The Way International introduced sweeping changes at the annual Rock of Ages gathering last year. I did not take your explanation about The Way members as rude. I remember he looked at her with sympathy but didnt say anything. Good call. Can any recent survivors provide their reflections if its not to much: What are the manipulation tactics used? I grew up in the Way Ministry in the 80s and left in my last year of high school in 96. 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. Conveniently situated in the Minh Khai part of Phu Ly (Ha Nam), this property puts you close . It is apparent that almost all Wierwille taught he acquired from other men, not from original study of Gods word. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2dshceGGvY&ab_channel=TheEyewitnesses. This is to say, you can be you with all your quirks and eccentricities because we are all unique people and can come to have unique relationships with God through his Word. 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. Started in the early 1950s by the late Victor Paul Wierwille (1916-1985), the original organization was called the Way Incorporated. At the time, Schoenheit was on The Ways research team. No one is going to beat you. Im terribly sorry to hear that feel free to message me privately if it helps. I dont know if this is still true, but a weird criteria at the time was that you had to be debt free to participate. Martindale openly and vulgarly expressed his contempt for the splinter groups during his Rock of Ages 95 sermons. Martindale hopes that the Disciples will have more strict and disciplined lives than WOWs did, which itself is an implicit indictment against the lifestyles of many WOWs. 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. I dont know if any of this is helpful to you. Many have realized that they have also been falsely taught on Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and have turned to evangelical beliefs instead. Sann, on the other hand, considers people like Lynn to have gone too far in rejecting valid teachings. 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. Defectors also accused Way leadership of practicing and approving adultery as a godly practice. He is a former follower of The Way International, the same group from which I escaped in 1987. 11 Morton and Juedes, Integrity and Accuracy, reveals many of Wierwilles errors in scholarship and Bible interpretation. 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 . I was a Girl Scout as a kid and all through high school, and I devoted myself to community projects my whole life. Fourth, help them through the reconstruction of their Christian lives by introducing them to sincere, Bible-believing Christians, small group fellowships, and churches. As a kid, I was always 1.) Followers are now tasting the matured fruit of The Way Tree fruit of promiscuity, adultery, plagiarism (a form of lying), authoritarianism, false teaching, unfaithfulness, and lack of self-control. Many ex-Wayers continue to read Bullinger, as they did while in The Way. There were people who were sexually assaulted while hitchhiking and injured due to accidents. Thank you thank you for replying and contributing to the thread. The Rock had been held annually for 25 years, and had been used to teach, recruit participants for Way ministries, and send out Way Ambassadors. 7:15). The appeal was in its casual nature, balanced with an accessible way to become disciplined in Biblical scholarship. 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. Three editorials which answer misconceptions common among followers and ex-followers of The Way such as distrust of Christians outside The Way and the forming of Way splinter groups. 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. Wierwilles death certificate lists ocular melanoma, or malignant tumor of the eye, as the underlying cause of death. Wierwille always told them that they could only go as far as they had been taught, and the new groups demonstrate this principle by organizing themselves in the same ways, and on the same assumptions, which Wierwille used in building The Way Tree. One of the many difficult things about digesting this for us is that her personality and character did not reflect this at all. There is also an intermediate and advanced classes. Since then, The Way has sought to purge (that is, totally shun) all who do not tithe or who question Martindale on any issue. Cules son las creencias bsicas del budismo? in English, I was well traveled as an Army wife, and never dreamed I would be embarking on events that would change my life forever. They all have been visible in speaking, writing, and leadership positions such as Region and Limb Coordinators and headquarters staff (Region Coordinator is the highest Way position other than Trustee). 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. At one point I got sick with an infectious disease that typically kills you within 48 hours. I am also former TWI. Splintering and Subjugating.as night follows day, Remembering a woman of courage, who stood up to a monster. This is hard to accept for those who knew V.P. Im going to say something rude here: my experience of adults in the Way is that they arent exactly the sharpest tools in the shed. I think youre absolutely right in that educating others will help with the grieving process. (St. Louis: Personal Freedom Outreach, 1987), 50 pp. %PDF-1.7 % We ourselves have two articles in our website concerning that movement. 