WINGS Note: These victims have said “please feel free to share wherever with whomever”.
Leslie White,
This letter is for you, from all of us known and unknown who you have abused through your terrible misuse of assumed power. Please know that we in this letter are only a small representation of the lives you have personally damaged.
You have molested us, raped us, had inappropriate sexual conversations with us, touched us inappropriately, hugged and kissed us forcibly, against our will, asked us inappropriate questions, you have demeaned, threatened, groomed us, made us trust you, coerced and forced us to be a part of things we didn’t ask for and that we didn’t want to be a part of in any way, shape or form.
You have robbed us of much, taken our power and silenced our voices but we are here to say no more, enough!
No longer do we fear you, no longer will we be silent, lest we also would be amongst those who have in their silence and inaction enable you to continue to abuse and ruin the lives of precious souls.
We are taking back our power.
Now it is our turn to do the asking.
We request that you would acknowledge your abuse of us all and that you would permanently remove yourself from all meetings and gatherings effective immediately. This is in accordance with how the scriptures tell us that evil doers like yourself should be handled.
After all that you have taken from us we are not asking much.
You are a predator, a violator, you are not safe to be around women and children. This is mercy for your soul to remove you from temptations which you so obviously cannot refuse.
JoNell McDaniel: Leslie was so overpowering and flew so deeply under the radar. I was so afraid of him.
Leslie loved to visit me alone at my house and in his secluded little cabin on the convention grounds in Elizabeth.
He asked me to buy him a couple of ties, because his were getting worn.
Of course, he wanted me to deliver those to the cabin during convention.
He was on such a power trip.
He makes me sick
Anonymous: When I was in my 30’s Leslie’s abuse was on going over a period of several years. Leslie would come through and visit alone on his way to overseer meetings in Tennessee. I experienced inappropriate touching and sexually explicit comments and conversations. His abuse had such a physical, emotional and mental affect on me and made me so ill that for quite some time I couldn’t even care for myself.
I reported and shared my handwritten account with the sheriff’s dept in 2012.
Kim: Leslie abused me in my 40s. A meeting took place sometime around 2000/2002 with Leslie, Marlon Halbakken, Marge Major, along with my grandma Maxine Felton. I begged that Leslie would step down from the work as I felt he wouldn’t stop his behaviour and it would only get worse. Leslie’s abuse of me included unwelcome visits to a lady alone in her home. Inappropriate sexual conversations, Inappropriate touching, forced kissing. Leslie stole my soul and I hate that.
I reported to sheriffs dept in 2012.
Laura Jelinek van Dijken: I was around 22 years old and had been in the work for about 2 years and 3 months when I was raped by Leslie White at Elizabeth preps in Colorado in 2003.
Leslie said he would do a walk through of the area where I’d been working that day.
He raped me up in the nursery, told me to clean up the mess and I was threatened among other things he said that I would would be put out of the work and out of meetings if I ever spoke up and that no one would believe me, that they would believe him because of who he was.
I still remember the sound of that door shutting.
I shoved the trauma under to survive and went on with my life and never said a word. I was called to go in the work and I didn’t want to have to leave and I definitely didn’t want to be told I couldn’t go to meetings.
Plus Leslie was my overseer, the one making the plans for my life. Who was I supposed to turn to? So I just pretended everything was fine and I believed it was…until it wasn’t.
In 2011 I returned from working in Finland/ Scandinavia. I was not feeling well at all. I hadn’t really been sleeping for quite some time because it didn’t feel safe. By that time I was very sick and felt like my body was shutting down. It felt like it was saying “You’re not taking care of me so I’m not working for you anymore.
I went to York convention that year and found out shortly beforehand that Leslie was supposed to be there. He cornered me at some point in the dining shed and asked me if I was still keeping silent. I said yes. I ended up speaking in the same meeting as him and felt so sick.
In 2012 I was put in touch with a professional trauma counselor who was a huge part of what essentially helped save my life. I was diagnosed with complex PTSD and hyper vigilance. I was so busy throwing myself into taking care of others so I wouldn’t have to feel or deal with my own pain but I could hardly function. I remember having thoughts while driving the road and thinking how nice it would be to be hit by a truck and just have all the pain ended and over with.
I eventually disclosed the rape to my counselor and in time he helped me tell my sister who was my co-worker at the time.
In April of 2012 I finally got to the place of desperation where I could no longer remain silent about what Leslie did.
I knew that if I keep silent the abuse would continue.
I wrote to Lyle Schober, he called me, he let Ray Hoffman know and Ray was in touch with Leslie.
I had a meeting with Ray, Lyle, my sister, my 1st co worker and a friend who works in the legal department concerning sexual abuse in mid May.
Ray and Lyle said they couldn’t make the decision for me but that they strongly encouraged me to report to the sheriff’s department in Colorado and they said that it would be the leverage that would need to get Leslie out of the ministry.
I was told this was mercy for Leslie because maybe it would help him to realize what he’d done and take it seriously and that maybe it would be a chance for him to repent and make things right.
I didn’t want to report to the sheriff’s dept and relive the horror that this man had done to me but at the same time I desperately wanted Leslie’s abuse of women stopped.
I reported to the sheriffs dept in May 2012. Ray informed Leslie that day that effective immediately he was no longer in the work.
During the course of the investigation I was told that many many reports had come in from all over the US.
The nature of these reports was anything from someone feeling uncomfortable around Leslie, unwanted sexual conversations or questions, grooming behaviour, visiting women alone, inappropriate touching forced kissing etc.
In spite of the countless reports that came in to the investigator it unfortunately never went court. The case went inactive last year after 10 years.
From all I’ve heard Leslie has continued his behaviour and because of Ray Hoffman’s refusal to put him out of all meetings and Ray and other overseers refusal to write a letter and notify the church (the people) of Leslie’s behaviour and lack of repentance his behaviour has been allowed to continued and his abuse of women and young girls has been enabled.
In 2012 Ray Hoffman looked me in the eye and promised and assured me that Leslie White would never be in the work again, yet in April of 2023, 11 years later, it was discovered that Ray himself was letting Leslie speak in gospel meetings. When asked why, Ray answered; “Maybe not the wisest choice”.
