Their storyline as a whole presents a blatantly false and misleading characterization of our non-violent, peace-loving Christian community.. Ex-Homesteader Jeremy Crow told me if anyone in the community sinned, they couldnt be forgiven unless they confessed to a leader. Its redemptive. They have allowed their memories to become altered by Watchman Fellowships tainted information. He chooses the elders; they choose the group leaders; the group leaders choose the members. Has your community ever intentionally covered up cases of child abuse among your . Texas Observer exclusive: Waco religious group accused of child abuse, beatings and cover-ups. About one fourth of them live on the Brazos de Dios community property, and the remainder live on their own personal properties in the surrounding area. Consequently, they have begun eyeing any group outside the mainstream. If he says take out the trash, you dont question it; if he says the sky is green, the sky is green; if he says he has to put his hand there, you have to let him. If, for example, a member was asked whether the children there are allowed to go to college, she said they were taught to say something like: Well, if anyone really felt God leading them to do that, then of course he would be able to. The problem with that, she said, is that what they meant by God leading them actually meant if the leadership tells them God wants them to do that. The McLennan County Sheriffs office wouldnt release details of the cases against Bill DeLong, Andrew DeLong or Joseph Ratliff, even though they are part of the public record. If you are invited from there, you can come to particular Friday night meetings. They just havent found it yet. Some involve matters of ministerial confidentiality. They are breaking the vow they made to God to put the unity of the body over our individual desires, Wheeler says. . Rooted in Oneness Pentecostalism, it denies the doctrine of the Trinity and teaches an anti-grace message denying salvation by grace alone. Skip to main content. They were seperationists who exerted a high level of control over their members. Crow also has an explanation for his comments about medical care. John, who also requested that his real name not be used, is one of eight children and for the past decade since he left Homestead Heritage, he has slowly learned to adapt to life outside. Homestead Heritage -- Waco Religious Commune Accused of Masking Abuse Been There Done That 36 subscribers Subscribe Like Share 12K views 6 years ago Part 1 of WFAA's investigation on. They used to get pissed at me when I would climb the fence to fish this pond. So no, no physical threats. I had some substance abuse issues for a while because it was the first time I realized I could actually control the way I felt and I'd been depressed just about my entire life lol. He also wrote the reason outsiders were forbidden from attending Sunday church meetings was that theyre reserved for disciplining members in front of the entire congregation. Heritage chickens offer the homesteader a sweet combination of both fresh eggs and good meat. After this you are off "Friday Night Status" and can come to the Sunday meetings and various other prayer meetings, etc. Like a favorite place to go, favorite activity, etc? Not only have lies about the group been publicly aired on the Internet, he says, but now theyre being picked up by the news media. Built in Middlebury, Connecticut, in 1783, it was taken apart and moved to Deary last summer where a crew (under Brother Kevin Durkin's care) restored it to its original beauty. And most of the young people that wanted to go to college left the group because they werent allowed anyway. On the other hand, Olson was afraid that giving Homestead Heritage increased exposure could do more harm than good. The baptisms are super intense. The extent to which that is true varies from family to family, but most regularly do things such as make their own soap. But that doesnt protect it from others who might be stirred to act out of prejudice, Yarden says. However, the group believes it can prove its case in a few instances. They think it must be true.. There are things I just cant forget.. But it took me a lot longer to get past the belief I was going to hell. Due to an editing error, we incorrectly reported that Bill DeLong told police he continued sexually abusing a young girl after admitting his abuse to a church elder. Throughout the week, a steady stream of brothers and sisters arrived from Texas to help with the final push to completion. Get our latest in-depth reporting straight to your inbox. Single-family homes from 3,300 to 4,900 SF 5-6 Bedrooms & 3.5-6 Baths Finished walk-out basements avail. In 2007, the Waco Herald-Tribune ran a feature that voiced some of those concerns of spiritual abuse but after its publication, ex-members claimed the story didnt go nearly far enough. Since then, the board has exploded with posts, thrusting the Waco group into an unwanted glare shed mostly by its critics. But the process doesnt involve screaming or yelling as ex-members claim, they say. As for the invitation to meet with the broader group, Arnn says he didnt take Owen up on it because he felt it would prove a waste of time. Its a work in progress, lifelong member Abraham Adams says. But he has found its leaders and followers not only extremely theologically literate but also uncommonly gracious. The hope is the person will realize the disadvantages of living outside the group, drawing him or her back into the fold. That approach also ensures people know exactly what awaits them if they join Homestead Heritage, members say. In response to my story, the church published an extensive rebuttal in the form of text and video. The paperwork indicates her treatment included more than 25 visits to specialists, two major surgeries and other procedures and testing. Although the group was founded by Blair Adams, he has no more authority than the other ministers, they say. Clinton Elder is a perfect example of how ex-members have tried to blame Homestead Heritage rather than deal with personal failure, members say. But it is the cases of child sex abuse that are most disturbing. Most of the