The Life in Jesus community began in Frederick County, Maryland, in 1982. The pastor and his wife, Bishop Philip and Mother Jean Zampino, were influenced by the teachings of Cay and Judy—and their lifestyle, as well. They decided that was a good blueprint and proceeded to fashion their group after the Community of Jesus.
After they began their official community, Jean Zampino was called “Mother Jean” in the same fashion as Mother Cay and Mother Judy in Orleans. They began a sisterhood, just as they did in Orleans. The sisters were little more than indentured servants, waiting on the Zampinos hand-and-foot, as did the sisters closest to Cay and Judy. The Zampinos never lifted a finger to clean their living space or cook their own meals (more on that later).
The group officially dissolved in 2008, the year after Grenville Christian College dissolved. The members had a “mutiny” and demanded the Zampinos resign. The Zampinos did so and were sent off on a “personal retreat.” Meanwhile, the members quarreled among themselves and could not unanimously agree on certain things. Two camps were formed; but, they ended up leaving, abandoning the property. The Zampinos have returned to the estate, which is owned by the non-profit organization. The Life in Jesus Community, which was structured and run almost exactly like the Community of Jesus, no longer exists.
Their community web site, lifeinjesus.org, existed for a while beyond the fall of the community, but changed days after the Zampinos returned. The site was much smaller and simpler.
Then-Bishop Zampino wrote an article describing, in seemingly blissful detail, how God formed the Life in Jesus Community. He included how sin still gets in the way, but that God triumphs because of their sacrificial life. To members of the Community of Jesus: sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Go here to read the article: Life in Community
(It reads like so many “Life Together” articles or other material written by the Community of Jesus about the Community of Jesus.)
Zampino’s article was actually a page on their website when they were a "community." Notice how wonderful it all sounds. Just 10 years later, everyone abandoned it. Was it really blessed by God? Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
In his article, Zampino writes:
As we are healed and forgiven, we find God is far more able to minister through us to others. It is so easy when we are only filled with our own ideas and opinions to communicate empty teachings based upon those ideas and opinions.
Guess there wasn’t much healing going on, was there? The Zampinos aren’t doing much ministering to others now. Is that God’s fault or the fact that the life they lived wasn’t really God’s way?
Empty teachings. His words. Both Grenville Christian College and the Life in Jesus Community were based on the teachings of Cay & Judy and followed the Community of Jesus’ lifestyle very closely. Now they are both defunct. What does that say about “the teaching”?
If your lifestyle is blessed by God, why have these two communities perished? Could it be because the “Community life” you live is based on empty teachings? Is the pressure you live under really a sanctifying aspect of the Holy Spirit or is it a method of control? How much longer will the Community of Jesus last? Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
After the place disbanded and the Zampinos changed it to the Life in Jesus Church, someone wrote a review at a website. The person who wrote it doesn’t make the life at the Life in Jesus Community sound quite as idyllic as Philip Zampino did.
Go here to read the review: Life in Jesus, Libertytown MD 21762
The Life in Jesus Community was reduced to simply the Life in Jesus Church. The Zampino’s current church has changed affiliations and is now known as the Jesus Our Shepherd Anglican Church. It has the following web site: jesusourshepherd.org