Beaseley's, Rehm's etc...

[iknowright]

This is my first time posting and I'm trying to connect the dots. I think this is the Nebraska fundie bunch and I think there are more of them (families) that all were once part of some church ( "Alliance?") something near Omaha with the Beasley's and Rehm's. I'm trying to remember names, but isn't the pastor's last name Nelson? We've, unfortunately, come into contact with a family who originated from that area and their last name begins with E and almost sounds like the word "enlist." It's a large family with a VERY whackadoo dad and he had some kind of church that met in a barn in Virginia, but they were originally from Nebraska and I *think* he was *ordained* in this church. He used to be on staff at IBLP headquarters near Chicago, yet they deny they are Gothardites (don't they all?) Three of the older kids from this family married three of the kids from the Nelson family in Nebraska. Anyone familiar with this group?

TIA

[Letgo]

I don't know the E family for sure but could it be Enquist? The church is Millard Alliance Church in Omaha. The pastor is Larry Nelson. It is very much connected to Gothard and ATI, but not in an official way. The Beasley family (son Josh fatally shot his wife of three months playing "clear the house" game a few years ago) attends the church-or at least they used to-Pastor Larry Nelson married at least one Beasley son.

The Nelson family had ten children, and two have died. One son, Jonathan, died of cancer, and another, Caleb, was a Navy Seal who was killed in Afghanistan. I think he was married to an Enquist daughter, Anna. Is this the family? I think there is at least one more Nelson/Enquist marriage.

[SamE]

I know of a woman on another board who was involved with that group. THey have a huge number of kids and hubby is in the military. I asked if she was connected to Gothard and she said no. She was an engineer who gave up her career to be a stay-at-home wife.

[ladyamylynn]

There's definitely a Wissmann connection, too. Dan Beasley is married to Bethany Wissmann.

[bean]

There's definitely a Wissmann connection, too. Dan Beasley is married to Bethany Wissmann.

Also, Josiah Wissmann married Abi Rehm.

[yetanothermeg]

I don't know the E family for sure but could it be Enquist? The church is Millard Alliance Church in Omaha. The pastor is Larry Nelson. It is very much connected to Gothard and ATI, but not in an official way. The Beasley family (son Josh fatally shot his wife of three months playing "clear the house" game a few years ago) attends the church-or at least they used to-Pastor Larry Nelson married at least one Beasley son.

The Nelson family had ten children, and two have died. One son, Jonathan, died of cancer, and another, Caleb, was a Navy Seal who was killed in Afghanistan. I think he was married to an Enquist daughter, Anna. Is this the family? I think there is at least one more Nelson/Enquist marriage.

He fatally shot his wife? Playing a game called "clear the house"? What is clear the house? Do you have any links with more info about this?

[yetanothermeg]

OK, I just looked up Millard Alliance Church and it is part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance, which is a legit denomination. Looking at the denomination website, they are evangelical, but don't look particularly fundie.

From the C&MA website (linked on the Millard Alliance website):

"Our overall goal is to develop healthy people (fully devoted followers of Christ), who come together to build healthy churches (unified as the Body of Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit), which produce a bountiful harvest (completing Christ’s Great Commission)."

That sounds like the complete opposite of Gothard to me. Does anyone have more info on Millard and how all these people got involved in Gothardism or more info on the "Nebraska fundies"? I have been on freejinger since yuku days and I have missed the discussion of these people.

[Kitty Luna]

He fatally shot his wife? Playing a game called "clear the house"? What is clear the house? Do you have any links with more info about this?

Quick and dirty links:

http://www.1011now.com/home/headlines/61134272.html

http://journalstar.com/news/local/prosecutors-to-file-charges-in-wife-s-shooting-death/article_b1411642-644d-5db2-ac72-0f75500e0d3a.html

[yetanothermeg]

Quick and dirty links:

http://www.1011now.com/home/headlines/61134272.html

http://journalstar.com/news/local/prosecutors-to-file-charges-in-wife-s-shooting-death/article_b1411642-644d-5db2-ac72-0f75500e0d3a.html

Thanks for the links. Wow, what a tragedy all the way around. I just don't get our country. A 20 year old is not mature enough to drink a beer, but mature enough to own a gun.

[flojo]

Thanks for the links. Wow, what a tragedy all the way around. I just don't get our country. A 20 year old is not mature enough to drink a beer, but mature enough to own a gun.

Here's an old FJ link viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2434

There are a few.

[yetanothermeg]

Here's an old FJ link http://www.freejinger.org/forums/viewto ... f=8&t=2434

There are a few.

thanks!

[yetanothermeg]

This is my first time posting and I'm trying to connect the dots. I think this is the Nebraska fundie bunch and I think there are more of them (families) that all were once part of some church ( "Alliance?") something near Omaha with the Beasley's and Rehm's. I'm trying to remember names, but isn't the pastor's last name Nelson? We've, unfortunately, come into contact with a family who originated from that area and their last name begins with E and almost sounds like the word "enlist." It's a large family with a VERY whackadoo dad and he had some kind of church that met in a barn in Virginia, but they were originally from Nebraska and I *think* he was *ordained* in this church. He used to be on staff at IBLP headquarters near Chicago, yet they deny they are Gothardites (don't they all?) Three of the older kids from this family married three of the kids from the Nelson family in Nebraska. Anyone familiar with this group?