I cannot help but feel righteous anger that Leslie wasn’t removed from the work long ago. Barry Barkley and Ray Hoffman are partially responsible for all those who were abused after the very first time they heard of his behaviour and essentially did nothing. A friend in Colorado told me in 2012 that her Aunt had had problems with him in Georgia 50 years before this. Your knowledge of Leslie’s abuse has never been 1 isolated occasion that you could write off as a simple innocent lack of judgement.
Anonymous:
I want to talk about shame.
SHAME. It’s what I’ve been cloaked in for such a long time. It’s what I felt at convention one year when I was 12/13 when a brother worker who was very well respected by everyone sexually assaulted me.
SHAME. It’s what I felt that same convention when I took too many of my anti-anxiety meds and started having issues breathing.
SHAME. It’s what I felt when the ambulance had to come get me from the convention grounds.
SHAME. It’s what I felt when my parents had to come pick me up after getting my stomach pumped.
SHAME. It’s what I felt when that same brother worker wrote a letter to my parents telling them that due to my ‘suicide attempt’ I was no longer welcome on those convention grounds.
SHAME. Red hot. Creeping up my face. I felt it in my bones. I tried years to bury it. I used drugs, alcohol, I cut myself, I DID try to commit suicide. More than once.
SHAME led to self hatred led to very abusive relationships and a self destructive lifestyle that I’m lucky I survived from at all.
SHAME is what I talked about today in therapy. Years of it rolled down my face as I said that brother workers name.
SHAME is what HE should feel, having hurt many others besides me.
I put my shame back on him, I put my shame on the fact he’s still (to my knowledge less than a month ago) ACTIVELY participating in meetings.
He should feel every ounce of his survivors shame, every bit of our fear, our sadness our collective pain. He did MUCH WORSE to others than he did to me.
He should be ostracized, cast out.
He should be IN PRISON for the acts he’s committed.
But he isn’t. He’s free.
And finally after years and years, I’m free too.
SHAME: I put it all back on you, Leslie White.
Tava Z: I was 9 years old when Leslie molested me in my house. The abuse was on going.
Reported to PI Liles 2023.
Anonymous: I’ve been asked to share a bit about my experiences with Leslie White, both as a teenager and again as a young married woman. I was probably 15-16 when he appeared (unexpectedly) at a gathering of young people in our home. He was “holding court” with all the young girls clinging to his every word. I was very uncomfortable with the whole situation. When it was time for him to leave, he was hugging the women/girls and shaking hands with the men. When he got to me, I awkwardly extended my hand to shake and he ignored that and pulled me into a hug that was a very inappropriate “full frontal” hug. I quickly extricated myself and pushed away from him. I thought I had, through my body language, made my opinion of him crystal clear.
Several years later, when I moved to the state where he was the overseer, I heard stories from the other married ladies of LW showing up, alone and uninvited, to their homes when their husbands would be gone working. I thought, “he’d never do that to me, he knows I don’t like him at all.” I was quite surprised when he showed up, not once, not twice, but three different times. Each time, he was alone, uninvited, and my husband was gone. The first time, I ignored the bell because I had been warned he just stopped down the street and was in the neighborhood. (Imagine that, the professing ladies playing a game of telephone to warn one another that the overseer was making his rounds, alone, to see the married ladies!?) The second time I told him that I believed in the verse that said abstain from even the appearance of evil so he wouldn’t be coming into my house when I was there alone. The third time, he called through the door and said that he just needed to use the telephone. Again, I refused him entry while I was there alone and told him there was a pay phone at the gas station down the road.
In all of these interactions, I felt like he was testing my response to see what he could get by with. I was never raised to worship workers and was always told by my parents that if something feels wrong, trust your gut. I am very thankful for that. I am also thankful for the more experienced, slightly older married ladies in my town who had warned several of us that were newly married and quite young that this may happen. Their courage to speak up gave us the courage to say no when he showed up uninvited. While these things were not criminal, they were definitely inappropriate and not the behavior of a true servant of God.
Anonymous: I was a teenager when Leslie was around my sister and I a lot. He would hug us and was very touchy feely with us and it made us so uncomfortable.
Anonymous: At convention in August, 2008, Leslie White spoke to me briefly in the dining tent about returning to the meetings, and having a part again, following my divorce.
He mentioned that he would be in touch to find a time to have that conversation.
In January, 2009, Leslie was having gospel meetings in the area, and contacted me to follow through on his earlier promise to have a conversation about meetings.
Leslie invited me to join him and his companion for dinner with the purpose of providing me with an opportunity to return to meetings, have a part, following my divorce several years earlier.
Leslie asked me numerous times to meet at my home for dinner, to which I replied that I did not feel comfortable with two men in my home, alone. We agreed to meet at a restaurant for dinner, however, only Leslie attended and made an excuse as to why his companion did not attend.
Following conversation about family and life, with dinner finished, Leslie stated that he wasn’t finished with our meeting. I suggested that we could go to a coffee shop, to which he stated that he didn’t want more coffee.
He suggested that we go to my house; I denied that request repeatedly, stating that it was inappropriate, and he should not consider that an option.
Leslie continued to try to break me down to convince me to allow him to come to my home, which included statements that he didn’t care if things weren’t in order, or that he wouldn’t go upstairs. After offering several public locations to continue the meeting, Leslie finally agreed to meet at a large public mall, in view of others. At this location, the conversation turned to a far more personal subject involving my relationship with my ex-husband, specifically my sexual relationship with my ex-husband.
For reference, here are some of the questions he asked me:
1. Did you ever have pleasure with your husband?
2. How often did the two of you have sex?
3. Could my husband get an erection?
4. Did he ejaculate?
5. What did I do to excite him?
6. Did I get him to masturbate?
7. Did he think your body was attractive?
8. Did he look at other women?
9. In the times you did have sex, was he able to get you wet?
10. “Any man with one red blood cell would have sex with you.” Statement by LW
11. Leslie said he would have sex with me.
12. Leslie said he would even marry me if he were younger.
13. Leslie said I was an absolutely beautiful woman with a beautiful body.
14. Leslie told me that he loved me 4 or 5 times during the evening conversation.
Following this very uncomfortable conversation, I felt extremely violated by someone I had been taught to trust and respect.
