Editing Jesus Christians (section)

===2000-2010===
[[File:Bobby Kelly and Roland and Sue Gianstefani.jpg|thumb|Bobby Kelly (left) caused a British tabloid media frenzy by "disappearing" with the religious group "Jesus Christians" in June 2000 as a teenager. 17 years later Bobby poses with friends Roland and Sue Gianstefani who were convicted of contempt for refusing to reveal his whereabouts to a High Court judge.]]

====Bobby Kelly Controversy====
On 14 July 2000 the group was splashed across the front page of the British tabloid [[Daily Express]], which declared that members Susan and Roland Gianstefani had [[kidnap]]ped a 16-year-old boy, Bobby Kelly.<ref name="guardian.co.uk" /> Bobby had picked up a Jesus Christians cartoon book called ''The Liberator'' in Romford High Street, [[Essex]] near the end of June 2000,<ref name="The Daily Telegraph">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1350630/Police-find-sect-boy-at-woodland-camp.html|title=Police Find Sect Boy at Woodland Camp|last1=Pook|first1=Sally|date=28 July 2000|accessdate=12 December 2017|publisher=The Daily Telegraph|quote=A teenager who vanished a month ago with a religious sect was found yesterday with two of its members in a tent in Hampshire.}}</ref> and gone home to tell his grandmother about the Christian man he met. Bobby went out again that afternoon and returned to tell his grandmother he wanted to join the Jesus Christians. A few days later, "an Australian couple with their young son, a German, and two English men" from the group visited and met Bobby's grandmother.<ref name="Cult Kidnaps Boy Aged 16">{{cite news|last1=Hendry|first1=Alex|title=Cult Kidnaps Boy Aged 16|url=http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=464&Itemid=8|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523125908/http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=464&Itemid=8|url-status=dead|accessdate=15 December 2017|publisher=Express Newspaper|date=July 14, 2000|archivedate=23 May 2015}}</ref> In the first two weeks of July, while Bobby was with the group and before the scandal had hit the headlines, Bobby visited his youth worker from St. Peters Anglican Church in [[Harold Wood]]. He had previously attended that church. The youth worker, David Whitehouse, told the press a week later, "The group has a veneer of respectability, but there is something very disturbing about them. When I saw Bobby a week ago, he was with three of them, and he seemed very scared, which was unlike him".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hendry|first1=Alex|title=Cult Kidnaps Boy Aged 16|url=http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=464&Itemid=8|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523125908/http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=464&Itemid=8|url-status=dead|accessdate=15 December 2017|publisher=Express Newspaper|date=July 14, 2000|archivedate=23 May 2015|quote=David Whitehouse, a youth worker at St Peter's Church in Harold Wood, Essex, which Bobby attended, said: "He is a typical cheeky teenager and will talk to anybody and that's what happened here. This group has a veneer of respectability but there is something very disturbing about them. When I saw Bobby a week ago he was with three of them and he seemed very scared, which was unlike him."}}</ref>

