The Beginning
of the William Sowders Cult
As Written By Paul Simpson – April 2001
When a minister assumes the
role of Messiah by inserting his authority over people by placing himself
between them and Jesus Christ, thus making their dedication to Jesus Christ
secondary to him, he is out of line and out of order with God. He has
overstepped his boundary and this makes his church a cult. This is what Lloyd
Goodwin did. "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and
man, Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5). "We have one shepherd,
Christ" (Ezek. 34:23). "Therefore as the church (man) is subject to
Christ" (Eph. 5:24). "And hath put all things under his feet, and
gave him to be the head over all things to the church" (Eph. 1:22). A
final scripture that settles the false doctrine of a false teacher, "But
I would have you know, that the head of EVERY man is CHRIST" (1 Cor.
11:3). Therefore, the cultic leader who places himself and his authority
between the church and Jesus Christ is indeed preaching another heresy. There
is no final leader for the Christian except Jesus Christ. And ministers are
forbidden to play the role of Jesus Christ. "I am the Lord, that is my
name, and my glory will I not share to another, and neither my praise,"
(Isaiah 42:8).
Even the Apostle Paul never attempted or pushed his leadership to the point
of controlling the lives of others: "Not that we have dominion over your
faith, but are helpers of your joy, for by faith ye stand" (2 Cor.
1:24). "Neither as Lord's over God's heritage, but being an example to
the flock" (1 Peter 5:3). And he said, "But be not ye called Rabbi,
for one is your father upon the earth, which is in heaven. Neither be ye
called master, for one is your master, even Christ. And he that is the
greatest among you shall be your servant--not your Lord." As for the
Christian, the Apostle Paul said, "Not as men pleasers, but doing the
will of God: with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to
men" (Eph. 6:6-7). "Ye are bought with a price, be not ye servants
of men" (1 Cor. 7:23). And, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,
and HIM ONLY shalt thou serve." (Matt. 4:10). Jesus Christ has set the
Christian free, and no human self-appointed Messiah is entitled to take this
freedom from him. The true Body of Christ is made up of those that will not
allow themselves to be placed in an involvement of serving a human leader
rather than Jesus Christ.
There are only two kinds of authority on earth, righteous and unrighteous.
Righteous authority is God's delegated authority enforced by the Holy Spirit.
You do not assume authority. God gives you authority.
Satan's authority, which is unrighteous authority, is enforced through
witchcraft. What is witchcraft? Witchcraft is the control of people through
domination, intimidation and manipulation, the precise way Lloyd Goodwin
controlled the people within his cult and the precise way they are still
being controlled under Glenn Goodwin, Lee Ray and many other Gospel Assembly
Churches. "Oh foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? You are under
the influence of the evil eye" Gal.3: 1-5. "For the leaders of this
people cause them to err, and they that are led of them are destroyed"
Isaiah 9:16.
Lloyd Goodwin's beginning in false doctrine began when he was a young boy
growing up in Indiana under the teaching of William Sowders, head of a
movement known as "The School of The Prophets", the same movement I
grew up in as a boy under E.L. Mullineaux in Wichita, Kansas. While Sowders
proclaimed his movement was built upon inspiration by God, it was instead
built upon syncretism. He began his cult by synchronizing the doctrine of two
well-known cults, The Jehovah's Witness and The Seventh Day Adventist. As
proof, there are at least eight rules right out of their handbook that were
made a part of the Sowders/Goodwin cult rules and government of their
churches:
1) That members must "shun" former members who have left the
church.
2) That single members can only date and marry members of the church.
3) That members cannot associate with people of the "outside world,'
4) Heavy authoritarism.
5) Deception.
6) Independent thought
7) and college heavily discouraged.
8) Using guilt and fear as the number one tools to control and dominate
followers.
Syncretism is a favorite cultic device and this is what William Sowders did.
A syncretistic religion is NOT Christianity at all, it is a cult! "But
evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being
deceived" 2 Tim. 3:13. William Sowders and Lloyd Goodwin were evil men
and seducers.
