Muda69 Posted May 16 Posted May 16 https://www.jconline.com/story/news/local/2025/05/15/lawsuit-lafayettes-faith-church-used-clients-as-forced-labor/83585492007/ Quote Faith Church's Vision of Hope is a residential ministry intended to help women with chemical dependency, unwanted pregnancies, mental health challenges and eating disorders. But a federal lawsuit claims it also is a source of free labor for the church. Family members or churches pay hundreds of dollars a month for residents to stay there for treatment, according to the lawsuit filed May 9. The lawsuit claims that Vision of Hope clients were used as forced and unpaid labor for the various Faith Church ventures, such as its community centers, recreation/gym facilities, its senior living facility or for lawn care and landscaping work. The lawsuit filed against Faith Church on behalf of three women accuses its Vision of Hope ministry of forcing its clients to work with no compensation while they are treated for addictions, mental health disorders, eating disorders or unplanned pregnancies. Rod Hutton, executive director of Vision of Hope, said about the lawsuit's claims, "The women who sought biblical counseling at Vision of Hope were welcomed into our community for only as long as they found the ministry helpful to them. "We value each of them and are disheartened to learn that some have made these accusations about the program," Hutton said. "Our prayers are with them, and out of respect for all involved, we have no more to share at this time." The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Northern Indiana lists Hosanna Miller, Faith Russell and Rachel Miller as the plaintiffs. All three are former residents of Vision of Hope. "During their time as residents, defendants expected (residents) ... to perform a substantial amount of labor for which defendants paid her no compensation," the lawsuit states. The lawsuit requests the court to certify the filing as a class-action suit. If that happens, Jason Ramsland, an Indianapolis attorney representing the women, said every woman who was a resident at the Vision of Hope over the last 10 years will be eligible to share in any compensation if the plaintiffs win their case. The lawsuit alleges the use of Vision of Hope residents as unpaid, forced labor reduced Faith Church and its ministries' need to pay employees for cleaning, landscaping and lawn care, retail store staffing and running errands. Vision of Hope and Faith Church coerced the women with threats of psychological and reputational harm, the lawsuit alleges. If residents refused to work, Vision of Hope threatened them with "consequences," which might include communal shunning by the others in the program. This, in turn, created a threat of "psychological harm," the lawsuit states. The Vision of Hope program required residents to schedule their week. The schedule was then reviewed by staff members to make sure enough time was allotted for the "forced, unpaid labor demanded by Vision of Hope," according to the lawsuit. "If a resident sought to allot additional time for Bible study and Vision of Hope deemed the planned time for labor participation inadequate, Vision of Hope could and did alter the resident's schedule to meet Vision of Hope's demands for the resident's unpaid labor, including displacing Bible study for more labor," the lawsuit states. “Residents often felt afraid to leave or unable to leave because of the threats of reputational harm,” the lawsuit states. “Residents who left the program were subjected to communal shunning, forcibly losing relationships that they had cultivated during their time as a resident. ... Though residents had the option to leave Vision of Hope and thus end their forced labor, that option was often an illusion because of the threat of serious psychological and/or reputational harm.” Residents were expected to eat all of the food they were served, regardless of quality or quantity, the lawsuit states. Those who did not eat all of their food faced "consequences," including shaming, extra Bible study or shunning. Residents who progressed far enough in the program might be allowed to take a job, but they were at constant risk of losing the job as a result of Vision of Hope actions, according to the lawsuit. A working resident might face a consequence of being "phased back" and losing the privilege to have a job "outside of their forced, unpaid labor for Vision of Hope," the lawsuit alleges. If a resident lost her job by being "phased back," she faced reputational harm, as well as the loss of peer friendships she established at her job. The lawsuit asks the court to order Vision of Hope to stop forced labor and threats of serious psychological and reputational harm. It also asks for compensatory and punitive damages, as well as attorneys' fees and court costs. Not surprised. I have heard from others who describe Faith Church as a "cult". This just may be the tip of the iceberg.
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