Submission and Control: From Shepherding to Charismania | Our Stories | Podcast Episode 421

John welcomes Sam Danner to share his story of involvement in the Shepherding Movement, setting the stage by describing how it emerged as an outgrowth of Branham’s influence and helped shape what later became the NAR. Sam recounts how he first encountered the movement as a young believer in the early 1970s, describing Christian coffeehouses, Pentecostal fervor, and the excitement of discipleship, which soon shifted into rigid submission and authoritarian leadership. Together, they discuss the figures at the heart of the movement such as Derek Prince, Charles Simpson, Bob Mumford, and Don Basham, while exploring how teachings about demons and submission created an atmosphere of fear and control. John adds context by connecting the movement’s roots to Branham, T.L. Osborn, and Christian Identity influences, showing how these networks interlinked.

As the discussion deepens, Sam shares personal experiences of exorcism meetings, authoritarian control, and the emotional toll it took, leading to years of anxiety and mental health struggles. John and Sam connect this to broader patterns in Pentecostal and charismatic history, drawing lines from Branham to Shepherding, to the Jesus Movement, to later revivals like Toronto and Bethel. They reflect on how sincere intentions turned extreme, how networks amplified destructive ideas, and how control was often marketed as discipleship. The conversation ends on reflections about leaving behind controlling systems, the challenges of processing trauma, and the importance of finding healthier faith expressions.

00:00 Introduction
00:31 Sam Danner’s Testimony and Early Discipleship
02:38 The Birth of the Shepherding Movement
04:49 Demon Hunts and Fear-Based Control
07:41 Mental Health vs. Demonic Deliverance
08:47 Christian Growth Ministries and Branham’s Influence
10:16 TL Osborne, Racism, and International Crusades
12:11 Submission, Control, and Spiritual Abuse
15:05 John Wimber, Charismatics, and Overlapping Networks
18:03 Radio, Marketing, and Evangelical Growth
19:38 Music, Hippies, and the Jesus Movement Connection
22:01 Juan Carlos Ortiz and Mashed Potato Love
23:25 Extremism and the Cult Mindset
25:49 Anxiety, Coverings, and Control Mechanisms
27:43 Holy Laughter and the Toronto Blessing
29:01 Christian Identity, Egyptology, and UFO Beliefs
30:37 Abuse and Adult Spankings in the Shepherding Movement
32:22 Leadership Retreats and Manipulation
36:02 Toronto Blessing Spreads to Local Churches
40:01 Revival Networks and Cross-Pollination
41:24 Outcast and Branded as Judas
42:32 Advice to a Younger Self
44:55 Healing, Therapy, and Processing Trauma
49:02 The Importance of Speaking Out
52:00 Influence of Branham’s Associates
53:11 Closing Reflections
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Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR:
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Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K
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