Today we find several groups of ministers still in operation and once
associated with The School of The Prophets movement, now re-named the
"Gospel Assembly Church" or close to that. Some still prominently
display a large picture of William Sowders in their sanctuary in worship of
him. Each one of these different groups say they are the right one and all
the others are wrong while they all teach the same false doctrine and say
they are the Body of Christ when nobody has a monopoly on the Body of Christ.
The Body of Christ is not limited to people behind four walls with a roof
over it or to any particular group of people. False teachers surely are not
in the Body of Christ because they all have the same damnation and judgment
pronounced upon them and reserved for them in the mist of darkness FOREVER, 2
Peter 2:17. This was Lloyd Goodwin's fate. He has no hereafter life.
Ministers that preach individuals can only be saved through them are
preaching yet another heresy. We are not, and cannot, be saved by any human
leader or Messiah on this earth, as Lloyd Goodwin claimed. God's word clearly
says that the Christian is ONLY saved by grace through faith; it is the gift
of God Eph. 2:8. Another heresy of-the false teacher is who a believer is.
According to Goodwin, anyone who did not believe in Lloyd Goodwin or his
doctrine was a non-believer. NOT SO!
The scriptures take issue with this kind of false doctrine. For very clearly
the non-believer is one that does not believe in Jesus Christ. In John 3:18,
we are told who the believer is and whom he must believe in: "He that
believeth in him (Jesus Christ) is not condemned, but he that believeth NOT
is condemned already because he hath not believed in the only begotten Son.
Therefore, being saved or being a believer is surely not dependent upon the
Christian's membership or affiliation with any particular church, group or
minister such as LLG or the GAC. But rather by, and only in, being a believer
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Neither is the Christian backslidden, lost, or
damned, based upon that fact, when he/she leaves a particular church or
movement as cult preachers threaten when a member leaves their church. To the
contrary, our salvation is still intact within us wherever we go move on to.
"Neither shall they say; Lo here! Or lo there! For, behold, the Kingdom
of God is within you" Luke 17:21. Threatening their members with
damnation if they leave is one of the greatest tricks and lies that a cult
leader perpetrates upon them, when in fact, leaving is the only thing that
can save them. Again I quote, Isaiah 9:16, "For the leaders of this
people cause them to err, and they that are led of them are destroyed. So if
you want to be destroyed, stay; if you want to be saved, leave. You have the
blessing of God if you leave, as this is the only way you can be saved and
not destroyed. This is the only way to get out from under the influence of
the evil eye and witchcraft, Gal. 3:1-5. Threatening you with damnation if
you leave the cult is just another scare tactic to hold you within their
bondage, according to Ezek. 34:4, "But with force and cruelty have ye
ruled them." Lloyd Goodwin was a cruel and evil man. His nephew, Glenn,
and Lee Ray learned from him and adapted his nature.
Also, the basis of the Sowders/Goodwin doctrine, that members
"shun" former members who have the cult, comes right out of the
handbook of the Jehovah's Witness and The Seventh Day Adventist churches, the
two cults the Sowders/Goodwin movement was founded upon. This is why my
oldest daughter and son were forbidden to talk to me or have a relationship
with me after I left their cult. My one daughter that is still in there is
still forbidden to have a relationship with me by Glenn Goodwin. My son no
longer attends Lee Ray's church and no longer under his bondage, so will see
what the future holds there.
Biblical illiteracy by cult members is one of the reasons for the success of
religious cult leaders today. The false teacher knows this and therefore
takes advantage of the opportunity to promote their own self-serving motives
and entrap their followers into permanent bondage. They keep them ignorant
of the scriptures by telling them which scriptures to read while omitting
those that are detrimental to beliefs or control of power. Followers are to
accept their leaders interpretation of the scriptures without question.
One definition of the word "cult" is: "Extravagant devotion to
one singular person other than Jesus Christ." It is a heresy.
ELEVEN MARKS OF PERVERTED AUTHORITY
By: John Anderson
1. The claim of direct authority from God. Many today have set their
"personal" revelation and experience above the final authority of
God's word.
2. The command is to "submit to me," rather than "I will serve
you
3. The method of leadership is to "order" people around, rather
than to appeal for them to do the right things.
4. There is a dominating, domineering, "pushy" drive instead of a
dependence on God to direct. 5. There is a sense of control, rather than a
sense of support.