Sometime before July 14, David Whitehouse, "the family friend who helped set up the rescue effort", and "who suspected that something was wrong, and did something to try to save him" had been in contact with anti-cult "exit-counseller" [[Graham Baldwin]], described in the media as Whitehouse's friend.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hendry |first1=Alex |title=Cult Leader Defies Bid To Track Down Bobby |url=https://culteducation.com/group/1001-the-jesus-christians/10715-cult-leader-defies-bid-to-track-down-bobby-.html |publisher=The Daily Express |access-date=25 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140712152610/https://culteducation.com/group/1001-the-jesus-christians/10715-cult-leader-defies-bid-to-track-down-bobby-.html |archive-date=12 July 2014 |date=15 July 2000 |quote=David Whitehouse, the family friend who helped set up the rescue effort}}</ref><ref name="Cult Kidnaps Boy Aged 16" /><ref name="Whitehouse Baldwin Kirby">{{cite news |last1=Mullins |first1=Andrew |title=Police find boy hiding with sect in forest |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/police-find-boy-hiding-with-sectin-forest-707063.html |access-date=25 February 2025 |work=The Independent |date=28 July 2000 |quote=Mrs Kelly was advised by David Whitehouse, a pastor at St Peter's Church in Romford where the Kellys live... Mr Whitehouse is a friend of Graham Baldwin, of Catalyst, a charity that counsels people who have left cults. They put the pastor in contact with solicitors Kirby & Co of Wimbledon, who began moves to have Bobby made a ward of court.}}</ref> Baldwin formed and directs the charity Catalyst, which helps families of people involved in groups labelled as "cults". Baldwin put Whitehouse in contact with Clare Kirby, a [[solicitor]] who "specialises in cases against cults", and who has worked with Baldwin in other cases.<ref name="Cult Kidnaps Boy Aged 16" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kirby |first1=Clare |title=Notable Reported Cases and Media |url=https://www.peacock-law.co.uk/team/clare-kirby/ |website=Peacock & Co Solicitors |access-date=25 February 2025}}</ref> They then began moves to advise Bobby Kelly's grandmother to have Bobby made a [[Ward (law)|ward of the court]].<ref name="Whitehouse Baldwin Kirby" /> Graham Baldwin also advised David Whitehouse to give Bobby Kelly the impression that everything was normal until the solicitor succeeded in getting the emergency High Court action to try to "rescue the schoolboy".<ref name="Whitehouse Secrecy">{{cite news |title=Cult link youth may be abroad |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12184037.cult-link-youth-may-be-abroad/ |access-date=25 February 2025 |work=The Herald Scotland |date=14 July 2000 |quote=I had been in contact with a group which helps those taken in by cults before the meeting and been advised to keep things as normal as possible. Until Bobby had been made a ward of court, it was important to keep in contact as this group has a record for just going underground.}}</ref><ref name="Cult Kidnaps Boy Aged 16"/> Neither Bobby Kelly's grandmother nor any other relative or friend told him to come back home nor that there was an issue with him being with the Jesus Christians "until it was all in the newspapers".<ref>{{cite news |author1=Jon Ronson |title=I wasn't Brainwashed but Enlightened |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/726967526/ |access-date=25 February 2025 |work=Evening Standard |agency=Newspapers.com |date=13 October 2000 |page=116 |quote=My nan didn't tell me she wanted me back until it was all in the newspapers}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Exclusive Bobby Kelly Interview |url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xd6izd?start=389 |website=Dailymotion |access-date=25 February 2025 |date=4 May 2010 |format=Video |quote=At not one point did she or anyone, absolutely anyone, no family member or her or anyone or even a friend, suggest to me that I needed to come back or said 'we want you to come home' or 'we're scared that you're spending time with a religious cult'... if someone had told me that there was an issue or suggested that I come home, I would have come home.}}</ref> 

The front page newspaper report in ''The Express'' was published two weeks after Bobby first met the Jesus Christians with the story that Bobby had "disappeared" after he met the group: "Within hours Bobby had forsaken his possessions and moved in with the group. The police were called and the airports and docks were put on the highest alert".<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ronson|first1=Jon|title=Lost at Sea, The Jon Ronson Mysteries|date=2013|publisher=Pan Macmillan|location=Part Five, Blood Sacrifice|isbn=9781447246039|page=313|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DDlEpTj8iNIC&q=cult+kidnaps+boy+age+16+Jesus+Christians+bobby+kelly&pg=PA313|accessdate=7 December 2017}}</ref> After ''The Express'' broke the story, instead of handing the boy over to the police, the Jesus Christians with Bobby "in tow", panicked and went "on the run".<ref>{{cite book |author1=Jon Ronson |title=Lost at sea: the Jon Ronson mysteries. |date=2012 |publisher=Picador |isbn=978-1-4472-6471-2 |page=335 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cBjYCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA335 |quote=There was an emergency High Court action to 'rescue' the boy, which led to Bobby's photo being circulated. That's when the Jesus Christians panicked and went on the run, with Bobby in tow.}}</ref> The UK Jesus Christians became fugitives for two weeks.

