The Church of Wells (formerly the Church of Arlington, or You Must Be Born Again (YMBBA) Ministries) is a religious group based in Wells, Texas, founded in 2011. It is considered by some observers to be a new religious movement or cult. The group is led by three elders—Sean Morris, Jacob Gardner, and Ryan Ringnald—and has approximately 90 members, many of whom are young adults and children.
History and Origins
The founders met in the mid-2000s in Waco, Texas. Morris and Ringnald were roommates at Baylor University, and Gardner was attending community college. The three were regulars at Antioch Community Church in Waco before leaving to form their own group. After several years of itinerant street preaching across the United States, they established a base in Arlington, Texas, before relocating to Wells, Texas, in 2012.
Beliefs and Practices
The church's Statement of Faith aligns broadly with fundamentalist Protestant Christianity, including belief in the Bible as the literal word of God and the divinity of Jesus Christ. However, its manifesto distinguishes it from mainstream Christianity. The group holds to a Calvinist theological framework and exclusively uses the King James Version of the Bible. The church teaches that salvation requires total separation from the world, including from family members who are not part of the group. Members believe that most mainstream churches preach a "false Christianity" and that they are among the only truly saved Christians.
Controversies
The group has been involved in multiple legal and public controversies:
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Infant death (2012): A three-day-old infant whose parents were church members died after church members reportedly prayed over the baby for hours before seeking medical attention. The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and Child Protective Services investigated, but no charges were filed.
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Family estrangement: Multiple members have cut off contact with their families. In 2013, Catherine Grove, 26, left her home in Arkansas and resurfaced at the Church of Wells. She stated she was not being held against her will. She briefly left the church in April 2015 but returned twelve days later.
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Disruption of services: In June 2015, six members interrupted a service at Lakewood Church in Houston, heckling pastor Joel Osteen. Four were later acquitted of disturbing a public meeting. Members have also disrupted other church services and public events, including parades in Wells and Lufkin, Texas.
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Allegations of coercion (2016): A former outreach minister named Jordan Reichenberger alleged he was drugged, kidnapped, and indoctrinated by church elders. He reported becoming disoriented after accepting a bottle of water, then being driven to the church compound in Wells and repeatedly drugged over five days. His family located him via cellphone tracking and removed him. Hair and blood analysis reportedly verified evidence of drugging. His story was featured on the television program Dr. Phil in 2018.
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Sawmill operations: The church operates a sawmill (Custom Cut Lumber) in Alto, Texas. A 2022 investigation by Texas Monthly reported that the mill was responsible for approximately 25 percent of all reported sawmill accidents in Texas, along with allegations of child labor law violations and unreported injuries. The mill was cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and was sued for unpaid electric bills.
Legal Status
The group has not been charged with any criminal offenses as an organization. Individual members have faced charges including criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct, with some convictions and acquittals. The group describes its legal encounters as religious persecution consistent with biblical teachings.
External Classification
Various sources, including the Texas Monthly and the Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects, and New Religious Movements, have described the Church of Wells as having cult-like characteristics. The Apologetics Index classifies it as a "cult of Christianity" and a "mind control cult," though the group itself denies these characterizations.
