It was basically like in the military, where they do a blanket party, throwing a blanket over your head, and your teammates beat the crap out of you to make you get back in line, says Lenee Rider, a New Bethany alum whose father, an IFB pastor, frequently hosted Fords touring chorus during his training. Copyright 2023 The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser Powered by Flywheel. It feels great, says Mary. Parents need to read these stories before sending their children to be tortured! If he does not desire to speak out then do not speak out either but pray the Lord protect your child. Its good to know that someone isn't actively being abused right now, she explains. According to Assistant Director Pastor Dave Halyaman, the boarding school at 2277 E. Pierceton Road, right outside of Winona Lake, is closed. If you would like to contact Bruce directly, please use the contact form to do so. We can be dowdy and stand out in a ridiculous way or we can be sloppy which reveals a sloppy character or be so fancy we appear proud and haughty. Whichever is true, both will give an account to the Lord. .. She had posted her phone number for anyone wanting to talk, drawing a cautious but earnest call from Word. "I will not shut up. Titus 2:5 says we are to be keepers at home. In response to the accusation that they conduct child labor, the school said it does require students to do daily chores but does not overwork them. Which is crazy, just insane, because there's 300 of us out here that have PTSD, says Mary. Be willing to resist the pressures of the world and disobedient Christians. The entrance to New Bethanys Louisiana compound. The average household income in the Highway 88 area is $57,996. Dress definitely affects our personality. The home relocated to Missouri three years later, returning to Texas in 1998 after then-Gov. He earned the certificate in Biblical Studies in May, 1977, and the Master of Divinity (cum laude) from Grace in 1979. I began documenting clergy sex abuse of children in Christian Fundamentalism in 2001. Hephzibah House operates under the authority of Believers Baptist Church in Warsaw, Indiana. In April, Montana state Rep. Christy Clark, who campaigned on a faith and family platform, joined 11 other Republicans in scuttling a bill that would have regulated religious teen homes; a mother of three, she cast the homes residents as unreliable witnesses who struggle with truthfulness.), When Jeannie Marie arrived at New Beginnings, she had a tense conversation with the school counselor, who insisted that Roxy wanted to stay. The schools effects on Roxy were striking, Jeannie Marie told me. Mother Jones was founded as a nonprofit in 1976 because we knew corporations and billionaires wouldn't fund the type of hard-hitting journalism we set out to do. Girls were not allowed to converse except from 6 to 9 p.m. each Friday. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? Does it make sense for a Christian woman to cover her body with modest Godly clothing then take these clothes off to go in for mixed swimming? We did go out to eat twice I think, but the second time we were only allowed the salad bar since we took half the ministry with us as well, and there wasn't enough money to feed everyone the other tempting food. Windows nailed shut in sleeping quarters is a fire code violation. He said he wanted tomake sure he read them first to ensure that they weren't altered or censored once submitted to the secular media.GabriellaWww.formerhephzibahgirls.webs.com. IFB churches emphasize strict obedience and consider teen rebellion an invention of worldly society, so its little surprise that families faced with teenage drinking, smoking, or truancy might turn to programs promising a tough-love fix. I am very sorry to say I won my own husband by my dress and actions. Nope she is burning in hell. I recently noticed a website that is somewhat of a memorial to the recently deceased Patti Williams. I would control his! Instead, Roxy found herself on the receiving end of brutal punishments. How ridiculous. etc. Dear lady, you are then gross in a bathing suit! I put a dress on her within two hours after she was born over her stretch sleepers and she has had dresses on ever since. Hephzibah House follows the state requirements for a General and or College prep diploma. It was founded in 1971. He also pioneered girls singing groups as a way to promote Rebekah Homethe Honeybee Quartet was featured in his daily revivalist radio broadcasts. I soon learned that I could control men with my eyes, voice, body movements and dress. If you have any information please send it to prettykitty1964@live.com, This is a great ministry and the Williams are very kind people. After a while, I was so brainwashed I didnt even want to run.I figured this was Gods plan.. Are they 100% cult? Family Member, Friend or Colleague of a Guest. Culottes can be worn for recreation. Two weeks after seeing the girls in church, Jeannie Marie and her husband left Roxy in McNamaras care with the promise that she would receive counseling twice a week and stay at New Beginnings no longer than two months. As soon as I took them off I changed my personality inasmuch as I felt softer, meeker, feminine and gentle. Isn't it strange that those who testify against abuse boldly sign their names and those who are supposedly supporting the school don't dare to? All Rights Reserved. If you are convicted and truly believe pants are a sin, then you are sinning against God by working at a job that requires you to compromise your convictions. In a 1979 standoff that would become the stuff of fundamentalist folklore, Roloff declared his cause the Christian Alamo, organizing hundreds of supporters into barricades to keep state officials off his compound. Over a period of twelve days, it has screened more than 300 films and sold more than 250,000 tickets. