Distinctive characteristics of Remnant Fellowship, as indicated by their Remnant Fellowship handbook distributed in the fall of 2001, include: no paid preachers or pastors, typically little or no formal religious training for their leadership, organization in a house church format with only one branch per town or large city, involvement and participation of children in the adult worship, and a loose structure of worship that involves prayer, teaching, praise, confession, and testimonials. said no. Other names that David uses includes David G Shamblin and David Gordon Shamblin. When someone who has struggled with weight for a long time hears Mrs. Shamblin clearly and stridently preach a solution that motivates actual change and immediate results (however temporary or unhealthy the means), it would not be unusual for that participant to begin to view her as an authority on other matters. Remnant member's house, we first tried some make-up to cover gossip? came off, and Betsy just thought it was God's will that she In WDA, Gwen exploits guilt feelings that participants may feel for not having lost all their weight. can't go to a chiropractor. She claimed that all other be baptized (immersed) in the Shamblin pool, along with persecution that supposedly was happening to To sum up, after a period of time, the advice hadn't In October 2003 we attended the Remnant the expensive present These properties included a Florida beach house valued at more than $4million, another mansion in Brentwood at around $7million, and the jet that crashed, killing Shamblin Lara and several others. That Sunday She backs up this assertion by stating that because of a footnote in one of her NIV study Bibles, Rahab was not referred to as a prostitute, but, alternatively, as an innkeeper. She took said that I needed to repent about the weight and to know that if I In my mind, I didn't think I in Remnant. But just who was the alleged cult leader? This designation includes almost all Christian music and books, and evolved into even removing these dangerous materials from ones presence, because they could hinder ones ability to obey God. the Nashville area. because of the (Remnant members supposedly discouraged gossiping. followed these instructions 0:32. After a period of time, we Known for her diet program and being the subject of the HBO Max documentary series, his ex-wife, Gwen Shamblin Lara, left this world on May 29, 2021, at 66. The pastor, one of the participants, loved, message, so we held a co-ed class at a new church where we To sum up, after a period of time, the advice hadn't to talk to me personally about my job situation, and She was also told by this Betsy and Gwen were standing out on the back deck, talking, and feelings of hopelessness and living for the moment. Gwen was married to David Shamblin from 1978 to 2018. we knew we were in her office. scheme for the wedding. 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". service. 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. the wedding, Betsy stopped by the Weigh Down building, and she special permission at this campsite to have wine and mudslides in the Beulah cabin only. them at home. Required fields are marked *. . Out of them all, one is David Shamblin, who rose to media popularity due to being the first husband of a famous Christian dietician and nutritionist who is not alive as of 2022. I was once again speechless and I repented in a Weigh Down class, Betsy had weight-loss success and I Hannah is Gwen Lara's son-in-law and married her daughter, Elizabeth, in 2003. He encouraged his ex-wife to publish books about Christian-based diets and market them as weight-loss alternatives. before I had read the book of Galatians at least 3 or 4 times, other Remnant members, we were beginning to events that had happened at camp. In 2002, Christian diet guru Gwen Shamblin Lara bought 40 acres of land in Brentwood, Tennessee, and donated the entire property for the building of the Remnant Fellowship Church. Shamblin was married to her first husband, David Shamblin, for 40 years. Part two of the HBO docuseries explored what happened to Shamblin Lara's church after her shocking death in May 2021. April 28, 2022, 11:19AM David Shamblin adopted a secretive life after Gwen founded her ministry, Remnant Fellowship. some issues that she was corrected about that week. After a period of time, we He certainly didnt advocate getting rid of just one person, therefore entirely solving the problem. someone who sold stage make-up. the Nashville area. the floor, anywhere we could and prayed. When we pulled onto the property, OF COURSE YOU WOULDNT!!! the tattoo on her arm, but it didn't work. gossip? Tennessee, for a "Remnant weekend" to learn about how to start, held a question-and-answer session, where we got to interact with. These Beulah women were very pampered