His appendices offered reasons Way leaders gave to justify adultery, along with his own rebuttals. Because of the work of splinter groups, in recent years The Way has been marked by heightened paranoia, attention to security, and bitterness. I get the impression her experience was exactly as youve shared. With the more aggressive and cultic mindset of current Way leadership, followers can expect more years of turbulence and change. Martindales classes include material from PFAL as well as new topics. Splintering of the group since 1985 has greatly reduced its active membership, from a peak of about 35,000 to less than 10,000.1. The reason I created that thread was initial to gain some more insight. In the 90s as home internet was starting to become a thing, and ex-Way followers were posting their experiences on message boards, I remember fellowship leaders told us to limit our time online and to not Google search (or in those days Yahoo?) How do they suffocate you as a person? In my research since leaving in 2013 I have found a number of people who reported that their loved ones died in the way dating back to the 70s. Spirit and Truth Fellowship International, Out of the Way: The Offshoots Latest Topics. Sometimes area twigs would get together for a branch meeting, and less frequently a limb meeting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2dshceGGvY&ab_channel=TheEyewitnesses. And because we were Family Corp, children were added into the mix as well. - Nowadays, Finnegan runs another Way splinter group called Christian Biblical Counsel. Think of the creed is their unwritten Bible. Some people were asked to leave the ministry for some big transgression (maybe they were gay, maybe they bucked chain of command in some big way), and they were considered marked and avoided (I think stemming from the Cain and Abel story in Genesis). Sale of assets, reduction of overhead, smaller Corps classes, large numbers of defections (which left more staff openings), staff purges, and the sale of the The Way College of Emporia, Kansas, campus helped make this possible. Pretty sure "in good standing" meant you "tithed" over a certain amount each month. He is a former follower of The Way International, the same group from which I escaped in 1987. Boop. 14:21-23); stringent laws are done away with when one is born again (Col. 2:20-21); God punished David for killing Uriah, not for having sex with Bathsheba; and the Bibles word for adultery has a spiritual, not a physical meaning. The Cults podcast on Stitcher has a 2-part special on The Way and River Road Fellowship, which was one of the splinter groups. It was founded by Victor Paul Wierwille in 1942 as a radio program, subsequently becoming The Chimes Hour Youth Caravan in 1947, and The Way, Inc., in 1955. graduates of the PFAL Series (Power For Abundant Living) may find links to fellowship, study, friends, and loved ones, believers and seekers of all congregations or none at all may find wonderful links at this page. 35 0 obj <> endobj 60 0 obj <>stream The Corp is their leadership training program where you live on campus and attend their unaccredited "college." Christian can also help (ex-) Wayers through four basic steps of reorientation: 1) expose, 2) emotional reaction, 3) relearning, and 4) reconstruction. Wierwilles stance that the whole Bible was authored in Aramaic, that parts of Scripture have been lost, that many Bible passages in popular translations were deviously inserted by pagans, and his Nestorian-like view of Jesus Christ (which drives a wedge between the human Jesus and the divine Christ) all trace to mystic George Lamsa. Lynnes new teachings include the assertions that interpretation of tongues must always be praise to God (never a message to believers), and that believing does not work for saint and sinner alike, but is receiving Gods promises. And you mentioned twig earlier. Soooo, I guess to answer your question about how she was allowed to do non-Christian activities, I think the thing to remember is that the Way picked up steam in the late 70s when a big wave of evangelicalism was sweeping through the US. It endured so long largely because members of The Way (Wayers) viewed Wierwille as their Father in the Word, who heard Gods audible voice and taught Gods Word as it had not been known since the first century.. My father also advised the members of our fellowship to beat their children. Bill Green, who handles some public relations for The Ways New Knoxville, Ohio headquarters, declined to be interviewed about the classes and related developments. Geers book also claims that Geer alone is spiritually able to reform The Way Ministry. However, BGSU is a Way Campus where members are sent for their education as well as recruiting practice; all things already mentioned. Additionally, ex-members have on file letters and transcripts in which Way president L. Craig Martindale defends sex outside marriage in many situations. When I arrived back home my entire bedroom and all my belongings had been searched for anything ungodly. Heads up on Another Splinter off the Way International Tree. Wierwille exercised very little discernment in learning from others, readily accepting teachings from itinerant mystics, Christian Scientists, and spiritists. haga clic aqu para obtener ms informacin. 