I reached out to friends from meeting that I knew I could trust with this sensitive information. Without hesitation, they began to advocate for me and initiated contact with Barry Barkley.
Barry flew from the East Coast to attend a meeting at this couples’ home, where Leslie, Barry, the couple, myself, and an Elder from the area spent 3 hours in a conversation about the incident. Leslie denied everything that I mentioned he had said to me that evening.
However, during a pause in conversation, he blurted out, “I did ask you about orgasm.” “Did I say that right?” This was the moment his entire denial would be seen as a lie, when he convicted himself.
Over the course of many months, emails were exchanged with workers who had been put in charge of handling this situation by covering his behavior as “he’s just a human, and we all make mistakes,” calling me “a troubled woman,” asking for additional time to see if there was a pattern to Leslie’s behavior or if it was a one-time occurrence.
At my request for outside intervention, a mediation specialist heard both parties separately, and then together for a final meeting, in August 2010.
At that final meeting, Leslie denied he’d ever mentioned any of the above-mentioned statements, including the orgasm comment. The mediation specialist gave a dire warning that unless a system was put into place where people could feel free from the fear of retaliation or disbelief by coming forward in abusive experiences, that this behavior would continue amongst the ministry, and it would not stand the test of time.
He asked that the worker, Jim Price, who was acting as witness for the final meeting, agree to such a system, to which he refused by stating that those decisions would need to come from Barry Barkley.
The mediation specialist suggested Ministry Safe as a means that all workers/ministers should take, to better understand their roles, and safekeeping as they stayed in other’s homes.
Barry Barkley continued to remain in touch with me through email, often discussing his travels and time with various workers and friends, never making mention of the incident with Leslie and how it was progressing.
It is now 2023, and in light of all that is happening in the Truth, I felt compelled to include my experience, knowing that Leslie White was never held accountable for his behavior, but was allowed to continue in the Work, often meeting with other women alone, and traveling without a companion.
To all the workers who were involved in this situation, investigation, and mediation that chose to blame the victim while protecting the abuser, you are just as liable and responsible for promoting dishonesty, immorality and illegal behaviors within the Truth.
A mother: In light of all that has been brought to the attention of workers and friends in the last few months, regarding CSA, SA, sexual harassment, and inappropriate behavior within the ministry, I felt it was necessary to share concerns that I felt with comments Leslie White made to me in regards to my then 13 year old daughter, at convention.
Leslie had just arrived in IN, and was getting acquainted with everyone between meetings. I was in the meeting shed when he came up to me, and stated that he had met my youngest daughter, and she was “absolutely stunning,” and the most beautiful young girl he’d ever met!
He went on with similar comments for a minute or so, I thanked him, and then moved on.
At the moment he said those things, a flash of concern ran through my mind, just for a split second, because it seemed so passionate and a little unexpected from a male worker. I reassured myself that my thought was entirely wrong, and actually felt guilty for even considering some concern, as we often heard people compliment our girls’ appearance.
What I was unaware of was the fact that Leslie White made a practice of this behavior and conversation.
What seemed as an innocent compliment may have been nothing more, in this case, as I kept a close eye on my children. But Momma Bear would’ve certainly stopped at nothing to protect my children had anything else seemed out of line.
Anonymous: I was abused by Leslie in Indiana around 2009. I was young, beautiful, and in a difficult relationship. Leslie thought he could prey on me by phone. He asked me sexually inappropriate questions. I hung up on him because of my disgust.
Anonymous: In 1987 Leslie was visiting at our home. I think he was overseer of iowa at the time. I was 14 and he told me that he noticed I had slimmed down and that my figure was looking good. It was awkward. I can’t remember if my mom overheard him say it, but I did discuss it with her. Everyone thought Leslie was the greatest so everything he did or said was perfect.
In July/August of 1993 when I was 19 and about to turn 20, I had just given birth two weeks prior (pregnancy from being raped by a professing family member that I was protecting at the time), and I was visiting my parents when Leslie also came to their place after Brownstown, IL convention. Leslie lectured me at length that if I kept myself pure I could be forgiven and could be eligible for marriage. (I had always believed and heard growing up in meetings that the workers were so close to God they would say and do the right thing even if they didn’t know the whole story.) The next morning my siblings and I all took a picture with Leslie and he had his arm wrapped around my waist for the picture and I was SO uncomfortable!!!
I believe Leslie was trying to be encouraging to me and he probably didn’t realize how uncomfortable I was feeling in both instances. I don’t believe he was coming on to me, but it was truly a lack of boundaries on his part.
I wish I could find that picture. I think it’s somewhere at my parents and it would take quite a bit of time to locate it.
Cynthia Liles, PI: Information on the internet indicated White had finally been removed from the work in 2012 after years of complaints and the allegation of rape.
I noticed online there were a couple of comments suggesting White was actually still in the work in Maine. I learned in late March or early April of 2023 that Ray Hoffman indeed had let him back in the work by letting him speak in gospel meetings.
This was confirmed with Ray in a phone call.
Over the course of the last 3 months and even before the news of Dean Bruer broke I have received numerous messages and calls in regards to Leslie White.
A note to the administrators, workers elders and friends everywhere. We plead with you in the meekness and gentleness of Christ, do not ignore the crimes of this man and others any longer.
We beg you to deal with every perpetrators according to God’s clear scripture and in and with God’s Spirit.
The question needs to be asked;
WHY victims are so often not believed, not supported, not validated.
Why are there so many concessions for the violators, why do you protect them, cover up what they’ve done and dismiss and re-traumatize us?
Why do you allow them to continue abusing others?
We feel that it is because the violators and perpetrators are most often well known, someone in a place of power.
While the victims are most often unable to reveal their identity (they shouldn’t have to) and so to you they remain faceless and nameless.