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. [MORE: See photos of life at New Bethany. Hephzibah House has been based in the Winona Lake area for almost 49 years. Hephzibah House documentary. This rating has decreased by -9% over the last 12 months. He served as Assistant Pastor in Believers Baptist Church in Warsaw, Indiana for 11 years and since 1998, has been the Senior Pastor. Thank god!. One of Ron Williams' "Credible Witnesses". Three weeks ago, Dr. Phil featured Hephzibah House on his daily TV talk show. She told me of her upbringing in North Carolina, where an IFB preacher named Mack Ford occasionally visited her church. 2016 Hephzibah House Contact Usvar _rwObsfuscatedHref0 = "mai";var _rwObsfuscatedHref1 = "lto";var _rwObsfuscatedHref2 = ":he";var _rwObsfuscatedHref3 = "phz";var _rwObsfuscatedHref4 = "iba";var _rwObsfuscatedHref5 = "hpi";var _rwObsfuscatedHref6 = "ctu";var _rwObsfuscatedHref7 = "res";var _rwObsfuscatedHref8 = "@gm";var _rwObsfuscatedHref9 = "ail";var _rwObsfuscatedHref10 = ".co";var _rwObsfuscatedHref11 = "m";var _rwObsfuscatedHref = _rwObsfuscatedHref0+_rwObsfuscatedHref1+_rwObsfuscatedHref2+_rwObsfuscatedHref3+_rwObsfuscatedHref4+_rwObsfuscatedHref5+_rwObsfuscatedHref6+_rwObsfuscatedHref7+_rwObsfuscatedHref8+_rwObsfuscatedHref9+_rwObsfuscatedHref10+_rwObsfuscatedHref11; document.getElementById('rw_email_contact').href = _rwObsfuscatedHref; is the Founder and Director of Hephzibah House, Inc., a Christian Boarding School for troubled girls. Get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the peacefulness. I want to look special for the Lord and my husband. We as former students-myself included-have revisited horribly painful memories and have signed our name along with our statements. I look back on it and see how irresponsible that was., In September 2008, Clark Word began doing some research on New Bethany. Hopefully the more the word gets out, the fewer girls and families can be devastated by this so-called "ministry.". The school gave us written statements refuting the claims. Congress has tried, and so far failed, to rein in the schools. We floated around to Bible, Grace Brethren and BJU type churches. It was founded in 1971. This video is unavailable because we were unable to load a message from our sponsors. 229 Hephzibah homes for sale range from $6K - $1.99M with the avg price of a 2-bed single family home of $108K. No. Hephzibah House sent a letter to their supporters saying they sent their last student away and that the closure came after their insurance carrier dropped them. Since the same root hafz means "guarding" or "taking care of," all words from this root suggest the idea of "safeguarding," and . "The leaders of most of our critics, when they left our ministry, were very cordial, friendly, amiable. Then your deity is perfectly evil. She will be the person you molded her to be and Dad will glow. Homes for Sale. That the homes own former staffers arent sure of the year speaks volumes about an industry so poorly regulated that state officials cant verify whether certain homes even exist. That same year I tried something else. Lesbianism among teenagers is common and routine. Im trying to be kind here. In 2000, Rider created a New Bethany survivor forum comprising as many as 400 former residents and staff. For the first time ever, Ben, the founders son, speaks out. A woman that wears pants is either rebellious or ignorant. ERA has definitely won a battle among Christian women. It's going to help me heal, he tells us. Terms of Service apply. "Nothing's changed in the belief structure. We have noticed that after a few weeks their outward appearance changes. Donna told me that she has approached at least seven state and federal officesincluding the Missouri AGseeking action against Circle of Hope for stating falsely on its website that it was state-registered, a claim she says gave her the confidence to send Kelsey there. But Dee Rapier confirmed the atmosphere of physical and psychological torment at the facility she ran with her former husband. In the News. We are the fruits of the last generation and this must stop! You have to wear diapers now.'". It was discontinued because technology is so advanced, you can do blood work and figure out whats going on. But dozens of. Because I used to listen to [Roloff] on the radio, and read about the great girls coming out of his place, I thought maybe this was Gods thing for Roxy, Jeannie Marie remembers. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Shut down Hephzibah house. Follow Bruce on Facebook and Twitter. My soup is threatening to come back up. Now I know why - secrecy is the key to continued operationI think it is a good thing that this organization is being exposed. ?No problems whatsoever. Interestingly, Hephzibah House is not mentioned as a ministry on the churchs website. This beautiful home has a nice rocking chair front porch. New Beginnings is emblematic of an unknown number of troubled teen homes catering to the Independent Fundamental Baptist communitya web of thousands of autonomous churches linked by doctrine, overlapping leadership, and affiliations with Bible colleges like Bob Jones University. Williams died several years ago, but her husband still continues to operate Hephzibah House. The girl had been caught drinking with school friends. Despite the bad PR, Christian reform facilities appear to have no trouble attracting new recruits. ACE is