6. A gift is exploited so that others are made to feel dependent on it.
7. There is inflexibility - "don't question me - don't touch the Lord's
anointed.,,
8. There is an unapproachability and intimidation - the "aural' around
the leader keeps the followers in "awe."
9. There emerges an organization built around a man and his peculiar emphases
instead of around Christ and his Word.
10. There will be cyclical challenges to the authority figure, which are
immediately and forcefully purged.
11. There is more concern for maintaining the authoritarian structure than
there is for caring about the people in it.
THE SEVEN TRUE CHARACTERISTICS AND INDICATORS OF A CULT
By Paul Simpson
1. Teaching that the leader is the only one God will use to head his church
and that all other churches are enemies of God.
2. Claiming to be the only one through whom God works to save man or bring
him enlightenment.
3. Robbing God of glory and office by claiming to be the truth or supreme
authority over all the true church.
4. Claiming the right to cancel, reverse, or alter Bible principles or
commandments.
5. Claiming the right to be the only one with the right to interpret the
Bible.
6. Requiring members to abandon their right to think for themselves and
accept everything told them by their leader without question
7. Turning over to their leader all rights, decisions and property, trusting
him entirely for salvation and knowledge of the truth.
Concerning #4 of the above, "Claiming the right to cancel, reverse, or
alter Bible commandments; Lloyd Goodwin made a good example of this one by
telling my daughter to ignore the fifth commandment to honour thy father -
and that it did not apply because I was no longer in the cult and it would
only apply if I were. How utterly ridiculous for anyone to believe that when
in fact, it is a commandment with a promise - a promise of long life if
obeyed, not a commandment with qualifications as Goodwin would have them
believe. That is indeed altering Bible commandments. This commandment say's
to, "Honour thy father and thy mother that thy day's be long upon the
land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.,, Nothing there that say's to honour
thy mother only because she is in your church. So what my daughter, son
in-law and son should be concerned with in dishonoring me as their father is
that they are also dishonoring God in doing so. For Romans 2:23 tells us:
"Thou that makest boast of the law, through breaking the law
dishonourest thou God." In James 2:10, "For whosoever shall keep
the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is GUILTY OF ALL.'
The false teacher is described in the word of God as being unstable, sexually
oriented, covetous, heretical, a slave to corruption and damned forever.
"For God has already judged them and for them is reserved the mist of
darkness FOREVER," 2 Peter 2:17. Lloyd Goodwin once said from the pulpit
that anyone who dies before the age of 70 would die under the judgments of
God. He was 67 at death. As promised in 2 Peter 2:17, he was already judged,
damned, and died under the judgments in the mist of darkness forever. Other
false teachers who were or still are, associated with the Sowders/Goodwin GAC
movement will also die in the mist of darkness forever as Lloyd Goodwin did,
for God has already judged them, and you.
Being sexually oriented well describes Lloyd Goodwin before his death. Glenn
now calls his uncle Lloyd a great man who actually was a child molester and
rapist among other things. Glenn also calls a
convicted pedophile, Tommy Jolly, "a great man." Lee Ray also
said that Lloyd Goodwin was the greatest man I've ever met and the most dedicated
man to God I've ever known." How could that be? Lets take an exam to see
about Goodwin's dedication to God: The Apostle Paul told Timothy that the
first character quality of a Bishop or minister, is that his "life be
blameless, above reproach, of good report and of good behavior. (He's already
flunked the exam). They are NOT to be adulterers (flunked again), NOT A LORD
(flunked again), not a heretic, not a tyrant, not a dictator, or an idol
(flunked again on all counts). They are to be a SERVANT to the flock, be
chaste and an example in word, faith, spirit and PURITY (flunked again on all
counts.)
Lloyd Goodwin loved to bully his members. He called them dung, dogs, hogs,
worms and garbage from the pulpit. He loved to intimidate his members
publicly from the pulpit in front of the congregation and was the meanest
spirited man I ever met. He was the most exalted, ruthless, egomaniac I ever
met with an unmatched grandiose arrogance and ego. He was not godly in
nature, in personality, nor godly in character or how he treated people. He
was paranoid, cruel, and had an utter lack of remorse. He lacked any moral
sense or conscience, and would lie, cheat, and exploit people without
remorse. One needed to only displease him for him to pour out his anger and
wrath upon them. This was the man I knew as Lloyd L. Goodwin. He was only
dedicated to himself, not God, and was certainly not the greatest man I have
ever met.