So let us introduce ourselves and just know that every victim falls into one or more of these categories. We are women, we are mothers, we are your sisters, daughters, nieces, we are your sister workers, we are grandmothers and from a even less heard from group sometimes we are men, boys, your sons, nephews, uncles, fathers and grandfathers.
Most of all we are God’s children, we are souls and we matter too.
Whether we were children or adults when the abuse happened, whether our abuser or abuse was one time or many, whether we still go to meeting or not, we matter.
Please don’t lend a deaf ear or turn a blind eye to us anymore.
Sincerely,
Just a very small representation of the many.
WINGS for Truth 
Thank you for sharing your experiences. We need to hear and understand.
Agreed, Rebekah. This leaves me with one question: Ray Hoffman, what are you thinking? Are you given over to the Devil? There is no excuse, as you knew what Leslie was doing because his victims told you! You also said that Ira Hobbs would not be allowed to come to meetings any more! Where is the integrity of your word?
What I don’t understand is where is the outcry of the whole church? The pressure to remove not just perpetrators but overseers without conscience who allow evil to continue? Perhaps Leslies and Iras do belong in the “truth” since most people don’t care.
It appears Leslie White is just another Dean Bruer. A rapist, a child molester, a predator, and an ungodly person. I am just so sickened that men like them have been able to perpetrate for so long…
They are able to abuse because of Barries and Rays who let them.
…and a states full of congregants that won’t band together and remove them!
After my engagement, Leslie called me and my fiancé in an extremely awkward conversation about sexual relations with a husband. Throughout his lengthy preaching, his main points were to make sure that I will do my wifely duties and not deny sex for my future husband! I was 24 at the time and in shock to hear that. After sitting through enough of that, I stood up and said that I needed to get going. I avoided Leslie like the plague and managed to skip some “hugs” that I saw coming. I’m aware of many other women who were extremely uncomfortable around Leslie.
@Anoymous – if you can, please let the FBI know about this. He needs to be permanently removed from the ministry, and all meetings, AND hopefully with each victim coming forward, in jail/prison for the rest of his life!
My heart is breaking as I read these accounts of victims. I cannot abide those who have enabled the abusers all these years, while unashamedly and self-righteously heaping more trauma on victims.
My heart is also full of the deepest, most solemn care and respect as I read them, knowing the courage it takes to come forward like this.
I add my plea to theirs. Overseers, for the good of all please step down. You have allowed this, and have been a part of it. We CAN have a Jesus-led ministry, but those who are worthy of that place are stifled while there is corruption at the helm of this earthly group.
Amen, Suzanne. The abuse suffered is horrific and disturbing. Ray, you have failed to care for the sheep and need to let someone more capable work as part of a team with the friends before you destroy the kingdom.
RAY HOFFMAN and Barry Barkley, do you who are among the generation of vipers realize that by both your action and inaction you share victim survivors with the nearly certain, yet still technically “alleged” rapist and pedophile named Leslie White? Do you realize you’ve broken promises to victims? What cowardice, utter lack of conscience, moral fiber, lowest character and spiritual confusion it must take to do what you’ve done and allow this predator back into meetings, let alone the work. I’ve had some guesses as to why you’ve been so silent and patient with predators until now. What utter blindness and gall that you’ve stayed in your place just like ol’ uncle Leslie, refusing to resign based on who you are. How utterly pathetic and arrogant on your part. On behalf of victim survivors, may you be held accountable for all your actions while still on this earth. Your actions are nowhere near Godliness. I pray that you be converted before it is too late.
a professing father: the extent of protecting these filthy actions makes one wonder what’s inside the potentially whitewashed facade. Is is time to have the digital records run on their devices before they die in a hotel room?
So much respect to the women who shared!
There are times we read of Jesus being truly angry, once to the point he made a whip of cords and drove out the people defiling the temple. The acts of all abusers and the people who covered up the abuse are the equivalent to defiling the temple. I’m not advocating physical violence, but rather than meekness, is anger is not appropriate? Given the knowledge of the depth of abuse, why did anyone in a decision making position choose to shield the abuser(s) over hearing the cries of hurt and desperation? How is that spirit not counter to what Jesus would have taught and be any different than what Jesus would’ve done by making a cord of whips and driving out the polluters? All involved in the coverups have put the burden of forgiveness without any accountability on the victims. YOU are not the solution, YOUR spirit does not align with what Jesus taught. To say you are now enlightened by education with crimes this egregious is beyond the pale and certainly not the spirit Jesus would have had b/c He heard the cries of the hurt! Please have the grace to apologize to victims by stepping down letting others who can lead with the correct spirit be in those positions!
We have begged for decades that men like Leslie and Ira were charged and put out of meetings. Women have had no voice for too long and these atrocities have been encouraged by inaction of the men “in charge”.
No excuses. Wrong is wrong.
Thank you to our sisters who have been courageous enough to publish their experiences here. These stories unfortunately come as no surprise to any of us who grew up female and attending meetings in the US Midwest in the 1990s-2000s, as I did. We know from first-hand experience how inappropriate and ungodly Leslie White’s conversation and behavior was with many of us. It is upsetting to learn from this post that Leslie is even now speaking in gospel meetings, and having any influence whatsoever. I believe that anyone of any age and gender who truly “tries the spirits” would recognize that Leslie should not be allowed in a position of influence, nor have any part in ministry. I agree with other posters that those “overseers” who have allowed and enabled Leslie and other abusers to continue their activities, ranging from troubling to criminal, must absolutely be removed from their positions if there is to be any hope of salvaging the fellowship that many of us, despite it all, still love and benefit from.
You are absolutely right. My question is why do we need those big headed so called overseers anyways? My judgment is, get rid of them all and give the responsibility to several workers both brothers and sisters who are responsible and with the right spirit. And get rid of those who are letting it go to their heads. Amen. I am so disappointed and discussed by this whole thing that I could throw up all over the place, and I really think that God is too!!!!. I heard the gospel 35 years ago and until lately I had no idea that anything like this could even ever have happened, which it should never even be thought of having happened!!!!!!
Why is the law necessary t involved? He is a criminal!
