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The Millionaire Preacher With A Weight Loss Cult | Gwen Shamblin Documentary

NOT THE GOOD GIRL・41 minutes read

Gwen Chamblin's weight loss program, Way Down, focused on faith-based principles and intuitive eating, leading to global workshops and a controversial church called Remnant Fellowship. Despite legal battles and controversies, Gwen's journey as a millionaire preacher with a weight loss cult ended in betrayal, greed, and a cautionary tale on deception and false prophets.

Insights

  • Gwen Chamblin's weight loss program, Way Down, combined faith-based principles with intuitive eating, focusing on savoring food and shifting attention to God. However, it overlooked hormonal issues and non-Christian beliefs, leading to global expansion but also legal battles and accusations of deceptive practices.
  • Remnant Fellowship, founded by Gwen, faced backlash for challenging traditional Christian beliefs and was accused of cult-like practices. The group fostered dependency and isolation among members, enforced strict control over communication and decisions, and endorsed severe disciplinary methods, ultimately resulting in tragic incidents and a controversial legacy.

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  • Who is Gwen Chamblin?

    A diet guru blending faith with intuitive eating.

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Summary

00:00

Gwen Chamblin: Weight Loss Guru Turned Cult Leader

  • Gwen Chamblin, a renowned diet guru, built a successful weight loss program called Way Down, blending faith-based principles with intuitive eating.
  • Starting in 1986, Way Down emphasized slowing down eating, savoring food, and shifting focus from food to God, attracting a large following.
  • By 1992, Way Down workshops expanded globally, reaching over 30,000 weekly meetings in 70 countries, with Gwen's book "The Way Down Diet" selling over a million copies.
  • Gwen's program, rooted in shame and faith, aimed to help people overcome any challenge through devotion to God, but overlooked hormonal issues and non-Christian beliefs.
  • In 1999, Gwen founded Remnant Fellowship, a church challenging traditional Christian beliefs, leading to backlash and comparisons to cult-like practices.
  • Gwen faced lawsuits from employees who felt pressured to join Remnant Fellowship, with claims of religious discrimination and termination for not attending the church.
  • Employees like Tanya and Anita detailed feeling coerced to join the church, facing termination when they left, leading to legal battles and accusations of deceptive practices.
  • Gwen's controversial statements during legal proceedings, comparing weight loss to forced starvation, raised eyebrows and fueled further scrutiny.
  • Despite legal challenges and controversies, Gwen remained defiant, preaching about sin in Christian churches and promoting Remnant Fellowship as the true church.
  • Gwen's rise and fall as a millionaire preacher with a weight loss cult showcased a journey marred by greed, betrayal, and legal battles, ultimately leading to a tumultuous legacy.

16:48

"Gwen's Remnant Fellowship: Cult or Church?"

  • Gwen claimed to have found God's true church, referring to her own church, Remnant Fellowship, which has faced accusations of being a cult.
  • Remnant Fellowship, located in Brentwood, Tennessee, was built by Gwen on 40 acres of land, including a 25-acre pre-Civil War plantation home called Ashlan.
  • Under Remnant Fellowship's umbrella, Gwen established various businesses like a financial planning company, real estate company, car repair company, and more, all tax-exempt.
  • Gwen allegedly wanted only Remnant Fellowship members to work in these businesses to create a self-sufficient community.
  • Members were expected to use services only from within Remnant Fellowship, fostering dependency and isolation, common tactics in cults.
  • Gwen preached about weight loss through fasting and workshops, demanding regular attendance at workshops and purchase of products at members' expense.
  • Gwen implied that weight loss equated to holiness, emphasizing the importance of appearance and obedience within the church.
  • The FBI raided Way Down Ministries and Remnant Fellowship, leading to a murder investigation involving two members who were sentenced for their son's death.
  • Remnant Fellowship advocated severe spankings for children, with leaders like David Martin endorsing harsh discipline methods.
  • Gwen built a fortune outside Remnant Fellowship, hosting lavish parties and festivals, teaching obedience for blessings and curses for disobedience, fostering a culture of toxic positivity and submission to authority within the church.

33:53

"Remnant leader's control leads to tragedy"

  • Terry Phillips initially felt fine due to medication and spiritual high but later spiraled out of control, realizing she needed her medicine urgently.
  • Remnant leaders instructed two men to take Terry's medicine and flush it down the toilet, as they believed it was necessary.
  • Remnant leadership advised Terry's husband to take away her medicine, claiming they were responding to her cries for help.
  • Terry's journal reflected her turmoil, but Remnant leaders showed little sympathy towards her depression.
  • A Christian doctor informed the Phillips that Terry's issue was medical, not spiritual, due to true chemical imbalances.
  • Remnant leaders had strict control over members' communication, social media presence, and even decisions within marriages.
  • Remnant women were expected to be submissive to their husbands, with divorce strongly discouraged by Gwen Chamblin.
  • Gwen Chamblin divorced her husband of 40 years and remarried Joe Lara in a lavish ceremony with 1500 attendees.
  • Gwen and Joe created a YouTube channel showcasing their life, with Joe pursuing a country music career.
  • Joe Lara, along with five other Remnant members, tragically died in a plane crash due to an overweight aircraft and expired pilot's license.

52:40

Gwen's Greed: False Prophet's Cautionary Tale

  • Elizabeth Chamblin led Remnant Fellowship until her passing, with Gwen filming a video series on greed, encouraging followers to give up money for the kingdom of God. Gwen claimed to be a prophet, promoted dangerous methods for weight loss as a sign of holiness, and left a trail of hurt and betrayal. She preyed on vulnerabilities, lived luxuriously, and ultimately faced the consequences as a cautionary tale on false prophets and deception.
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