Chain of Command part 3

PRETEND

Javier Leiva

Society & Culture, True Crime, Technology

4.7 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 26 May 2026

⏱️ 33 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In part three of Chain of Command, we hear from those who grew up in the New Testament Christian Churches of America. From Victor Johanson, a former Army soldier who confirms on tape that NTCC ministers got vasectomies because children would interfere with their ministry. From a woman we're calling Kaylee, who was raised inside the church and was groomed and assaulted by a family member who was also an NTCC minister. And we look at how the church's CEO, Michael Kekel, has publicly stated at one point that no church is under a legal obligation to report child abuse. This episode discusses sexual assault and the grooming of minors. Please take care while listening. Want to keep going? Bonus episodes featuring the full unedited conversations with Victor Johanson and Kaylee are available right now on PRETEND+ on Apple Podcasts and on Patreon. You'll get bonus episodes and full access to the PRETEND archive. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/pretend/id6443456985 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/pretendradio Resources mentioned in this episode: Stay Away From NTCC (former member YouTube channel run by Tracy Pelfrey) The Mountain News (Bruce Smith's reporting on NTCC) Washington State Senate Bill 5375 (clergy mandatory reporting law, May 2025) Support and resources: If you or someone you know is currently serving in the military and feels pressured by a religious group, you have options. Military OneSource is available 24/7 at 1-800-342-9647. Your installation chaplain can also provide confidential support across all faiths. If you're a former member of NTCC or another high-control group and looking for support, the International Cultic Studies Association at icsahome.com offers resources, recovery workshops, and a directory of professionals familiar with high-control group recovery. If you've experienced sexual assault, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), or online at rainn.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	True Story Media
0:05.4	Before we start, I just want to let you know that this episode, we discuss a sexual assault, and if that is triggering, this might not be the episode for you.
0:17.1	All right, let's start the show.
0:22.7	I'm Ruben-assiano Jr. My parents are still in NTCC.
0:28.5	Ruben says he's one of the lost children of NTCC.
0:33.0	He says he wasn't recruited outside his barracks.
0:36.1	He did not choose this life.
0:38.7	He was born into the religious sect.
0:41.8	So I spent pretty much my entire life, or I should say my formative years in the church,
0:49.2	I would say as far back as I can remember, my memories are founded on NTCC. I just remember just life being
0:59.2	dominated by the church. I've wrestled for so many years with just sharing my account of what I
1:08.5	went through in NTCC. And it's very hard when you have kind of been programmed to not have a voice, to not have an identity.
1:19.6	Today, we're going to hear from the children who were born or raised at NTCC.
1:24.6	We're going to learn what it's like for a 12-year-old girl growing up in the church.
1:29.8	The lack of control over how she dresses, her body, the man she'll eventually marry.
1:36.1	And we're going to look at how that culture of grooming children at NTCC can lead to some
1:41.9	horrifying consequences.
1:47.5	I'm Javier Leva, and this is Pretend.
1:51.5	Stories about real people pretending to be someone else.
2:03.6	You know, The The I'm not have to be honest with yourself and I am not a good dancer. I'm not good at sports. And I am not good at
2:37.3	shopping and buying clothes for myself. So thank God for Quince. Because Quince sponsors this show,
2:43.8	I decided, hey, you know what? Spring is here. I need some new clothes. So I made the leap and I bought
	...

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