I admire the courageous souls who have shared their abuse at the hands of the too-highly-esteemed Leslie White. In early 2000s, he was in our home on special meeting rounds. He made us uncomfortable by describing his detailed vision of “the perfect wife” for himself. I questioned why a brother worker even had a vision of his perfect wife. ..it is just natural, he said.
Later, we realized he had been physically describing ME. So creepy.
I am grieved at the inaction on the parts of out overseers making decisions about Leslie.
I have a deep respect for these women that shared and those still silent. Hoffman, Barkley, Schultz and many others need to step down from the work and fellowship. If any of these snakes ever come to my region for convention I for one will not sit and listen to them preach out of their dairy side in their righteous costumes.
Had Leslie committed a crime of this nature to any of my family he will have hoped that the police got to him before I did. The Friends need to rise up and throw these bums out.
This made me cry. It could not be any clearer that Barry and Ray need to resign. I would say be fired, but who is there to fire them? No one, apparently.
Unfortunately, they can’t be fired… they are the kings of this “kingdom”! The $buck literally stops with them.
Exactly, I said on “concerned and connected friends” if Ray Hoffman covered up crimes he should be excommunicated from the fellowship, I was told by the hosts of “connected and concerned friends” that its a blanket statement and against their code of conduct, I told them I disagree but they refused to debate the issue with me.
Reading these accounts makes me furious! To consider someone behaving this way towards my mother, my wife, my child or ANYONE makes me feel that merely beating the perpetrator senseless is far too light of a punishment, though it is certainly my first reaction.
Disappointment is not enough!
Disgust is not enough!
A little divinely directed fury is what we need to purge ourselves from any who dare to either commit these acts or shield those who do!
I love your comment! We need everyone, including the men, to make a stand against these nefarious people.
Thank you.
Yes! We need people with Godly back bone!
Agree!
By now these snakes are flight risks. They have the money.
FRIENDS, KEEP TABS ON WHERE THEY ARE.
It is not enough for them to leave the ministry. They will be a danger to people anywhere they go, whether they are associated with the church or not.
I think I speak for all of us reading this post – this hurts to read. It is a visceral reaction on behalf of victims, and on behalf of our fellowship, and on behalf of all of us who leaned in and diligently took notes as these men shared messages from the platform… all while past, present, and future victims sat in the audience.
How were we so duped, that rapists and pedophiles were our shepherds, that we looked to them as the authority on who God is and what it looks like to follow Him?
Partly it is the system – in our fellowship, elder brother workers have no checks and balances. Like David pointed out above – they cannot be fired (who would fire them?). And they will continue to have that power unless something changes.
I am going to speak directly another group of people who hold a position of power in this CSA debacle: convention property owners. Folks, if ever there was a time to take a stand for a cause for the kingdom, prayerfully consider that this might be the time. Consider what it would look like to say that your property is off limits this year, as this entire fellowship takes a step back an evaluates who they are. Looks like Elizabeth Widel (Blackwater convention owner) has taken a stand, making a strong statement that CSA must be eradicated and those who have supported it.
Who else will step up?
Copied from the facebook group Advocates for Truth: “A reminder folks cancelling a convention in no way shortens the hand of God..look to Jesus for the Gospel message and Spiritual wellbeing”. Can’t agree more.
First I must commend these women that have shared their revulsive experiences. You brave ladies are loved, believed and making a difference.
I left the Truth 23 years ago and am so saddened to read all that is now coming to light. As has been said before, it’s truly heartbreaking.
If I could make one suggestion, it would be that all of you become active participants in stopping Conventions. JUST DON’T GO. That’s a much stronger stand and doesn’t put all the pressure on the owners of convention grounds.
I would point people to the facebook group Advocates for Truth. Read the hundreds of comments to the original post by Elizabeth Widel. Such support across the globe for her taking a stand to cancel the convention at Blackwater!
I agree with the move to cancel the convention. Truthfully, I think all of the conventions should be cancelled until this mess is cleaned up. We still have our fellowship meetings and above all we can still have our own personal relationship with our God.
I don’t understand how these overseers who have lost the confidence in their ministry can even consider planning a convention.
Well said. The people who have these properties could also be held liable for things that happen on their grounds, especially now that everyone is so aware of what has been going on. Elizabeth Widel made a strong statement that I hope will inspire others to do the same. I hope that others do step up. Imagine the difference that could make!
Amen Brother (or sister)
Reading this makes my heart sick…..
Please, please…..going forward….do not report these things to the workers or overseers but go directly to the authorities. Our weak human natures don’t want to believe these atrocities from those we’ve been taught to love and respect and the instinct to hide and cover up is going to kick in…..GO DIRECTLY TO THE AUTHORITIES.
If any vitlctims are able, please report to BOTH law enforcement and all the workers in your area. As a church, we need to hold people accountable when they engage in CSA or SA, and warn other friends so perpetrator are not able to continue abusing. Reporting only to the police will not inform the other friends.
I couldn’t agree more. This whole thing is totally ridiculous and inaccessibility WRONG!!!!! Thanks people for being concerned and willing to do something about all this,let us pray handily for God’s intervention!!!!!!!.
Keep on praying but don’t forget that God has NEVER intervened else this crap would not be a discussion. Why do you suppose he will involve himself in clearing up the overseers of his supposed one and only beloved when he full out let the Holocaust happen? If you think the Jews have been replaced by this group, and that’s why it happened, then why didn’t he intervene when we were being raped as kids by his new chosen?
I generally find it a little prickly when our fellowship is referred to as a cult. Sadly, it seems to fit in the states Leslie White was over.
Somewhere on this site is an explanation from someone who actually has dealt in court situations with cults. This does not stand up to the legal definition of a cult. Lots wrong with it right now, but that is one thing it really is not. I wish I could remember where I saw it, but I think one of the defining things is that anyone can leave whenever they want to. That is not true of a cult.
There are several traits of cults, but no one group has to have every trait to qualify. They don’t even need to have a majority of traits. More than one model for measuring exists.
To address specifically the “you can’t leave whenever you want” point: it is true in a couple of ways.
