Hobart Freeman
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Hobart Freeman (October 17, 1920-December 8, 1984) was a charismatic preacher and author, who ministered in northern Indiana.
Early life
Hobart Freeman was born in Ewing, Kentucky, and grew up at St. Petersburg, Florida, where he became a successful businessman after studying at Bryant and Stratton Business Institute, despite being a high school dropout.He was converted to Christ in 1952 at the age of 31, and baptized into the Southern Baptist Church.
He was called to the ministry, and educated at the Georgetown University College with a Bible and History major, and then at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (A.B., Th.M.) with an Old Testament major. He obtained a Doctorate of Theology with Old Testament and Hebrew majors from Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana, where he was appointed a professor of Hebrew and Old Testament Studies, and Philosophy and Ethics in 1961.
Publications
Freeman was the author of two books published by Moody Press of Chicago: An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets [1969] and Nahum Zephaniah Habakkuk: Minor Prophets in the Seventh Century [1973]. He later published another twelve books through his own publishing house, Faith Publications of Warsaw, Indiana, namely:- Angels of Light? Deliverance from Occult Oppression
- Biblical Thinking and Confession: The Key to Victorious Living 365 Days a Year
- Charismatic Body Ministry: A Guide to the Restoration of Charismatic Ministry and Worship
- Deeper Life in the Spirit [1970]
- Did Jesus Die Spiritually? Exposing the JDS Heresy
- Divine Sovereignty / Human Freedom and Responsibility in Prophetic Thought - Master Degree Thesis
- Every Wind of Doctrine
- Exploring Biblical Theology: A Systematic Study of the Word of God in Understandable Language [1985] - Published posthumously
- Faith for Healing
- How to Know God's Will - For Your Life and for Important Decisions
- The Doctrine of Substitution in the Old Testament [1985] - Posthumous photocopy of a typed thesis
- Why Speak in Tongues? The Christian's Three-Fold Ministry through Prayer in the Spirit
- Occult Oppression and Bondage: How to be Free
- The Purpose of Pentecost
Several of the books can be read [online].
Teaching and Preaching
Freeman established his own congregation with Melvin Greider in 1963 in his own home at Winona Lake in nearby Kosciusko County, and built up a loyal following of over 2,000 members, not including some 15,000 in daughter congregations elsewhere in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri and Tennessee, as well in England, Australia, Canada, Switzerland and Germany. A two-story meeting hall for the congregation was built in neighboring Noble County in 1972 that Freeman named the "Glory Barn." Hundreds of people would line up for hours to be sure they would hear what God had to say to them.
According to John Davis in the Warsaw (Indiana) Times Union (September 27, 1983), Freeman was "deeply influenced" by Faith teachers such as Kenneth E. Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, and "the writings of E.W. Kenyon." This is a false assertion as Freeman rejected some of the teachings of said Faith teachers. Yet as D.R. McConnell points out on page 129 of A Different Gospel, Freeman rejected the distinctive Word of Faith doctrine that Jesus died spiritually, publishing a book entitled, "Did Jesus Die Spiritually? Exposing the JDS Heresy."
Like many charismatic congregations, the "work of the Holy Spirit" was emphasised - with claims of miraculous healings, testimonies, speaking in tongues and believers being "slain in the Spirit". His teachings emphasized the "deeper life" in the Spirit, overcoming all things, separation from the world and its ways, trusting only in God for all things, the crucified life, and the true meaning of discipleship.
Controversies
From the beginning, the congregation was the subject of controversy.
On October 23, 1974, Barbara Clouse, the Health Nurse for Kosciusko County reported to a meeting of the County Board of Health that "They are laying dead babies and live babies next to each other on the altars and praying over them to get the live babies to bring life back to the dead ones." However, since she was not at any of the meetings where this occurred, it is pure conjecture and misinformation.
She continued "There was one woman in our county praying over a baby for four days before the funeral home got hold of it." Freeman was said to have been annoyed, so presumably this allegation was true. [[Citing sources citation needed]]
She also reported that "There were times when infants who died were buried in the backyard so that news of the death would not get back to the leadership." Local newspapers do not mention that anyone was ever prosecuted for concealing a death or illegally disposing of a body. [[Citing sources citation needed]]
The health of some members of the congregation was seriously compromised. Some were reportedly not cleaning their teeth, and over the years these rotted and fell out. Another, bitten by a Black Widow spider, survived but with a rigid withered finger. Another ignored her pre-natal diet and fell into post-natal milk fever from which she eventually recovered. [[Citing sources citation needed]]
Barbara Clouse reported that "Diabetics were not taking their insulin and pregnant women were receiving no pre-natal or post-natal care." [[Citing sources citation needed]]
In the early hours of July 4, 1980, the Glory Barn was burnt down, after local newspapers publicised these deaths. Six people escaped from the burning two-story building. Two youngsters suffered burns before they were rescued from their bedrooms by their father Brandon Wahl. Fire brigades from North Webster, Syracuse and Cromwell fought the blaze for some two hours until dawn, which was subsequently investigated by the Noble County Police and Indiana State Fire Marshal. Rumour had it as arson, a fire started by the enemies of the Assembly, but no culprit was ever charged.
Hobart Freeman was charged with aiding and abetting in over 90 deaths, which were described as "negligent homicides". However two weeks before the matter was to come to court, he died at his Shoe Lake home of bronchial pneumonia and congestive heart failure complicated by an ulcerated gangrenous leg. He had refused all medical help, even to the removal of the bandages so his leg could be cleaned out. The reason he did this is because he believed God to be his healing and not man. Hobart Freeman practiced what he preached.
According to Kathy Muckle in the Warsaw Times-Union, Freeman's death was not reported for at least 13 hours due to an all-night prayer vigil for his resurrection. For many months afterwards, his wife left his suit over the end of the bed, expecting him to one day walk in and have need of it. Some of this was revealed by the subsequent inquiry by the County Coroner.
According to D.R. McConnell, at least ninety church members died under Freeman's ministry including one case as far away as Alabama.
Miscellaneous Sources
- [Faith Assembly of Warsaw]
- [Faith Ministries and Publications]
- [YesterYear in Print (Kosciusko County Indiana)]
- [Feedback regarding Dr. Freeman and Faith Assembly]
- [Steve Hill's Website]
- "Freeman, Hobart E.", page 316 in Dictionary of Pentacostal and Charismatic Movements, edited by Stanley M Burgess, Gary B McGee and Patrick H Alexander, Zondervan, Grand Rapids 1988
- [Freeman's Online Book About the JDS Heresy]
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