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| ==Peniel== | ==Peniel== | ||
| A sister church is located in ], USA. Peniel is led by Pastor Kevin Hamel. The teachings are also purely bible-based with a focus on sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with people everywhere and practically helping the poor and needy. | A sister church is located in ], USA. Peniel is led by Pastor Kevin Hamel. The teachings are also purely bible-based with a focus on sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with people everywhere and practically helping the poor and needy. | ||
| ==Instances of Mental Abuse== | |||
| December 19, 1987, Ronald Allen of ] committed suicide through carbon monoxide poisoning in his car. Allen had begun counseling shortly before his death but had been discouraged from seeking help with 'outsiders'. The church had been pressuring him to sell his home on Amos Lake in order to move closer to other church members and to donate profits from the sale to the church. | |||
| December, 1994, Martha Davis attempted to commit suicide by an overdose of painkillers. She had been forced by the church to take care of the McPhaul family, including providing shelter, food, and cleaning for them. Martha felt controlled and abused and as though she had no control over her life. Her son was sent on a trip to England to stay with members of the Bethel Church which eventually led her into a deep depression, coming to a head as an attempted suicide. After she was released from the hospital, she asked church elders and Sam Wibberley for time off of caring for the McPhauls and for her son to come home so she could be with him. Wibberley responded by saying that she should apologize to the McPhauls for scaring them and that her son could not come home as her suicide attempt had ruined much of what they had accomplished with him. In the year 2000, Martha successfully committed suicide. | |||
| September 14, 1996, Joshua K age 21, confessed to allegations of child abuse to local authorities, after an all night session of "counseling" by Sam Wibberley and other church elders. Josh recanted his story 48 hours later after two full days of constant pressuring and harassment from church members: he stated that brainwashing and suggestion had compelled him to tell such a story to the local police. | |||
| In the early 1990s, James L of ] confessed to allegations of child abuse to local authorities, also after numerous sessions of "counseling" by pastors of the Bethel Church. James, in his mid-teens at the time, had earlier been sent to stay with pastors of the Connecticut sister church for several months to receive "help" there. After his return to his home, the counseling intensified. Following one late-night phone call to say "the team" were again coming over to see James, he threw himself from an upstairs bedroom window in an attempt to escape. However the "counseling" continued, and he eventually broke. After his confession, James was placed into care with the social services for several years. The case against him was later dismissed after experts who had seen James testified in court that it was their opinion his confession had been the result of brainwashing. | |||
| ==Wibberley Tire== | ==Wibberley Tire== | ||
Revision as of 20:01, 28 August 2009
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Bethel Church is a Christian religious organization based in Mansfield Woodhouse, England founded by Rev. John Hibbert and Jean Spademan"The sect where doubt is a sin". Daily Express. 2000-07-17. Retrieved 2009-05-04.</references/>. Spademan, known as Syro to church members, was claimed to have the "gift of prophecy"; her words are infallible and believed to be directly from God. Jean "Syro" Spademan died in England in 2007. It is unclear who has taken over the role of "prophet" of this controversial group.
There are dozens of churches around the world known as Bethel churches. They are known for their emphasis on faith healing.
Bethel Church is a sound bible-based evangelical church. It has three ministers, John Hibbert, Stephen Jeffs, and Christopher Jenkinson. The church teaches salvation through the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary as God incarnate. The thriving congregation is made up of families and people of every age group. The church encourages its people to form their own personal relationship with God for time and eternity, emphasising the need for sincerity at all times and practical care for others. It has a history of extensive missionary work and has poured help into poor and needy areas of the world. Bethel Church believes that pure religion is to care for the widows and to visit the fatherless in their affliction. Her people voluntarily give themselves to public and private prayer for the needs of people everywhere
Peniel
A sister church is located in Norwich, CT, USA. Peniel is led by Pastor Kevin Hamel. The teachings are also purely bible-based with a focus on sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with people everywhere and practically helping the poor and needy.
Wibberley Tire
Sam J. Wibberley owns a tire shop in Danielson, Connecticut, which has been accused of using forced labor of church members to support it. Church members from England are said to work there from time to time for no pay and without working visas. Local church members have been said to work there for either a stipend or no pay in order to atone for sins committed. Ex-members in the past have reported such abuses to the IRS but the only legal action that have ever really been taken was when an ex-member sued for back wages. Despite working for 3 years without pay, Glenn Bissonette only received 60 days of back pay because the statute of limitations had expired.
Recent developments
The church in Norwich, CT, has changed its name to the Peniel Church.
Further reading
Bethel Interdenominational Church - Religious cults and sects, doctrines and practices
Freedom Of Mind Center - Kings Chapel
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