Like when life doesnt go like you expect, whether its a health problem or an issue at work. I'm a robot. 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. What practices are still common? My parents are still standing, as they say. He would beat me for nearly any infraction. CES includes many past Way celebrities and clergy such as John and Pat Lynn, Ralph Dubofsky, Robert Belt, Sue Pierce, Tom Reahard, and John Schonheit. 2013-08-01T19:56:36Z No one is going to beat you. Although Wayers project a curt and indifferent attitude toward the many who have left the group, they have undoubtedly been hurt deeply in recent years. I was forced to eat food I'm allergic to in order to prove God healed me. We ourselves have two articles in our website concerning that movement. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 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. Although Wierwille has written against spiritism, he welcomed this spiritist with open arms. Many ex-Wayers continue to read Bullinger, as they did while in The Way. (Ex-)Wayers would also benefit from Robert A. Moreys Death and the Afterlife (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 1984), Stuart Olyotts The Three Are One (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Co., 1979), and Cal Beisners God in Three Persons (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1985). He is a former follower of The Way International, the same group from which I escaped in 1987. Some retain great respect for Wierwille, while a few joke about him. 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). Homey, reported that 163 sodomiteshad been purged, marked and avoided by January l995.3. 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. I had been a professional lead singer and performer since I was 16, and although I . How about a little more candor, Vince? By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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. The most prominent of these groups are John Lynns Christian Educational Services (CES) and Chris Geers The Way of Great Britain. Growing up, I remember hearing stories about people who had drifted from the Way, and they were always spoken of as dangerous people. Although Guideposts helped popularize Cliffes writings and he claimed to be Anglican, Cliffe held New Thought beliefs, seeing God as impersonal principle. New classes were also needed because the existing video version, filmed by Wierwille in 1967, was obviously dated in its style, production, and dress. haga clic aqu para obtener ms informacin. The most important change involves the new The Way of Abundance and Power classes by Way president, L. Craig Martindale. The car parking and the Wi-Fi are always free, so you can stay in touch and come and go as you please. Wierwille exercised very little discernment in learning from others, readily accepting teachings from itinerant mystics, Christian Scientists, and spiritists. The Way of Life or The Way of Death (self-published, 1987), 106. And they were pretty insistent on saying that the Holocaust did happen but not nearly to the extent that Jewish people say it did, and that their agenda is to make us feel sorry for them and legitimize Judaism over Christianity. 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 ). We are talking about a lot of people who fall for get-rich-quick schemes and fad diets. Lots of people in the world are critical of the ways churches spend money on a building that sits empty six days a week: home fellowships remove that and focus on whats important to them. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light; therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their deeds. 6 Albert Cliffe, Let Go and Let God (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1951), 157. 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). Geer and trustee Howard Allen apparently believed that the behavior of the trustees, not strokes and cancer, caused Wierwilles death. Anyways, one summer afternoon on a car ride to grandma's with a Way following family member: the tape deck had one of these Sunday service tapes start playing when they started the car. 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. 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. The Corp program was insane and I could write a huge thread just about that experience. These classes replace the Power for Abundant Living (PFAL) classes by Way founder, Victor Paul Wierwille, who died of cancer in 1985 after losing an eye to the disease and suffering strokes. 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. Okay. And Im not sure I can completely answer your question about stepping out of line and facing consequences. In 1983 I became involved with the cult the Way International or as it is commonly referred to by members, "the Way." I had a B.A. Take The Diary of Anne Frank for example. The apostle Paul warned of deceivers when he told the Ephesians, I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock, and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them (Acts 20:29-30). 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. The crowd of 11,000 applauded the changes, hoping that this would help remedy the severe decline and turbulence of the past 10 years. 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. Available from: Capitol Saints/John A. Lynn, 5918 Chesterbrook Road, McLean, VA 22101. 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. Strangely, that means that TWI is responsible for my birth. Like Wierwille, Bergs teachings became the ultimate authority, and when he committed adultery, he reinterpreted the Bible in order to defend his sinful practice. All because of "homosexual devil spirit possession" will not be welcome at their festival. We were taught that debt was inherently evil and that it made you a slave to the lender. They justify ANY abuse by saying it was reproof and you needed it. 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. It is apparent that almost all Wierwille taught he acquired from other men, not from original study of Gods word. They are both prevalent in Ohio. uuid:d7ca4186-7029-344b-a237-3b86f585aa59 I remember he looked at her with sympathy but didnt say anything. The Way stressed that these gatherings were for committed, faithful followers, unlike the Rock, which was open to anyone. Also there are no mental health issues, only devil spirits influencing or possessing your mind. Homey reported that it liquidated $29 million of debt by mid 1995. My family transitioned to a splinter group in the mid 90s, and later when I was a teenager I moved into a "Way Home" which is like a group home for the cult. Off-shoot of The Way (formerly Christian Educational Services) 6.3k posts. Scientology front group. While ex-Wayers want the groups to be much different than The Way, there are many similarities in teaching and goals. Para ms informacin o para Join now to access this Journal subscriber only content. His complaint, however, implies that he realized there were significant errors in PFAL. He rightly exhorted them to reactivate critical thought rather than just change from being a Wierwille disciple to a Bullinger disciple. 