1. Practical/physical:
Anyone who is financially or otherwise dependent on professing family or friends or the ministry can have great difficulty leaving, and in some cases it may be impossible. Many are trapped. Many know that if they stop participating, they will lose shelter, food, income, healthcare, transportation, and their support system. They will lose their friends, family, co-workers. Especially vulnerable to this are young people, the elderly, anyone with disabilities, and the workers. *Note here: the workers with the power also have money. They will never need financial donations, even if they face legal battles. They can be in court for years and afford to live completely independently of any support from the friends. They also can take care of every worker who needs to leave…but they don’t.
2. Spiritual, Emotional, Mental:
Anyone who believes that this is the only Way, and the only true ministry is stuck. You are in bondage from fear. Leaving would mean loss of the emblems, the fellowship, and some might feel, salvation. Leaving comes with the knowledge that you are now an “outsider.” You may be ignored or forgotten or shunned or threatened. There will be usually be some kind of barrier between you and the people who do choose to stay in touch.
You may be emotionally or mentally unable to make the decision to leave, or to survive on your own. You may be depressed, suicidal, racked with fear. You may have a form of PTSD…from physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, spiritual or religious abuse. Or you may be healthy and still feel unable to step away from what has been your world, your life.
Any of these factors, and more, keep people from leaving. They are paralyzed in different ways and cannot leave until they can.
We hope that they find emergency and longer-term resources. There are many willing to help.
Astounded to Can’t leave(written below). Thank you. You are A very learned and experience person with the ability to communicate clearly. Thank You for sharing your knowledge and ways to help every category of victims. Perhaps anyone can ask “can’t leave” for more information and guidance. Please anyone who is on this site please read carefully and/or make a copy to refer to later as you will want to remember some part of this wisdom..
Powerful and true, the entire group that has protected the perps are needing to be removed from the cult. They have shown guilt by actions and by association, character no greater than the perp(s).
Astounded. In reply to mferguson. Your observation is of “it seems to fit” is NOT just in states where he was over; but is anywhere this “fellowship” of the “Only Right Way” is preached and practiced. Jesus’ ministry was ONLY to the Nation of Israel. Matthew 15:24 and Matthew 10:5-6.
Jesus ministry was to announce THAT the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth – promised by God to that Nation of Israel; was at hand.
HOW? Math.2:2.
AND, another appointed, corrupt, firmly intrenched, powerful, lying, self important, who were far from God: so called divinely led Religious Ministry of the Nation of Israel -was asked by the occupying Roman Government “where their( King) – Christ” should be born? Math. 2:3-:6 They knew.
You read in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – JUST how corrupt this appointed by God; the very Government of the very Nation of Israel – God’s very appointed, chosen ministry to his “chosen” Nation was!
Now while you are reading these 4 gospels: write down Jesus’ words describing HOW corrupt this very ministry of this very Government: WAS!
Result is Matthew 21:43 Jesus told that corrupt ministry ‘kingdom of God shall be taken from you’. Acts 1 – through Acts 12 is the record of that.
Jesus told his chosen 12 apostles Luke 22:28-30 :29 I appoint unto you a kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me, :30 reason. and Math 19:28
BUT: You must read exactly what Jesus preached and to whom
And what exactly the appointed 12 apostles preached and to whom
THIS is your fellowship; this what you have your complete “faith and Trust”.
Many of you have stated very plainly how very vulnerable you are because of this trust. It has colored your very life and soul.
DO NOT LET IT “ROB” you of your very “Salvation.
You must examine not only the structure of power of the 2×2 ministry; BUT the very foundation: which is preached as exactly “HOW” the 12 apostles were sent and exactly what they “preached”. It is not! They do NOT follow Jesus.
You prove us wrong by reading what Peter and the 11 spoke Acts 2:14-:39
Read to whom they preached. Acts 2:5, :14, :22, :37
Read exactly what those who believed; lived and worshiped Acts 2:42-46 THIS IS THE “APOSTLES DOCTRINE”!
IS IT YOUR’S? ONLY YOU CAN protect yourself from abuse of false doctrine.
You prove us wrong; by reading WHAT God really has left on record for our learning in HIS WORD; our Holy Bible. To begin You read the above verses.
DO NOT be mislead by a man made “Tradition of Men”: based on God’s ministry to the Nation of Israel by Jesus- God the Son: to bring that Nation of Israel back to God.
God give you strength to begin taking responsibility for learning God’s Word. to you for your learning and for your salvation.
1 Corinthians 2:5-:6 which come to not
2:7 We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our GLORY:
2:8-:9 which none of the princes(satan) of this world KNEW…
AND :10 For God hath revealed (:9) unto us by His Spirit
“”even the DEEP things of God”.
YES, you can understand! YES, you will rejoice and God can give you understanding.
I heard the gospel 35 years ago and what I heard was the gospel truth and I truly believe that this is the way that Jesus lived and taught, weather anyone believes it and walks faithfully in it or not it will STILL be the TRUTH of God in Jesus. All this wickedness and ungodly immorality will be purged thoroughly as time goes on, for God cannot TOLERATE this at all!!!!!!!!. So in His wisdom and almighty power He will do what needs to be done and furthermore He how to do it and when it is time.
These men need to be held accountable for their actions. Ray and Barry for not reporting to the authorities what they knew and the creep whose name I won’t mention. It would be good if charges could be brought against these people. We trust in the living God to make it right one day but it would help the victims if they and others could be indicted.
How is it possible that this “man” is not sitting behind bars? I’m shocked that there is even a discussion about him attending meetings and being in the same room as any woman (it seems no age is safe) I am not from the U. S and am thankful to have never met him, but feel so much compassion for the lives he has destroyed in his wake
Today I’ve come to the conclusion, the crisis we are currently facing stems from 2 things:
1. Utter lack of respect for women and children.
2. Pride.
Thankful the Lord sees ALL. While Leslie (and other overseers) have disdained women in vile ways, the Lord loves women. He empowers women. Faith like a grain of mustard seed can remove mountains.
Heard him years ago and thought he spoke very well, seemed kind and Godly.
Goes to show it’s not what they say or how they say it, it’s the life they live.
You shall know them by their fruit.