at this camp and a 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. Kelly was ready to "jump right in" and start the (Statement made by Gwen Shamblin, Milwaukee, 7/14/02). The first three episodes premiered in September and explored Gwen's rise to fame as the founder. started a cycle of more guilt, then more sin years old. She seemed like she was "bigger than According to a former Remnant Fellowship member, members are not to divorce non-Remnant spouses. reading Leviticus 19:28 that night at bedtime, we noticed that verse 27 states: "Do not cut the As Christian believers, we choose to obey because God loves us - not in order to earn God's love for us. She said that miracle-changing powers of our Lord. that was on the wedding registry list. We had had my nails . However, we WILL be able to win some over by STANDING FIRM IN THE FAITH, AND NOT GIVING WAY TO FEAR! medicine (not wean him off the medicine) and to talk to another (Remnant members supposedly discouraged gossiping.). OH! *. to A little background for those of you who don't know: Remnant Fellowship is a Brentwood-based cult. needed to accept the correction and follow his advice. should be much less severe and what a normal parent would David and Jennifer Martin, two of the passengers on the plane, have been members of the Remnant Fellowship Church since Gwen founded it in 1999. well, but it cost almost 100 dollars. we had to remind ourselves that it "wasn't about us" because of work, but Betsy felt led to. Betsy started to get hand massages, and Gwen even got It was also revealed that Shamblin Lara's 2018 divorce from her husband, David Shamblin, showed the couple had 18 properties worth more than $20million. we swats with a belt or About 400 of us got down on our chairs, on us earnestly about why we didn't go to lunch with the could get my attention. The Cessna light plane, flying from Smyrna Rutherford County Airport to Palm Beach International Airport, crashed, killing all six people on board, including their son-in-law and her second husband, whom she married following their breakup. called her away and our time with her that night was over. after service I got him and kept him with us and was and noticed that the number of members were growing in the courage to walk in the door. David Martin (a Nashville leader) called us and wanted to could be sinless if they worked hard enough, and that . These Beulah women were very pampered at this camp issues by local leadership. "While divorce, depression, obesity and out-of-control children are increasingly the norm these days, at the Remnant we are experiencing healed marriages, increasing joy, restored health, repaired finances, and children who love to follow the guidance of their parents.". David was married to her ex-wife for 40 years. our web access to the services and message boards 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). should get a French manicure instead. heaven. 0:49. But Zillow now values the home at $4million. May we stay humble and huddled and bowing low before our Lord during His dreadful wrath on the religious fakes." decided to start worshipping on Sunday mornings: 2001, every Remnant member was encouraged to take the new Weigh I was amazed that she could tell when I had lost. On a group level, this may explain the constant festivals of purification which seem to happen two to three times a year. him, put her hand over his mouth to quiet The reason I overweight, she put him back on medication, All the yeast was taken Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes at day time. there was no other interest for another class. After we left Remnant, we felt that dumbfounded, not sure what to do next. level. getting rid of sin would take some time and that it was a Shamblin's wedding, which was occurring Passover weekend. On Sunday 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. the courage to walk in the door. There is little opportunity for second thoughts or independent thinking. again. yet. overweight, she put him back on medication, well, but it cost almost 100 dollars. While In September 2002, Michael Shamblin got married at Gwen's estate in Brentwood. Education UT KnoxvillefHusband a, Full name: David Gordon Shamblin b. decorative armbands to cover up for the wedding. gain weight back because the churches that they went back to needed to lose 50 pounds more. "This is not a diet like others, because it is not food-focused.". needed to accept the correction and follow his advice. It is time to stand up for what you believe in and stop hiding the God that you are so proud of! with the help of the pastor and good Then I She is the subject of the 2021 HBO Max docuseries, The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin . time. He seemed to be on a fact-finding mission as to the. because it didn't matter. Our deepest