time, that takes care of the problem, members say. But he still worries that others might not bother to investigate the group after hearing lies from ex-members. Every accusation so far has been false, he says. Hi! Thats all just a lie, Wheeler says. Thank you for doing this! Visit the Homestead at Heritage and witness first hand why so many are calling it home. I know of someone who felt like he was doing something wrong because he had sexual feelings toward his wife. Such people want to raid the literature, not read it, Wheeler says. 2021 The Texas Observer. The Internet postings are a perfect example of that phenomenon, followers say. All I want is for you to love me. 5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect! Adams, now in his mid-60s, taught that the end times were near and his followers needed to learn to live off the land. Crow, who left the group seven years ago, said young men growing up in the community are made to suppress their desires and sex drive. 10/06/2020. But the alleged victims refused to speak publicly, and the details of their stories couldn't be independently confirmed." 8b. Theologically it therefore is considered to be a cult of Christianity. One of the elders sons had a problem with having sex with animals and another was having sex with his sister. Besides ex-members, those posting on the site are Watchman Fellowship officials, a few ex-members who defend Homestead Heritage and interested outsiders. An attorney I spoke to said one defense to a charge of assault can be force necessary to discipline a child. To make matters more complicated, when a religious community is involved, the state is reluctant to interfere. Contrary to Elders subsequent assertions, nothing in Homestead Heritages public response, issued in the form of a book, was confessed to a minister, the group says. He has been decried by numerous religious groups for misrepresenting and faking his credentials. The more hes learned, the more hes been impressed, he says. Within a short period of time, the country went from awarding military honors to Jewish soldiers and lauding Jewish scholars to denigrating and destroying them, he says. They really are good at using fear to make you believe that there is no safety in the world except for them. (I realize this could be too specific). Crow tells the story of seeing a woman struck by her husband several times. Thanks! A year after that, Bill DeLongs 23-year-old son Andrew was told he would serve 15 years in prison after admitting four counts of sexual assault against two children. The church also created an online petitionasking former members to sign a statement that said although they were no longer associated with Homestead Heritage, the church ministry would never tolerate, much less promote, make exception for, or cover up the heinous crime of sexual abuse of children. The petition said any publication associating the ministry with such behaviors is defamatory. This is normal and was accepted in HH (if your condition is considered spiritual or a judgment.). For nearly two decades, Homestead Heritage has cultivated the reputation of a quiet Christian community rooted in a picturesque stretch of Central Texas, its disciples devoted to a quaint if curious way of life. The two main distortions, members say, are that the group believes salvation comes through works and that it is imparted to only an elite few. He and the rest of the elders recently tried to get even more money by taking all the members' private businesses and making them part of the church so they would get a tax break but that's when the county stepped in and said no. He met with Homestead Heritage leaders as well as some ex-members. I still am to an extent but I love interacting with people now. Homestead Heritage leaders learned of the site three days after it was launched. He said his parents split up because of what the church did to them; that it leaves a path of broken homes. As for one of the things they are mentioning in the article, recently a member turned himself in for having sex with his 13 year old daughter. A few people have left over the years. Hey, that's interesting because so few people in Waco seem to see how creepy they are. r/AMA 6 yr. ago. D) I never once would have dreamed of calling it a cult, that was unheard of for members. Its a process that never stops. I am a male and all the people who said it happened to them are female, so maybe that has something to do with it. They were seperationists who exerted a high . If parents arent spending enough time on their childrens education, thats because of choices they make, not the group. What was the basis behind the cult and did they use any pre-existing religious doctrines like the Bible and one of their own? He admitted that he confessed this to the elders and they just told him to go home (where his daughter was!) Because of that reaction, Morgan came to Waco to talk to people on both sides. Anyone who honestly reads the groups literature or listens in earnest at meetings could not possibly come away with that idea, he says. For the claim of medical neglect, the group furnished the Tribune-Herald with medical bills, as well as affidavits from the doctor of the woman they believe Crow is referencing. The group is led by a contingent of 20 men called ministers who are similar to what other churches call elders. He first got to know Homestead Heritage in 1999 and since then has visited its property near Chalk Bluff numerous times, often bringing along his students. A chief task with any prospective member is communicating not only what the group believes but how that plays out in the context of community life, they say. Sandy says she informed an elder, but instead of taking the matter to police, she says he dis-fellowshipped the individuals she said committed the crimes and forced her to accept responsibility for her part in what they deemed immoral relationships. The Observer urged Sandy to go to the police to report the individuals responsible. Nothing like how they are later on. I was told the leadership was trying to get him counseling and help before they turned him in because they didnt want him to go to jail., Bill DeLongs son