the way international splinter groups

For instance, trustee Donald Wierwille (Victor Pauls son) confessed, I apologize for not having followed my man of God.6. Some still in The Way are ignorant of the controversy, while others refuse to listen to the charges, deny them, or rationalize how Wierwille could have done such things without guilt. She didnt take the class. 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. Think of the creed is their unwritten Bible. This thread is like a walk down memory lane - Sunday Service tapes, the Rock of Ages, Athletes of the Spirit, all the lingo others have quoted, and Martindale's violent tirades against homosexuality in the mid 90s bring me right back. 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. haga clic aqu para obtener ms informacin. 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. Juedes is a Lutheran paster who has written extensively on the Way. The foundational class is 36 hours I believe and I can't tell you how many times I took it. What practices are still common? 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. OVERVIEW OF THE WAY'S SPLINTER GROUPS. 2.) This is very hard. He rightly exhorted them to reactivate critical thought rather than just change from being a Wierwille disciple to a Bullinger disciple. Leonards book and course syllabus called The Gifts of the Spirit are still in print. The share and contributions of another Reddit member way help you with perspective and provide some form of comfort or solace as you and your family are ensuring the struggle currently. 2013-08-01T19:56:36Z John Lynn described in detail how Way leaders practiced and tried to justify adultery in the audiotape, Overview of Events-1.. 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. Second, give ex-Wayers space to vent their emotions and hurts, and pray for them and their healing. I dont know if any of this is helpful to you. This is a big hurdle, because V.P. I figured out I was gay in college, and having grown up in a household that called people faggots, fudge-packers, rump-riders and played count the queers when we went to amusement parks, I knew this wasnt going to fly. CES includes Wayers who were respected or well known, such as Lynn who had three books published by The Way, more than any author except Wierwille. The Way International introduced sweeping changes at the annual Rock of Ages gathering last year. Some people started their own non-Way affiliated Bible fellowships. He also was a spiritist and claimed, Many of the subjects I have given in my Bible class have been dictated to me by the loved ones long since passed on.6 It would appear that Wierwilles gnostic leanings, healing emphasis, camp/advance (retreat) formats, divine laws, stress on physical exercise, desire to be the best, and even the term The Way itself were derived from New Thought speakers Glenn Clark, Starr Daily, and Rufus Moseley. Groups like the Way Ministry where you are expected to have instant familiarity with and trust for other members (who are practically strangers) by virtue of you all being "like-minded" is an environment absolutely rife for abuse. This video covers some of the deaths and suicides of former members. My parents are still standing, as they say. Wierwille admits going to Alberta, Canada, twice in the early 1950s to hear Leonard teach on the manifestations and get a copy of his syllabus for his use.8 Leonard still teaches in Brownsville, Texas. The Way stressed that these gatherings were for committed, faithful followers, unlike the Rock, which was open to anyone. x*"fhR*_l*I&mLRQnG.O@o(UU7Wn?\6t]~mak-tX}zn[z,.o,o.*?Y~,vYj8P]w1$'ZfL1sr&E7pc'R7_\veb_ It has shrunk in size and, as often is the case in cults when the original leader dies, splintered into various rival movements. Jun 10, 2009. Lynn summarized this when he assured listeners that many stories would curl your hair.12. 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. 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). My mom thought God helped her get a good parking space once (Im not kidding). The Way is marketed as a biblical research, teaching, and fellowship ministry. As a result, many Wayers view Geer as being the true spiritual heir to Wierwille. Hahahaha. Geers book also claims that Geer alone is spiritually able to reform The Way Ministry. Show love and patience throughout this trying time of change. 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. I was born in Sidney, Ohio in 2001 and lived at the Way Headquarters in New Knoxville. Word We are spiritual beings in a material world, my mom would sometimes say. 35 0 obj <> endobj 60 0 obj <>stream SPIRIT AND TRUTH FELLOWSHIP / CHRISTIAN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES / JOHN LYNN. - Nowadays, Finnegan runs another Way splinter group called Christian Biblical Counsel. Many former Way members are flocking to break-off organizations some of which are led by well-known and respected ex-leaders. I get the impression her experience was exactly as youve shared. 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. 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. 3 Highlights of The Way Corps Graduation (June 1995), cassette tape. Kenyon. The stories which former (and current) Way insiders hear include many more specific charges about shocking events. These were known as splinter groups and were always talked about as deceptive as if they were scheming their followers. Second, the doctrine of the splinter groups is nearly a carbon copy of Way . Although Lamsas blemished translation of the Bible appears in Christian bookstores, he held New Thought (Christian Science-like), not evangelical, beliefs.5 Wierwille drew his laws of believing, of tithing, prosperity, mental imaging (imagining good things to bring them to pass), and the more abundant life from Albert Cliffe. This is where I experienced most of the abuse. 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. Para ms informacin o para Join now to access this Journal subscriber only content. 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 Way not only teaches that Jesus Christ is not God, but also has instruction on tithing, the law of believing (whatever one believes will happen to one, whether bad or good), and the accuracy of the Bible (as translated by Way leaders). It has now become apparent to many of them that Wierwille was instead an eclectic plagiarist. 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. Her recent suicide however was as a member in leadership. 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. About The Way International has the most comprehensive collection of articles on The Way International found anywhere-- over 110. I'm pretty sure that "The Word" has quite a bit to say about murder. 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. Youre a survivor. https://www.reddit.com/r/BGSU/comments/mlu753/the_way_international_twi/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf. James K. Walker We believe and speculate it was attributed because of the known cult The Way International. 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. These people are capable of anything. All of the various groups claim to hold the true legacy of Wierwille's teachings. Prominent ex-Way leaders took with them networks of ex-followers of TWI. 