recognized by the State of Indiana, as well as many other states. Her dress and character will bear fruit in her children. Still, without proof of a crime, law enforcement officials say little can be done. Don assumed the pastorate of the church from his father truly a family-owned and operated institution. In 1989, Fairhaven Baptist College, Chesterton, Indiana, presented the Fighting Fundamentalist of the Year award to Pastor Williams. Naomi is not a tomboy and I think it is because she has been in dresses and feminine styles from her birth. A Fish and Her Bicycle: The Horrors of Hephzibah House A Fish and Her Bicycle Rants, Musings, and Mental Meanderings of a former Conservative Christian Mother. Schizophrenic Women was tl:dr. Why cant The Religious be succinct? I have done all I can do. Because we are disobeying the Lord a mother who wears pants will produce a daughter that may not have a servant spirit to men or her husband unless she wants something special from him. Pastor Ronald Williams and his late wife, Patti, founded Hephzibah House in 1971, a Christian boarding school for teen girls. Roxy got the redshirt treatment: For a solid week, 10 hours a day, she had to stand facing a wall, with breaks only for worship or twice-daily bathroom trips. (It, too, died in the Senate.) I again pulled out one of my mini skirts and my shiny black boots and immediately I felt like a strange woman and I desired to dance and prance. That is wonderful but you were just as guilty because you caused a man to lust or to attempt control over his vision. Neither characteristic is a Godly one. I also see this change in children. This woman is intentionally mean, calling older women whose bodies are aging as womens bodies do disgusting slobs and those whose bodies may have held up better slutty temptresses. Our position does not win friends and influence people to love us. Repentance means to turn around, change, be different. Translated from the original Hebrew, Hephzibah literally means, "My delight is in her.". Copyright 2023 Mother Jones and the Foundation for National Progress. I think you have made a very wise observation. We know how we are but we hide behind a spiritual mask and a civilized veneer. Andy Kopsa, who covers abusive homes in her blog, Off the Record, noted that GOP members whose districts host tough-love schools rallied against the act. Years ago, Patti Williams wrote a pamphlet titled Schizophrenic Women. These are easy to make or to have made. Eighteen-year-old Olivia Lambright just left the school last June. [MORE: See photos of life at New Bethany. A good society limits the behaviors of its members only as much as is necessary for the health and well-being of the group. Quote of the Day: Are Militant Secularists Trying to Take Over the United States? Of course not it was for men! What effect do pants have on our children? And yes, every once in a while they deny this but every once in a while a can of dog food would get dropped in. They went through every single girl and talked to every single staff the day after it aired. These fashions included the mini skirt. How can you be a keeper at home rearing your children loving your children, and your husband and at the same time leading a movement across the nation? Hephzibah House tells 16 News Now there are currently four girls enrolled at the reform school. The home was originally at 508 School Street in Winona Lake. Ive known him for 30 years. Lenee Rider stayed drunk for a year. Angela, her old watch, died of complications from cirrhosis in 2008. "A lot of on the floor work," she said. One of the critics who was on the Dr. Phil show, after she graduated and she left us, she invited all of us the whole staff, months later to her graduation party. The school is still asking for financial support from Fundamentalist Baptist church-goers, which leaves former students with unanswered questions. Netflix and Korean public broadcaster MBC on Thursday defeated a court application for an injunction to stop the airing of their documentary "In The Name of God: A Holy Betrayal." The 8-part series began airing from Friday (March 3). JavaScript is disabled. Through the years, the ministry has changed locations a few times and altered its outreach programs to meet the needs of the day, at various times publishing periodicals and . And my lesbian friends would disagree that all girls and women are out to get attention from men. All first-time comments are moderated. Hephzibah House is a small private boarding school in Winona Lake, Indiana, a small town about an hour west from Fort Wayne. In a locked-up basement where they never see the light of day, as a prisoner and that's over. You do have to sign in through some type of cable provider to watch it: https://www.aetv.com//living-in-sin-inside-a-/full-special aetv.com Watch Living in Sin: Inside a Religious Reform School | A&E Williams said the school and its staff do the Lord's work in line with fundamentalist Baptist teachings. Kumar says the neglect was beyond physical, leaving her unprepared for the real world. We found 84 addresses and 85 properties on Highway 88 in Hephzibah, GA. They knew they would all be severely punished if they did. Pastor Dave Halyaman is also the assistant pastor at Believers Baptist Church, and has held the positions since 1990. is an assistant Director of Hephzibah House, and Assistant Pastor at Believers Baptist Church in Warsaw, Indiana and has held these positions since 1990. I felt like they stole whatever was inside me that allowed me to trust, says a former resident. I was conscious of how I walked and sat. The raid grabbed headlines, but the school reopened