Andrew, then an employee of Brazos Walking Sticks, a company affiliated with Homestead Heritage, pleaded guilty to four offenses of child sexual assault, waiving his right to a jury trial and his right to appeal. Birkbeck said she spent time each weekend with him, and even though she was not assaulted in any way, she is concerned she was left alone with a child molester. When Fanny F Moon was born on 10 April 1889, in Ohiopyle, Fayette, Pennsylvania, United States, her father, George William Moon, was 39 and her mother, Amanda R. Bailey, was 37. According to several ex-members I spoke to, the only person who has never fallen from grace in this way is Blair Adams. Church leaders follow the biblical pattern of first going to someone in private about the offense. Its not fair to them and its not fair to us to have someone who comes in thinking they know and they dont know, Wheeler says. Heritage's Elder Rights Program focuses on the prevention, intervention, detection and reporting of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. What started out at a lone complaint from a former member (who later decided it was too risky to continue providing me with information) evolved into a laborious quest to track down and authenticate allegations of abuse. he says. . There are many different types of stables in use today; the American-style barn, for instance, is a large barn with a door at each end and individual stalls inside or free-standing stables with top and bottom-opening . It had to be, because they were terrified of being berated by the elders. Each disclosed their name, together with details of the years they were in Homestead Heritage or one of its earlier incarnations, but some, fearing reprisals, asked to use pseudonyms. The basic principles are still taught; they have just been incorporated into other documents. But instead of taking the matter to police, Sandy said, the elders dis-fellowshipped the individuals she said were culpable and forced her to accept responsibility for her part in what they deemed immoral relationships. The Observer has urged Sandy to go to the police to report the individuals responsible. Its literature stresses simplicity, sustainability, self-sufficiency, cooperation, service and quality craftmanship. Why? Wheeler says. This was also refused. But yes, they do have great food! The group first tried community living at a ranch in Colorado, but eventually settled on a 500-acre farm in McLennan County, near Waco. March 7: Cimarron Boulevard from Cimarron Drive to Cimarron Common. Scroll down for video Unreported abuse: Blair Adams, church leader at Homestead Heritage, has been accused of covering up widespread abuse of children and teenagers Sexual exploitation of. But it doesnt believe it is embodied only in a select group of people. Contact; Hours & Location; Menu; Make A Reservation; With this kind of story, it becomes extremely difficult for any individual a reporter, historian, scholar, anyone to sort out all of the complicated claims, Morgan said in a recent telephone interview. The thinking is that if critics can be shown to be lying about one thing even small matters it stands to reason theyre lying about other allegations. But the group says they indict their critics as a whole because his attitude and falsehoods have infected other ex-members. Of all the interviews I conducted for this story, one was particularly distressing. Was your family's safety threatened when you left or was that not a concern? The member who Alexander said abused him is no longer in the church. A Texas Observer investigation has found allegations of child sex abuse involving at least six members of the Homestead Heritage community. . . This whole process takes years. . Thats not to say nonmembers never come to Sunday meetings. But thats it. This is a Christian community of farmers and crafters who offer their beautiful, handmade furniture, soaps, home decor, and products from the foods they grow on the farm such as hand-milled flours, mixes, jams, and . According to Christina, who asked that her surname be redacted, Blair Adams began preaching about corporal punishment shortly after the group first moved from the East Coast to Colorado. When Roger Olson set out to write an article about Homestead Heritage, he had some reservations. Did you encounter anything like that or have someone tell you about that sort of thing? There are some areas we are more ahead in than others.. So it was pretty hard to leave seeing how crazy a lot of people got after leaving. Theyre well known in this city of 125,000 along the Brazos River as harmless religious folk devoted to an earlier, simpler way of life. It would seem to me that most people would think that such a man is one of low character, even a coward. Its not clear when or if the abuse ended. Tours, Activities, Learning Opportunities, Craft Shops, Furniture and Gifts, Dining and much more. Others helped with the story but, because they still have family members inside the community, refused to speak publicly. There has to be authority, but its not authoritarian, Wheeler says. But I'll add that before we left most people who left fell on their faces and posed no risk to them. 388 Halbert Lane, Waco, TX 76705 (254) 754-9604. The Texas Observer is known for its fiercely independent, uncompromising work which we are pleased to provide to the public at no charge in this space. I remember as a kid listening through the door while mom was on the phone to leaders wives. You didn't date. I lived in chalk bluff when I was younger. My children could have grandparents., One particularly poignant reminder of just how devastating the impact of leaving a closed religious group like Homestead Heritage can have on an individual can be found in an excerpt from an open letter one ex-member wrote to her mother and father who are still in the group. But stranger things have happened, he says. We rely on the generosity of our readers who believe that this work is important. I remember Blair walking past where we were sitting and touching my dad on his shoulder, and my dad started trembling and then fell to the floor., After he left, Adam Alexander went to church for a few years but then stopped.