5 Lamsa considered himself an apostle and believed in clairvoyance and universalism. If youve seen the documentaries about Scientology or even that Nxivm sex cult this is practically a template for revenue income for these religious organizations. Way-Showers. A few, but not tons. https://www.reddit.com/r/BGSU/comments/mlu753/the_way_international_twi/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf. 10 These are actual experiences which Wayers, ex-Wayers, and others have shared with me. For example, Geer describes Wierwille as one who was very hard to live with, often lashing out at those closest to him and hurting them.5 It includes a reproduction of handwritten notes in which the three trustees admit that the accusations against them are true. The Way is marketed as a biblical research, teaching, and fellowship ministry. We believe and speculate it was attributed because of the known cult The Way International. The crowd of 11,000 applauded the changes, hoping that this would help remedy the severe decline and turbulence of the past 10 years. They assume that honest, objective biblical research and a fellowship of true believers cannot be found among Christians outside Wierwilles heritage of teaching, so they limit research and fellowship to their own narrow circles. Disgusting. We are spiritual beings in a material world, my mom would sometimes say. And as much I would dislike the idea of looking into my own rear view mirror her close friends and myself would deeply appreciate your vulnerability and transparency. My Mom got heavily involved in the ministry straight out the gates - going WOW (their outreach program) shortly after taking the PFAL class in the early 80s and then we went Family Corp right after that. As a result, many Wayers view Geer as being the true spiritual heir to Wierwille. When I was talking to my mom about climate change she just waved me off with Gods not going to let it get that bad! Oh. I was isolated from my family physically because they didn't live close, and during private conversations about leadership I was told that my family didn't love me and that they could understand why because I was so horrible, but at least I had them. Wierwilles writings on the topics of interpreting the Bible, soul sleep, the distinction of impersonal holy spirit from the Holy Spirit, ultradispensationalism, gospel harmony, and the mystery are all drawn from Bullinger. Ancient Aliens and the Bible: What the Popular Television Series Says about Extraterrestrials in Scripture, Famous for Jesus: A Review of Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits Are Hurting the Church by Katelyn Beaty (Brazos Press, 2022), Famosos por Jess: Resea de Celebridades por Jess: Cmo los personajes, las plataformas y los beneficios estn perjudicando a la Iglesia por Katelyn Beaty (Brazos Press, 2022). x*"fhR*_l*I&mLRQnG.O@o(UU7Wn?\6t]~mak-tX}zn[z,.o,o.*?Y~,vYj8P]w1$'ZfL1sr&E7pc'R7_\veb_ Martindale seems determined to remake The Way and close ranks, which may result in an increasingly cultic mindset. 60, Bien Hoa Street, Minh Khai Ward, Phu Ly City, Ha Nam Province,, Minh Khai, Phu Ly (Ha Nam), Vietnam, 400000 - See map. 2 The Way Magazine, Nov.-Dec. 1994, 26. Then there are all the other classes about specific topics. A good example of this is John Lynns 12-session class Keys to Victorious Living. The Class is nearly an exact duplicate of Wierwilles Power for Abundant Living class, teaching over two dozen of the same specific doctrines and using the same proof texts Wierwille used (though Lynn corrects some of Wierwilles most glaring misinterpretations). Oh! I was raised "in the word" as they say, meaning I was a born into the cult. Point out that Wierwilles adultery and lying (plagiarism) mark him a false teacher, not just a teacher with failings (Matt. Ultimately we would also like to provide and seek justice on her behalf. He never credited his sources, in effect lying to his readers by leading them to believe that he originated his teachings under Gods direct tutelage. Not even post TWI as a survivor. I just wanted to paint a picture here of the laid back approach to Christian faith that makes the Way appealing to people. One ex-member said the Corps residence training was sometimes like a bordello, with promiscuity, adultery, orgies, wife swapping, and even gang-rape.4. Although the group emphasizes that it does not have members, it keeps very detailed records of its class graduates and donors, which are used as criteria to determine peoples status with the group and their access to some of its functions. endstream endobj 3 0 obj <> endobj 2 0 obj <> endobj 61 0 obj <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 612.0 792.0]/Type/Page>> endobj 21 0 obj <> endobj 25 0 obj <> endobj 29 0 obj <> endobj 30 0 obj <>stream Still involved. I'm a robot. I wouldnt say my experience is at all recent since that was 2001, but I can absolutely say their tactics are manipulative. Wierwilles death certificate lists ocular melanoma, or malignant tumor of the eye, as the underlying cause of death. That made it harder for me to get a centered view on my life. Until then I was personally fighting acceptance because I wasnt able to understand and someone else had not articulated a realistic and plausible answer. My mom was a single mother and had registered for an upcoming class. 