Ultimate question, do you think The Way or anyone that endorses the way is worth pursuing as - culpable? Here's a copy of. 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. The most ridiculous instance was when he beat me for clinking my fork too loudly in my plate at the dinner table. I was forced to eat food I'm allergic to in order to prove God healed me. 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. Children who grew into adults in the Way are another matter because it is hard to go out into the world and maybe get your own place or go to college and have your worldview challenged by people you were taught were lazy, selfish, or had an agenda. Cliffes book Lessons in Successful Living addresses similar topics. I told them never to bring up The Way in my presence again. 15 H. A. Ironside, Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1938) addresses the relation of the gospel to the church, the Bride and body of Christ, baptism, and related topics. They did not understand that Wierwille preached another Jesus (who was only a man) and another spirit (not the Holy Spirit personally indwelling them). Ive started this process in some form and would like to invite you to take a peek at another thread. Long story long. The Way International is a shell of what it was during the lifetime of Victor Paul Wierwille. One Scripture passage (2 Cor. Could John Lynn be the undisputed king of Offshoot ministries? John Schonheits paper on adultery was a thinly veiled accusation that Wierwille and other leaders falsely taught that adultery is a biblically acceptable practice. The Way published three books by Lynn, more than any author other than Wierwille. The Way sent out 138 Disciples to 15 cities during the Rock of Ages 1995 conference, far below a peak of 3,100 WOW Ambassadors it claimed to have sent in 1982. Current Way affiliates are more than welcome to utilize . 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 last fatal attack on a police officer in Northern Ireland was the April 2011 killing of Constable . My story might be pretty different compared to those of you who grew up in the 80's/90's. The Way is marketed as a biblical research, teaching, and fellowship ministry. 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. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 3 Highlights of The Way Corps Graduation (June 1995), cassette tape. About The Way International has the most comprehensive collection of articles on The Way International found anywhere-- over 110. The reason I created that thread was initial to gain some more insight. There are certain rules Mandalorians must adhere to . Unless you have endless funds to fight in Court for an extended period of time, I fear that battle would only add to the pain you have already experienced. %PDF-1.7 % Based at . If you weren't in good standing, you didn't get tapes of the way singers or of "reverend" Martindale. For Feb 24, 2023 | Christian Articles, en Espanol. My sister, mom and I put up with constant abuse from our dad, who was a fellowship coordinator after we moved to Arizona in about 2008. 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. 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. We were taught that debt was inherently evil and that it made you a slave to the lender. It is apparent that almost all Wierwille taught he acquired from other men, not from original study of Gods word. Point out that Wierwilles adultery and lying (plagiarism) mark him a false teacher, not just a teacher with failings (Matt. 2013-08-09T12:10:58-05:00 This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 44, number 2 (2021). If you have done your reading about cults, then you are probably familiar with Dr. Steve Hassan's BITE model. But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 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. My mom was a single mother and had registered for an upcoming class. Incidentally, only Geers group has published a book by Wierwille since his death. They believed that God heals and if you believe enough he can heal anything. Tired from excessive bible study, didnt share and/or complain about any of her home life and doodled a lot which always made me ponder what she was thinking about?. Also former TWI here, my parents are still in it, and its causing incredible family pain, now between my older sister. Okay. And Im not sure I can completely answer your question about stepping out of line and facing consequences. That ego had gone to their heads; that the Adversary had gotten to them. She was loved by many because she was easy going, fit in with many and different groups - a legitimate interest in others, etc. 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. This is certainly helpful and appreciated. Leonard. This is just awful, horrible and egregious in every way possible. Many ex-Wayers continue to read Bullinger, as they did while in The Way. This practice was common back in the 70s-80s as well as taking people's medications away so they could "prove God." I think it may be important for you to identify whether she was in TWI proper or a splinter group. I grew up in the Way and drifted from it the year I went to college (though I went a few times reluctantly to a new fellowship in the town where my college was). The Way International also claims trademark rights in the following: . 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. 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. Conveniently situated in the Minh Khai part of Phu Ly (Ha Nam), this property puts you close . Wierwille was not the only former minister to draw away young disciples David Berg was one of several others. An iconic five-star international hotel Our hotel is located in the heart of the city and provides 180 rooms and suites. The Way International introduced sweeping changes at the annual Rock of Ages gathering last year. Her recent suicide however was as a member in leadership. I was raised "in the word" as they say, meaning I was a born into the cult. Many people follow Wierwille in part because they were impressed by his claim that he took over 3,000 books on theology to the city dump3 and resolved to study the Bible alone without mens teachings.4 Although Wierwille sometimes said he learned from others, he often explicitly claimed originality. 1987). 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. 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). In short, the Way (though it started much earlier) at its highest participation rates was essentially home fellowships with hippies talking about Jesus. Youve saved me an extensive amount of grieving. There are people who spend 7 nights a week at fellowship or taking classes or teaching. My splinter group was one of them. Youre a survivor. Este artculo es una exclusiva en lnea de Christian Research Journal. 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. Ex-Wayers also charge that The Way teaches falsely on the topics of believing, abundant sharing, tithing, interpretation of tongues, and athletes of the spirit (the belief that every warfare metaphor in the Epistles should be understood as an athletic metaphor instead). 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. The past two years have been a very unsettling time for Wayers. Bill Green, who handles some public relations for The Ways New Knoxville, Ohio headquarters, declined to be interviewed about the classes and related developments. The group itself says it is a Christian ministry. They have been active and effective at exposing problems in The Way through personal influence and meetings of Wayers around the nation. In response, he defends such Way teachings as that on interpretation of tongues.14 Ralph Dubofsky told the May 1988 CES meeting that the reason they like so much of E.W. One of the many difficult things about digesting this for us is that her personality and character did not reflect this at all. I dont know if any of this is helpful to you. 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 . Some people started their own non-Way affiliated Bible fellowships. 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. And because we were Family Corp, children were added into the mix as well. Answer. Each fellowship was just one small twig connected to a branch, then a limb, then a trunk and so on. Started in the early 1950s by the late Victor Paul Wierwille (1916-1985), the original organization was called the Way Incorporated.