The Remnant Fellowship is a Christian fellowship founded by Gwen Shamblin in 1999. Gwen Shamblin was a diet guru who founded the Weigh Down Workshop, a Christ-centered weight loss program. After experiencing success with Weigh Down Workshop, Shamblin felt called by God to start a new ministry focused on getting back to the original teachings of Jesus Christ. This led to the founding of the Remnant Fellowship.
The core beliefs of the Remnant Fellowship are based on restoring original Christianity as taught in the Bible. Here are some key teachings of the Remnant Fellowship:
Obedience to God
The Remnant Fellowship emphasizes obedience to God above all else. Members are expected to follow God’s commands in the Bible wholeheartedly, without compromise. This includes practices like keeping the Sabbath and biblical feasts such as Passover.
Bible Literalism
The Remnant takes a literal approach to interpreting the Bible. They believe every word in the Bible is true and inspired by God. The Bible is viewed as the authority on all matters of doctrine and practice.
End Times Prophecy
The Remnant Fellowship believes we are living in the end times prophesied in the Bible. They cite events in Israel and natural disasters as evidence that Jesus Christ’s second coming is imminent. Members are encouraged to prepare spiritually for this.
Separation from the World
In order to live righteously, the Remnant believes Christians should separate themselves from worldly influences. This includes abstaining from drugs, alcohol, foul language, secular music/movies, and inappropriate dressing.
Strong Teachings on Marriage Roles
Marriage roles within the Remnant Fellowship are based on traditional biblical gender roles. Wives are expected to be submissive to their husbands, while husbands are called to lovingly lead their wives.
Strict Dietary Standards
Remnant members follow a “God-given” diet based on Genesis 1:29 and Daniel 1. This consists of eating vegetables, grains, fruits, seeds and nuts. Meat consumption is permitted but discouraged. Fasting is frequently practiced.
Homeschooling
Most Remnant Fellowship members homeschool their children. This shelters them from worldly influences in public schools and allows parents to instill biblical values.
Tithing and Offerings
Tithing 10% of income to the church is mandatory for all members. On top of this, offerings above the tithe are strongly encouraged as acts of faith and giving to God.
In summary, the Remnant Fellowship seeks to recreate the original, 1st century model of Christianity. This involves strictly adhering to God’s commands in the Bible, separating from worldly influences, and living in deep obedience and submission to God’s will as revealed in scripture. While considered very legalistic by some, Remnant members view their teachings as a faithful return to biblical Christianity.
Church Structure and Leadership
The Remnant Fellowship operates as a top-down authority structure, with Gwen Shamblin at the head as the anointed leader and prophetess. Gwen provides spiritual guidance and revelation to the church through her teachings.
Under Gwen there are Elders who function as assistant pastors and minister to various congregations. Elders are always male, as the church does not permit women to hold positions of spiritual authority over men (1 Timothy 2:12). Local church bodies are led by male Overseers.
Criticism has been directed at the Remnant Fellowship’s autocratic leadership structure. Many point to the New Testament example where authority rested with a plurality of Elders rather than a single pastor/prophet figure.
Church Services and Practices
The Remnant Fellowship holds church services each Saturday in local congregations. This is to observe the Sabbath on the seventh day (Saturday) as commanded in Exodus 20:8. Attendance at services is mandatory for members.
Each Saturday service lasts 2-3 hours and follows a predictable order focused on worship and teaching. There is acoustic praise and worship, communion with grape juice and matzo bread, collection of tithes and offerings, and a message delivered by Gwen Shamblin or another church leader.
Remnant Fellowships also celebrate the Old Testament biblical feasts such as Passover, Pentecost and Trumpets. Members gather to observe these feasts as Jesus did.
Baptism by full water immersion is practiced as an outward sign of faith. However, baptismal regeneration (being saved by baptism) is rejected in line with salvation by grace alone. Only adults who are ready to die for Christ get baptized.