again, this time merging with Fords New Bethany girls school in Arcadia. So, it was a team effort by thousands of people across the country.. A good society does not teach children that might makes right. My pets? 5 Bedroom, 3 Full Bathroom w/ 2728 sq ft home built in 2019. He and his wife have six grown children and twelve grandchildren. Mary Kumar is a survivor of a lockdown reform school for the wayward . New Bethany founder Mack Ford proved even less talkative. Hephzibah [H] [S] my delight is in her. But back at the hive, Roloffs wards were often subjected to days in locked isolation rooms where his sermons played in an endless loop. Would call us, stay in touch, invite us to their weddings, so now they are leading a whole group against us which is really inexplicable to us," he said. Just getting a girl out of pants changes their personality and they are not even aware of the change. I see it as an attack on Christianity. Hephzibah Discover a selection of 70 vacation rentals in Hephzibah, GA that are perfect for your trip. Pastor Don Williams graduated from Hyles-Anderson College in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Pastoral Theology. CPS should interview the girls who have graduated from H House, and (this is important) who are old enough to no longer be living under their parents control. Hephzibah House, the embattled private faith-based Winona Lake boarding school for troubled teenage girls, will be featured on CNN tonight as part of an ongoing series on child discipline and religion called "Ungodly Discipline." Officials with Hephzibah House say they're still praying for former students in a statement that reads in full: While Ben, Mary, and countless others plan to continue working together. You can also read the FAQ for Hephzibah House here. When they stopped at a restaurant on the way home, she robotically asked for permission to speak or to use the bathroom. When Rider tried to apologize, Angela asked why she hadnt just let her die. The effects of a pants-wearing mother is just as devastating on a boy. There was no apparent reason for this treatment, Glover says, save reminding the girls who was in charge. The combination does not really go together. Her letters went unansweredonly one of Roxys replies got past the academys censors. I hope more reporters and journalists will be exposing this horror it has been going far too long. I am not so sure any of us are really deceived deep down inside. They also refuted claims that they keep students locked in a basement. Brenda in FL, Brenda, thank you for your comment. Founded in 1971, the school operates under the authority of Believers Baptist Church, one of the hundreds of small churches that ascribe to the religious teachings of the independent fundamental Baptist movement. At Hephzibah House Ron Williams preached from the pulpit that menstruation was called the curse because it was a curse. So I dug out my pants and wore them for one entire day. Elect. Thank you both so much for taking time to read this and comment. 879 likes. I think now that girls, children, aren't there right now is bigI mean its huge. After Word had been there for almost seven months, his watch escaped. Fear of government intrusionparticularly on account of the communitys spare the rod, spoil the child worldviewis so pervasive that IFB congregations are primed to dismiss regulatory actions against abusive facilities as religious persecution. Beginning initially in the suburbs of Chicago, it was not long until the Lord providentially led us to Winona Lake, Indiana, where we have been until this present hour. A week or so after the disastrous conference call, Jeannie Marie traveled to La Russell with a friend whod heard about places like New Beginningssketchy teen homes drawn by Missouris laissez-faire policy toward faith-based residential facilities. When I wear my housedresses, I feel like working on floors that need scrubbing, cooking and digging in the garden. Brenda, I just came from that site and thought exactly the same thing!! While jogging earlier that year, the 17-year-old (whom Ill call Roxy) had been pulled into a vehicle and assaulted by a group of men. It still is a struggle 10 years later. The name Hephzibah or Hafzbah expresses a very clear idea. They were not allowed contact with their families during their first month, or with anyone else for six months. Its hard to understand it, but faith-based is just taboo for regulation, says Matthew Franck, an editor at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, who authored an investigative series on the states homes in the mid-2000s. Over the next two decades, both the girls and boys branches would close and reopen several times moreswelling at times to hundreds of students. And if you can't drive yourself to the research site, ask about transportation options. Indeed, when looking to rent in Hephzibah, GA, you can expect to pay as little as $540.00 or as much as $3,820.00, with the average rent median estimated to be $1,240.00. But Maj. Durward Bennett, the former chief deputy of the local sheriffs department, told me they didnt see fit to investigate Kings new home because, Bennett erroneously insisted, King was never convicted, and North Carolina has never deemed him unfit to operate a home. For what reason? I was sent to this home,and know many other's our lives were forever damaged. He has 41 living grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. there is a difference. Dr. Phil S18E80 (Hephzivah House P1) Inside A Religious Reform School - Survivors of Hephzibah House Pepperoni Pizza 136K subscribers Subscribe 49K views 11 months ago Monday January 13, 2020.