When the Jesus Christians could not be found in the nationwide search, and when Bobby started doing telephone interviews with the media declaring that he had not been kidnapped,<ref>{{cite news|title=Boy speaks out for sect|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/852109.stm|publisher=BBC News|access-date=18 May 2013|date=26 July 2000}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Radio Interview with Bobby Kelly |url=https://jesuschristians.com/media-section/controversies/cult-kidnap-boy/television-and-radio-clips/614-bbc-radio-interview-with-bobby-kelly |website=Jesus Christians |access-date=11 May 2023}}</ref> an emergency court ruling was made banning the broadcast of interviews with Bobby or the group, which the BBC successfully challenged, considering it to be a case of "extreme censorship".<ref>{{cite news|title=BBC barred over cult boy footage|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/838861.stm|publisher=BBC News | date=18 July 2000}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=Rod Liddle |title=Free to report |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2000/jul/31/broadcasting.mondaymediasection1 |work=The Guardian |date=31 July 2000 |quote=This was, in our view, an extreme case of censorship. While Jesus Christians were allegedly in contempt of court for not having disclosed the whereabouts of Bobby Kelly, the organisation was not illegal nor a force for evil deserving a restriction of its members' civil rights. Why should they be deprived of free speech?}}</ref> 

Bobby was eventually located hiding out with two Jesus Christian men, including Reinhard Zeuner, in a [[Hampshire]] forest,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Pook|first1=Sally|title=Police Find Sect Boy at Woodland Camp|url=http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=467&Itemid=8|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107120255/http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=467&Itemid=8|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 November 2011|accessdate=12 December 2017|publisher=The Daily Telegraph|date=28 July 2000|quote=A teenager who vanished a month ago with a religious sect was found yesterday with two of its members in a tent in Hampshire. The threesome had earlier spent 10 days staying on an official camp site at the Basingstoke Canal Visitors' Centre. The man who booked in said he was Reinhardt Zenner.}}</ref> and placed in a [[Foster care|foster home]]. No members of the Jesus Christians were charged with kidnapping but a charge of [[contempt of court]] (for failing to answer questions from the High Court judge) resulted in six-month sentences for Susan and Roland Gianstefani. The solicitor for the Gianstefani's told the court that the Gianstefani's feared Bobby might be subjected to the [[deprogramming]] of his religious beliefs if they had revealed his whereabouts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cult Pair Freed after Bobby Plea|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/853876.stm|website=BBC World Services|publisher=BBC|access-date=17 December 2017|date=27 July 2000|quote=Mr Bain told the judge that Mr and Mrs Gianstefani feared Bobby might be subjected to the deprogramming of his religious beliefs if they had revealed his whereabouts.}}</ref> Minutes before the Gianstefanis were due to be sentenced, Bobby, who was kept in a separate room at the High Court, sent a note to the judge through the representative of the Official Solicitor saying that the Gianstefani's had acted nobly and they feared he (Bobby) might be subjected to the deprogramming of his religious beliefs if they had revealed his whereabouts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cult Pair Freed after Bobby Plea|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/853876.stm|website=BBC World Services|publisher=BBC|access-date=17 December 2017|date=27 July 2000|quote=In his statement the teenager said the couple were acting "nobly" because they did not want a cult [[Deprogramming|deprogrammer]] to "get his hands on me"}}</ref> Bobby said: "I hope they don't get into trouble. They were willing to go to prison for me".<ref name="The Daily Telegraph"/> The Gianstefanis' sentences were suspended after Bobby had pleaded with the judge in their defence.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cult pair freed after Bobby plea|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/853876.stm|publisher=BBC News|access-date=18 May 2013|date=27 July 2000}}</ref>

