• Only God Can Cover: The “covering” language used by Wellspring Church, drawn from the shepherding movement, does not provide spiritual protection but instead can create dependence on human authority.

• Surveillance and Reporting: Members are encouraged to report on one another, and leadership maintains detailed records tracking behavior, attitudes, and loyalty - information that may be used in correction, pressure, or discipline.

• Intrusion into Private Life: Members are discouraged or prohibited from marrying outside the church, and leadership exercises influence over family, friendship, education, and major life decisions.

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Only God can Cover

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Wellspring Church often uses the word “covering,” borrowing language from the old shepherding movement. This language suggests that spiritual protection flows downward from a human leader. But in practice, this kind of covering does not free people; it binds them. It creates a spirit of control, where obedience to a person is mistaken for obedience to God, and dependence on a leader is confused with dependence on the Holy Spirit. What begins as “care” becomes constraint, and what is offered as “protection” becomes pressure.

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Scripture does not teach that any human leader functions as a spiritual shield between a believer and the forces of darkness. While pastors may guide, teach, and care for others, the New Testament consistently points to God Himself as the believer’s refuge and protection.​​

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Only the covering of God’s own presence can protect us. Only the Lord of hosts commands the armies of heaven. Only the Holy Spirit restrains evil, guards our hearts, and keeps the enemy at bay. God alone is our refuge, our strong tower, our fortress, and our shield.

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Human leaders may teach and guide - but they cannot cover. And when they claim to, that claim can become a chain rather than a shelter, a mechanism of control rather than a ministry of grace. The only covering that truly protects the believer is the presence, power, and faithfulness of God Himself.

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Surveillance and Reporting

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This church keeps a dossier on its members - a collection of documents and detailed information. The dossier may include written correspondence from the member to the leadership. The dossier may also include emailed or written comments regarding the individual from other members of the church, including friends, family and leaders. Church members are encouraged to provide information to leadership on how other members are expressing opinions, asking questions, or having ideas about how things might work better.

 

Members are expected to provide leadership with information on other members who are 'not doing well'. This is internal code language for someone who may be thinking of leaving, is questioning the system or is deviating from community norms. Members are encouraged to submit reports to the leadership regarding the speech, appearance, or conduct of other members, particularly if they display behavior or attitudes deemed 'suspicious,' including ongoing private discussions or close associations with individuals outside the church.

 

Items in this dossier may be pulled out in high pressure meetings with individual members. For instance, leadership may retrieve a document in a closed door meeting to support their claim against the member:  'We are concerned about you - Wilber wrote in to tell us you are not doing well' or 'You are rebellious - remember the time in sixth grade when you did this?'

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The practice of maintaining detailed records on members and encouraging reporting creates an environment where personal information can be used in moments of correction or confrontation. Former members describe this as creating pressure to conform, since past statements, relationships, or concerns may be brought forward in private meetings with leadership.​​

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​Control over members' lives

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Former members describe a pattern in which relationships and personal decisions are closely tied to alignment with leadership. The following sections give examples how that influence is experienced in practice.

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• Members are prohibited from marrying anyone outside of this church. This is considered an 'unequally yoked' marital relationship to someone outside of God's kingdom.
   

• This church encouraged a newly married couple (married within this church) to divorce after the young man decided to leave this church.
   

• On multiple occasions, this church refused to join in marriage a believer with another believer, both of whom attended this church, for the sole reason that one spoke in tongues, while the other did not. They were said to be 'unequally yoked'.
   

• Members raised from birth in this church have been excluded from family weddings after leaving this church.
   

• Members raised from birth in this church have not not been notified of a parent's sickness or death after leaving this church.
   

• Parents have been refused access to weddings of their children held at this church.
   

• Children have been refused access to funeral services of their parents held at this church.
   

• Members are pressured to educated their children through a homeschool cooperative.
   

• All members are encouraged “in an effort to maintain unity” to not allow their children to go on single dates with other members until they are out of high school.
   

• Pastors have told certain members that their parents were no longer their parents, but new parents were to be given to them (another older couple in the church was to replace the members’ actual parents).
   

• Pastoral counsel is strongly encouraged for matters of home purchases, car purchases, job changes, college choices, career choices and at times family planning.

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In addition to control of individuals, here are a few examples of group level mindsets that promote control:

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• Nonconformity to group activities and culture may be viewed as a sign of being ‘outside’ the group.

• Maintenance of friendships outside of this church is treated with suspicion.

• Participation in activities like community or club sports is reason for distrust.

• Displeasure is expressed through distancing and gossip.

• Gossip between members is called a sin, but passing negative information to leadership is encouraged.

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