Editor’s note: Sarah Costco and Hunter Carpenter allowed The Hornet to use their real identities. The other six sources’ insisted on pseudonyms due to fears of retaliation from Fellowship Church members, and their identities are known to the reporters and editors of the Hornet. The Hornet reached out to Fellowship Church for comment but did not receive a response.
While visiting his alma mater, Cal State Fullerton, Nate Ford was invited to a Bible study by a group approaching students across campus. As a former member of the International Church of Christ (ICOC), he recognized familiar recruitment tactics. After praying to God, he agreed to attend their service at Veteran Sports Park in Tustin — not to join, but to warn others to stay away.
In February of 2023, Hunter Carpenter, a former leader and witness, was scheduled to speak after a sermon on gentleness and respect. Before he could take the stage, Ford stepped up to the podium.
“If you’re praying for a sign from God to leave, this is your sign to leave!” said Ford.
According to both Ford and Carpenter, the pastor of the church allegedly ran to the podium while filming and aggressively commanded four members to forcibly remove Ford from the public park.
“I was surprised. I thought they were being way too serious,” said Carpenter. “It’s not the most convenient thing that [Nate] was up there, but it shouldn’t have escalated to that.”
Carpenter took the stage to respond to the sermon as planned, aiming to redirect the crowd. But the audience remained visibly shaken by the physical and verbal altercation between Ford and the pastor.
On campuses across California including Fullerton College, a specific group informally known as the “Bible people,” is not simply made up of students interested in casual scripture study. They are members of Fellowship Church, formerly known as AWSOM, Elevate and Lifeway Church over the years.
Founded by a former staff-member of the International Christian Church (ICC) — established by Kip McKean after splitting from the ICOC — Fellowship Church adopted the same evangelical beliefs and high-control tactics.
Known for soliciting across numerous campuses, members pressure students into same-day Bible studies, baptisms and long-term financial commitment to the church.
What may seem like an invitation to explore the Christian faith, results in a high-pressure spiritual control and exploitation according to ex-members.
The hidden framework behind recruitment
Unlike Ford, most students recruited by Fellowship Church are unaware of the group’s identity and beliefs. Members often present themselves as a small circle of friends interested in casual Bible study. Some students eventually become deeply involved to the point where they quit school and cut contact with family.
Sarah Costco joined the church in 2018 after being approached on her campus at Hayward. Already religious, Costco quickly rose from member to leader, becoming so involved that her parents grew concerned.
“They’re like ‘all you ever do is go to these college campuses to do Bible Studies. Bible study, Bible study, Bible study,’” said Costco. “If I’m not in a Bible study, I’m at some Fellowship event. If I’m not at a Fellowship event, I’m at church. I’m always with them.”
The emotional intensity members experience is carefully cultivated. According to three ex-members and four former leaders, there is a highly-calculated step-by-step recruitment process.
The main objective of the solicitations is to recruit students to join the Apostle Training Program (ATP) which is a six-month training program that equips members on how to properly conduct Bible studies and help people overcome sin through religious mentorship.
Are you interested in Bible study?
Recruitment typically begins with a casual conversation before transitioning into direct questions about baptism and Bible study. Sometimes, small talk is skipped, immediately asking students about their faith and if they are following Christianity correctly.
Members are divided into campus-based groups, each led by a designated leader and are expected to meet recruitment quotas.
According to Costco, the church’s book, “Elevate Church: Disciple Makers Lessons” — allegedly written by a current member — contains scripture that Fellowship Church uses in its studies. The last section titled “Sharing Your Faith” (pages 52-55), outlines a script used to approach students.
Costco recalled being approached by a woman who presented herself as a student and mentioned having a group of friends who attend events together. Later in the conversation, she asked Costco about her religion and eventually invited her to join a Bible study.
When a student agrees to a Bible Study, the members set up a five-minute, one-on-one meeting with them the same day.
Are you living in the light or the darkness?
The quick bible study serves as a sales pitch — framing the student’s spiritual shortcomings and presenting Fellowship Church as the solution.
Wyatt Young, a former member and student at Cal State Fullerton who left the church in 2024, recalled a question he was asked during his first Bible study — one he later asked others as a member: Are you living in the light or in the darkness?
“The answer is gonna be the dark side every time,” said Young. “No matter what they say, the answer is going to be, ‘you’re not living as a disciple, right now you’re on the dark side.’”
The question is designed to convince students there is one way to be a “true” Christian and it is by joining Fellowship Church as a disciple.
Once the student acknowledges their so-called darkness by expressing their desire to return to God and “live in the light,” they are encouraged to act immediately — sometimes within an hour.
Baptism before the sun sets
After the Bible study, members push to baptize the student and have them sign a contact form after.
Another former member, Isabella Smith who joined in 2020 and left in 2024, was deeply involved in recruiting, leading initial Bible studies and performing baptisms. She described the group’s “no-limit” approach to securing a baptism.
According to Smith, it did not matter if the student was late to class or had other obligations, members were encouraged to persuade them to be baptized as soon as possible.
“We would use the pool apartments right next to campus or the campus pool if we can get in,” said Smith.
While different branches of Christianity approach baptism in their own way, most traditions agree that adult baptism requires understanding of the religion. But former members allege that Fellowship Church leaders expected them to meet baptism quotas, pushing for immediate baptism — even if the student is apprehensive.
Once the student is baptized, they are expected to prove their commitment level by attending Bible studies, services and events.
The path to deeper control
Members build a relationship with the student through inviting them to events to determine if they are good candidates for ATP. The events include going out to boba tea shops, playing sports, watching movies or any activity that interests the student.
As a freshman looking to find friends, Young found his early months with the church enjoyable.
