You’ve probably seen the headlines. Or maybe a stray TikTok video popped up on your feed featuring a frantic family member claiming their daughter was being held against her will. If you spend any time in the Los Angeles dance scene or follow the convoluted world of "high-control groups," you know the name. Shekinah Church Los Angeles. It’s a name that carries a lot of weight, a lot of baggage, and frankly, a lot of confusion.
People talk about it like it's a mystery novel. It isn’t.
It is a real organization, led by a man named Robert Shinn, and it sits at the bizarre intersection of Pentecostal Christianity, a talent management company called 7M Films, and the hyper-competitive world of professional social media dancing. To understand what is happening there, you have to look past the "cult" buzzwords and look at the structure of how faith and business are being blended in a way that makes a lot of people—including the FBI and multiple former members—deeply uncomfortable.
The Connection Between Shekinah Church Los Angeles and 7M Films
Here is where it gets weird. Most churches have a bake sale or a choir. Shekinah Church Los Angeles has a world-class dance roster. Robert Shinn, the longtime pastor of Shekinah, founded 7M Films in 2021. The "7M" stands for the Seven Mountain Mandate, a specific theological framework within dominionist Christianity that suggests believers should occupy the "seven mountains" of societal influence: family, religion, education, media, entertainment, economy, and government.
Shinn didn't just want a congregation; he wanted a foothold in Hollywood.
The overlap is almost 100%. Many of the most famous dancers on the 7M roster—the ones you see doing synchronized hip-hop routines on the Santa Monica Pier for millions of views—are also members of Shekinah Church. This isn't just a coincidence. Former members, like Aubrey Fisher and Kylie Douglas, have described a system where your spiritual life and your professional income are managed by the same person. Imagine your boss is also your pastor. Imagine he tells you how to spend your money because he’s your accountant, and then tells you who to marry because he’s your spiritual guide.
That’s the core of the controversy.
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It's a "totalistic" environment. When you're in, you're all the way in. When you're out, you're dead to them. That is the definition of shunning, and it’s a tactic that Shekinah has been accused of using to keep families apart.
Why the Wilking Family Brought This to the Public
Most people heard about Shekinah Church Los Angeles for the first time in early 2022. That’s when the Wilking family went live on Instagram. Miranda Wilking (now Miranda Derrick) was a massive star on TikTok. She and her sister Melanie were a duo. Then, suddenly, Miranda stopped talking to her family. She stopped showing up for holidays. She married another 7M dancer, James "BDash" Derrick, in a ceremony her parents weren't invited to.
The Wilkings claimed Shekinah was a cult.
Miranda denied it. She still denies it. She says she just wanted space from her family and that her faith is her own business. But the public outcry opened a floodgate. Other former members started coming forward with stories that sounded remarkably similar. They talked about "die to self" teachings—the idea that you have to sever ties with your biological family if they don't support your spiritual "journey" with the church.
It’s a classic high-control tactic. If you can convince someone that their mother’s love is actually a "demonic attachment" trying to pull them away from God’s plan, you own them. You don't need locks on the doors when you have locks on the mind.
The Financial Mechanics
Is it about God? Or is it about the 10 percent? Or 20? Or 50?
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Reports from a 2024 Netflix documentary and various civil lawsuits suggest that the financial tie-ins at Shekinah Church Los Angeles are intense. Dancers supposedly give a massive portion of their earnings to the church and the management company. We are talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars in some cases. When your pastor is the one booking your commercials and also the one telling you that God wants you to be wealthy so you can fund the ministry, the lines get real blurry, real fast.
What "Seven Mountain Mandate" Actually Means Here
You can't talk about Shekinah without talking about theology. It's not "standard" church stuff. They follow a specific brand of charismatic Christianity that focuses heavily on "deliverance" and "spiritual warfare."
In this world, everything is a battle.
Success is a sign of God’s favor.
Criticism is a sign of "persecution" by the enemy.