In 2003, [[Jon Ronson]], briefly interviewed Bobby Kelly about his alleged abduction, in his [[Channel 4]] documentary ''Kidneys for Jesus''.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Kidney's for Jesus |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0989014/ |website=imdb |publisher=World of Wonder Productions |access-date=11 May 2023}}</ref> Bobby clearly states, "I definitely wasn't kidnapped..." and that media coverage about the alleged kidnapping was "absolutely stupid, and silly, and just, over the top big time".<ref name=":0" />

In May 2010, the Jesus Christians interviewed Bobby Kelly personally. Bobby explains in detail what happened while he was visiting with the Jesus Christians, the lies that were told to his grandmother to convince her to sign over her guardianship for him to become a ward of court, and the effect the lies, and living with a foster family with restricted access to his grandmother, had on his life over the next years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Exclusive Bobby Kelly Interview |url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xd6izd |website=Dailymotion |date=4 May 2010 |access-date=11 May 2023}}</ref>

In October 2017 Roland and Susan Gianstefani had a live radio interview with Bobby Kelly on a Welsh radio station where they discussed their life and the controversies they were involved in when they were a part of the Jesus Christians community.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://radiobronglais.cymru/en/interviews/interview-with-activists-roland-and-sue-gianstefani/|title=Interview with activists Roland and Sue Gianstefani (32:10)|publisher=RBFM live|accessdate=17 December 2017}}</ref>

====Kidney Donations====
As of 2024 around thirty Jesus Christian members have altruistically donated a kidney, thus earning them the nickname 'the kidney cult'.<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/kidney-cult-accused-of-pressuring-donor/2007/06/04/1180809387667.html Hospital refuses to accept kidney - National]. smh.com.au. Retrieved on 2010-11-26.</ref>

In January 2003, [[Jon Ronson]]'s documentary, ''Kidneys for Jesus'', aired on [[Channel 4]] in the UK. After an invitation from Dave McKay, Jon Ronson followed the group over a year as they attempted to donate their kidneys to strangers in the UK and the US. The successful donations of members Casey Crouch, Robin Dunn and Susan Gianstefani are featured.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ronson|first=Jon|title=Blood Sacrifice|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2002/apr/06/weekend.jonronson|newspaper=The Guardian|accessdate=18 May 2013|location=London|date=6 April 2002}}</ref> The film also documents the tension that arose between Ronson and McKay during filming: McKay became increasingly concerned that Ronson was portraying the Jesus Christians in a poor light and Ronson was concerned about McKay's ideas to try to manipulate a media storm around the donations as well as his role in the decisions made by members to donate kidneys.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ronson|first=Jon|title=Blood Sacrifice (part 2)|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2002/apr/06/weekend.jonronson1|newspaper=The Guardian|accessdate=18 May 2013|location=London|date=6 April 2002}}</ref>

In 2004, the group made headlines in Australia when David McKay revealed that members in Australia had lied to health authorities in order to be able to donate their kidneys.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cult push for Living Sacrifices|url=http://wwrn.org/articles/12892/?&place=australia&section=other-nrms}}</ref><ref name="abc.net.au">{{cite web|title=ABC The Religion Report, full transcript|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=2 August 2005|url=http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/religionreport/full-transcipt/3363172#transcript|accessdate=24 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403000000/http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/religionreport/full-transcipt/3363172#transcript|archive-date=2015-04-03|url-status=dead}} [https://www.jesuschristians.com/media-section/controversies/kenyan-kidnapping-charges/video-radio-kenya-kidnapping/623-abc-radio-interview-about-kenyan-kidnapping-charges Alt URL]</ref>

