True Crime-Paranormal-Conspiracy Theories Stories Part V #Wattys2023

The Church of Wells

The Church of Wells (formerlythe Church of Arlington, or You Must Be Born Again (YMBBA)Ministries) is an American religious group considered by some tobe a cult located in Wells, Texas. The group is led by Sean Morris,Jacob Gardner, and Ryan Ringnald, former street preachers who are allin their early thirties. It has approximately ninety members, manybeing young adults and children. The church was founded in 2011.

The church and its members have beeninvolved in several controversies. Many church members have engagedin disorderly and disruptive behavior such as disrupting a LakewoodChurch service, which has led to some criminal charges andconvictions. Accounts of individuals abandoning their families andformer way of life, such as Catherine Grove, have led to the ideathat the church could be an emerging cult. One man claimed he waskidnapped and drugged by the church, his story aired on the talk showDr. Phil.

Beliefs

According to their website, the Churchof Wells promotes a revivalist approach to Christianity. They believethat most of Christian America is a "darkened generation"buried under a "mountain of apostasy". They place ahigh emphasis on the new birth, denying many forms of entertainmentand leisure in favor of prayer (with sessions often lasting severalhours a day), fasting, and deep loathing for their own sin.

They feature this verse prominently intheir belief system: "If any man come to me, and hate not hisfather, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, andsisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple"(Luke 14:26). The group uses this verse to justify its memberscutting all ties with those outside the group, leaving their homesand families behind. Members express outright rejection of everybodyoutside the Church of Wells, including the media, all other pastorsand spiritual leaders, and their own loved ones.

Controversies

In May 2012, a three-day-old infantwhose parents were believed to belong to the group passed away.Instead of seeking medical attention, church members attended theapartment and prayed for the baby for "hours".Members of the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office stated that the babyhad passed away the previous day. The Sheriff's Office and ChildProtective Services began investigating the incident.

In July 2013, Catherine Grove, 26,disappeared from her home in Arkansas without notice, abandoning hercar and belongings, only to resurface weeks later under heavy guardat the Church of Wells. She said that she was not being held againsther will, and was only "seeking the Lord." This isconsistent with the accounts of several other members who have cutoff nearly all contact with their friends and family. Based on theseincidents, the Church of Wells has often been called an emergingcult. On April 2, 2015, Grove called her father, said "I needyou in Wells," and hung up the phone. Four hours later,Grove was seen walking down U.S. Highway 69 headed towards Lufkin,Texas. A few minutes after crossing the Angelina County line, shecalled 9-1-1 using a motorist's cell phone. During the call, Grovesounded "frightened" and "confused."Deputies drove Grove to the Angelina County Sheriff's Office inLufkin. Captain Alton Lenderman of the Angelina County Sheriff'sOffice described Grove as being "very meek and very afraid tospeak." Captain Lenderman stated that he did not press Groveon why she left the church, but did state that she never mentionedwanting to go back. When asked if she was hungry she said that shewished to have a burger and fries from Burger King. Grove's fatherwas contacted and they were reunited in Lufkin the next day at 1:00am. Grove initially showed intention to leave the church, but shereturned to the church twelve days later on April 14, 2015.

In October 2013, Lufkin police receiveda call that three men were seen approaching Lufkin High School at4:50 pm. When police arrived, the men were identified by a reporteras members of the Church of Wells. The police issued criminaltrespassing warnings and the three men were banned from all LufkinIndependent School District campuses. According to Lufkin ISDspokeswoman Sheila Adams, the incident was "very peaceful."

In April 2014, Sean Morris and memberTaylor Clifton were injured following a physical altercation duringthe Wells community homecoming parade. Witnesses report the two mencaused a disturbance by "preaching harshly and screaming'You're going to hell' to children, parents and parade-goers."In the recorded video of the preaching of Taylor Clifton, he can beheard saying of God, "He loves you. He cares for you."The injured members did not fight back, nor did they press charges.

On June 28, 2015, six members of theChurch of Wells interrupted a service of Lakewood Church in Houston,heckling Pastor Joel Osteen and calling him a liar. In June 2016 fourof the members of the Church of Wells involved in the incident weretried and acquitted of disturbing a public meeting by a Texas jury.

On November 30, 2015, the Lufkin PoliceDepartment received several calls claiming church member TaylorClifton and other members were yelling, following people, andinterfering with parade floats during the 2015 annual Christmasparade. They were accused of yelling "He doesn't want you toburn" and "it is an abomination." Whenpolice arrived, they explained that the church could continue toshare their message as long as it didn't disrupt the parade. All thechurch members complied except Clifton, who continued to yell,scaring young children and upsetting parents. Police attempted tocalm Clifton (as well as the parents and children), but he refused tocomply and was arrested. During the incident, one member of thechurch was assaulted by a civilian, but charges were not filed.Clifton was charged with disorderly conduct and interfering with anevent. Judge Derrick Flournoy found Clifton guilty of disorderlyconduct and not guilty of interfering with an event. He posted bondfor $1000, was released on December 1, and was fined $100.

On December 28, 2015, church membersMatthew DeRouville and James Robert MacPherson III were arrested inAlto, Texas for refusing to leave an auto parts store after tellingan unmarried pregnant employee she would go to Hell if she did notrepent. In June 2017, DeRouville and MacPherson were found guilty ofcriminal trespassing, sentenced to spend 90 days in jail, and fined$2000; however, they paid their fine within 14 days and spent only 45days in jail.

In March 2016, members of the churchdisrupted a Baptist church service in Saranac Lake, New York.

In October 2016, Jordan Reichenbergerwas approached by two church elders in downtown Austin. He claimsthat they gave him a water bottle that was "laced in drugs"and drove him to the church complex in Wells. Five days later, hisfamily was able to track him down using his cell phone.Reichenberger's family had a verbal dispute with church members and,after several hours, were able to get Reichenberger out of thecompound. Reichenberger claims he was habitually drugged during histime at the complex and was physically held there against his will.He claimed that subsequent hair analysis showed evidence of thedrugging. Reichenberger's story aired on the talk show Dr. Phil.During the show, local mainline pastor James Maddox discussed hisopinion on the church. He said that he believed there were "sweatlodges" where people were deprived of sleep, water, andnutrition as a form of indoctrination. The parents of Catherine Grovealso appeared and discussed their story on the show.

In June 2022 Texas Monthly reportedthat one of the church's side businesses, a sawmill, was responsiblefor 25 percent of all reported sawmill accidents in the entire state,along with allegations of child labor law violations and unreportedaccidents. In addition the sawmill's purported owner was sued byGreen Mountain Energy for over $16,000 in unpaid electric bills.