While this man is totally responsible for his evil behaviour, the overseers are also responsible for allowing him to stay in the work and not reporting him.
Please read Romans 1 regarding sexual abuse in the fellowship Seems it’s a judgement from God because they turned their backs on God and brought His wrath upon them. Abusing their role and their leadership.
seems to be a judgement for the whole world
Should have said sexual deviant behaviour.
Barry Barkley, Ray Hoffman and any other overseer involved in protecting sexual offenders should be removed not just from work but from meetings. They are responsible for abuse of women and children just as much as Leslie White and other abusers.
In 2013, Ray Hoffman stated that “poor Leslie is now not in the work due to what appears to be a false allegation.” He was referring to the rape of the sister worker who gave her testimony in this letter. He is a lier himself, not the victims who have come forward. Shame on him.
Shame on all the friends and workers for putting up with evil in their church and allowing it to continue.
Absolutely!
Our family has also experienced inappropriate comments from this man about our daughter and a situation he chastised us for not letting him “handle” (involving a teenaged girl). We also remember a series of gospel meetings when he was focused on preaching end times. Someone asked him when he thought time would be up and he said “within 5 years”… and that was 30 years ago. He used to weep on the platform about anyone who would hurt “the little ones”. He put his emotions on display to appear more credible and sympathetic … truly the characteristics of a predator.
This was heart-wrenching and nauseating to read! My heart breaks, again and again…
Ray, Barry, Dale, you ALL MUST admit your utter failure and step away so that this fire can burn through completely! This is NOT OK. EVER. And Ray, your recorded responses from your town hall meeting were atrocious! I love the fellowship that is possible, but I am ashamed that people like you have been the ones “overseeing the flock”. Shame on you.
You described exactly how I’m feeling….I’m so furious and so deeply saddened when I think of the many victims still experiencing awful pain from this vicious person (and many other predators), and to know that men who we once esteemed and respected, continue to enable this behaviour when they have been made so well aware of it! It’s such blatant wrong behaviour that in many cases, is naturally and spiritually life threatening to the victims! 😢
Agree with your righteous anger!
This ministry should be brought down to ground zero and God only be worshipped!
I enjoy the fellowship minus the ministry, I have NO respect for this ministry, apologies to the honest workers, I am waiting to see your righteous anger towards the wolves in your ministry……??
Amen! I feel our focus must change! Those who covered the evil are also evil!
From when I was about 16 years old, Leslie White took an extraordinary interest in me. I thought it was because I liked to ask him hard questions about life, the Bible, and everything, but reading this series of women’s and girl’s experiences, I realize that couldn’t be further from the truth. So many of the behaviors listed here I experienced as well, including long phone calls when I was about 21 years old and asking me out to dinner alone when I was 25 years old, at which time he mainly talked about sex and marriage. He also encouraged me to travel several states away to his field at one particularly tough time in my life, which I did. He instructed me to tell people I was just passing through, and at one point I definitely received an very uncomfortable full frontal hug that many people are talking about. At that point, he was relatively easy to re-buff, but I am a strong personality and am horrified that not everyone was as successful. When I was 30 years old, I saw him at my sister and brother-in-law‘s home, where he came for dinner and to sleep over during special meeting rounds. It was just the four of us. After dinner, just the two of us were chatting, and he was asking me very inappropriate questions about my boyfriend and I, including asking me if I could satisfy him. Because I had something wrong with my neck, he offered to give me a massage, and pointed out that my bed was larger than him his and he would be happy to use my bed. I fled and locked my door. I told my sister all about it the next day very irritated, because at that time I considered him one of my closest worker friends. I think I had blocked this incident out of my mind, because I had forgotten it until this weekend in 2023 when my sister reminded me of it after I read this post. After that uncomfortable evening, I don’t believe that I saw him again until I was married, and he was assigned to our house during special meeting rounds. He asked my husband and me to study Song of Solomon with him, which seemed like a bizarre choice. I am extremely furious with him now, particularly because of the damage that he has inflicted on countless victims, as well as the large number of verses that I associate with his sermons. We clearly all trusted him way too much. If anyone knows if he has received, read, and acknowledged the compilations of the writings above, I would appreciate knowing that. Also, if anyone knows if he is newly banned from speaking in meetings, I’d like to know that as well. The absurdity is mind-boggling.
Nothing criminal here in my experience with LW but definitely inappropriate enough to raise red flags:
As a young married woman, I met up with my younger sister at a convention where LW also happened to be a visiting speaker. He knew our parents and who we were. He was out visiting in a group and greeted us as we walked by saying “Wow, you two have the beautiful bedrooms eyes of your mother”. We were so embarrassed. Everyone in the group heard. We didn’t respond and walked on. I have never been equipped with quick wit for dealing with such things in the moment but thought of plenty to say later.
Another time, when visiting my parents, whom he knew quite well, he said to my mother, in my presence, that he “Would have liked for her to have been his wife but that he wouldn’t have been a very good husband”…which shocked us both. I remember wanting to just slap him, then feeling guilty about that response and so embarrassed for my mother. But I followed her cue to just ignore him.
He also made a disturbing comment that visit for some obscure reason that incest in the OT was not punishable by stoning like adultery was because “God knew children and parents all lived close together and likely slept together”. We didn’t even know what to do with that comment so again he was ignored and subject changed.
Some years later, he was in our home for special mtg rounds. We knew nothing of the allegations against him at the time. I didn’t like him but went along with the visiting/meal plans for my parents sake. At the dinner table, he made veiled comments to our beautiful, astute, confident and professing 12 y/o daughter. My husband and I were taken back but before we could even process to say anything, our daughter calmly looked him in the eye and said “You don’t have the spirit of a worker”. He responded in a condescending tone of correction “You should show respect to the workers”. She maintained eye contact and countered with “ You’ll have to earn that”.
He looked a bit flustered, looked at us as if we should back him up.
I finally had something to say which was “ I think we’ve taught her well.”
He wasn’t happy and never came again.
But everyone ‘loved’ him and came far and wide to hear him speak . What he did teach us was not to trust the charismatic speakers and that lesson has served us well.