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. Im not saying that people in the Way avoid doctors entirely, but theres definitely a sense of what counts and doesnt or that people are putting waaay too much trust in men and not in God. Participants were sensitive (having been wounded by The Way), were open to friendships and ideas, and were reevaluating their beliefs. I want to be clear that if you think something nefarious has happened here, go with your gut. uuid:a0e7d6d5-45d0-8c4c-9602-8d6d3c43e9ff But they are open to friendships and the Bible, and are reevaluating many teachings and practices. The Way is considered a cult by many former members, by most mainstream churches, and by certain secular groups. Oh, so when I say curveballs I mean it in the figurative sense. For example we had fellowship in our home 3 days per week and if I were to miss one I might be interrogated about where I was, or told that I'm unequally yoked with "worldly" people, which is how they describe anyone outside the cult. 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. When The Way International splintered in the years following the death of founder V. P. Wierwille, many splinter groups formed. Some retain great respect for Wierwille, while a few joke about him. During WOW training at the 1994 Rock of Ages conference, however, Way leaders decided not to send WOWs, because nearly 10 percent of their Ambassadors were homosexual. The group itself says it is a Christian ministry. Second, give ex-Wayers space to vent their emotions and hurts, and pray for them and their healing. Box 18503, Anaheim, CA 92817. I am glad I am not the only one who dealt with growing up in TWI. Maybe it will help to read what I experienced. 2.) In the meantime, I want to share about her thread with you. It is not known if Martindales strong stand against homosexuality is in some way related to widespread reports of rampant adultery and promiscuous sex in The Way, including the highest levels of leadership. "rev" gerry wrenn raises wierwille from the dead! I get the impression her experience was exactly as youve shared. The group says that it will hold classes and smaller conferences instead, including a weeklong gathering of 2,000 at The Ways auditorium in New Knoxville, July 20-27. At first I was told how loved and adored I was but quickly that facade died and it was clear I was not loved. Because they had women on the Board of Directors and allowed women to lead fellowships, they could espouse their views as progressive. 13 Address: Pacific West Fellowship, P.O. I was raised "in the word" as they say, meaning I was a born into the cult. Bullinger is that they had already heard Wierwille teach Bullingers material as his own. As a result, Martindale told everyone to eliminate this and other spirit-driven malignancies from Way circles. that you have to purchase to participate. Allen wrote, I read it and all is true.So I will change to do my best for the man I helped kill.7 They apparently could not reconcile the death of the man of God with their teaching of the law of believing. Since they considered Wierwille the epitome of believing, he should easily have been able to will himself to health simply by believing he was well and free of cancer. Many of us were had gotten the impression that she was back. Un apologista cristiano responde a la actuacin satnica de Sam Smith y Kim Petras en los Grammy, Connect with the Christian Research Institute. "Christian Educational Services"-- The nature, strengths and weaknesses of the largest of the Way split-off groups, led by John Lynn. Technically, the group has only three members the trustees who control all aspects of The Way International, Inc. The Way is marketed as a biblical research, teaching, and fellowship ministry. Hahahaha. 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. Making you afraid of other people and afraid of having attention withheld are other classic manipulation tactics. There is a great diversity of emotions and viewpoints among those who have left The Way International. Some find it hard to reevaluate the Trinity, perhaps because they heard Way leaders ridicule Trinitarianism so often, and because they themselves also berated the teaching. John Lynn claims that Wierwille and at least four other trustees had sex with literally hundreds of women, many of whom Lynn and other ex-leaders have counseled personally.9 They also claim the Trustees fired long-time researcher John Schonheit for writing a brief paper summarizing the Bibles teaching against adultery. How do they suffocate you as a person? Splinter Cults are WORSE..not better. The Ways decisions to terminate the WOWs and PFAL classes are partly due to the damaging influence of Way splinter groups. What practices are still common? Ultimately we would also like to provide and seek justice on her behalf. (The PFAL classes had been open to anyone who paid the $50 fee.) Again, thank you for taking the time to provide concise details. Could you elaborate on the manipulation? The Cults podcast on Stitcher has a 2-part special on The Way and River Road Fellowship, which was one of the splinter groups. The foundational class is 36 hours I believe and I can't tell you how many times I took it. Beep. My father also advised the members of our fellowship to beat their children. But small IRA splinter groups have continued to launch sporadic attacks on security forces. And we have to consider the times: inspired by peace movements and anti-war efforts. The Passing of a Patriarch greatly damaged The Way because it summarizes the accusations Wierwille made against the three trustees who alone are technically members of The Way and who control all assets and policy. The largest group seems to be Christian Educational Services, Inc. (CES), which incorporated this fall in Indianapolis. While PFAL was used to introduce prospects to The Way, Martindales new classes are open only to people who have attended a twig (home fellowship) for a year and have been taught how to receive holy spirit and speak in tongues by the twig coordinator. Youre a survivor. 