Bill Freeman (born 1937) is a controversial Christian speaker and writer living in Spokane, Washington. He is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary.

Freeman first became prominent as a leader in the local churches associated with Witness Lee, where, during the 1970s and 1980s, he was involved with The Church in Seattle, Washington and in the development of his own publication company, Northwest Christian Publications.

In 1986, Freeman was confronted by Local Church leaders with regard to his wife, Patsy's, alleged excessive control of the private lives of other church-members. Freeman and his wife then led around 60 members out of the congregation to Scottsdale, Arizona, where they started The Church in Scottsdale.

While in Scottsdale, Freeman continued to follow common Local Church teachings and practices while focusing on his own publication outlet, Ministry of the Word, Inc., the editing of his monthly magazine, The Christian with son-in law, Kirk Eland, and the production of a Ministry of the Word radio program broadcast daily in Phoenix and several cities in Washington.

By the late 1990s, allegations resurfaced that Freeman's wife, Patsy, had caused numerous divorces in different cities and mentally abused many different church-members. By late 1999, Patsy Freeman had filed for divorce and left Arizona with a group of 60 of her own followers to Lake Oswego, Oregon. Bill Freeman then withdrew from the Scottsdale church. In 2001, he moved to Moses Lake, Washington to join a Local Church which had disassociated with Witness Lee some years before.

In 2004, Bill and Patsy Freeman came back together, and, with a small group of followers, moved to Spokane, Washington where they have purchased six houses adjacent to Whitworth College.

Whitworth's local newspaper, The Whitworthian, has targeted the Freemans in a series of articles which have elicited much response. Many of the Freemans' ex-followers claim they are responsible for dozens of divorces, broken marriages, and misuse of funds donated by church-members.

Bill Freeman has refused to comment to the numerous allegations and continues to operate his ministry organization out of his Spokane office.

References

External links

Ministry of the Word, Inc.