Samson was a deeply flawed man who suffered greatly, yet in the end, he used his strength to bring down a corrupt temple. His story reminds us that even in weakness, it is possible to stand against systems of harm.
Samson Rising is a survivor-led initiative made up of former members of the Christian Fellowship Organisation (CFO). We have lived through the harm of these churches, and now we stand together to expose abuse, gather evidence, and push for justice.
The CFO includes Brisbane Christian Fellowship (BCF), Melbourne Christian Fellowship (MCF), and their affiliated churches across Australia. (You can see the list of CFO entities here.)
We provide government departments with survivor evidence to determine whether the Christian Fellowship Organisation (CFO) is in breach of Australian law, while also creating a safe space for individuals to find support and to voice the outcomes they are seeking.
We are survivor-led and volunteer-driven, bringing together professionals across law, healthcare, education, community work, and more.
Many of us still have family within the organisation, and we understand the personal cost of speaking out. We face the risk of ostracisation, but remain resolute: the truth must be told.
Scott McEnery joins Samson Rising as a Consultant.
We are honoured to welcome Scott to our team. With 38 years’ experience in forensic accounting and investigations, Scott is a highly respected professional and a recognised expert witness in both the Federal Court of Australia and several of Australia’s Supreme Courts.
Across his career, he has led and advised on major criminal and civil investigations, bringing a rare blend of analytical precision, ethical integrity, and commitment to truth.
Scott is also a former member of the Brisbane Christian Fellowship (BCF) and a survivor of a high-control organisation. His lived experience strengthens his resolve to support others and to ensure that misconduct within closed religious systems is examined with the rigour it deserves.
Most recently, Scott co-authored Samson Rising’s 2025 submission to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into cults and high-control groups, a submission that was formally accepted and now forms a permanent part of the public record. His investigative work has already played a significant role in documenting systemic patterns of harm across the Christian Fellowship Organisation (CFO).
Scott’s involvement represents the growing coalition of professionals, survivors, and allies who are determined to confront decades of abuse, regardless of the personal cost, and to advocate for justice, accountability, and reform.
Lisa Hunt is a writer, survivor advocate, and former pastor with more than three decades of leadership and community work. After leaving a high-control religious organisation, she dedicated her life to amplifying survivor voices and pursuing accountability for systems that cause harm.
Trained in theology, holding postgraduate qualifications in Professional Supervision, and a Commonwealth-Registered Celebrant, Lisa is known for her clarity, compassion, humour, and courage. She has also undertaken advanced study in psychological harm and personality disorders, including completing an Oxford University intensive on the Dark Triad (narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy).
Lisa co-authored Samson Rising’s 94-page submission to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups. The submission was formally accepted by the Inquiry and now forms part of the public record in Victoria’s legislative archives.
Her diverse career spans pastoral leadership, creative direction, nonprofit management, event production, and therapeutic support, giving her a rare ability to understand both the beauty and the dangers of communal life.
As 2IC of Samson Rising, Lisa leads a survivor-centred, evidence-based initiative documenting systemic coercive control and abuse across high-control organisations. She collaborates with survivors, legal teams, government agencies, and media to expose harmful practices, advocate for reform, and equip regulators with the evidence required to act.
Lisa’s work reflects her unwavering commitment to truth-telling, justice, and restoring agency to those whose voices were once silenced.
Every week, we hear from people alleging harm caused by BCF, MCF, and other CFO churches across Australia.
The most common complaint is forced family estrangement. Members are instructed to “cut off” or “shun” loved ones – often described as “commending them to the cross of Christ.” We call it what it is: ostracisation.
Our research indicates that ostracisation is now embedded in CFO theology, and that privacy breaches have become a routine means of control.
This website does not debate theology or speculate on the CFO’s original intentions. We focus solely on whether the CFO is breaking Australian law.
We examine how the CFO treats past, present, and future members – practices that may now cross the boundary of legality.
Based on evidence gathered so far, we believe the practices of the CFO and the allegation made may:
