Church of the Harvest: “WWJD? Probably Pay His Employees.”

Was I In A Cult?

PodcastOne

True Crime, Comedy, Talk Radio

4.4 • 3.1K Ratings

🗓️ 13 October 2025

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Nine years. One strip-mall church. A duffel bag full of cash, a freezing pool full of goldfish, and a pastor who convinced everyone he had a direct line to God.

This week, Alisha takes us inside Church of the Harvest — a charismatic California congregation that promised purpose, purity, and a path to the pulpit… but delivered something far darker.

Hazing disguised as holiness, unpaid labor disguised as “discipleship,” and extreme control disguised as dating.

Because when your pastor asks you to “volunteer” full-time, pay tuition to do it, and maybe jump into a swamp at 3 a.m. to save metaphorical fish — you might just be in a cult.

______________________

For more cult content, behind-the-scenes chaos, and occasional sermons from our strip-mall pulpit:

→ @wasiinacult on Instagram & TikTok

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Your first great love story is free when you sign up for a free 30-day trial at audible.co.
0:05.5	That's audible.co.uk slash Wondery.
0:11.4	The views, information, or opinions expressed by the guest appearing in this episode solely belong to the guest and do not represent or reflect the views or positions of the hosts, the show,
0:21.6	podcast one, this network, or any of their respective affiliates.
0:32.8	Welcome to our show, everyone.
0:34.3	Was I in a cult?
0:35.8	The show about puppies.
0:38.3	Yes, it's the show about rainbows, kittens.
0:41.3	And warm woolen mittens.
0:44.3	And snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes.
0:47.3	No, unfortunately, that is not what our show is about. What is our show about?
0:52.3	Well, it's in the title. That's a hint. Cults. Technically,
0:55.6	our show is about cults. Or is the cool people say high control or high demand groups?
1:01.6	You know, it is a lot easier to tell your grandmother, whom you haven't seen in seven years.
1:06.3	It's because you were in a high demand group. Right, instead of a cult. But guys, we've got to get over the stigma around the word cult.
1:14.5	Because then people's shame won't be so severe.
1:17.7	You know, and I guess in addition to snowflakes on eyelashes, that is what our show is about.
1:22.6	It's about helping to eradicate humiliation around something that, frankly, you got involved in,
1:27.4	not because you were gullible or easily swayed, as the public opinion may prevail, but because you were an idealistic person who had hopes and dreams.
1:38.9	Who perhaps just wanted to, you know, make the world a better place.
1:42.7	But our show is also to help people spot some cult red flags as they happen.
1:49.0	And to give our guests, the survivors of these experiences, a safe space to share their story.
	...

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