Outreach and Recruitment
Much of the Remnant Fellowship’s growth comes from recruitment. Members are strongly encouraged to reach out to friends, family, neighbors, co-workers and invite them to church activities. Recruitment is done under the pretext of inviting people to a deeper relationship with God, rather than directly disclosing the group’s identity.
Weigh Down Workshop classes continue to be a major entry point for new members. Many people take the classes not knowing they are connected to the Remnant Fellowship. Positive experiences then lead recruits into full membership.
In addition, Remnant Fellowship churches rent booth spaces at concerts and community events to engage in outreach efforts. They also buy radio ads and billboard spaces to promote their free seminar offerings.
Remnant Fellowship Locations
The Remnant Fellowship is headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee but has expanded to numerous locations across the United States and abroad. In addition to the main church in Franklin, major Remnant Fellowship congregations can be found in such cities as:
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Chicago, Illinois
- Detroit, Michigan
- Houston, Texas
- Los Angeles, California
- Honolulu, Hawaii
Overseas, the Remnant Fellowship has planted churches in Canada, England, Australia, Uganda and more. Gwen Shamblin travels extensively to provide oversight and preach at international churches.
The geographic reach of the Remnant Fellowship reflects its active emphasis on missions and church planting. Satellite churches quickly sprout up as new converts are made. This allows the Remnant Fellowship to expand its sphere of influence.
Criticism and Controversy
The Remnant Fellowship has generated considerable criticism and controversy over the years. Here are some of the main issues that have been raised:
Legalism
Critics accuse the Remnant Fellowship of being highly legalistic by promoting strict rules and standards not clearly mandated in the Bible. Members are expected to abide by extensive lifestyle guidelines covering dress, entertainment, diet and more.
Authoritarian Leadership
Gwen Shamblin is viewed as having almost absolute authority within the church. Members are expected to submit to her guidance without question. The hierarchical authority structure gives oversight to an exclusive circle of male church leaders.
Exclusivity
The Remnant Fellowship is seen as promoting an exclusivist mentality. They view themselves as the “true” church and the only ones rightly following God’s will. This has led to accusations of spiritual pride and arrogance.
Isolationism
Critics argue the Remnant Fellowship fosters isolation from society through its prohibitions against secular entertainment, media, clothing styles, and even socializing with outsiders.
Aggressive Recruiting
Numerous reports accuse Remnant Fellowship members of being pushy, deceptive and manipulative in their recruiting tactics. Recruits are not always fully informed regarding the group’s beliefs and practices.
Financial Exploitation
Mandatory tithing of 10% income plus expectation of generous offerings is seen by some as exploitative of members’ finances. The opulent lifestyle of Gwen Shamblin as the church leader has also raised eyebrows.
Cult Accusations
The Remnant Fellowship’s authoritarian structure, claims to be the only true church, and reportedly manipulative recruiting practices have resulted in widespread cult accusations.
In summary, while the Remnant Fellowship maintains its beliefs and practices are biblically based, many outside observers take issue with the church’s legalism, exclusivity, isolationism and heavy-handed leadership model.
Perspective of Christian Countercult Ministries
Countercult ministries holding to evangelical theology uniformly classify the Remnant Fellowship as a cult or aberrant group. Here is a sampling of assessments from major Christian countercult organizations:
Watchman Fellowship
Watchman Fellowship describes Remnant Fellowship theology as legalistic with aberrant end times teachings. They highlight the group’s authoritarian power structure and exorbitant financial demands on members.
Christian Research Institute
CRI critiques the Remnant Fellowship’s legalism and rigid separation from outsiders. They refute Gwen Shamblin’s claims to receive direct revelation from God and note cult-like obedience required of members.
Spiritwatch Ministries
Spiritwatch Ministries documents Remnant Fellowship practices such as information control, thought reform, emotional manipulation and isolationism that match the BITE model for cult groups.
Midwest Christian Outreach
Midwest Christian Outreach argues Remnant Fellowship theology undermines salvation by grace through injecting legalistic requirements. They express concern over the group’s aggressive recruitment tactics.
