The Revival Fellowship
Special Guest: Alex*
Alex (*not her real name) was born into the Revival Fellowship in Queensland, Australia, in the 1990s. She left at the age of 19, and had to build a whole new life for herself.
EPISODE DETAILS
Written and Hosted by Sarah Steel
Music by Joe Gould
November 20th, 2024
1 hr 7 mins 36 secs
Season 7
Episode presenting partner:
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Revival Stories & Document Archive — “a historical document archive and collection of stories of members and former members of the Revival Centres groups of churches”, accessed October 2024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