The Word of Faith Fellowship in Spindale, North Carolina called it blasting — an ear-piercing practice in which congregants surrounded a single member and screamed inches from their face, allegedly to drive out demons. According to the Associated Press, these sessions lasted for hours. And former members said the practice escalated from screaming into physical violence that left people with cuts, sprains, and reportedly cracked ribs. Jane Whaley cited Acts 2:2 — the passage about the Holy Spirit arriving as a rushing wind — as biblical justification. But according to former members, the real effect was systematic brutality in which virtually any behavior could trigger a session. Daydreaming. Smiling at the wrong time. A perceived impure thought. The compound maintained a building called the Lower Building where men were reportedly held for up to a year, cut off from families, and subjected to prolonged physical abuse. Michael Lowry alleged he was beaten in 2011 to expel gay demons. Matthew Fenner alleged he endured approximately two hours of violence in 2013 in a session targeting his perceived sexual orientation. Fenner has spent over a decade fighting for a trial. As of 2026, the case has been transferred to a special prosecutor after the original DA faced allegations of misconduct. Tony Brueski continues a five-part investigation into one of America’s most secretive churches with the practice that former members say turned prayer into punishment.

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