https://www.cultopedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Church_of_Bible_UnderstandingChurch of Bible Understanding - Revision history2026-04-05T20:44:10ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.44.5https://www.cultopedia.org/index.php?title=Church_of_Bible_Understanding&diff=856&oldid=previmported>GeneralSwalve: /* growthexperiments-addlink-summary-summary:1|2|0 */2026-04-01T16:27:33Z<p><span class="autocomment">growthexperiments-addlink-summary-summary:1|2|0</span></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Evangelical Christian organization}}<br />
{{distinguish|text=[[Forever Family (UK)]], a British anti-racism organization}}<br />
The '''Church of Bible Understanding''' (first known as the '''Forever Family''') was founded in [[Allentown, Pennsylvania]], in 1971 by Stewart Traill (1936–2018).<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oVQUAQAAIAAJ&q=traill+%22church+of+bible+understanding%22 |title=''The encyclopedia of cults, sects, and new religions'', James R. Lewis, Prometheus Books, 1998, ISBN 1-57392-222-6, accessed February 6, 2010 |isbn=9781573922227 |accessdate=March 25, 2010|last1=Lewis |first1=James R. |year=1998 |publisher=Prometheus Books }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IV7XAAAAMAAJ&q=traill+%22church+of+bible+understanding%22 |title=''Dealing with destructive cults'', Una McManus, John Charles Cooper, Zondervan Pub. House, 1984, ISBN 0-310-70281-X, February 5, 2010 |date=June 19, 2009 |isbn=9780310702818 |accessdate=March 25, 2010|last1=McManus |first1=Una |last2=Cooper |first2=John Charles |publisher=Zondervan Publishing House }}</ref> It is a [[intentional community|communal organization]], teaching a form of [[evangelical]] Christianity.<ref name="A to Z ">{{cite book |last=Chryssides |first=George D. |title=The A to Z of new religious movements |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |year=2006|volume=20 |pages=89–90 |isbn=0-8108-5588-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hq988pEebSAC&q=%22church+of+bible+understanding%22&pg=PA89 |accessdate=February 5, 2010}}</ref><br />
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In the 1970s, with its headquarters in New York, it developed into a controversial network of churches with 10,000 members and 110 communes at its peak, but only a few hundred members in later years.<ref name="A to Z "/><ref>[https://archive.org/details/conciseguidetoto0000walk/page/99 <!-- quote=traill "church of bible understanding". --> ''The Concise Guide to Today's Religions and Spirituality'', James K. Walker, Harvest House Publishers, 2007] {{ISBN|0-7369-2011-0}}. Retrieved February 5, 2010.</ref><br />
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== Beginnings ==<br />
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Traill underwent a conversion experience in the early 1970s in Allentown, joined a [[Pentecostal]] church from which he was expelled, and began teaching Bible and developing a following.<ref name="A to Z "/><ref name="accuses"/> He changed the name of the "Forever Family" to the "Church of Bible Understanding" in 1976. Ex-members complained that they worked for very low wages, with all the money going to the church. The group had a [[Intentional community|communal]] lifestyle, with Traill maintaining that only he can understand the true meaning of the words of God. Traill encourages his group members to break off contact with their families. Over time, the members decreased in number.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vnAk9WefhfwC&q=traill+%22church+of+bible+understanding%22&pg=PA109 |last=Larson |first=Bob |title=Larson's Book of World Religions and Alternative Spirituality |publisher=Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. |year=2004 |isbn=0-8423-6417-X}}</ref> The group has been accused of being a cult, and it has been estimated that Traill became a millionaire from it.<ref name="accuses">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7-YLAAAAIBAJ&pg=6835,2663841&dq=church-of-bible-understanding&hl=en|title=The Church of Bible Understanding; Minister Accuses Church of Enticing Youngsters|date=June 11, 1983|work=The Evening Independent|accessdate=February 6, 2010}}</ref><br />
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Rev. [[Bruce Ritter]] of [[Covenant House]] accused The Church of Bible Understanding of enticing 17 youth out of the shelter with promises of salvation, and a state court enjoined them from housing or transporting youth under age 18 without parental permission.<ref name="accuses" /><br />
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== Business ventures ==<br />
