Our Stories: Escape from Christ Gospel Church - With Renee Carlisle - Episode 235 Branham Podcast

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Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR:
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John invites Renee, a former member of Christ Gospel Church, to share her experiences with the church and the struggles she faced during her upbringing. Renee describes how her family’s involvement in the church led to personal trauma, especially surrounding the actions of her father. She recounts how her father’s moral failings were overlooked by church authorities, resulting in a lack of support for her family. Renee talks about the control and manipulation exercised by church leaders, particularly through a committee called “The Witness,” which made major life decisions for members, including her family. She explains how the church’s environment, rife with emotional abuse, left her struggling to reconcile her faith and led her to seek healing outside the confines of the church.

As the conversation unfolds, John and Renee discuss the similarities between Christ Gospel Church and other cult-like movements, including William Branham’s following and the New Apostolic Reformation. Renee expresses gratitude for the painful experiences that helped her leave the church and recounts how connecting with authentic Christian communities provided her with the emotional support she needed to begin healing. Throughout the discussion, the emphasis remains on the deep emotional wounds caused by spiritual abuse, the difficult journey of deprogramming, and finding peace and authenticity in a more balanced expression of faith.

00:00 Introduction
00:31 Renee shares her connection to Christ Gospel Church and early memories
02:04 Processing shame and healing through telling her story
02:44 Similarities between Christ Gospel Church and other movements
04:55 The deep influence of mysticism and spiritualism in church theology
07:09 Emotional and spiritual abuse in her childhood
10:12 Life in the church as a pastor’s child and her father’s moral failings
16:01 How the church handled her father’s actions
18:00 The role of “The Witness” committee in controlling members’ lives
23:23 Spiritual manipulation and patterns of abuse within the church
27:01 Transitioning away from a cult-like environment and finding true faith
37:00 Renee’s final breaking point and decision to leave the church
39:01 Harmful teachings instilling fear in children
50:11 Instances of negligence and lack of justice within the church
52:57 The ongoing influence of Christ Gospel Church
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