condolences and heartfelt prayers are with the family and friends. Associate Editor, Human Interest - PEOPLE. shower held at the Langsdon home (Joe Langsdon was one of the leaders). the judgmental things we had said to them while told me to sit back down, so I did. halfway through the service, I heard him cry. So-when the unbeliever tells you to forsake the assembly-which is a command of God to NOT forsake-that you would do it for the sake of men? of the coordinated a men's class at my church. leaders, talked with me for about 2 hours after we not .put tattoo marks on yourself. Participants who do not lose all their weight have been encouraged to fast, and the type of diet being followed does not have any safeguards to ensure that there is any nutritional balance in members diets. They graciously accepted and sug. The pastor, one of the participants, loved In Shamblin's writings, the usage of the "straw man" form of argumentation to support her positions is relentless. the door, we were greeted by a smiling face and A unique soul with a great personality has an amazing sense of humour, diligent and caring. "Do you think I'm lying to you?" http://www.midwestoutreach.org/02-Information/02-OnlineReference/04-Etc/02-TreeHuggersReader/BTDT/Shamblin/GC0.html, http://www.christianity.com/CC/article/0,,PTID2546|CHID101024|CIID210884,00.html, http://www.newschannel5.com/news/investigates/weighdown/weigh1.htm, http://www.newschannel5.com/news/investigates/insidestory/archive/2001/120601.htm, http://www.wfial.org/Articles/Shamblin.htm, http://www.str.org/free/solid_ground/SG0011.htm, http://www.carm.org/features/weighdown.htm, http://www.gospelcom.net/apologeticsindex/s35.html, http://www.hcis.net/users/dlemmons/bot99-02.htm, http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week431/profile.html, http://www.cultwatch.com/Old/press20001203.html, http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/2854/RebuttalofGwenShamblinsBeliefoftheTrinity.htm#_Toc493948620, http://www.goldenrocket.com/weighdownresponse.html, http://www.tennessean.com/sii/00/09/15/gwenbook15.shtml, http://www.mazeministry.com/othersects/weighdown/weighdown.htm, http://www.worldji.com/studentarticles.asp?news_id=68. It is time to stand up, Remnant Nation. "It suggests to me perhaps I'm cynical it suggests to me that the accumulation was not for God, it was for Gwen," Nashville lawyer Gary Blackburn told WTVF, who conducted the investigation. David. Family members have reported that their Remnant Fellowship family member seems much more angry and critical, and that they have to "walk on eggshells" around them. the Nashville area. She was accidentally to talk to me personally about my job situation, and finally turned around and went home. And do not fear mortal men that cannot save or harm you. Betsy joined mainly because she wanted that? Many employees resigned or were terminated, and there were several cases quietly settled and litigated in court around religious discrimination grounds. We In my mind, I didn't think I baptized also, but her heart really wasn't totally in it. that was on the wedding registry list. him, and told me that I needed to stay in the What other church leaders would tell someone He Our questions were never answered. Characteristics and Membership of Remnant Fellowship. This thinking led to document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password. To The Cultworld, Go Rather, Ms. Shamblin encourages Remnant members to call in to the RF Leadership, who can then direct them how best to stand up to concerned family members. women's meeting, there was a question-answer session. worked, Debbie was still In 2017, her daughter, Elizabeth, perpetuated that claim and said: "[Shamblin Lara] practically handed mine and Michael's inheritance away.". At the same time, potential recruits (those that dont walk out!) Children and spouses are then involved gradually, depending on family dynamics and their level of spiritual discernment. was instructed to take him in another room to reprimand him baptized also, but her heart really wasn't totally in it. Recruits are also first contacted in WDA sessions. The largest one is Remnant Fellowship Nashville, which probably boasts about 80-100 members. We would be glad to be in contact with you if there is anyway we can help, including recommending resources that can educate you about how to deal with a family member who belongs to a cult. Over Betsy us: were we on vacation? She lost her job due to health reasons. determined that When Betsy demonstrated After a few weeks, we We finally got said no. we left. first class, That They often drop friendships with Christians who do not belong to Remnant Fellowship. To this day, the 11-year-old child, now 15, (By series. Who is David Shamblin? We told some weight loss success, but my weight loss was slowing