Their carpet-cleaning business, "Christian Brothers Carpet Cleaning", was the inspiration for ''[[Seinfeld]]''{{'}}s "Sunshine Carpet Cleaning Cult".<ref name="accuses"/><ref name="un">{{cite book |last=Dunn |first=Brad |author2=Daniel Hood |title=New York: the unknown city |publisher=arsenal pulp press |location=146 |year=2004 |isbn=1-55152-161-X|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0_1XSKlng9gC&q=%22church+of+bible+understanding%22&pg=PT118}}</ref> They also started a used-van business as a commercial venture.<ref name="accuses"/><ref>{{cite web |last=Yglesias |first=Linda |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/cleaners-handle-rugs-religion-shagging-souls-la-tv-seinfeld-article-1.734162 |title=Cleaners Handle Rugs and Religion Shagging Souls a la TV's Seinfeld |work=[[New York Daily News]] |date=December 8, 1996 |accessdate=June 22, 2015}}</ref><br />
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The group's only successful venture is '''Olde Good Things''', New York City-based retail stores selling architectural salvage goods and antiques. In 2017, the stores funnelled<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-01-05 |title=The “New Property.” |url=https://cobustories.wordpress.com/the-new-property/ |access-date=2026-01-09 |website=COBU Stories |language=en}}</ref> $6.8 million to the Church of Bible Understanding, according to the nonprofit's tax filing for that year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2020/02/22/haiti-orphanage-ravaged-by-deadly-fire-linked-to-cult-known-for-nyc-antique-stores/|title = Haiti orphanage ravaged by deadly fire linked to 'cult' known for NYC antique stores|date = 23 February 2020}}</ref><br />
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In the 1990s, Stewart and wife Gayle ran '''S&G Photographic Equipment''' in Philadelphia, PA. They sold professional large and medium format cameras, lighting equipment, film, photographic chemicals and paper, and other equipment. Their catalog reached customers on their mailing list by postal mail. <ref>{{Cite web |date=January 1, 2013 |title=COBU Stories The “New Property” |url=https://cobustories.wordpress.com/the-new-property/}}</ref><br />
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== Haitian orphanages == <br />
In November 2013, the [[Associated Press]] investigated claims that the church was at fault for running substandard housing for orphans in [[Haiti]] after the two homes the church runs received a failing grade from the Haitian agency that monitors orphanages. "...Even though they claim in IRS filings to be spending around $2.5 million annually, the home for boys and girls was so dirty and overcrowded during recent inspections that the government said it shouldn't remain open."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_289563/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=RuECWsQu |title=AP News: Haiti faults orphanage run by well-off US church |website=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=2013-12-18 |archive-date=2013-12-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219014932/http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_289563/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=RuECWsQu |url-status=dead }}</ref><br />
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On February 14, 2020, one "orphanage", run by the organization in Haiti, burned down, killing 15 children; two burned to death and the others died from smoke inhalation, according to a [[BBC World News]] report. The cause was alleged to be candles being lit, the facility's generator being inoperative.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-51510869 |title=Haiti: 15 children killed in fire at unlicensed orphanage |date=February 14, 2020 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |accessdate=April 4, 2020}}</ref><br />
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Stewart Traill, the long-time leader of the group, died in 2018.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nypost.com/2020/02/22/haiti-orphanage-ravaged-by-deadly-fire-linked-to-cult-known-for-nyc-antique-stores/ |title=Haiti orphanage ravaged by deadly fire linked to 'cult' known for NYC antique stores |date=February 22, 2020 |work=[[New York Post]] |accessdate=April 4, 2020}}</ref><br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist|2}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
* [https://www.angelfire.com/nm/cobu/ Mike Montoya's COBU Web Page]<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Church Of Bible Understanding}}<br />
[[Category:Christian denominations founded in the United States]]<br />
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1971]]<br />
[[Category:Christianity in Pennsylvania]]<br />
[[Category:Protestantism in New York (state)]]<br />
[[Category:Culture of Allentown, Pennsylvania]]<br />
[[Category:Christian denominations in North America]]<br />
[[Category:Evangelical denominations in North America]]<br />
[[Category:Intentional communities in the United States]]<br />
[[Category:1971 establishments in Pennsylvania]]</div>imported>GeneralSwalve