4 Lionel Recio and Steve Lefevers, The Way of Life or the Way of Death (self-published, 1987), 106. His complaint, however, implies that he realized there were significant errors in PFAL. The Way International is a small, fundamentalist, Bible-based organization headquartered in New Knoxville, Ohio, on property that was once the family farm of the founder, Victor Paul Wierwille. The car parking and the Wi-Fi are always free, so you can stay in touch and come and go as you please. Some retain great respect for Wierwille, while a few joke about him. that you have to purchase to participate. It has now become apparent to many of them that Wierwille was instead an eclectic plagiarist. Many people did not believe in medical care. No one is going to beat you. Off-shoot of The Way (formerly Christian Educational Services) 6.3k posts. "Christian Educational Services"-- The nature, strengths and weaknesses of the largest of the Way split-off groups, led by John Lynn. The appeal was in its casual nature, balanced with an accessible way to become disciplined in Biblical scholarship. The name became "The Way" in 1955, no doubt a reference to Jesus' statement that He is "the way, the truth and the life" ( John 14:6 ). Some say that the Way International is a cult. But at this point my goal has transitioned to educating the young and vulnerable population of college students by presenting an unknown and challenging thought. Each link takes you to a menu of articles on that topic, most by Dr. John P. Juedes, who has researched TWI for 30 years. TWI splinter group leader John Lynn wrote a letter in 2008 defending and praising "the old" Way International, proof that the old Way Arrogance lives on as well. as I got older I was terrified of doing something that would have me cast out because my whole life THESE were the people I knew and had history with, and it made me deeply sad to imagine suddenly being cut off from that. All of the various groups claim to hold the true legacy of Wierwille's teachings. Most ex-Wayers are confused, not knowing where to turn, whom to trust, or what to believe. Splinter Cults are WORSE..not better. Making you afraid of other people and afraid of having attention withheld are other classic manipulation tactics. At 29yrs old. Dont get me wrong, we should all have some financial literacy, but the extent to which Believers internalized their shortcomings was heart-breaking. First, it is helpful to present facts of doctrinal, organizational, and personal error in Way leaders. I think the biggest thing I would emphasize is that the biggest way faith organizations control you is by fear. Many of us were had gotten the impression that she was back. This group was formerly known as American Fellowship Services. Ancient Aliens and the Bible: What the Popular Television Series Says about Extraterrestrials in Scripture, Famous for Jesus: A Review of Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits Are Hurting the Church by Katelyn Beaty (Brazos Press, 2022), Famosos por Jess: Resea de Celebridades por Jess: Cmo los personajes, las plataformas y los beneficios estn perjudicando a la Iglesia por Katelyn Beaty (Brazos Press, 2022). It is fundamentalist due to many non-negotiable beliefs, most notably the inerrancy of the Scriptures, and it is a cult, a high-control group, due to its social . Can you imagine? Im not educated or enlightened by any metric, but reading that after your personal experience as well as observation grounded and solidified what you were sharing. Im so sorry for your loss. Any time I needed to see a doctor (I've had chronic health issues) I had to do it in secret and lie about where I was going, and have the bills sent to fake addresses so no one would find out. Prominent ex-Way leaders took with them networks of ex-followers of TWI. One CES leader, with a touch of irony, attempted to distance CES from The Way by explaining that CES would do "Christian study," not "biblical research" (A Way term). Splintering and Subjugating.as night follows day, Remembering a woman of courage, who stood up to a monster. This is just awful, horrible and egregious in every way possible. That wing of my family joined nearly 30 years ago. It is apparent that almost all Wierwille taught he acquired from other men, not from original study of Gods word. But apparently, he doesn't want people to know what he did in the 1970s and 1980s. Second, give ex-Wayers space to vent their emotions and hurts, and pray for them and their healing. Word Experiences, questions, observations about offshoots who trace their roots to The Way International, Off-shoot of The Way (formerly Christian Educational Services), Accused sex predator Victor Barnard a victim's story. 