False teachers such as Goodwin and Lee Ray have always treated the women and
girls of their church as their personal property belonging in their harem. I
have never known of any cult leader without this trait and kind of activity
in sexual involvement and exploiting of the women and girls of their church.
Sexual involvement by ministers with women and under aged girls of the church
is tantamount to family incest. The dynamics are the same. Ministers are
expected to provide a nurturing, caring environment and a safe refuge. They
are supposed to be in the business of helping people, not destroying them. However,
the false teacher is not remotely concerned with a person's soul, welfare,
salvation, family or home. They are only concerned with their own
self-serving motives and interest, such as sex, money, control of member's
lives, and to build an empire unto themselves. These are the things, which
drives the false teacher as it did Lloyd Goodwin, now Glenn Goodwin and Lee
Ray.
If I were a married man still in one of these GAC churches, I'd take my wife,
daughters, and sons and get the hell out of there, but fast. For your wife or
daughter could be the next one approached, molested, and sexually abused or
raped. It's still going on and no doubt in your church. If you value your
marriage, wife and home, you'll not attend one more service. Why would you
continue to subject your wife and daughters to a pedophile or rapist, or to a
man who proclaims that a rapist and pedophile is a "great man" not
to mention he is an adulterer and a home wrecker with at least two divorces
to his credit. Therefore, Lee Ray certainly does not meet the character
qualities of a minister according to the Apostle Paul. His life is not
blameless, not above reproach, not of good report, not of good behavior. He
acts as a Lord, is a heretic, a tyrant, a dictator, and would like to be an idol.
He is not chaste or an example in word, deed, faith, spirit, and certainly
not in purity. Therefore, Lee Ray does not meet or possess the character
qualities of a minister that the Apostle Paul said he is to possess, thus
making him unfit for the ministry. As previously said, Biblical illiteracy by
cult members is the single greatest reason for the success of cult leaders
today. Therefore, I encourage every reader to search the scriptures for
yourself as I have, and no longer rely upon human leaders for truth who have
only self-serving motives and are not remotely concerned with truth, your
soul, your welfare, your family, or salvation.
We are admonished in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 and John 4:1, "to prove all
things for myself." And there is only one whom you can put your trust
and faith in, Jesus Christ. For we have only one shepherd, Christ, "And
I will set the Christian free, and no human Messiah is entitled to take this
freedom from him. The Christian is warned: "Perverse disputings of men of
corrupt minds, and destitute of truth, supposing that gain is godliness; from
such withdraw thyself" 1 Tim. 6:5.
Not only did I withdraw myself from men of corrupt minds and destitute of the
truth, I have scriptural rights in Eph. 5:11-13, to REPROVE, REBUKE, and EXPOSE
the false teacher and the fruitless works of darkness. I have not only the
right, but it is my responsibility and obligation to expose the unfruitful
works of darkness and false teachers. We are also to refuse profane points of
view and old wives fables, for these false teachers are guilty of doctrinal
error and of subverting the members of Gospel Assembly Church into heresy.
Only those who leave this GAC cult movement remove themselves from the final
resurrection of damnation. Just as the Apostle Paul said in Gal. 2:11:
"When Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he
was to be blamed." This, I am doing and will continue to do with Glenn
Goodwin, Lee Ray, and any other corrupt false teacher that gets in my way or
I come into contact with. For the Goodwin's, Lee Ray and many other ministers
are to be blamed and exposed for doctrinal error and subverting the members
of Gospel Assembly Church into heresy, including my daughter and son. I have
now withstood them to the face. Also remember, if you are still a member of
one of these churches with a false teacher as your leader, you are being
dominated by witchcraft and are under the influence of the evil eye and being
destroyed. Also remember, if you are still a member of one of these churches,
your minister is already judged by God, and damned forever and for him is
reserved the mist of darkness forever. As for me, I will "Stand fast in
the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and will not be entangled
again with the yoke of bondage" Gal. 5:1.
PAUL SIMPSON
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