This was sent to David Covington after his resignation letter to Joseph W. Tkach.

From:      Exit & Support Network,102055,316
TO:         David Covington, INTERNET:coving1d@aol.com
DATE:    5/23/96 5:41 PM

RE:         Copy of: Our Regards--Read First

Hello David, and my regards to your wife.

Our prayers are with you and I hope you and your wife are drawing on supportive assistance at this time. I have just heard Janis Hutchinson's response to you and hope you do understand she just doesn't get it.

I know Michael Sturgell has mentioned the ESN in the past. I also know others, such as Watchmen Fellowship may have used discrediting words toward our almost three year effort of assisting hundreds out of WCG. I wish to reassure you that the ESN is very level headed and many of us have been through a vast amount of experience dealing with the EV [evangelical] community that has been propagandized by Tkach Co. I have personally been very close to the Tkach moves and have documented the last three years of deception and propaganda. I say this at this time only so that you know there is much support out here that you have not been in touch with and it is professional. Individuals like Janis Hutchinson may have written books, but they ARE NOT OUT of the cultic thinking. 

I also have Ron Enroth's number and he would be helpful to talk to if you prefer. He wrote the book, Churches That Abuse [and Recovering From Churches That Abuse]. I have spoken with him in the past and he has a handle on abusive discipleship methods and cultic thinking in Evangelicalism.

Two years ago the ESN started reaching out to the EV community in effort to report the duplicity. Our effort opening a big bad of political worms. The Tkach arena knows well what it is doing.

We are thrilled you are free, pray for continued recovery, and hope, after rest and thought you can take your experience and apply toward the evangelicals who fall in abuse patterns themselves.

If you do not have Earl Williams' number, I would be pleased to send it your way. He might be of assistance to you at this time. I am sending you, through the email, my letter to Janis Hutchinson. This letter is just one of about 20 from various members who have written and pleaded with her. From our viewpoint here, all the letters and correspondence served no purpose but to puff up her own head. That is just what the WCG leaders have done quite well. I started with Hank Hanegraaff, two years ago, and have learned much from all this experience. I will send Janis's response to you also. Although others have continued correspondence with her, I put her on low priority. We are very pressed for time here and strive to work toward avenues that will free the victims, not re-victimize them. I do plan on getting back to her in the near future, possibly next week, just to close off the ESN correspondence and summarize what she has participated in.

Per your request, I will send you post mail the package of Hutchinson letters from at least six people who have been writing her. If you plan on responding to her, it may serve you well to read what others have already said to her and how she responded to them. She had stated things in her letter to you that were quite twisted to what she has been told by several others. These letters could be a good tool for verification.

Please know, there are wonderful folks out here who have risen above the saddest stories and they have healed through spiritual awareness and education of Christ, through learning the reality of the WCG, and through a thorough education on cults and their devastating effects. These people are the healthiest I have personally met, having gone through the healing process.

I have spoken at several conferences on WCG, spiritual abuse and recovery. Yes, we have done lots of homework. I understand you are in your twenties. Your life experience will be an asset to your future endeavors. Our education has given us the power and courage to stand in the face of any confrontation with those holding the millions.

You know my email. If you wish to contact me for materials or anything, please feel free to call on us. My husband has his degree in Psychology and currently works as an outplacement counselor. He is an expert at Resumes. My background, prior to managing this arduous Network task, consisted of seven years in Psychiatric nursing and then into managing my own company. All that before I "was called" into the WCG programming! The Network has been a sacrifice and commitment, but worth every second.

I could provide references from Cult Awareness Network [see update at end on CAN] and many other professionals from several arenas. CRI, however, is not a reference on this list. The publishing EV [evanglical] arena such as CRI, Christianity Today, and several smaller EV's have hurt many exiting and ex-members by endorsing the WCG program. The ESN has been doing a lot of work behind the scenes and we confront those who speak on both sides of their mouths. If anyone attempts to discredit the ESN or my work, I ask that you confront me with the information and question away. We all have everything to gain and nothing to lose with communication.

I am forwarding the following:

My letter to Hutchinson
Hutchinson response
A post for the Internet placed today countering the WWW WCG response to your resignation. (I listened to the tape of Britten's gig from last Saturday.)

Hang in there, our prayers are with you.

L. A. Stuhlman (and in voice for many NET-Workers)

Update: Cult Awareness Network (CAN) is no longer a recommended resource. It was bankrupted by Scientology and is staffed by its operatives; any mention of CAN in this letter is before this took place. More information on CAN is contained in this offsite report.

NOTE: The last Exit & Support Network™ heard from David Covington was in 1999 when he told us that he "spends most of his time in Fiji now," and "doesn't have much time for the WCG stuff anymore." As of August 2000 his website was no longer up.

David Covington's Resignation Letter to Joseph W. Tkach

David Covington's Letter to Greg. R. Albrecht

ESN's Open Response to WCG on the Internet (Re: David Covington's Resignation Letter. Covers WCG's deceitful, abusive tactics)

Thoughts Concerning Worldwide Church of God and David Covington at PFO Conference (correspondence from former WCG member)

Back to Research Letters Concerning Worldwide Church of God Changes

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