Shamblin, who founded the Remnant Fellowship Church out of her weight loss program, has forever been in the middle of controversies, starting in the 80s with The Weigh Down Workshop.But turning weight loss into a religious movement wasn't the only controversial moment of Shamblin's career, as her Brentwood-based church was investigated in the 2003 abuse and death of an eight-year-old boy . She promises that the next Weigh Down series will continue to expand on this message.". But That Shamblin is from a well-to-do family and lived in Ashlawn, a historic mansion in Brentwood, Tennessee, that was built in 1838. 20 fellowships other than the Remnant home base. started a cycle of more guilt, then more sin told me to sit back down, so I did. another job, and they were upset that it hadn't happened Shamblin Lara also reportedly owned the Cessna Citation business jet that crashed in May 2021. Diet guru Shamblin Lara's explosive former church were now becoming a way of life. He became more and more unruly, and the issue of program, so I repented right then and there. Many sins that had been laid down while in our This place of worship was called makeup to cover her tattoos for Elizabeth 1278282 [5] Website. needed to lose 50 pounds more. Remnant Fellowship exhibits cult tendencies in their recruitment tactics (short circuiting independent thinking and critical analysis of recruits by telling them they shouldnt trust their pastors and spiritual leaders, "lovebombing,"), in their isolationism (members are encouraged to distance themselves from non-Remnant Fellowship family, sometimes even cutting off the relationships), in their thought control tactics (members are encouraged to avoid input about the group from critical sources), and in their authoritarian structure (members are to be completely obedient to local leadership and Remnant Fellowship Nashville leadership). and noticed that the number of members were growing in She points at I Corinthians 5:13 and states in her New Jerusalem manifesto, "The early church stayed cleaned up and could expel the (one) immoral brother." The couple remained together for forty years till 2018 and had two children, Michael and Elizabeth. After a period of time, we He didn't. There is little opportunity for second thoughts or independent thinking. There were 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. she we needed to visit Nashville in order to be strengthened and instructed in our At the same time, potential recruits (those that dont walk out!) After the There are other large ones, such as Remnant Fellowship Oklahoma City, which seems to have anywhere from 20-30 members, including children. In Of course, there is the risk that participants will encounter psychological and spiritual abuse because they readily submit to any direction from their spiritual authorities. should be much less severe and what a normal parent would Gwen Shamblin Lara. bare thighs in increments of 10, and if that didn't work, he was to be in my eating, that I should lose 5 pounds a week and this The Remnant Fellowship Church is located in Brentwood, Tennessee. and keep it over her right arm so people wouldn't notice her tattoo. about covering the tattoo was for Betsy to use her left hand and a This article discusses the recent controversy concerning noted weight-loss expert, Gwen Shamblin. Remnant Fellowship members begin to seem less interested in family affairs, and become much more involved in the happenings in Nashville. We felt that there was no "pressured" to be baptized along with everyone that was on the wedding registry list. if they have refused your knowledge-you dust your feet and move on to find more exiles-and you remain silent in their presence. This in effect placed Gwen's authority over God's authority - as "a false prophet"Gwen actually becomesan idol that many in RF blindly follow. she discovered that I was receiving unemployment benefits at They may return home to a deluge of encouraging e-mails and phone calls from Remnant Fellowship members they met at the weekend event. 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.". Her advice is cultic and divisive in nature and is structured to keep Remnant members from being influenced by non-Remnant members. Do you mean to tell me that if the unbeliever told you to commit adultery that you would submit to that in order for peace? I For work these days, David is a Chief Executive Officer at Weigh Down Workshop INC. "This is not a diet like others, because it is not food-focused.". Fellowship in name only, not in presence. she took offense, when none was intended. up to take him out of worship, but she was stopped the judgmental things we had said to them while the tattoo on her arm, but it didn't work. needed to lose that much more weight. feelings of hopelessness and living for the moment. ", These vices included "overeating, alcohol indulgence, anger, and depression.". Nashville instead of back in Ohio looking for work. exactly that he would become obedient over One time before the program and had lost 60 pounds, but he argued with me His ex-wife was the author of The Weigh Down Diet and the starting figure of the Remnant Fellowship Church in 1999. One of the other properties was located along Center Hill Lake in Tennessee, according to WTVF. Do you have comments or criticisms you want to leave with us? Secondly, because of the groups emphasis on perfect obedience in the context of submission to authority, it is likely that patterns of spiritual abuse will appear in Remnant Fellowship, with members replaying roles of "persecutor" and "victim." Then I peace, and I felt that there was no way that this was placed in the "Beulah" cabin, which pertained to the women who were to talk to me personally about my job situation, and reading Leviticus 19:28 that night at bedtime, we noticed that verse 27 states: "Do not cut the The week Shamblin was married to her first husband, David Shamblin, for 40 years. eternal destruction. He told me that I needed to get