TAMPA, FL – Jenny Weaver of the Core Revival Center in Tampa responded after several of her former students recently went public with negative opinions about the spiritual leader and her ministry. The apostle shared her heart in a social media post on Thursday (Jul. 30).
Weaver began her statement by discussing her teaching ministry, which consists of Zoom sessions meant to empower Christians to operate in their talents both in and outside of the church sphere.
“I’ve seen people come and people go, all of those who were top leadership positions and know me extremely well who over years transitioned out. I’m still in communication with and love them dearly,” Jenny Weaver told her supporters.
The spiritual leader then went on to address five former students who allegedly went online to air out their grievances about Jenny Weaver’s school and ministry.
“I’ve never said any[thing] rude or mean to them and have gotten on calls over the years to encourage them and [have] helped them through tough situations and even sowed financially and privately to some because I believed we were family,” Weaver said of the relationship she had with the former members.
“I was listening to a few voice memos I sent them and just teared up over how much respect we all had for each other,” the spiritual leader went on to share. “I would never allow others to bash them or bad[mouth] them and have stood up for a few and asked others to respect them.”
Jenny Weaver did not give the names of the five individuals she was talking about in her official statement. Two women claiming to have been part of the teaching sector of the ministry, however, recently took their stories online and told a different narrative of the faith leader.
A woman by the name of Anastasia Luz Navarez claimed Jenny Weaver was both mean and rude at times. She gave an account of attending the Core Revival Center wherein she sensed demons in the facility.
“I’m like, ‘There’s demons in here because these dogs were there,’” Navarez said. The former congregant compared her hearing the sound of barking dogs in her psyche during worship to that of demons being present in the room.
“I sensed so heavy (sic) the Kundalini spirit,” Navarez said of a different experience in which she was part of the Core mentorship livestream. “And the Kundalini spirit was trying to harass me through the live. Yeah, harass me to come off the live,” the former student recalled. “And when I looked at Jenny [Weaver], she started manifesting.”
Another former student by the name of Madelin Duran also shared her experience with the Core Group and Core Revival Center on Facebook. She specifically addressed Jenny Weaver’s spiritual father, Ryan LeStrange, and his alleged beliefs about giving money to receive blessings from God.
“Jenny, for the record I never mentioned the Core Group,” Duran said. “I only mentioned your spiritual father and your mentor, and what I said is how they manipulate people to give money,” the former student shared online.
“Jenny, how can you call out other leaders for the same thing your spiritual father does? BUT because it’s your spiritual father all of the sudden you can’t see. Your loyalty is to him, NOT God.”
Jenny Weaver did not directly address Madelin Duran and Anastasia Luz Navarez’s concerns in her official statement. The Core Revival Center leader did, however, address the notion of idolatry in her ministry.
“I know some have said others have idolized me, and it’s not something I desire or want,” Weaver shared. “It hurts my heart to see. I actually hate it,” the spiritual leader revealed.
“I’ve said over and over, ‘Get your eyes on Jesus,’ and even removed folks from the classes for an unhealthy obsession,” Jenny Weaver said of the actions she has taken to not be idolized by her students.
“But at the end of the day, I know God has given me a major influence, and it’s my job just to redirect folks to look into Jesus and keep going with my assignment.”
Weaver went on to differentiate between idolatry and honor. “Some don’t idolize,” Weaver clarified. “They just have respect and honor like I’ve had for so many wonderful leaders and people in the body.”