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). As a kid, I was always 1.) This book condemned not only the trustees but all Way leadership, including the clergy, headquarters staff, regional leaders, and Corps around the world. "Christian Educational Services"-- The nature, strengths and weaknesses of the largest of the Way split-off groups, led by John Lynn. Another splinter group By Fredchopin, September 3, 2021. The Way International, Christian evangelical group founded in 1942 as Vesper Chimes, a radio ministry broadcast from Lima, Ohio, by Victor Paul Wierwille (1916-85). The teachings are framed such as we are athletes of the Spirit and we are always honing our research skills to better know God. 9 John Lynn, Overview of Events, two-cassette series, 1987. 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. 2013-08-09T12:10:58-05:00 Boy howdy that was an ear-full. 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". Because they had women on the Board of Directors and allowed women to lead fellowships, they could espouse their views as progressive. Second, the doctrine of the splinter groups is nearly a carbon copy of Way . Almost every one of Wierwilles teachings can be traced to other sources (see sidebar for descriptions of some of Wierwilles teachings). The 27-storey building hotel is the tallest building in Phu Ly and has been carefully designed for contemporary travellers looking for sleek comforts, simplified luxury and bleisure. As a result, many Wayers view Geer as being the true spiritual heir to Wierwille. . I wouldnt say my experience is at all recent since that was 2001, but I can absolutely say their tactics are manipulative. The Way International also claims trademark rights in the following: . 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. I am glad I am not the only one who dealt with growing up in TWI. I was told by a leader that having an understanding of the Word as it is supposed to be understood helps you form opinions. At first I was told how loved and adored I was but quickly that facade died and it was clear I was not loved. 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. She was loved by many because she was easy going, fit in with many and different groups - a legitimate interest in others, etc. In that same breathe, her sister/siblings believed she was waking up and coming to her own conclusion about her situation and the life she had created with the expectation that she would removing herself as they did during that similar age period of their lives. Sometime after reading that I came across Religion Trauma Syndrome (RTS) and learned about repressive cognitive dissonance. "rev" gerry wrenn raises wierwille from the dead! The kind of stuff people go to therapy for years to get over. Eventually, all you have is them and all you know is that they love you and that's why they're abusing you, because they've convinced you you're terrible and you deserve the abuse because it's helping you get closer in your relationship with God. This practice is intended to weed out any opponents. We are near 70 years of age now, but the "Way" still affects us. I was lucky enough to leave in high school when I was about 16. Splintering and Subjugating.as night follows day, Remembering a woman of courage, who stood up to a monster. Way-Showers. Again, thank you for taking the time to provide concise details. We can love rock music. For Feb 24, 2023 | Christian Articles, en Espanol. Reportedly, a few people have even considered suicide or entered mental institutions. No. A name used by Share International. The immediate cause was metastatic melanoma of the liver, which means that the cancer spread from the eye to the liver. The Way International (TWI) has been on cult watchers' radar screens for decades. Still involved. Thank you thank you for replying and contributing to the thread. Martindale seems determined to remake The Way and close ranks, which may result in an increasingly cultic mindset. . However, BGSU is a Way Campus where members are sent for their education as well as recruiting practice; all things already mentioned. Heart-to-heart sharing with those who have . 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. As Wayers recognize false teachings, they further see the inaccurate scholarship Wierwille used to defend his teachings.11 Therefore, they also criticize Wierwilles skill as a Bible researcher and teacher and call into question everything they learned from him. This article first appeared in the in the Ask Hank column of the Christian Research Journal, Feb 20, 2023 | Christian Articles, en Espanol, Feb 13, 2023 | Christian Articles, en Espanol. 8 Ibid., 67, 68. The past two years have been a very unsettling time for Wayers. The Way is considered a cult by many former members, by most mainstream churches, and by certain secular groups. 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). 2013-08-09T12:10:58-05:00 His appendices offered reasons Way leaders gave to justify adultery, along with his own rebuttals. 16 Wierwille noted that acquiring young people from the Jesus movement caused the Ways growth (Whiteside, 230-35). 4-5 maybe? 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. 1 John P. Juedes and Douglas V. Morton, The Integrity and Accuracy of The Ways Word (St. Louis: Personal Freedom Outreach, 1980), 43-48. By word, character, and example, show them that there is more-than-abundant life outside The Way International.Dr. Nevertheless, The Ways situation has improved. The other classes were filmed from February through April of 1995 and are currently being used. Your experience brings so many new things into perspective and reflects the things we noted about her 10yrs when we were younger but never questioned because well how much can a teenager really articulate? The Advanced Class was first presented in the fall of 1995. 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?. Some people started their own non-Way affiliated Bible fellowships. This is hard to accept for those who knew V.P. Somehow I always imagined theyd be better than the original TWI. 2.) But they are open to friendships and the Bible, and are reevaluating many teachings and practices.
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