12 Lynn, Overview of Events. TWI's was (and still is in a smaller capacity) an actual institution with employees, an unaccredited college, and evangelist programs that relocate people and had actual methods for indoctrination. I was told by a leader that having an understanding of the Word as it is supposed to be understood helps you form opinions. These were known as splinter groups and were always talked about as deceptive as if they were scheming their followers. My parents are still standing, as they say. The new policy may reduce The Ways recruitment. The last fatal attack on a police officer in Northern Ireland was the April 2011 killing of Constable . 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. It was heavy-duty indoctrination using known "brainwashing" techniques like sleep deprivation and intense manual labor mixed with a hippy commune mentality and a healthy dose of college hijinks thrown in. Myself and others are looking to cope and find closure or understanding from a recent loss/death due to suicide. Available from: Capitol Saints/John A. Lynn, 5918 Chesterbrook Road, McLean, VA 22101. I think others have covered the most common manipulation tactics the group used. Word The Way International (TWI) has been on cult watchers' radar screens for decades. Nonetheless, hundreds of Way refugees are resisting the new groups' pleas to "join up.". Gross, right? 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. Needless to say, growing up in a large communal living situation for 2 years of my childhood had unique benefits and DEFINITE drawbacks. Some people started their own non-Way affiliated Bible fellowships. In 2000, the president of The Way, Craig Martindale, resigned following . If possible, use Way terminology and address Way thought patterns, or put them in touch with ex-Wayers who can. He told Corps grads that the Ambassadors had accomplished their mission of getting Gods Word over the world. He called it WOW redefined, but he never explained how reaching only a fraction of a percent of residents of the United States (much less of the world) constitutes completing the mission. Geer repeatedly promotes himself as the only man left in The Way Ministry who is fully informed, spiritually adept, and capable of leading the Ministry and stemming its speedy decline. This means that we live in the world, but that doesnt have to impact our relationship with God. In addition, anyone who is well-acquainted with Wierwilles writings and reads Kenyons and Bullingers books is struck by the close parallels, even though one cannot always trace exact word-for-word plagiarism. Last year, The Way Magazine lauded the organizations success at quickly beginning new PFAL classes through street witnessing; but now fewer classes are likely to be held since many recruits drop out of the twigs before attending a full year. Im so sorry for your loss. OVERVIEW OF THE WAY'S SPLINTER GROUPS. 2013-08-09T12:10:58-05:00 Your reply was a lot to unpack, digest, snd accept. 5 Christopher C. Geer, The Passing of a Patriarch (Attrincham, Cheshire, U.K.: European Christian Press, n.d.), 34. Strangely, that means that TWI is responsible for my birth. The Way president is accustomed to using crude speech and profanity, even in public settings. It is common for ex-Wayers to take several years to fully separate from The Way and reorient their lives. She was sobbing and apologized profusely that she hid this from them. Boop. Wierwille was not the only former minister to draw away young disciples David Berg was one of several others. nase ahora para acceder a este contenido exclusivo para suscriptores de Journal, To the Cancel Culture: We Respectfully Decline When Believers are Told What We May or May Not Say, Polite Refusal is Called For, Christ or Lucretius: Nature and Natures God in the poems of Mary Oliver. Despite a pattern of members losing their lives to the insanity of this group, proving negligence/culpability in Court regarding a suicide is very, very difficult. He also hopes to produce more printed materials, provide a network of fellowships, and serve as a traveling teacher. Except they pretty much worship the bible. Para ms informacin o para Join now to access this Journal subscriber only content. While accusing the Christian church at large of being divisive, the new groups (like The Way International) practice division much more stringently than most Christian denominations or churches. I know this is a bit long, but I hope it gives you some insight into what it's like to be inside this group. 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. Because of the work of splinter groups, in recent years The Way has been marked by heightened paranoia, attention to security, and bitterness. The Way International also claims trademark rights in the following: . She was loved by many, the brightest light and simply someone you could not avoid noticing. A name used by Share International. Reportedly, a few people have even considered suicide or entered mental institutions. Second, the doctrine of the splinter groups is nearly a carbon copy of Way . The Way also teaches its followers to receive an impersonal power (called holy spirit, power from on high, or Christ in you) by inhaling, and that speaking in tongues is the only proof that one is born again. The Way, International Profile While ex-Wayers want the groups to be much different than The Way, there are many similarities in teaching and goals. I told them never to bring up The Way in my presence again. This book condemned not only the trustees but all Way leadership, including the clergy, headquarters staff, regional leaders, and Corps around the world. After all, it is their friends who have left and made accusations of severe error against The Way leadership. Disgusting. There are people who spend 7 nights a week at fellowship or taking classes or teaching. James K. Walker Like Wierwille, Berg drew young people from the Jesus movement to form his own group, the Children of God (now called the Family of Love), which uses sexual promiscuity to win new followers. Off-shoot of The Way (formerly Christian Educational Services) 6.3k posts. Somehow I always imagined theyd be better than the original TWI. I think the biggest thing I would emphasize is that the biggest way faith organizations control you is by fear. 