In June 2007, the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]'s ''[[Australian Story]]'' broadcast the first of a two-part report on Ash Falkingham's fight for his right to donate a kidney to a stranger.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ash's Anatomy |url=https://jesuschristians.com/media-section/kidneys/australian-story-report/abc-australian-story/686-ashs-anatomy |publisher=ABC Australia |access-date=11 May 2023}}</ref> The documentary, "Ash's Anatomy",<ref>{{cite web |title=Ash's Anatomy |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2007-06-04/ashs-anatomy/9173534 |website=ABC |date=3 June 2007 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Commission |access-date=11 May 2023}}</ref> covers the attempts of his parents to thwart his attempts to donate a kidney. The follow-up report, "Body and Soul", broadcast in June 2008<ref>{{cite web |title=Body and Soul |url=https://jesuschristians.com/media-section/kidneys/australian-story-report/abc-australian-story/687-body-and-soul-videos-and-transcript |website=jesuschristians.com |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Commission |access-date=11 May 2023}}</ref><ref>[https://www.abc.net.au/austory/body-and-soul/9173210 Australian Story :: Body And Soul]. Abc.net.au (2010-02-08). Retrieved on 2010-11-26.</ref> follows Ash's continued attempt, and his final success, at donating his kidney. Ash left the community shortly after donating to work restoring bicycles for a charity.

====Kenya Abduction Charges====

[[File:James Montagu and Barry Mendez campaigning outside the Kenyan High Comission in London for the abduction charges against fellow Jesus Christians Roland and Susan Gianstefani to be dropped. July 2005.jpg|thumb|Jesus Christians James Montagu and Barry Mendez campaigning outside the Kenyan High Commission in London in July 2005 for the charges against Roland and Susan Gianstefani to be dropped]]
In 2005, a charge of abduction was made against Roland and Susan Gianstefani in Kenya, this time by the father of a 27-year-old single mother Betty Njoroge, who had joined the community with her 7-year-old son. The woman released a video on the group's website declaring that she and her son had not been kidnapped and that her father was responsible for the case being pursued as he wanted custody of her son.<ref>{{cite web|title=Betty's Video Statement|url=https://jesuschristians.com/media-section/controversies/kenyan-kidnapping-charges/video-radio-kenya-kidnapping/622-bettys-video-statement|publisher=Jesus Christians}}</ref> Roland Gianstefani was arrested, questioned by police, and held for several days without charge until the Australian embassy insisted he be charged or released.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cult member held over woman's 'abduction'|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/cult-member-held-over-womans-abduction/2005/06/27/1119724574085.html|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald | date=27 June 2005}}</ref> Roland and his wife Susan were charged<ref>{{cite news|title=Australian cult member arrested in Kenya|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/australian-cult-member-arrested-in-kenya/2005/07/19/1121538962645.html|publisher=The Age|accessdate=19 May 2013|location=Melbourne|date=19 July 2005}}</ref> and Roland was held in a remand prison in [[Nairobi]] until 600,000 [[Kenyan shilling]]s bail was paid.<ref>{{cite news|title=Second Kenya arrest over 'abduction'|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Second-Kenya-arrest-over-abduction/2005/07/19/1121538962637.html|publisher=The Age | location=Melbourne|date=19 July 2005}}</ref> The charges against him and Susan were dropped when Betty Njoroge appeared in court and presented an [[affidavit]] confirming she was acting of her own free will.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2005/09/02/Sect-members-cleared-of-kidnap-charges/54151125656680/?ur3=1|title=Sect members cleared of kidnap charges in Kenya|date=September 2, 2005|publisher=UPI News Online|accessdate=28 October 2019}}</ref> Roland contracted [[tuberculosis]] in prison and Susan, who had earlier told the media that she and her husband would never stoop to bribery,<ref name="abc.net.au"/> not even to save their lives, claimed she had to resort to bribery to get basic amenities provided for Roland from the prison guards.<ref>{{cite web|last=Giles|first=Tanya|title=Cult Aussie can't post bail|url=http://wwrn.org/articles/17746/|publisher=Herald Sun|accessdate=19 May 2013}}</ref>

====Californian Whipping Trial====

[[File:Joseph Johnson Jesus Christian.jpg|thumb|Jesus Christian, Joseph Johnson, South London, 2006]]

