Today I came across a fascinating article from last year profiling Ole Anthony, the quirky and charismatic person behind the Trinity Foundation, which has over the years brought down the empires of a number of sleezy televangelists. The article takes a fairly critical stance and suggests that Anthony’s organization and his leadership style are similar in some ways to a religious cult. (For another take, see also a 2004 profile of Anthony in The New Yorker.)
Anybody out there follow his ministry closely? Is the Dallas Observer article on target here?
Hat tip: The Blog That Goes Ping.)
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June 5, 2007 at 22:57
Well, I just happened to write a book about Mr. Anthony and his Trinity Foundation. In fact, the Dallas Observer article, The Cult of Ole, was inspired by my book, I Can’t Hear God Anymore: Life in a Dallas Cult.
My husband was a member of this Bible-based cult for over twenty years. I was there for seven.
If you want more info, check out my website: http://www.dallascult.com
June 6, 2007 at 07:51
I was with Ole’s group for over six years. Doug, Wendy’s husband was Ole’s room mate for many years. The Dallas Observer article and the Duncan’s book are right on target. That is why not a peep has been heard from Ole. The books main thrust is to warn others about the dangers of abusive groups.
June 6, 2007 at 08:25
Still a spot on description of life in a Dallas cult. Thank God I am gone and alive. larry
June 6, 2007 at 09:54
I am not a member of the Trinity Foundation, but have visited their Bible Studies and group meeting on occasion over the past several years. In all that time, they have never “recruited” me, they have always publicly asserted that anyone could leave at any time (and some have), and that people are commonly asked to leave even though they may want to stay. Cult? I don’t think so. Radical Christian community? Probably so. I’ve never heard anything from them that doesn’t jive with scripture, although it is different than what modern Evangelicalism teaches or the “feel-good” Christianity of the Word of Faith movement and popular televangelists.
Even though Ole is a magnetic figure, the community will likely survive beyond him. They are a needed part of the universal church, showing all believers that the practice of radical Christianity is possible.
June 6, 2007 at 21:00
I don’t doubt Jerry Berggren’s experience is what he says it is, since this group has definitely lost some of its zeal in the last few years as the principals have gotten older. Nevertheless, what he says is not representative of what dozens of people whom Wendy interviewed for her book told her. Many of them have been so damaged by their experiences at Trinity that they no longer count themselves as believers. Trinity has much to answer for, though they still do not seem to be interested in taking an honest look at themselves.
June 7, 2007 at 22:21
Hi there. My name is Brian J. Birmingham and I was a member of the Trinity Foundation for about five months, beiginning in March of ‘06 and ending in early August of that year. I was the assistant to the Foundation’s lead investigator, a man named Pete Evans. Doug and Wendy characterize (correctly, in my opinion) Trinity Foundation as a spiritually abusive “ministry” (CULT)and Ole Anthony as a pathologically dishonest, deeply narcissistic, and cynically abusive man. I heard about the book and the Dallas Observer article, posted at:
http://www.dallasobserver.com/Issues/2006-08-03/news/feature.html
also more at
http://www.dallasobserver.com/Issues/2006-08-03/news/feature2.html
...while still involved with the Foundation. And after careful honest and objective analysis on my part believe that I have seen behind the curtain of lies he’s taken care to weave and have beheld the bitter, cynical, angry, abusive little man whose name is Ole Anthony. Please, I exhort you: this organization, while arguably having had done a service to the church in exposing religious crooks who eat the sheep that they should be feeding, is certainly nothing to hold up as an upstanding Christian ministry, and Ole Anthony certainly is nobody you’d want to encourage anybody to associate with. Indeed, he is the epitome of a false teacher (and I’m just talking about Ole’s behavior as an abuser for starters; I haven’t even described to you the blasphemous, heretical doctrine he teaches, presenting himself every step of the way as somebody with some kin of “anointed”, special insight insofar as his twisted interpretation of the Scriptures.) He has managed, because of his charismatic, manipulative genius and gift for a snappy quote, to stay under the radar of serious scrutiny for years, unlike, say, somebody like Hinn. Ole, however, is twice the hypocrite Hinn ever was, and that’s saying something.
This man has left a wide path of psychic debris from his many abuses strewn about over a more than thirty-year period and it’s time he stopped getting a pass. I only was closely associated with him for five or so months and left with the nasty taste of Ole’s fruit in my mouth. Please, I beg you, take heed to what I write. It’s time he be held accountable, after contriving a long career forcing accountability from others.
June 8, 2007 at 13:57
These “tales” have been circulating for years. Trinity Foundation is an unusual community and ministry that is peopled by some interesting characters who really love the Lord and are dedicated to their work. Their simple life style and plain=spoken ways are not for everyone.
I’ve visited the Trinity community several times and stayed over night, eaten many meals, attended Ole’s Bible studies (ALL available online) and seen nothing but folks calmly going about their business and lives. There are families there with teens and everyone is warm, low key, some are even a little goofy/fun. Many are ex addicts who will tell you their lives were saved (along w/ their souls) through their contact and life with Trinity.
I do not doubt that there may be those who came through and had negative experiences. Ole’s style is mostly “doesn’t give a damn” about life’s trivialities and materialism. He is not the dictatorial head of a cult. He is in constant physical pain—has been for years—and thus in no position to micromanage the ministry or lives of folks in the Trinity community. He spends a lot of time alone in his office, resting in bed, and fielding numerous media requests for Trinity interviews about evil televangelists. Mostly he and Trinity turn down thesemedia requests and do everything they can to stay out of the media limelight.