This thrilled my heart. You did indeed teach your daughter well. This kind of open response is what will clean out these perpetrators.
I love that your daughter told him that. Good for you for encouraging her to try the spirit.
Your daughter sounds like an amazing person! Keep encouraging her in that clear and wise confidence! ❤
He has read the letter. He has the onset of dementia so I am not sure a response will be given from him. I know I am not the one you’d like an apology from but please know your voices have been heard and I am so sorry for those that have been hurt and those that are still hurting.
Chemical castration injections have been successfully used in dementia cases, requires medical monitoring with follow up applications. Effective.
I would pretend to have dementia, too.
LW has the onset of dementia but he seemed perfectly capable of preaching in gospel meetings until very recently? Have I got that right, or am I missing something?
Could the “onset of dementia” be a cover story for LW? The one I heard used on Harold Bennet was “he’s on the spectrum”, and I believed it, and was sorry after I first heard it from my overseer. Later I learned that same thing has been used before on other alleged offenders, and it is in fact a recycled cover story. Others that it seems like I’ve heard are ” he’s really old”, “he just doesn’t know appropriate boundaries”, “he has the spirit of a lamb”, “he’s really sick now, no one is really confirming what it is yet”. All potentially a mix of excuses and cover stories for not taking action.
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In 2002 at the workers convention in Hector Minnesota,, LW took a sister worker into a room and locked the door. That sister worker had been visiting with us shortly before she went into that room with LW. When she came out, she was never the same.. Several weeks ago I read the letter above. Victim after victim after victim. And my victim wasn’t even listed. All the past feelings came back. Could I have done more to protect her? When she was taken into that room, I froze, I started shaking as if I was experiencing SA, I became frantic. Why? Because I knew Leslie‘s reputation and many years before this incident I had been sexually abused I had already gone through five years of therapy and was sure that I would never freeze again. There I was standing in front of the door and not knowing what to do. Maybe I did the right thing knowing now that he could become violent. On that day I did look for an overseer that I knew, but they had already left the grounds. Now I know it may not have made any difference!
A while later I told our overseer at the time. He told me they were aware that LW had complaints about him and they were trying to get him out of the work with out dividing the friends. At that time LW had a huge following. It took another 10 years before he was actually removed from the work. Even then he wrote a letter stating he was misunderstood. LW may have dementia now but he did not then. He was/is an expert at manipulation.
Thank you for adding another layer. My heart ached for you as I read it because I could associate. It is inexcusable to me that this man was left to rip lives apart. It seems to me that dividing the friends would have been a better solution. I wonder if that is the excuse they are using now … that they don’t want to divide the friends. I hope not because I’m pretty sure none of the friends want to be the “fall-guy”.
You are right. Should be prosecuted.
Have any of the friends who have been assaulted by LW ever taken their case to the authorities?
What I read of this person (and other like minded perpetrators) is criminal.
Friends do not need to involve workers and overseers when reporting such crimes. If there is a need to do so, then it will be after authorities have been advised.
Our fellowship overseers are constrained by those who only see good in others, hope the bad just goes away; and restricted by what those outside of our fellowship will think.
Sadly perpetrators will continue their trail of destruction with no changes being made – until we are all willing to bypass overseers and go directly to the police.
Our workers and overseers won’t act until they have no option but to do so – as proven by decades of cover up.
Just a few weeks ago an overseer said Leslie wasn’t removed from the ‘work’ due to sexual improprieties, he was removed because he couldn’t ‘complete projects’. I believe that overseers are required to take some kind of vow to protect the ‘ministry’ at any and all costs, including their dignity.
Absolute truth. I very much wish this would happen. Not just with him, but with every perpetrator also.
“Our workers and overseers won’t act until they have no option but to do so – as proven by decades of cover up”. This is exactly “the truth” summed up in one sentence. We are not talking about apostles and prophets; we are actually speaking of debased humans that are looking out for their own way forward. Nothing else. Victims, the innocent children, it does not matter. What matters is that at the end of the day, the workers “look” like workers and that they protect other workers. I speak from my own personal experience. The workers solidarity matters.
Are you a former worker?
@For Christ, exactly. Nothing will change until professing people en mas find their voice and demand change. They’ve been intimidated far too long. That’s why I was so proud of the 800 or so courageous people who signed the letter demanding specific changes. It may be that this decades old, (but only recently widely revealed) CSA/SA scourge splits the religion in two; those that no longer accept the lies, deception, abuse, intimidation and cover-ups, vs those who continue to believe their salvation is in the hands of the workers. It happened before when Irvine had an ‘inconvenient’ revelation from God (around 1914) that didn’t sit well with the head workers of that time and they decided to ‘boot’ him, expunge him from their records, and never speak of him again. I still believe that was the start of the veil of secrecy and cover up that has characterized this religion to this day. I can only hope that professing people will study and objectively evaluate truth (small t) vs professing doctrine.
I applaud the bravery of all the individuals who shared their stories here. I am a young person, a relative of LW, who has been lied to. I was told why LW “left” the work when I was a child. I was informed that there was an allegation of abuse. I was told it was an isolated incident (against an adult) that was “absolutely not true” – quote from my parents. I had no idea of the extent of the abuse until this year. I am ashamed to say I believed that the allegations were untrue. I lost my faith when I was very young. I haven’t believed in this way for many years. Everything that’s come out this year has sickened me. Like someone else in the comments said, it can be incredibly hard to leave this group when you are dependent on people who still believe. This group has stolen my belief and my faith. The god I once knew would not allow this to happen to so many.
Please don’t blame this on GOD, yes it is hard to understand how this could go on for so long and innocent children being abused. I don’t understand it either, but I trust the God of heaven who sees the whole picture. Vengeance is mine, I will repay.
I believe God is exposing this now, while exposing false doctrines as well, bringing evil out in the open, bringing truth in the open, extending His mercy again before the soon coming of His son.
Please beg for His help, don’t allow false, evil people to hinder your Salvation.
Trust the ONE who loves you and is waiting for you to go to Him. PLEASE
LW is in VA Asst Living with Dimentia.
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