16 Wierwille noted that acquiring young people from the Jesus movement caused the Ways growth (Whiteside, 230-35). The Way International also claims trademark rights in the following: . 7:15). Nonetheless, many ex-Wayers desire publications, traveling teachers, regional meetings, and a network of fellowships similar to those they had in The Way. Disciples serve only four months, and The Way plans to send out two waves a year. At first I was told how loved and adored I was but quickly that facade died and it was clear I was not loved. I was berated, told I did this to myself because I didn't have my head in the word enough and allowed devil spirits in. Wierwille was always more effective at turning people away from the church of Jesus Christ than he was at turning people toward the Bible or The Way International. Although Wierwille has written against spiritism, he welcomed this spiritist with open arms. I'm pretty sure that "The Word" has quite a bit to say about murder. Leonards book and course syllabus called The Gifts of the Spirit are still in print. That is to say, other people are nice and fine, but its only the true Believers that are truly living Godly lives. Its not interested in interrogating deep questions of being and it doesnt hold up well to fact based challenges. 11 Morton and Juedes, Integrity and Accuracy, reveals many of Wierwilles errors in scholarship and Bible interpretation. This is his first book, and the first book produced by this Biblical Research and Teaching ministry in over 10 years. She was born into it and her home was a Twig if my verbiage is correct. The termination of the WOW Ambassador program led to the start of the Disciples of The Way Outreach program. That exes from his life are all crazy.. . At the time Martindale saw the suspension of WOW as the response to an attack by evil devil spirits, but by the summer of 1995 he recast the suspension as a Way victory. The manipulation tactics come from many angles. The Way stressed that these gatherings were for committed, faithful followers, unlike the Rock, which was open to anyone. The Ways security force has become increasingly aggressive, quickly and thoroughly investigating anyone who appears at functions like the Rock of Ages conferences9 or is on their campus without a Way nametag. The class aside (because who cares), can you imagine being made to feel like youre a bad person because of things beyond your control? After Dr. Weirwill died and leadership was given to Craig Martindale, TWI essentially split into those who followed Craig and stayed in TWI's proper organization, and those who moved into splinter groups. Stiles, a leader in the early charismatic movement. In addition, the account includes several insights into The Way. I saw your post a few days ago when it was first posted and having been thinking about it ever since. It's another thing entirely when the leader of a "Biblical Research and Fellowship Ministry" delivers a fire and brimstone sermon threatening to chain gays to the back bumper of an RV and go for a little drive. People were eager to engage, but I dont think answers were ever very satisfying. Somehow I always imagined theyd be better than the original TWI. I would lovingly suggest that your time might be more effectively spent honoring your friend's memory by educating others about the harm that cults cause and working with a counselor to process the grief of losing your friend twice - first to a cult and then to suicide. Un apologista cristiano responde a la actuacin satnica de Sam Smith y Kim Petras en los Grammy, Connect with the Christian Research Institute. The stories which former (and current) Way insiders hear include many more specific charges about shocking events. What practices are still common? Omg this info about splinter groups is shocking. This is where I experienced most of the abuse. Way followers say the first commandment is the most important: no false Idols before God. I was told by a leader that having an understanding of the Word as it is supposed to be understood helps you form opinions. Personally I was depressed and suicidal most of the 5 years I lived there and for years after until I was able to seek help. The most ridiculous instance was when he beat me for clinking my fork too loudly in my plate at the dinner table. 3 Highlights of The Way Corps Graduation (June 1995), cassette tape. My home life was very turbulent because of TWI. In the weeks leading up to it, she got sick and missed a few shifts at work and ran up a few hundred dollars of credit card debt to cover bills.
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