Editing River Road Fellowship (section)

==History and formation==
Barnard had previously been affiliated with [[The Way International|The Way]], a Christian sect founded in the 1940s. In the early 1990s, he broke away and gathered several followers to form his own group. He encouraged members to sell their homes and move with him to a rural compound called "Shepherd's Camp," located in [[Finlayson Township, Minnesota]], about 90 miles north of Minneapolis.<ref name="NBC2014">{{cite news |title=Cult Leader Victor Arden Barnard Charged With Child Sex Abuse |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/cult-leader-victor-arden-barnard-charged-child-sex-abuse-n82541
 |work=NBC News |date=April 16, 2014 |access-date=24 October 2025}}</ref>

The group's teachings emphasized strict adherence to biblical literalism and the expectation of Christ's imminent return. Barnard positioned himself as a divinely anointed leader with unique authority and spiritual insight.<ref name="CBS2016">{{cite news |title=Victims speak out after cult leader Victor Barnard sentenced |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/victor-barnard-victims-speak-out-after-cult-leader-sentenced/
 |work=CBS News Minnesota |date=October 24, 2016 |access-date=24 October 2025}}</ref>