The Revival Fellowship

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

The Revival Fellowship is a Pentecostal Australian sect that believes in Bible Numerics, a thoroughly debunked theory about numerical patterns found within the Bible. It also teaches British Israelism, generally considered to be unscientific and ahistorical and by some as a justification for racism.

The Revival Fellowship would say its teachings are in line with 'complementarianism', though women have no place in the hierarchy or leadership of the organisation. Over the years since it formed from a schism with Revival Centres International in the 1990s, the offshoot (as well as the RCI itself) has faced numerous accusations from former members that it operates as a cult.

If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with or donate to Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia (via www.cifs.org.au), and you can find resources outside of Australia with the International Cultic Studies Association (via www.icsahome.com).

EPISODE LINKS

• History — CRC Churches International official website

• Heart of Fire: The Story of Australian Pentecostalism — by Barry Chant, House of Tabor, 1984

• The British-Israel Myth - Christian Identity and the Lost Tribes of Israel — by Nick Greer, 2004

• Lloyd Longfield Joins the NRC — by Troy Waller, 2010

• Revival Stories & Document Archive — “a historical document archive and collection of stories of members and former members of the Revival Centres groups of churches”, accessed October 2024

• 5 Harcourt Street — Domain listing for Carn Brae, valuing the property at $24.4m as at 11 October 2024

• An Open Letter from Paul Longfield (son of Lloyd Longfield) — 27 November 1988 letter and undated letter

• Hoyts Rialto Kew — Cinema Treasures listing that mentions Carn Brae history, 27 February 2019

• Carn Brae House & Garden — National Trust listing for the historic property, accessed October 2024

• The Forgotten History of The Forum Theatre — The Museum of Lost Things, 18 June 2018

• 'Unforgiving' Church Hit By Exodus Over Hardline Sex Policy — by Anthony Marx, The Brisbane Courier, 1995

• History — Hills Family Church official website

• Forum for ex-members of Revival Churches — accessed September/October 2024

• Revival Centres Fellowship Info Page, Australia — archived website, no longer live

• NEW MORALS POLICY — facsimile from Pastor A.R. Thomas, 10 January 1995

• Pastor Lloyd Longfield 1919-2012 — death notice by Pastor Simon Longfield, 29 March 2012

• Revival On the Air Today — Revival Fellowships podcast featuring interviews with John & Janet Kuhlmann in 2019

• Leaving a Revival Church Is Hard, but It’s Worth It — by Mark Darbyshire, Medium, 20 July 2022

• The link between gender inequality and violence against women — Our Watch, accessed October 2024

• Letter to the Adelaide Revival Fellowship — by Jean and Frank O’Flaherty, 20 January 1998

• Nick’s Testimony — archived version of the Revival Centres Information website, undated

• Made to Feel So Ashamed — archived testimony on the Revival Centres Information website, 2002

• Tongues - Why they cannot be the definitive sign — by Drew Dixon, undated

• Revival Centres disavows Bible Numerics — Revival cult info website, accessed October 2024

• Bible Numerics — by Pastor Geoff Beggs, Revival Centres International, 9 February 1999

• Ivan Panin and Friends — Australian National University webpage that includes links to Panin’s Panic, the program created by Brendan McKay in 1997

• Ivan Panin and the Gospel of Mark — Australian National University webpage by Brendan McKay, undated

• Amazing numeric patterns in the Bible — YouTube video of Pastor Ben Smith, Victoria Revival Fellowship, 19 September 2024

• Real Stories — stories of healing on the official website of the Revival Fellowship, accessed October 2024

• Papua New Guinean revivalist churches push dangerous campaign for 'faith-healing' of AIDS — by Liam Cochrane, ABC News, 22 July 2014

• The Culture Wars — Brisbane Revival Fellowship teaching, 6 March 2022

• The Last 500 Years — Brisbane Revival Fellowship teaching, 10 December 2017

• Trained to be Victims — Brisbane Revival Fellowship teaching, 29 July 2018

• The End of the End — Brisbane Revival Fellowship teaching, 25 April 2021

• The Role of Women in the Church (2) — Revival Fellowship teaching, undated

• Speaking in Tongues — website exploring Revivalist teachings about tongues, accessed September/October 2024

• Find Us — Revival Fellowships official website, accessed October 2024

• The Trustee for the Brisbane Revival Fellowship Trust — Australian Charities & Not-for-Profits Commission listing, accessed October 2024

• Mission Fund News — the Revival Fellowship Mission Fund website, accessed October 2024