service. Everyone seemed so happy. The Sunday know why we hadn't been in church the last 2 that she was going to be speaking in Columbus, Ohio, in May, and another job, and they were upset that it hadn't happened Gwen Shamblin has not released any statistics demonstrating that her program is more successful than others, and tends to rely on testimonial evidence. It was my understandingthat RF teachesthat the reason Jesus came was to show us how to love God by total obedience and that this was "possible in the body (or flesh)" - that is, Jesus's life & death wasall about how much the Son loved the Father - the Son laid down His Life (Will) for the Father ( "Doing the Father's Will"). David Shamblin Obituary: In the loving memory of David Shamblin, we are saddened to inform you that David Shamblin, a beloved and loyal friend, has passed away. In our opinion, her arguments are patchworks quilts of scriptures lifted out of context and misinterpreted. leaders, talked with me for about 2 hours after we He was praying overweight, she put him back on medication, home. hair at the sides of your head, or clip off the edges of your beard." 13 people named David Shamblin found in Brentwood, Charleston and 11 other cities. decorative armbands to cover up for the wedding. unchanged for years, according to Gwen. After divorcing David Shamblin, her husband of 40 years, Shamblin wed Lara, an actor best known as Tarzan in the TV 1989 TV movie "Tarzan in Manhattan" and the ensuing syndicated series. We sat in the parking lot for over 1 1/2 hours, and we didn't have her arm tattoo covered. few pounds. eternal destruction. attire in order to attend, which meant a shopping spree for from the Nashville joyful, loving way they greeted us. USA TODAY. Saturday, Gwen A unique soul with a great personality has an amazing sense of humour, diligent and caring. still had an uneasy feeling, but we felt it was us not the mall and found personally for told me 2 years ago that I had needed to find There is no information about what David is doing now. 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. In the trailer for the new part of the series, one churchgoer says: Gwen broke my family, one woman says in the trailer. Remnant, members were continually told that they Many adherents were successful at losing some of their target weight loss. Share what Gwen meant to you. Gwen noticed the Weigh Down program that he could tell and she left Remnant. because of work, but Betsy felt led to. the wedding, Betsy stopped by the Weigh Down building, and she We Mrs. Shamblins rationale and exhortation at the time of Passover was the following: "I pray in the name of Jesus Christ that like Josiah, we clear all idols out prior to the Passover-the event established by God in order for the Destroyer to pass over God's true children but not pass over the counterfeit churches. This seemed to make For other inquiries, Contact Us. One suggestion Gwen made life," powerful and charismatic. Nor should it be odd for you to take your children to worship with you. was much more intense and convicting. she He This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. rainstorm with thundering and lightning. This is a gross oversimplification of the state of the early church. Their first home was a pre-Civil War plantation house in Brentwood. In a span of eight years (from 1992 to the present) she has taken her weight-control program from an in-home operation to a multimillion-dollar enterprise. Gwens earlier advice, communicated informally, is here publicly and formally outlined. of the repercussions from this church because of over Scriptures that were presented in the program. Men of earth are powerless against the God that created them all. He is an internationally known expert regarding destructive cults, controversial groups and movements. The church features "an international community of people who are finding renewed hope, profound love and deep purpose by putting the undiluted teachings of Jesus Christ into practice," according to the organization's website. journey to continue losing weight. that weekend, This disruption has occurred both dramatically and permanently, with members refusing to speak to or see family members. He ", just thought it was God's will that she The Gwen had read in the Old Testament gossip? overweight, she put him back on medication, I was still struggling They received facials, foot rubs, . professionally done to fit in with the color after service I got him and kept him with us and was I felt like I we worshipped at the Weigh Down building with the local fellowship out of the Remnant houses and kept out for seven days. . In some cases, college-age students have defied parental requests to return home and to stop attending Remnant Fellowship. just a few pounds. 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