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). Box 18503, Anaheim, CA 92817. My splinter group was one of them. Un apologista cristiano responde a la actuacin satnica de Sam Smith y Kim Petras en los Grammy, Connect with the Christian Research Institute. Although Guideposts helped popularize Cliffes writings and he claimed to be Anglican, Cliffe held New Thought beliefs, seeing God as impersonal principle. Again, thank you for taking the time to provide concise details. Almost every one of Wierwilles teachings can be traced to other sources (see sidebar for descriptions of some of Wierwilles teachings). She was loved by many, the brightest light and simply someone you could not avoid noticing. Many have realized that they have also been falsely taught on Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and have turned to evangelical beliefs instead. One response still in print is Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth by H.A. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The book asserts that the president and trustees were untrustworthy and spiritually corrupt, did not listen to God or Wierwille, killed Way ministries by neglect, avoided responsibility, were hypocrites, led selfish lifestyles, and so forth. We could go into particulars like the Holocaust denying, the speaking in tongues, how women are supposed to be subservient to men, the homophobia but I just wanted to provide you with some context. How come she was allowed non-Christian activities such as going to dances/concerts, have a boyfriend or a job prior to college and Way Disciples Training? 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 PFAL classes had been open to anyone who paid the $50 fee.) 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. While Believers with a history of Way International affiliation, esp. Another splinter group By Fredchopin, September 3, 2021. 2013-08-09T12:10:58-05:00 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. One ex-member said the Corps residence training was sometimes like a bordello, with promiscuity, adultery, orgies, wife swapping, and even gang-rape.4. 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. The Way used to mail cassette tapes of the Sunday service to those "in good standing". Myself and others are looking to cope and find closure or understanding from a recent loss/death due to suicide. I think some of the main differences between the 80's and now is the infrastructure. That made it harder for me to get a centered view on my life. Instead of it being an isolated incident that sucks from time to time in life, its framed as The Adversary (the devil) is making your life difficult, and as athletes of the spirit we can outmaneuver him. 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. 13 Address: Pacific West Fellowship, P.O. I can remember being a teenager and being intellectually curious and asking a lot of questions. 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. They include the Foundational Class (Receive with Meekness), the Intermediate Class (Retain with Conviction), and the Advanced Class (Release with Boldness). Many remember current leaders as friends, but at the same time despise them for wrongs they believe they have done or allowed. For Feb 24, 2023 | Christian Articles, en Espanol. Accordingly, several groups have arisen to try to meet these needs. 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. At one point I got sick with an infectious disease that typically kills you within 48 hours. 11 Morton and Juedes, Integrity and Accuracy, reveals many of Wierwilles errors in scholarship and Bible interpretation. And if the world thought you were a good homosexual it was because you had an agenda to legitimize your perversion (the way Jewish people use the Holocaust to legitimize their ungodly faith). 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. For Feb 24, 2023 | Christian Articles, en Espanol. Then there are all the other classes about specific topics. Like Wierwille, Bergs teachings became the ultimate authority, and when he committed adultery, he reinterpreted the Bible in order to defend his sinful practice. However, we are still driven by their nefarious existence. TWI now is less than a tenth of what it was in the early 1980s, but TWI was far less than a tenth of what its . I did not take your explanation about The Way members as rude. The class aside (because who cares), can you imagine being made to feel like youre a bad person because of things beyond your control? There are less and less full time ministers on the field and in many Regions only one full time couple in the entire Region. Most still feel hurt from being betrayed by The Way, are suspicious of any new organizations, and hesitate to connect themselves with any Christian church. 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. 4 Lionel Recio and Steve Lefevers, The Way of Life or the Way of Death (self-published, 1987), 106. 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. 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. 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. Ultimate question, do you think The Way or anyone that endorses the way is worth pursuing as - culpable? uuid:a0e7d6d5-45d0-8c4c-9602-8d6d3c43e9ff Cliffes book Lessons in Successful Living addresses similar topics. Michael Rood is a self-proclaimed Messianic preacher who was ordained as a Christian minister in The Way International (TWI).. Rood has continued many of the themes and practices which made TWI theologically a cult of Christianity. And I am glad you are with us. This conflict has increased as ex-Wayers have persuaded many of their friends to leave Martindales group. Have others committed suicide? Strangely, that means that TWI is responsible for my birth. I'm way-adjacent. The splinter groups made a lot of sense because fellowships (church) was held in people's homes anyway, so they continued to hold them and they all have their own little names like "Harbor Light Fellowship" or "Living Word Fellowship" however they still are Weirwill purists and teach his ideas. Few know that many able scholars have effectively refuted some of Bullingers ideas. 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). Long story long. The Way of Life or The Way of Death (self-published, 1987), 106. She was sobbing and apologized profusely that she hid this from them. See also Elena Whiteside, The Way Living with Love, 2d ed. At the time, Schoenheit was on The Ways research team. Here's a copy of. The largest group seems to be Christian Educational Services, Inc. (CES), which incorporated this fall in Indianapolis. They have been active and effective at exposing problems in The Way through personal influence and meetings of Wayers around the nation. Wait, it's "The Word of God" and then some other follower will utter "The Word of God is the Will of God" like some sheep bleating "four legs good". The logic has more dangerous consequences when people literally think God will cure their Cancer, Lupus, diabetes. They did not understand that Wierwille preached another Jesus (who was only a man) and another spirit (not the Holy Spirit personally indwelling them). However, BGSU is a Way Campus where members are sent for their education as well as recruiting practice; all things already mentioned. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2dshceGGvY&ab_channel=TheEyewitnesses. The Way published three books by Lynn, more than any author other than Wierwille. 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.