5 Shocking Truths Behind 'Grey Starving': The Controversial Story Of A Christian Diet Cult Leader
The phrase 'Grey Starving' immediately conjures a sense of dramatic, unsettling hunger, and in the context of recent media, it refers directly to one of the most controversial true-crime stories of the modern era: the life and death of Christian diet guru Gwen Shamblin Lara, as portrayed by actress Jennifer Grey in the Lifetime movie, Gwen Shamblin: Starving for Salvation. As of December 21, 2025, the fascination surrounding Shamblin’s empire, the Weigh Down Workshop, and the Remnant Fellowship Church continues to draw intense scrutiny from former members, religious scholars, and the public alike.
The story is a chilling blend of faith, extreme weight loss, and accusations of cult-like control, making the Lifetime movie—and Jennifer Grey’s startling transformation—a must-see for those curious about the darker side of spiritual leadership. This deep dive uncovers the key facts, the shocking doctrine, and the current status of the organization Shamblin left behind after her tragic 2021 plane crash.
Gwen Shamblin Lara: A Controversial Biography
Gwen Shamblin Lara was the founder of the Weigh Down Workshop and the Remnant Fellowship Church, an organization that grew from a simple weight-loss program into a multi-million dollar religious empire.
- Full Name: Gwen Shamblin Lara (née Henley)
- Born: February 18, 1955, in Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
- Died: May 29, 2021 (aged 66) in Smyrna, Tennessee, U.S. (in a plane crash)
- Occupation: Author, Speaker, Diet Guru, Church Leader, and Founder of Weigh Down Ministries.
- Education: B.S. in Dietetics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; M.S. in Food and Nutrition from Memphis State University.
- Spouses: David Shamblin (m. 1978; div. 2018); Joe Lara (m. 2018; d. 2021)
- Children: Elizabeth Shamblin Hannah and Michael Shamblin.
- Key Organizations: Weigh Down Workshop (founded 1986) and Remnant Fellowship Church (founded 1999).
- Cause of Death: Plane crash, alongside her husband, Joe Lara, and five others.
1. The Core Doctrine: 'Starving' for Salvation and the Weigh Down Workshop
The Weigh Down Workshop began in 1986 as a faith-based weight-loss program, which Shamblin developed using her background as a registered dietitian.
The central, and most controversial, tenet of the program was the idea that hunger for food was a spiritual signal. Instead of turning to food for comfort, participants were taught to turn to God.
Shamblin’s doctrine claimed that obesity was a sin, a result of having an idol—food—in the place of God. The only way to lose weight and achieve spiritual salvation was to wait until experiencing a physical hunger pang before eating, and to stop at the first sign of fullness.
This "starving" principle was the foundation of her multi-million dollar empire, attracting followers across the US and internationally. The program’s success was initially measured by the dramatic weight loss achieved by many participants, leading to the publication of Shamblin’s best-selling book, The Weigh Down Diet.
However, critics, including other Christian groups and nutritionists, quickly raised concerns that the program promoted disordered eating and a dangerous, simplified view of addiction and faith.
2. The Cult Accusations and the Remnant Fellowship Church
As the Weigh Down Workshop grew, Shamblin’s teachings evolved into a full-fledged religious movement, culminating in the founding of the Remnant Fellowship Church in 1999 in Brentwood, Tennessee.
It was here that the controversy surrounding Shamblin intensified. The church was criticized for denying the doctrine of the Trinity, a fundamental belief in mainstream Christianity. Shamblin taught that God was not a "three-headed God" and positioned herself as a prophet or messenger of God.
Accusations of cult-like behavior soon followed. Former members reported that Shamblin exerted extreme control over their lives, dictating everything from diet and dress to marriage and child-rearing.
One of the most tragic and publicized events linked to the church involved the 2003 death of a young boy, Josef Smith, whose parents were members of the Remnant Fellowship. The parents were convicted of murder, and critics pointed to the church’s strict, often harsh, views on discipline as a contributing factor.
The docuseries The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin brought these dark accusations back into the spotlight, detailing the church’s alleged abuses of power and financial exploitation, further cementing Shamblin’s image as a controversial figure.
3. Jennifer Grey’s Transformation and the Lifetime Movie
The phrase "Grey Starving" gained its specific media relevance with the release of the Lifetime movie, Gwen Shamblin: Starving for Salvation.
Actress Jennifer Grey, best known for her role in Dirty Dancing, took on the challenging and complex role of portraying Gwen Shamblin, including her distinctively large, sculpted blonde hairdo.
Grey's portrayal was widely discussed, as she captured the charismatic yet unsettling persona of the diet guru. The actress herself spoke about the difficulty of maintaining a low body weight for the role to accurately reflect Shamblin’s slender physique, stating she struggled to keep her weight up.
The movie, which premiered in 2023, dramatizes Shamblin’s rise from a successful dietitian to a religious leader, covering the Weigh Down Workshop, the founding of the Remnant Fellowship, her divorce from David Shamblin, and her controversial marriage to actor Joe Lara, who tragically died with her in the plane crash.
4. The Fatal Plane Crash and the Aftermath
Gwen Shamblin’s reign over her empire came to a sudden and dramatic end on May 29, 2021, when a small plane she was traveling in crashed into Percy Priest Lake near Smyrna, Tennessee.
All seven people aboard the plane were killed, including Shamblin, her husband Joe Lara (a former actor), her son-in-law Brandon Hannah, and several other prominent Remnant Fellowship leaders. Joe Lara was piloting the plane at the time.
The tragedy left the future of the Remnant Fellowship Church in question, but the organization quickly announced its continued operation. The church was immediately passed to the control of Shamblin’s two children, Elizabeth Shamblin Hannah and Michael Shamblin.
5. The Current Status of Remnant Fellowship Church
Despite the death of its founder and the ongoing negative publicity from documentaries and the Lifetime movie, the Remnant Fellowship Church remains active as of December 21, 2025.
Elizabeth Shamblin Hannah, Gwen’s daughter, has stepped into the primary leadership role, continuing to preach the Weigh Down doctrine and oversee the church’s ministry.
The church continues to maintain a strong presence, describing itself on its official website as a "growing community of worshipful, adoring believers" with services held in home settings and churches around the world.
However, the controversies surrounding the organization—including its non-traditional Christian doctrine and the accusations of being a high-control group—have not subsided. The church’s continued existence serves as a lasting, complex legacy to the woman who used a diet plan to build a powerful religious and financial empire, forever linking the name 'Grey' (Jennifer Grey) with the shocking story of 'Starving for Salvation'.
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