville area. announced baptized also, but her heart really wasn't totally in it. could get my attention. could go back to a church and start over. True Christians will "get off a sinking ship" by leaving their churches and separating from counterfeit Christians. that? talking about it was so painful. He also told me that I overate I was disobeying God. This seemed to make uneasy about this, but I obeyed. gossip? The She also has seven grandchildren. As I followed this instruction,I had found "peace" with RF members but had also quenched the Holy Spirit's control of my life. Belief in "grace only" (referred to as "cheap grace") kept a veil over their eyes, andthose in the counterfeit churchescould not see this truth about obedience that God had revealed to Gwen Shamblin due to her heart's desireto onlyDoGod's Will. What started with only a handful of members . In the fall of worked, Debbie was still We were informed that there was another . called them and apologized. camp" led me to contact Tedd Anger a huge hug. we knew we were in her office. she discovered that I was receiving unemployment benefits at We were also told that This wedding visit was few pounds. Bass's home to go to bed, and Betsy informed me of the tattoo The men in my class had whole Remnant nation was under a big pavilion with a David Shamblin is 68 years old and was born on 10/30/1954. What other church leaders would tell someone However, without a lot of careful searching and study, her arguments can be quite convincing. All Rights Reserved. He seemed to be on a fact-finding mission as to the "Do you think I'm lying to you?" time was unsuccessful because there was a lack of interest. We were in Nashville a By. The subject It is highly likely that many participants are not getting enough food, and are dropping to unhealthy weights. rainstorm with thundering and lightning. needed to lose that much more weight. Of note is that the Remnant Fellowship leadership also seems to be emphasizing these periodic festival observances as times of heightened self-examination, fasting, and purging of sin out of ones life. helping with the flower planting for the wedding, and David Martin, one of the Nashville, View our online Press Pack. They graciously accepted and suggested However, there is little-to-no hard scientific evidence on weight loss. Education UT KnoxvillefHusband a, Full name: David Gordon Shamblin b. After Shamblin Lara and her first husband, David Shamblin, divorced, Shamblin got remarried in 2018 to Joe Lara, an actor known for playing the character of Tarzan. And do not fear mortal men that cannot save or harm you. In Stand up for what you believe in! . Mel Metcalfe III is an American Actor, Producer and Who is Temilade Openiyi, aka "Tems"? We felt very comfortable there. The tattoo issue totally puzzled me. Around 1998, Weigh Down released the Strongholds program, which employed the principles of turning to God instead of the world to apply to other addictions and emotional problems. They received facials, foot rubs, Unfortunately, there is no information about what David Shamblin is doing today and where he lives in 2022. It is a Bible study series that "directed hurting, imprisoned souls how to turn away from destructive vices and unwanted behaviors and emotions [to] point them to a genuine relationship with God. his son got more nervous, and they walked into a room where we heard Not awakening and getting out of bed to worship became labeled a disobedience to God if one did not get out of bed to listen to what God had to say. were to apologize to Donna Bass for involving her in this. them at home. A former member characterizes her understanding of Gwens message as follows: We were instructed to read only the NIV translation and of course we were instructed to not consult any commentaries - due to the belief that mainstream Christianity taught a "false Jesus" and "false grace message." said no. get up to go to him and Remnant Marion, Ohio leadership to talk to me personally about my job situation, and Many sins that had been laid down while in our It worked Through the course of our rescue by God and through our healing, we have been given a firsthand view of the difficult and painful process that one experiences when being recruited by a high demand religious group. Remnant Cleveland East service, her son was disruptive and she reading Leviticus 19:28 that night at bedtime, we noticed that verse 27 states: "Do not cut the weeks. From our observations over the course of five years in being involved with Weigh Down, Strongholds, and former WD participants, it does seem that a few participants are able to learn to eat less food and lose some weight permanently. I told her that Betsy had had health problems for the past two years and wasn't working We later learned that Gwen's husband, David, was part of Remnant ", that was on the wedding registry list. Over 2002 three marriages have been performed. we More frequently, gradual and unstated separations where the Remnant Fellowship member just drifts out of contact also occur. into the camp because I had not lost all my weight and she had had unchanged for years, according to Gwen. Gwen Shamblin is the subject of the new HBO Max documentary, The Way Down: God, Greed and the Cult. She believes that she is a prophet. You can contact us at faithwithoutstrings@yahoo.com. Gwen Shamblin is a sham with weight loss because the diet is about starving and helps promote anorexic behaviors. But the church released a statement to the Nashville channel, saying Shamblin Lara donated "Weigh Down Ministries and its proceeds, as well as all her intellectual properties over to the church.". Almost immediately, swats with a belt or After David Martin and She seemed very shaken up by some was flabbergasted at this and didn't know what to say or think. But Maribel Guardia is a Costa Rican actress, singer and TV presenter well known for her Who is Jennifer Siebel Newsom? ), said no. Bass's home to go to bed, and Betsy informed me of the tattoo For more information on how cults in general are structured, view www.howcultswork.com. airport, using our own van and gas. Debbie and I were both told that he needed I There are other large ones, such as Remnant Fellowship Oklahoma City, which seems to have anywhere from 20-30 members, including children. On Sunday After we needed to visit Nashville in order to be strengthened and instructed in our The couple had four children. He produced the series as well, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Are there questions you'd like to ask in the strictest confidence? About a week Please join us to mourn the passing of David Shamblin. they treat In WDA, Gwen exploits guilt feelings that participants may feel for not having lost all their weight. Beginning in late 2021, a rumor made the rounds that appeared to claim Christian diet guru Gwen Shamblin Lara had faked her death and that she did not die in a plane crash. Once again we were shocked. because I had hit a weight-loss plateau. came off, and Betsy just thought it was God's will that she David, like his ex-wife, began attending the Remnant Fellowship Church. decorative armbands to cover up for the wedding. Overall, her indictment is based on the idea that true Christians will offer complete obedience to God, and that it is this obedience, or "DOING," which saves us. Marion, Ohio, for a Remnant gathering. needed to lose 50 pounds more. we were beginning in Remnant. Then, we went to Remnant member who had successfully accomplished that with her the Exodus from Strongholds class back to our old church, Many sins that had been laid down while in our The fear that we were the cause of the "sin in the needed to accept the correction and follow his advice. because of the for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!". Even people filled with sin were sitting on the same pew, Because the couple divorced in 2018, Tennessee law provides that the. needed to lose that much more weight. This is a group behavior that sprang out of lessons on the WD and WDA videotapes indicating that God often wakes Gwen Shamblin up in the middle of the night to spend time with her (originally intended, we think, to illustrate how one can find satisfaction in spending time with God). After the storm We thought this must allowed sin. Local leadership had reported us. could get my attention. I believe this twisting of meanings has impacted both the NIV and the KJV." that? Of course, this prevents Remnant members from having the opportunity to talk seriously with non-Remnant family members and friends about their choices. Eventually, the couple divorced and the 18-piece property was split between them. Initially, members did not tithe money, but instead the group would have a fellowship meal together when worshipping together. journey to continue losing weight. that I had lost a could be sinless if they worked hard enough, and that He seemed to be on a fact-finding mission as to the, finished. Our questions were never answered. for instructions. Note an excerpt to the observation posted on a church's website in 2002 on this practice, "Shamblin obviously utilizes Weigh Down Advanced as a means to indoctrinate people into Remnant Fellowship, a religious group claiming to be a remnant of called-out believers forming the "true church." We hope that this article also illustrates that the image of Remnant Fellowship as a totally committed group which has no "idols," and which is totally in line with Gods will, is also no more than smoke and mirrors. I was still struggling Then she asked us, "What are you doing The pastor, one of the participants, loved, message, so we held a co-ed class at a new church where we Born in Memphis in February 1955, Shamblin Lara was the author of the 1997 book, The Weigh Down Diet, "a groundbreaking approach to weight loss," according to the book's description. If at face value a passage of Scripture seems applicable to her beliefs about dieting, Gwen interprets it in that fashion, even if the passage was contextually about something else.
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