These assessments represent a sampling of the analyses provided by evangelical countercult groups. Nearly uniformly, the Remnant Fellowship is condemned as an abusive, authoritarian and theologically aberrant organization.
Response to Criticism
Gwen Shamblin and the Remnant Fellowship reject charges they are a cult, instead claiming they are victims of persecution and slander for following the Bible. They deny allegations of being legalistic, manipulative or exploitative.
The Remnant Fellowship accuses critics of taking issues with their teachings out of context or misrepresenting biblical passages. They claim outsiders simply do not understand their mission of restoring original Christianity and obedience to God.
In response to accusations against her leadership, Gwen Shamblin states she is not perfect, but submits to God and His word. She argues that as long as she continues preaching the Bible, she is answering God’s call on her life.
Remnant Fellowship members are instructed to avoid and ignore outside criticism, viewing it as Satan’s attempt to discredit God’s work through their church. Members are reminded they will be persecuted and misunderstood for following Jesus wholeheartedly.
Despite the substantial criticism directed towards the Remnant Fellowship over its two decades of existence, the church continues to thrive and expand globally. Many devoted members view the outside attacks as confirmation they are following God’s will amidst a fallen world.
Notable Former Members
As a relatively new religious movement, the Remnant Fellowship does not have an extensive list of famous former members. However, some noteworthy individuals spent time in the church before eventually departing:
David Martin
David Martin and his wife Karen joined the Remnant Fellowship in 2000. David served as an elder and worship leader. The couple left the church in 2008 over concerns about legalism and spiritual abuse. David Martin became a vocal critic of the Remnant Fellowship thereafter.
Jason and Julia Winters
Jason and Julia Winters were members of the Remnant Fellowship from 2005 to 2007. Jason served as an usher. They left citing unease with the church’s methods of control over members. The Winterses run a blog about their experiences called “Free Remnant.”
Jerry and Sandy Ehrhart
Jerry and Sandy Ehrhart joined the Remnant Fellowship in 2004. Jerry served as an elder. They departed after 4 years due to discrepancies between Shamblin’s teachings and biblical doctrine. The Ehrharts have shared their story online.
These and other defected members cite spiritual abuse, false teachings, financial exploitation and extreme control over members as reasons for leaving. Their testimony provides an inside view into the troubled dynamics of the Remnant Fellowship church.
Potential Dangers
Based on critical assessments and the experiences of ex-members, there are various potential dangers for individuals joining the Remnant Fellowship church:
- Legalism – Strict standards of conduct enforced through guilt and shame.
- Authoritarian leadership – Requirement of absolute obedience and submission to Gwen Shamblin and church elders.
- Isolationism – Separation from outside contacts including friends and family who do not join the group.
- Financial exploitation – Mandatory tithing of 10% income plus pressure to give repeated financial offerings.
- Loss of autonomy – Control over major life decisions and activities given over to church leaders.
- Psychological abuse – Use of shame, guilt, manipulation and fear to influence members.
- Second baptism – Requirement to be baptized again into the Remnant Fellowship church.
- No exit – Social, family and mental pressure to stay in the church even if doubts arise.
These reports of past members reveal the Remnant Fellowship’s structure and teachings can result in significant spiritual harm for parishioners. Prospective members should closely examine these dangers.
Key Takeaways
Here are some key takeaways regarding the Remnant Fellowship:
- Founded in 1999 by former diet guru Gwen Shamblin
- Seeks to recreate first century Christianity through strict biblical literalism
- Authoritarian leadership under Gwen Shamblin and all-male church elders
- Legalistic lifestyle rules and standards for members
- Exclusivist self-view as only true church, separating from outside world
- Rapid expansion in America and worldwide through aggressive recruitment
- Criticized as a cult for control, abuse, false doctrine by countercult ministries
- Former members cite legalism, financial exploitation and spiritual harm as reasons for leaving
In closing, the Remnant Fellowship promotes zealous obedience to the Bible, but does so in a setting of legalism, isolationism, and abusive church authority according to observers. These factors reveal a church body with cult-like tendencies that may lead to spiritual detriment for members.