By positioning the church in the "Entertainment Mountain," Shinn created a narrative where his dancers aren't just influencers; they are "soldiers" for Christ in the darkest parts of Hollywood. It’s a powerful ego stroke. It makes a 19-year-old kid from the Midwest feel like their dance video is saving souls. But the flip side is that if you leave the church or question the pastor, you aren't just quitting a job. You are deserting God's army.
That is how you keep people from leaving. You make the exit cost eternally high.
The Legal Reality and Current Status
Right now, things are messy. There isn't just one story; there are dozens of legal filings. Robert Shinn and Shekinah Church Los Angeles have faced lawsuits alleging labor law violations, human trafficking, and fraud. Shinn has denied all of it. He claims these are disgruntled former members who just couldn't hack the discipline required for success.
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In 2023, a judge moved some of these claims toward a massive trial. The allegations are heavy. They include:
- Forced isolation from families.
- Coerced financial contributions that exceed standard tithing.
- Psychological manipulation used to maintain control over professional contracts.
- Physical and emotional exhaustion from grueling schedules.
Despite the noise, Shekinah still operates. 7M still posts videos. If you look at Miranda Derrick’s Instagram today, it looks like a perfect, sun-drenched California life. That’s the disconnect that drives people crazy. How can something look so "normal" on the surface while being described as so "dangerous" by those who escaped?
How to Spot a High-Control Group in Your Own Life
Honestly, the Shekinah Church Los Angeles story isn't just about dancers. It’s a case study in how modern groups use social media and "hustle culture" to mask older, more traditional forms of manipulation. If you are looking at a group—be it a church, a multi-level marketing scheme, or a "self-help" seminar—and you see these red flags, be careful.
- Isolation as "Growth": If they tell you your family is "toxic" just because they are asking questions about the group, that’s a red flag. Healthy organizations encourage outside relationships.
- The "Special Knowledge" Trap: Only the leader has the "true" vision. Everyone else is just trying to catch up.
- Financial Enmeshment: If you can't leave the group without losing your career, your housing, and your bank account, you aren't a member. You are a captive.
- Love Bombing: The initial phase is too good to be true. Everyone is your best friend. Everyone loves you. Then, the "correction" starts.
The dancers in Shekinah are incredibly talented. That’s the tragedy of it. Their talent is being used as a shield. When someone criticizes the church, the church points to the "fruit"—the success, the money, the smiles. But as we’ve seen with NXIVM, Scientology, and dozens of other groups, a smiling face on a promotional video doesn't tell the whole story.
Moving Forward: Actionable Steps for Concerned Observers
If you have a family member involved in a group like Shekinah Church Los Angeles, or if you're navigating a high-control environment yourself, here is the reality: yelling doesn't work. The more the Wilking family pushed initially, the more Miranda pulled away. That’s how the "persecution" narrative works.
Instead, focus on these steps:
- Maintain a "Low-Stakes" Bridge: If you can, keep lines of communication open about non-group topics. "I saw this movie and thought of you" is better than "Why are you in a cult?" You want to be the "safe" place they go when the group inevitably lets them down.
- Document Everything: If there are financial weirdnesses or strange contracts, keep records. Civil suits are won on paper, not on TikTok.
- Seek Specialized Counseling: Standard therapy often doesn't "get" cult dynamics. Look for professionals who specialize in Religious Trauma Syndrome (RTS) or high-control groups.
- Follow the Legal Proceedings: Don't rely on social media rumors. Search the Los Angeles County Superior Court records for "7M Films" or "Robert Shinn" to see the actual status of the litigation. Facts are your best weapon against manipulation.
The Shekinah Church Los Angeles saga is far from over. As more dancers leave and more evidence comes to light, the "Entertainment Mountain" Robert Shinn tried to build looks less like a kingdom and more like a legal liability. Stay skeptical. Watch the feet, but keep an eye on the fine print.
The truth usually lives in the space between the choreographed dance and the bank statement.