In October 2006, Jesus Christians in the United States, along with Dave and Cherry McKay, held a mock trial in [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], [[California]] where they charged the parents and two brothers of one of their members, Joseph Johnson, with attempted murder and with aiding and abetting others in doing this. It followed an attack on one of their members, Reinhard Zeuner, in which he received a fractured spine, bleeding on the brain, broken teeth, and numerous cuts to the head and face. An amateur video was made of the attack<ref name=":1">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cemriEzDiQk Christian Bashing Covered up by Police]. YouTube. Retrieved on 2010-11-26.</ref> but the police never prosecuted the case. Although the family did not attend the trial, various sentences of 5–25 lashes of the whip were carried out on volunteers from the Jesus Christians themselves, as an attempt to illustrate their understanding of the cross of Christ. "God hates the sin, but loves the sinner", they said, in an effort to summarize what they were doing. ("The Trial")<ref>[https://jesuschristians.com/media-section/controversies/the-whipping-trial The Trial]. jesuschristians.com (Media section) Updated on 2019-10-28.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Whipping Trials |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrHDDNHZGM0&t=180s |website=A Voice in the Desert Exposed! |publisher=YouTube |access-date=9 May 2025}}</ref>

====''The Jeremy Kyle Show''====
On 11 December 2007, Dave and Cherry McKay and Roland and Susan Gianstefani were interviewed on stage as part of a two-day feature on religious cults on the UK television programme ''[[The Jeremy Kyle Show]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcd442|title=The Jeremy Kyle Show - Cults or Religious Groups? - Part 1 - video dailymotion|website=Dailymotion|date=25 February 2010|access-date=2019-10-28}}</ref> The show attempted to link the Jesus Christians with such groups as [[Jim Jones]]' [[People's Temple]] and the Children of God. Dave, Cherry, Roland, and Sue were questioned by [[Jeremy Kyle]] and opponents of David McKay. At one point, due to the nature of the questioning, Dave McKay refused to reply to any more questions and walked out of the interview, then returned to say "Just let them do their thing".

====Freeganism and ''Wife Swap'' Show====

In February 2008, Roland, Susan, and Daniel Gianstefani were featured on the Channel 4 program ''[[Wife Swap (UK TV series)|Wife Swap]]'',<ref>[http://www.channel4.com/life/microsites/W/wifeswap/episodes_s9_1.html Wife Swap]. Channel 4 (2009-05-14). Retrieved on 2010-11-26.</ref> where [[freegan]] Susan went to live with the millionaire family of an IT consultant.

====Gianstefanis Leave====
In August 2010, long term members Roland, Susan, and Daniel Gianstefani left the community after "numerous tensions over their parenting skills". This followed "a number of community discussions", according to the Jesus Christians Newsletter. Susan and Roland had been members of the group for more than twenty years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=End Time Survivors |url=https://makingitreal.wixsite.com/home/end-time-survivors |access-date=2024-06-12 |website=home |language=en}}</ref>

===="Disbanding"====
In November 2010 the Jesus Christians announced that they had "disbanded", though there was some confusion with regard to what that meant for the continuing organisation of members of the Jesus Christians.<ref name="jesuschristians.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.jesuschristians.com/teachings-page/recent-articles/recent-deep-thoughts/831-graduates|title=Graduates}}</ref>

Following this announcement, long-term members Roland and Sue Gianstefani and Ross Parry,  claimed they had been [[Excommunication|excommunicated]], and later [[Shunning|shunned]], for objecting to the changes in which they believed the group was to operate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://makingitreal.wixsite.com/jesus-christians-uk/disbanding|title = Disbanding by Roland}}</ref> Another member, Alan Wright, later claimed he was disfellowshipped from the group for refusing to sue his wife for more money in a divorce settlement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://makingitreal.wixsite.com/jesus-christians-uk/kicked-out|title = Kicked Out by Alan}}</ref>

Roland and Susan Gianstefani, went on to establish their current ministry, Making It Real,<ref>{{cite web |title=Making it Real - homepage |url=https://makingitreal.wixsite.com/home |website=Making it Real}}</ref>  which is focused primarily on anti-war and human rights activism, and promoting altruistic organ donation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Making it Real - projects |url=https://makingitreal.wixsite.com/home/projects |website=Making it Real}}</ref>