TIA

Is this them? Barn church in Virginia and the last name is Enquist. If you scroll down the page you will see its all Christian patriarchy, women must follow men, men must follow the elders sort of stuff.

gracebiblechurch-rockymount.blogspot.com/

[iknowright]

It might be them. That sounds right. But I don't by the Millard Alliance thing being a mainstream church and not Gothard/ATI dominated. Reading that other old FJ post makes me think they are tightly connected. Looks like it is very common for fundies to be "mysterious" and evasive about their connections to ATI/Gothard using code words like "guidelines they follow" or "some wonderful books on biblical wisdom living" instead of just being honest about who they follow. Plus, it seems from reading some of the old posts that were listed, some of these families in that church in Nebraska had sons who were in ALERT? I mean isn't that the paramilitary Gothard boot camp? If that's the case, then the Millard Alliance Church might be in a mainstream denomination but really be an ATI church after all. The real evangelical churches that denounce Gothard are evangelical free, southern Baptists, etc...

The Beasley "accidental" shooting is astounding and really scary. Something seems so off in that story.

[yetanothermeg]

It might be them. That sounds right. But I don't by the Millard Alliance thing being a mainstream church and not Gothard/ATI dominated. Reading that other old FJ post makes me think they are tightly connected. Looks like it is very common for fundies to be "mysterious" and evasive about their connections to ATI/Gothard using code words like "guidelines they follow" or "some wonderful books on biblical wisdom living" instead of just being honest about who they follow. Plus, it seems from reading some of the old posts that were listed, some of these families in that church in Nebraska had sons who were in ALERT? I mean isn't that the paramilitary Gothard boot camp? If that's the case, then the Millard Alliance Church might be in a mainstream denomination but really be an ATI church after all. The real evangelical churches that denounce Gothard are evangelical free, southern Baptists, etc...

The Beasley "accidental" shooting is astounding and really scary. Something seems so off in that story.

Oh, I'm not questioning if they are ATI. Its just surprising that the Millard Church was part of the C&MA as opposed to IFB or orthodox Presbyterian or non-denominational. And it looks like Enquist left the denomination anyway, the Virginia church called itself non-denom.

[iknowright]

Oh, ok. Does anyone else think it is the norm for Gothard fundies to evade or confuse as to whether they are ATI/Gothard? What is orthodox Presbyterian? Never heard of it!

[yetanothermeg]

Oh, ok. Does anyone else think it is the norm for Gothard fundies to evade or confuse as to whether they are ATI/Gothard? What is orthodox Presbyterian? Never heard of it!

Orthodox Presbyterian is a very conservative Calvinist denomination. Also Covenant Presbyterian as well.

I don't know the answer to your other question. I don't think I've actually met any in real life.

[iknowright]

Thanks for the info.

[Peas n carrots]

Louisa05 lives in the area and knows the local fundie creatures.

I'm from the area too, but I grew up in a not particularly religious family and we only knew of a few fundies.

Eta: just reading through the story I realized my BFF literally lived down the street from them at that time. I'll ask her if she remembers anything about them or the incident.

Also, wtf on the intruder game? They lived in a very nice, safe area of town. It sounds like kids playing cowboys & natives.

[Jennak]

Yup. Fundy bunch. I attended this church from about '95-'98. The shooting mentioned above was not the only event like that to happen in this group. While I was there, one of the ATI boys, 15 years old, shot his mother to death and tried to kill his sister. ATI has a way of pushing you to the edge. Check out the links:

http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1995/Boy-1 ... fa30896ac5

http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 28570/1694

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 212,136610

[iknowright]

Yup. Fundy bunch. I attended this church from about '95-'98. The shooting mentioned above was not the only event like that to happen in this group. While I was there, one of the ATI boys, 15 years old, shot his mother to death and tried to kill his sister. ATI has a way of pushing you to the edge. Check out the links:

http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1995/Boy-1 ... fa30896ac5

http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 28570/1694

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 212,136610

Dannnng! Two more murders committed by a boy who grew up in this same church? - well....committed while he was still a minor. That is serious stuff and makes me wonder about the influence of this church AND Gothard AND the whole ATI homeschool combination.

[Jennak]

It only took being there for three years as a teenager to completely change my life. The influence was so strong. Cult like. You could only think inside the ATI box. I'm still dealing with the effects.

It's a dangerous church with some dangerous families in it.

[Jennak]

And yes, in answer to your first post, Larry and Barb Nelson are the family you were asking about. They had 11 children by the time I left. At least one went to ALERT. Several of the kids married Enquist kids. Peter is now an elder in the church. It's turning into a dynasty!

[iknowright]

So the Nelson's were ATI? How does ALERT work and what is it? Is that any connection with becoming a Navy Seal? They only take the cream of the crop.

[Letgo]

I wonder about ALERT, too. Is it just to prepare boys/young men for life or helping during a disaster? Since they don't join the military it can't be early preparation for that. Or is it a punishment or get-back-on-track type of thing? I read somewhere that ALERT is for wayward boys who aren't towing the ATI/parental line. Yet Joseph and Josiah Duggar both attended and neither has shown any signs of rebellion. Did Josh and John David go? Never heard of them mentioning ALERT. The Duggars don't present it as punishment, just as teaching manly discipline. So what, exactly, is ALERT?

[Coconut Flan]

I think ALERT and JTTH are programs that Gothard concocted as something for high school and just beyond kids to do, earn him some money, and in the case of JTTH check out the latest crops of ATI young ladies. I think the parents sometimes strongly encourage/send their "rebellious" kids for retraining, but these aren't set up as retraining camps solely.