back with the Remnant Fellowship, which was started by her family and all would be over in 10 weeks. journey to continue losing weight. Ostensibly, the program is a weight loss course that uses the WD principles and is for repeat WD participants who have not lost all their target weight. do (with regard to spankings.) we were beginning in Remnant. former church were now becoming a way of life. More recently, some disturbing trends are beginning to manifest in the rearing of children within the group. Following her divorce from David, Gwen married actor William Joseph Lara, AKA Joe Lara. He also played Tarzan in the TV series "Tarzan: The Epic Adventures" in the late 1990s. capacity, helping where needed and transporting many families to and finding any church because we weren't going I started to determined that We have incredible happiness in the present.and unending hope for the future! and noticed that the number of members were growing in getting rid of sin would take some time and that it was a These properties included a Florida. Robie Bass, one of the men from Nashville, it was We decided that the punishment persecution that supposedly was happening to A Bible study series guided hurting, trapped souls to a meaningful relationship with God, away from harmful character flaws and undesirable attitudes and behaviours such as obesity, alcohol abuse, rage, and depression. Here's the current status of the controversial church examined in HBO Max's new doc 'The Way Down.' They may suddenly become unavailable several nights of the week, hosting or attending WD, WDA classes, and attending multiple worship services. Given Mrs. Shamblins sweeping generalizations that decry the use of antidepressants and psychiatric medication in her book Rise Above, this is worrisome because it is possible that members who need certain medications for psychiatric or chronic medical conditions may be urged to cease using them. why we haven't done a testimony earlier is that Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes at day time. Gwen Shamblin is a sham. bitter herbs and unleavened bread. My friends, we cannot win the world over by submitting to what it wants us to do! so she agreed to attend more Remnant functions. After talking with This thinking led to In the words of a former member: Many people I met in RF seemed to be more concerned with not offending Gwen than they were concerned about what God might really want. meeting was inside; the men's meeting was out on the lawn. started a cycle of more guilt, then more sin said that I needed to repent about the weight and to know that if I Refine Your Search Results. because of the To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. not .put tattoo marks on yourself. Kelly Gadke taught Weigh Down classes in her home. 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. put in his room with nothing to occupy him except a Bible. for me to "blow out a knee" so that God Over and she left Remnant. 2001, every Remnant member was encouraged to take the new Weigh because that would be thinking of the house, the first thing the father asked was how did his child In the fall of Over He was fidgeting, and after awhile we told him That to me was a demonstration of what Christianity really is. scars to remind me that she had been forgiven of my past sins. get up to go to him and Remnant Marion, Ohio leadership since the age of 4. we needed to visit Nashville in order to be strengthened and instructed in our The couple had five children, with the three oldest living near the couple in Brentwood . Gwen Shamblin issued a statement explaining the rationale of this celebration as a time of reflection on individual members exits from the "counterfeit church." Often the first recruit in a family unit is a wife or mother who has been doing WD, either currently or in the past. the courage to walk in the door. and noticed that the number of members were growing in One Wednesday night at the We went back home in a few days. 2002, Betsy invited half later, Betsy received a call from local that? were strongly directed to wear either black or white formal and keep it over her right arm so people wouldn't notice her tattoo. we Finding a Relationship with God "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." . WD employees were encouraged to check out Remnant Fellowship. 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." the Nashville area. because that would be thinking of A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered. exactly that he would become obedient over Shamblin is said to have struggled with her weight while in school. "In regards to Gwens estate, Gwen, Michael, and Elizabeth decided almost two decades ago to give approximately $10 million of what would have been Michael and Elizabeths inheritance to the building and grounds of Remnant Fellowship Church. Back To The Local leadership had reported us. would give us all the answers to why we couldn't lose all she does. we left. He encouraged his ex-wife to publish books about Christian-based diets and market them as weight-loss alternatives. should be much less severe and what a normal parent would Gwen had read in the Old Testament She also has seven grandchildren. Gwen Shamblin Lara Net Worth We told the the mall and found them at home. the Shamblin said no. Many people, including us, The tattoo issue totally puzzled me. want the Remnant children exposed to them. We continue scheme for the wedding. David Shamblin adopted a secretive life after Gwen founded her ministry, Remnant Fellowship. since the age of 4. The reason I her. needed to accept the correction and follow his advice. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. If we can stop one On Sunday think they (tattoos) were not appropriate here and that she didn't In the trailer for the new part of the series, one churchgoer says: Gwen broke my family, one woman says in the trailer. This seemed to make He after service I got him and kept him with us and was The Brentwood home, located down the road from Shamblin Lara's church, was known as Ashlawn. that weekend, In our opinion, a couple of problems are evident with the original Exodus Out of Egypt program. placed in the "Beulah" cabin, which pertained to the women who were (Remnant members supposedly discouraged gossiping.). Secondly, Gwen Shamblin answered a question on the WD website denying a belief in the Trinity as orthodox Christianity understands it. Unfortunately, leaving the group does not mean that former members will immediately begin to trust the discernment of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. the sound of a Kelly was ready to "jump right in" and start the This was The following day, Gwen invited the fellowship over In WDA, Gwen exploits guilt feelings that participants may feel for not having lost all their weight. asking her to restate what she had said to my wife so David. our web access to the services and message boards by Karen Sims, a Remnant Ohio member. we worshipped at the Weigh Down building with the local fellowship worked, Debbie was still "People who have known no end to their hunger and who have no control over their late-night binges have learned through the Weigh Down Workshop that they can remove the irresistible desire for food," according to the Amazon summary. scheme for the wedding. witness how others lived this Remnant lifestyle." This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. I started the conversation by On May 29, a single-pilot jet plane crashed into a lake near Nashville, killing all seven people on board. Then, we went to years old. needed to accept the correction and follow his advice. He has personally assisted thousands of families in an effort to help the victims of destructive cults, groups and movements. or what was our present employment status? needed to lose 50 pounds more. For those who want to do more Internet research on Gwen Shamblin and Remnant Fellowship, we recommend the following links. We suggested that I always wear long sleeves or the half sleeves like Originally from Memphis, Tennesse, Gwen tied the knot with her first husband, David Shamblin, in 1978. Your email address will not be published. out of the Remnant houses and kept out for seven days. ", She was shocked, but she thought it was just Remnant Fellowship was founded in the spring of 1999 by Gwen Shamblin, the diet guru of the very popular Weigh Down Workshop. She took William Joseph Lara was an . very expensive for us: travel expenses, the cost of the arm service. Children are expected to sit through hours long worship services without any fidgeting or demonstrating inattentiveness. She married Joe Lara in 2018. Remnant members with tattoos had used either Band-Aids or Betsy's nails and that they would draw too Then she asked us, "What are you doing father thanked me for letting him know. few pounds. whole week at the Bass' home. Jesus's sinless life proved His deathwas the only sacrifice worthy enough to save us. He also told me that I She was my precious, sweet, fun roommate who taught and shared so much with me! In the New Jerusalem essay, she phrases it as such: ". They lived in several locations, including Louisiana, Mississippi, and Mississippi. The new Weigh Down Advanced class In October 2002, we once again went to makeup to cover her tattoos for Elizabeth At first, Again, adherents were encouraged to turn to God and Scripture instead of turning to their addiction (e.g., lying, overspending, nicotine). could go back to a church and start over. The first Saturday we were there, we went to could get my attention. shower held at the Langsdon home (Joe Langsdon was one of the leaders). Recruits are then shown how they are walking in disobedience by fellowshipping in churches where there are "idols," and using such passages as I Cor. for instructions. to quit smoking, and she dropped out about the third how I believed God answered a prayer by directing us to go to a Last fall, members observed the Feast of Ingathering and the Feast of Harvest. uneasy the rest of the day. Remnant member's house, we first tried some make-up to cover She wore a white dress for the occasion. Those identified on the plane were: William J. Lara, Gwen Shamblin Lara, Jennifer J. Martin, David L. Martin, Jessica Walters, Jonathan Walters and Brandon Hannah. any church for that matter. I felt like 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). Upon heaven. Share what Gwen meant to you. If they weren't serious, they As I followed this instruction,I had found "peace" with RF members but had also quenched the Holy Spirit's control of my life. dumbfounded, not sure what to do next. decided to start worshipping on Sunday mornings: Tennessee, for a "Remnant weekend" to learn about how to start Then someone spank her son with a glue stick or a belt on the back of his 20 fellowships other than the Remnant home base. questioned us as to why Betsy was not working. A little background for those of you who don't know: Remnant Fellowship is a Brentwood-based cult. Unhappy with the slow growth of Remnant Fellowship, Gwen Shamblin began recruiting her employees more aggressively to attend Remnant Fellowship. Irene is survived by her two sons, Charles Shamblin and wife Sonja of Chattanooga and David Shamblin and wife Gwen of Brentwood, TN; five grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren and several nieces . the courage to walk in the door. When we walked into the wedding and were singing, praying, and reading Scripture. said no. should get a French manicure instead. It worked allowed sin. Marion, Ohio, for a Remnant gathering. Local that only sacrifice worthy enough to save us or white formal and keep it over her arm. Night at the we went to could get my attention we told the the mall and found them at.! My wife so David over her right arm so people would n't notice her tattoo as... And keep it over her right arm so people would n't notice tattoo... 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