“The first five months, it was mostly just me showing up to service and going to their events playing sports and hanging out with the guys,” said Young.
During this phase, students are expected to attend the church’s gatherings but are not yet pressured to recruit others until they become noticeably more involved.
Carpenter, Costco and Smith all said they enjoyed the church’s gatherings when they were first recruited. The sense of community and faith building gave them a feeling of belonging.
“At this point you’re still going to work, you’re still going to school,” said Young. “But once you come out [to events] more, that’s when they ask you, ‘are you ready to give everything up for God?’”
The price for heaven
Once a student agrees to fully commit to the church, a group leader meets with them to explain the ATP, which focuses on recruiting new members, receiving recognition from God and the church’s pastor — and most notably, committing to a $100 weekly payment allegedly required by the Pastor.
Members are expected to pay through Apple Cash and Tithe.ly, a transaction app designed for church donations.
Leslie Reyes, a former member who joined in 2015 and left in 2024, explained how the church justifies the weekly payment.
“We are giving money to God. We spend so much money on Starbucks or Wingstop, so giving $100 to God is not that bad,” said Reyes.
Calvin Miles, a former Fullerton College student, joined the church in 2024 and left the following year. He said leaders pressured him to pay, even after he declined to quit school and join ATP full-time.
“I told them I’m not gonna quit school or my job just to do [ATP]. That’s when they showed me the app they used to donate money,” said Miles.
Unfamiliar with the Tithe.ly app, Miles allowed the two members to set up the account where they set up autopay without his knowledge.
“I signed up for [Tithe.ly] because I don’t mind giving some money to the church, at least it’s not $100 a week,” said Miles. “But a few months later, I noticed money leaving my bank.”
Miles provided The Hornet with screenshots showing recurring withdrawals between $10 and $200.
According to Reyes, recruiters are responsible for the student’s $100 weekly tithe if the student fails to commit, which may explain why a member allegedly set up unauthorized payments on Miles’ behalf.
Despite growing concerns, former members said the church’s strong sense of community and recognition from leadership made it difficult to walk away. The message that “God called them to recruit, lead Bible studies and baptize” kept many committed emotionally and financially — even after doubts began to surface.
Breaking away from control
For Carpenter, Smith, Miles and Young, the required weekly payment was the breaking point. Though each had growing concerns about Fellowship Church’s practices, it was not until after leaving that they recognized the emotional manipulation they experienced.
Fellowship Church has since expanded beyond California into neighboring states like Utah and Texas. While working for the church in Utah, Costco recalled a pivotal moment involving her leader at the time, Mia Silva.
Silva joined the church at 17, eventually mentoring students like Costco. At first, the church gave her a sense of purpose and self-control — especially as she managed a panic disorder.
“I had a panic disorder of 11 years and getting into the Bible prior to being in [Fellowship] was helping me regulate my panic attacks,” said Silva.
At first, encouragement from members felt like a sign from God. But over time, she began to question the church’s claim of being the only true path and its criticism of other Christians which she felt contradicted Christianity’s core message of compassion and non-judgment.
Her doubts deepened after being denied contact with her family. According to Silva, the pastor allegedly called her to cancel a flight home. She also began to notice a pattern where many of those she was mentoring had also been isolated from their families.
Her urge to leave intensified and on the night she left, she locked herself in a walk-in closet, overwhelmed by anxiety and fear.
“I’m absolutely freaking out because it’s been years since I had a panic attack,” said Silva. “I was just crying like crazy thinking ‘okay I really can’t do it, I’m gonna throw myself off the balcony.’”
After hours of emotional turmoil, she made the decision to leave that night — and never went back.
“She was one of the people who first studied with me, and her leaving in the middle of the night was one the biggest seeds of doubt that was planted for me about [Fellowship],” said Costco.
With that seed planted in Costco’s head that night in addition to suspicion of the church, Costco left shortly after.
When walking away is not the end
According to seven out of eight sources, Fellowship Church members spam-called and texted them when they left. Three of them allege that members visited them at their houses, pressuring them to return.
Silva agreed to have a conversation with the members after they visited her house. The pastor and members attempted to convince her to stay but she chose not to. Members also went to Young’s house texting him “we’re outside whenever you are ready to talk.” Young stayed inside until they left and said he is cautious when he is on campus.
Ford claims he and his family were harassed and threatened after he publicly called for others to leave the church that day at Veteran Sports Park.
After his experience with the ICOC and Fellowship Church, Ford is now a pastor who helps ex-members deal with their experiences in religious cults. His message to students being approached by Fellowship Church members on campus is to be aware of who they are and stay safe.
“Understand that the people in front of you, they do not want to hurt you. They really genuinely believe what they believe in and they’re seeking to do the best they know how to do,” said Ford. “They have been told this is the best thing they can do. They are good people who are being taken advantage of.”
Fullerton College’s stance
In an email to the Hornet, Vice President of Student Services Elizabeth Martinez stated that Fullerton College upholds the free exchange of ideas as a core value and designates specific areas on campus for free speech activities, including those by religious groups.
“As a public college, we are legally required to uphold the First Amendment, which protects even speech that many may find offensive,” said Martinez.
Students who feel uncomfortable or pressured are encouraged to report their concerns to Campus Safety, which monitors all free speech activity in accordance with Board Policy 3900.
Support for survivors and students in crisis
If you or someone you know is struggling with emotional manipulation, high-control religious groups or suicidal thoughts, help is available.
You can contact the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, which is available 24/7 for confidential support.
Reach out to our Student Health Center to talk things through at (714) 992-7093.
For those seeking support after involvement in high-control or cult-like groups, organizations like the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) offer resources, education and survivor support at icsahome.com.