Tag: Word of Faith Fellowship

Theologically, this church is a cult of Christianity. Sociologically the Word of Faith Fellowship has cult-like elements as well.

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Court upholds cult leader’s sexual misconduct conviction

Wayne Bent Michael TravesserToday: The New Mexico Supreme Court on Monday reinstated the convictions of religious cult leader Wayne Bent for sexual misconduct with teenage followers.

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff has been ordered to appear in court to discuss how the state will pay millions in past-due fees to the accountant in charge of the property trust the state took over from the FLDS cult.

And Word of Faith Fellowship — an abusive church in North Carolina — is accused of confining and beating a man because he is gay.

Finally: Would you donate money to a millionaire preacher who claims God will make you rich?

Bankruptcy filing reveals ties to Word of Faith Fellowship

SHELBY — The owner of a cosmetics company with ties to leaders of the Word of Faith Fellowship was in bankruptcy court last week. Leigh Valentine owns Integrity Development and Valentine Spa, both operated out of an office on Shiloh Road. Valentine, who lives in Rutherfordton, filed for personal bankruptcy in June and was in Shelby last week answering ques­tions of a bankruptcy trustee and attorneys for creditors. Public records from the bankruptcy filing reveal some of Valentine’s ties to the Spindale-based WOFF. WOFF leadership are listed as both creditors of Valentine’s and in paperwork related to her assets. Valentine’s

Judge: DSS won’t pay fees

FOREST CITY — A request by several Word Of Faith Fellowship members to have legal fees reimbursed by the Department of Social Services has been denied. Kent and Brooke Covington had requested approximately $300,000 in legal fees of theirs and those of Sarah and Rachael Almanie be reimbursed after a DSS custody action involving the Almanies was overturned by the North Carolina Court of Appeals. In October of 2003, DSS won a ruling that removed the Almanie sisters and their two brothers from Covington’s home. The ruling indicated that the WOFF, for which the Covingtons serve as ministers, created an

DSS, WOFF ruling delayed

SPINDALE — No ruling was given, but the Department of Social Services and the Word of Faith Fellowship were in court again Tuesday. Attorneys representing WOFF and several WOFF members have petitioned for the reimbursement of extensive legal fees incurred over the past two years. District Court Judge Athena Brooks is expected to issue a ruling at a later date after hearing testimony Tuesday and receiving further documents from both sides this week. DSS and WOFF recently settled a federal discrimination lawsuit brought by WOFF, a settlement DSS contends covers, at least in spirit, the other cases involved. “Three of

Mother ruled in contempt

RUTHERFORDTON –The ongoing saga of former Word of Faith Fellowship member Shana Muse continued Tuesday as District Court Judge Athena Brooks ruled that Muse was in contempt of a visitation agreement. Muse was in court this week after the WOFF couple, who now have custody of her two male children, claimed she violated court orders after a recent alleged incident in Charlotte. Brooke and Kent Covington, WOFF ministers, accused Muse in a civil case of violating a standing custody agreement after Muse was arrested and charged with simple assault and battery and misdemeanor assault on a child under the age

Former church member cleared of charges

FOREST CITY — Former Word of Faith Fellowship member Shana Muse was acquitted of any criminal wrongdoing in an alleged incident involving her children and current WOFF members. She was cleared of two misdemeanor charges during a district court trial in Mecklenburg County last week. Muse’s four children are in the custody of a couple, who are ministers in the controversial Spindale-based church, where two of her sisters are also members. Muse was accused by the couple, Kent and Brooke Covington, and one of her sisters of simple assault and battery and misdemeanor child abuse during a visitation in Charlotte,

WOFF-related custody saga continues

RUTHERFORDTON — The ongoing saga of former Word of Faith Fellowship member Shana Muse continues to add chapters. Muse was in court last week after the WOFF couple with custody of her children claimed she was in contempt of court after a recent alleged incident in Charlotte. Brooke and Kent Covington, WOFF ministers, have accused Muse of violating a standing custody agreement after Muse was arrested and charged with simple assault and battery and misdemeanor child abuse. The contempt of court hearing before Judge Athena Brooks was delayed until Sept. 27. Muse denied any wrongdoing during a visitation with her

Church members sue for legal fees

SPINDALE — Attorneys representing Sarah and Rachael Almanie and WOFF ministers Kent and Brooke Covington and are requesting reimbursement for their clients of $273,000 in legal expenses. The motion involves legal proceedings not including the federal case for which a settlement was reached including the original Rutherford County Department of Social Services suit to remove the Muse children from the Covington home, the appeal of the case and the emancipation proceedings for the two Almanie girls. The DSS case was overturned on appeal and the Almanie’s attorney Philip Roth stated in the motion that because of that ruling his clients

DSS settles lawsuit with WOFF

SPINDALE — A federal lawsuit filed by the Word of Faith Fellowship against the county’s social service agency has been settled with $305,000 going to WOFF and prior records of child abuse investigations being expunged from the record. A WOFF attorney called the ruling vindication, while the Rutherford County Department of Social Services officials said the settlement avoided hundreds of thousands of dollars of legal expenses as they denied any wrongdoing. The originating lawsuit sought over $2 million and multiple items of injunctive relief regarding DSS investigations of WOFF. During the past 10 years — and particularly in 2002 and

Court tosses decision on Muse children

SPINDALE — After 18 months in limbo, two children of a former Word of Faith Fellowship member were ordered returned to a church couple after an appeals court tossed out a lower court ruling. In October of 2003, the four children of Shana Muse were ordered re-moved from the home of WOFF ministers Kent and Brooke Covington after a District Court found the WOFF environment abusive. Word of Faith Fellowship The Word of Faith Fellowship is an abusive church. Its teachings and practices fall so far outside those of normal, Biblical Christianity, that this church should be considered to be,