Leaving the Message

______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

Former high-control members describe the mental, emotional, verbal, and physical abuse she experienced in marriage, including what happened when one woman tried to confide in a family member who was part of the ministry. Instead of receiving support, she says the abuse was dismissed as normal and connected to her lack of church attendance. She explains how teachings and expectations surrounding marriage, obedience, and a woman’s role contributed to fear, shame, and the feeling that she could become trapped in an unhappy marriage. They also discusses marital coercion, the difficulty of recognizing her own experiences as abuse, and the lack of family support they faced after leaving her marriage and moving 12 hours away. The conversation then turns to discoveries made after leaving the Message movement, including her shock at learning of a connection between Jim Jones and the religious figure she had been taught possessed an extraordinary gift of discernment. _____________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

John welcomes Justin, a former member of Gospel Assembly, to discuss life inside the movement, the legacy of William Souders, the School of the Prophets, strict dress codes, financial secrecy, and the pressure placed on members from childhood. Justin explains how isolation, fear, selective Bible teaching, and authoritarian leadership shaped his upbringing and why critical thinking eventually led him out. The discussion explores similarities between Gospel Assembly, Branhamism, Pentecostal splinter groups, Jehovah's Witness theology, and later restorationist movements. John and Justin also discuss baptism, speaking in tongues, works-based religion, Scripture taken out of context, and the hope of rebuilding Christian faith after leaving a high-control religious environment. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 00:31 Meet Justin: Life Inside Gospel Assembly 02:30 Why High-Control Religious Groups Feel So Similar 04:23 Growing Up in Gospel Assembly 07:12 Men, Women, and Different Burdens in the Movement 08:51 Financial Transparency and Church Authority 11:30 Fear, Confession, and Spiritual Control 14:14 William Saers and the School of the Prophets 16:58 Old Covenant Rules and Selective Biblical Application 20:13 Gospel Assembly's Most Unusual Doctrines 24:44 Baptism, Tongues, and Childhood Indoctrination 29:09 What Started the Journey Out 34:07 Isolation, Outreach, and the Fishbowl Effect 39:40 Discovering Scripture in Context 43:44 Why Context Changes Everything 48:58 Advice to a Younger Self 50:52 Encouragement for Those Leaving Gospel Assembly 52:55 Closing ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

Former members describe experiencing a church split after years in an environment marked by intense loyalty, favoritism, isolation, and unequal treatment. They recall taking different sides during the split while remaining friends, and explain how accusations and competing accounts of what happened affected the people caught between the two congregations. They also discuss the emotional cost of watching longtime friends leave, hearing former members blamed for a pastor's stress and illness, and discovering that moving to the new congregation did not necessarily mean escaping the same underlying patterns. Their experiences raise questions about church loyalty, social isolation, leadership, blame, and what happens when belonging to one particular congregation becomes central to a person's identity. ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

John and Bob discuss how corporate leadership models may have influenced modern church structures and the New Apostolic Reformation. They compare apostles with executives, examining vision-casting, organizational alignment, branding, hierarchy, strategic partnerships, megachurch growth, and the pressure to preserve religious institutions. They also contrast executive authority with servant leadership, asking whether churches have adopted the values and methods of large corporations at the expense of relational ministry. The conversation explores institutional survival, prophetic narratives, leadership culture, financial incentives, celebrity platforms, and the difference between building an organization and serving people. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 02:56 Numerology, Symbolism, and Corporate Religion 07:00 Jesus' Model of Leadership vs. Institutional Control 09:06 How Corporate Leadership Entered the Modern Church 12:22 Business Consultants, Church Growth, and the 1980s Shift 17:53 From Industrial CEOs to Apostolic CEOs 22:35 Ministry as Servanthood vs. Executive Power 25:37 Vision Casting, Branding, and the Corporate Apostle 28:34 Narcissism, Leadership, and Mega-Church Culture 33:10 Alignment, Control, and Organizational Loyalty 36:27 Fear, Power, and Preserving Religious Institutions 40:32 From Living Movements to Religious Corporations 42:42 Branding, Conferences, and Ministry Economics 46:06 Corporate Identity and Religious Performance 48:21 The Entrepreneurial Apostle and Platform Ministry 53:02 When Jesus Becomes a Product 55:48 Servant Leadership vs. Corporate Leadership 57:07 Conclusion ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

John Collins and John McKinnon examine claims about spiritualism, supernatural demonstrations, and the early history surrounding William Branham and the Latter Rain movement. They discuss testimony attributed to people connected with the Sharon Orphanage, concerns raised by ministers who worked alongside Branham, and questions about whether unusual demonstrations presented as supernatural had other explanations. They also explore early recordings, alleged missing or edited portions of tapes, accounts of moving objects and bracelets, and the role extraordinary demonstrations played in attracting crowds. The discussion considers how these practices intersected with the developing Latter Rain movement and why firsthand sources and early recordings are important when evaluating this history. CHAPTERS 00:00 Questions About Branham’s Supernatural Ministry 03:29 Discovering the Spiritualism Connection 05:02 Investigating the Early Recordings 06:50 Strange Demonstrations on the Tapes 07:42 Why These Early Recordings Survived ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

John Collins and John McKinnon examine William Branham’s audio letter to Lee Vayle and discuss its instructions concerning how Branham’s prophetic position should be presented publicly. They focus on Branham’s request that the recording be destroyed, his direction that Vayle present certain conclusions in his own voice, and the questions these statements raise about self-promotion, authority, accountability, and external verification. They also consider how high-control religious systems respond to disagreement, how leaders become dependent upon affirmation from insiders, and how suspicion and loyalty demands can spread throughout a movement. The discussion encourages listeners to compare spiritual claims with Scripture, examine the fruit produced by a religious community, and ask whether its leadership welcomes correction and honest questions. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 02:50 Why Cult Leaders Use Strategic Messaging 08:48 AI Analysis of the Lee Vayle Letter Begins 13:27 "Destroy This Tape" and the Question of Secrecy 16:43 Can William Branham's Claims Be Trusted? 19:52 Mental Health, Leadership, and Accountability 25:36 How These Patterns Shaped Modern Movements 29:49 The Psychology of High-Control Religious Systems 36:49 The Control Dependency Loop Explained 43:13 How High-Control Systems Maintain Loyalty 49:13 Healthy Churches vs. Destructive Groups 51:05 Preview of the C. Parker Thomas Letter ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

John Collins and John McKinnon examine an early William Branham recording involving a bracelet demonstration, claims about “mental powers,” faith, healing, and Branham’s statements about his own role in making the demonstration work. The discussion compares these claims with examples of Jesus healing in scripture and considers the woman’s objection that what she witnessed resembled spiritualism. The discussion also examines Branham’s emphasis on getting people to believe him, the account involving Edith Wright, and questions surrounding healing testimony. John then explores techniques he learned about while speaking with Dr. Steven Hassan and considers possible connections between influence, hypnosis, William Branham, Ern Baxter, the Shepherding Movement, the Fort Lauderdale Five, and later paths leading into the NAR. CHAPTERS 00:00 Why Did He Turn His Head? 02:06 “That’s Spiritualism” 03:04 Challenging the Practice with Scripture 04:18 Faith as a Source of Power 05:06 “If I Can Get the People to Believe Me” 06:32 The Edith Wright Healing Claim 07:30 Hypnosis and Influence Techniques 09:09 Ern Baxter, Shepherding, and the NAR ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books

______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ – Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham – Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr – Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books