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.. I was forced to eat food I'm allergic to in order to prove God healed me. Someone previous mentioned and shared something that we really needed to hear and hit home profoundly, she expressed that (paraphrasing) she was struggling to reconcile with her faith and being a person in the world. Geer is damaging to The Way because of his previous close ties to Wierwille. Omg this info about splinter groups is shocking. We are near 70 years of age now, but the "Way" still affects us. 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 have rejected some Christian teachings (such as the Trinity17) primarily because they have accepted Way caricatures and have not fully understood them. For Feb 24, 2023 | Christian Articles, en Espanol. Kenyon. While Believers with a history of Way International affiliation, esp. To me this is the core of the Way: the planting of the idea that its us against them. Over time that can be very isolating considering that there arent that many people in the ministry. That is to say, other people are nice and fine, but its only the true Believers that are truly living Godly lives. Long story long. The logic has more dangerous consequences when people literally think God will cure their Cancer, Lupus, diabetes. SPIRIT AND TRUTH FELLOWSHIP / CHRISTIAN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES / JOHN LYNN. My eating habits were monitored and I would get made fun of by leadership for things i liked or how much I ate. They justify ANY abuse by saying it was reproof and you needed it. Leonard. As a minister in the Evangelical and Reformed Church (now part of the United Church of Christ), Wierwille developed . Homey, reported that 163 sodomiteshad been purged, marked and avoided by January l995.3. 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. There were some other elite leadership groups in the faith (like Way Disciple that you mention) but the three I listed are the ones that most people in fellowships are expected to take. For Feb 24, 2023 | Christian Articles, en Espanol. - Nowadays, Finnegan runs another Way splinter group called Christian Biblical Counsel. Most ex-Wayers are confused, not knowing where to turn, whom to trust, or what to believe. 1 See The Way Tree Is Splintering, Christian Research Journal, Fall 1988. And to answer your question, yes, people do commit suicide after being in the cult. The crowd of 11,000 applauded the changes, hoping that this would help remedy the severe decline and turbulence of the past 10 years. Additionally, ex-members have on file letters and transcripts in which Way president L. Craig Martindale defends sex outside marriage in many situations. We were taught that the Adversary is always looking for ways to break down our spiritual fortitude and that can come in the form of media, indoctrination in schools and even our own families. An Open Letter to You Who Are Disillusioned with The Way Ministry, J. Juedes PFO Journal. Para ms informacin o para Join now to access this Journal subscriber only content. Its current headquarters are in New Knoxville, Ohio; estimates of its membership range from 3,000 to 20,000. Lynn summarized this when he assured listeners that many stories would curl your hair.12. Show love and patience throughout this trying time of change. Until then I was personally fighting acceptance because I wasnt able to understand and someone else had not articulated a realistic and plausible answer. Just after Wierwilles death, Geer published The Passing of a Patriarch, which is a rambling account of Geers final conversations with Wierwille shortly before his death. The Way stressed that these gatherings were for committed, faithful followers, unlike the Rock, which was open to anyone. Still involved. I went to a couple fellowship meetings shortly after they took the "foundational class" and wouldn't shut up about it. However, it sucked to consider our loved as anything less than brilliant, observant, and aware. If you weren't in good standing, you didn't get tapes of the way singers or of "reverend" Martindale. So obviously if you're feeling depressed or suicidal you CANNOT tell ANYONE or you will likely be told you're possessed and have to have it cast out of you, at which point you have to pretend to be healed or else it means you're a bad believer and it's your fault you harbor spirits. Some say that the Way International is a cult. My impression is that BGSU Staff/Administration is unaware that she was a Way member. There was a Corp program called LEAD where participants had to hitchhike from Indiana/Ohio to New Mexico in a short period of time with very little money (less than $20 if I remember correctly) to go mountain climbing. I mention this because in the athletes analogy, theres always an adversary. The figure other Christians might call the Devil the Way often calls the Adversary (lol it looks weird to write it out). It's 2am and so I decided to reminisce in Google-land by doing a search on the The Way International; a group I was once affiliated with . 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). My mom was a single mother and had registered for an upcoming class. Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is the university she attended as a non-traditional student and place of employment. Nonetheless, many ex-Wayers desire publications, traveling teachers, regional meetings, and a network of fellowships similar to those they had in The Way.
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