They could be far more famous and have no interest in that. In fact they work hard at not being the point of the story.
They are not flawless. But unlike many ministries , they do not pretend to be even a bit flawless. Not even close. They deserve nicer digs and better equipment to do great work that they do of exposing sham ministries. Instead, they exist on less than adequate facilities. They are supported by a diverse array of believers from simple church folk and readers of their outstanding, award-winning “The Wittenburg Door” magazine. Thet also have a few verey wealthy Dallas business folk who support and cunsolt with them. Many have been on the Trinity board for many years. I’ve met some of them.
Trinity “staff” members get a salary of $55/week + room and board. Ole’ too. Few even own their own cars. Ole’ does not own a car. If this is a cult it is a miserable failure of a cult for NOT ONE PERSON is getting fame, fortune, or any other goodies from it.
I am sorry when anyone is hurt by their experience in any Christian ministry or community, but have to wonder why they stayed there for many years if it was so bad.
McNair
June 9, 2007 at 14:45
I remember C. McNair Wilson from my days working on The Door, and I was always impressed with his work. In fact, I watched one of his videos on brainstorming and took some things from it that I still apply. Therefore, I am somewhat disappointed to find him weighing in on this controversy with such a poorly informed opinion.
I have said in other forums that Ole is very good at charming visitors to the block. He puts a lot of energy into it, and it pays off for him. He has enjoyed an extraordinary run of favorable press, culminating in the fawning piece in the New Yorker a couple of years ago, which may well have been the low-water mark in the history of American journalism. It was not until Wendy wrote her book that the other side of the story started to come out and the dark underbelly of Trinity Foundation began to be revealed. For her book, Wendy conducted over a dozen formal taped interviews with people who were former members, and talked to many others. She heard tale after tale of unconscionable spiritual abuse at the hands of Ole and the other leaders of Trinity, and was saddened by how many of these victims had, as a result of this treatment, completely lost their faith.
McNair trivializes the experience of these people when he says, “I do not doubt that there may be those who came through and had negative experiences. Ole’s style is mostly ‘doesn’t give a damn’ about life’s trivialities and materialism.” There are at least two problems with this: First, these were not people who were casually passing through. They were people who were members and who were involved for many years. Some were even former elders of the group. Second, the implication is that the people who left were those who were caught up in life’s trivialities and/or materialism. This is also misleading. Most of the former members were—like me—highly committed to the foundation, and willing to make significant sacrifices to advance the goals of Trinity. We did not leave because we were enticed away by the world. We left because we finally got tired of the spiritual and emotional abuse.
Another inaccuracy is where McNair says (of Trinity), “They could be far more famous and have no interest in that. In fact they work hard at not being the point of the story.” All I can say is that he has completely missed the point, if that is what he believes. Trinity has always been about gaining a platform for Ole, and little else. It may well be that Ole now feels he has had his 15 minutes of fame and is ready to rest on his laurels, but for years (before the first PrimeTime Live piece aired) we talked incessantly about how Ole needed a forum. I guess it’s kind of like the guy with a million in the bank telling you that money is not really all that important to him. Easy for him to say…now.
There are other points I could address in McNair’s post, but I’ll end by responding to where he says he has “to wonder why they stayed there for many years if it was so bad.” This is the question that former members of practically any cult (and, yes, Ole is the dictatorial head of a cult) get asked, and must wrestle with themselves. There are some things inherent in the ways cults operate—cult-induced phobias, bounded choice, etc. that cause people to put off leaving, often for years. A major task for former cult members is to educate themselves about how these things work. However, the fact that people stay for awhile says nothing about how bad things are in a given cult. People stayed at Jonestown, too.
June 15, 2007 at 12:13
Thanks, Doug for you kind words and the careful tone of your response to my comments. I cannot verify or deny your experiences with Trinity.
There is nothing but sadness in my heart for anyone who has experienced abuse of any kind—physical, mental, social, and spiritual. I am especially grieved for those who have experienced any form of abuse in the name of God.
When I first heard murmurings of these accounts about the Trinity group in Dallas I was sad. I did not, do not, want them to be true. It is not my place to sit in judgment over other people’s experiences. It is not my intention or desire to argue with or brand as false any of those who tell of their abuse in that setting.
I can only relate my experiences, which are a few visits to the Dallas community over the years. Mostly, my “involvement” there is as an avid reader and sometime contributor to “The Wittenburg Door” magazine. I believe that publication and the investigative work Trinity has done to thwart unethical fund-raising practices in too many, corrupt radio/TV ministry is good and important work. If life “behind the vale” is bad, I am praying that lightening strikes the hearts and minds of those involved. I pray that really change will come to that community.
I cannot “take sides” on the experiences of Wendy on others who, unfortunately, retain deep emotional pain as a result of their time in Dallas. I pray, too, that those who have moved on, physically, from that community will find complete healing and that Our Savior will help them move on, emotionally and spiritually to more Grace-full lives.
I have lots of questions, and many will likely go unanswered, for now. I am not going to get into an online debate on the points, micro and macro. All I have is my experiences which are clearly different than those recounted above. I have and will continue to pray for all parties.
June 16, 2007 at 11:47
We do appreciate your prayers. I acknowledge that there are lots of questions raised by this controversy, so I would encourage you or anyone else who is truly interested in what is going on to get Wendy’s book and read it. You can order it off our website at http://www.dallascult.com or from amazon.com.