Almost every long-time member has had at least one question such as: Why did Dr. Wierwille never speak against adultery in his Christian Family and Sex class? Why does my Limb leader often spend the night with certain twig leaders of the opposite sex? Why did our womens meeting leave the impression that a woman should satisfy any physical desire of visiting Way leaders? Why do Way leaders give contradictory answers when I ask about the biblical stance on sex outside of marriage? Why did the twig leader make sexual advances toward me the first time I attended?10, Ex-Wayers are increasingly charging The Way with false teaching and scholarship. Hahahaha. My mom was a single mother and had registered for an upcoming class. I thought of myself as a good person, but Id grown up to believe that you couldnt be both good and a homosexual. Accordingly, several groups have arisen to try to meet these needs. As a result, Martindale told everyone to eliminate this and other spirit-driven malignancies from Way circles. CES now wants to be seen as an independent ministry, not just as a Way splinter group, even though its glaring similarity to The Way is obvious to outsiders. The immediate cause was metastatic melanoma of the liver, which means that the cancer spread from the eye to the liver. Moving on: I know a lot of people who grew up in strict religious contexts, but the thing that I always found kind of culty about the Way was how we were always supposed to prioritize people in the ministry to the exclusion of others. The Way To Happiness International. 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. Wierwille exercised very little discernment in learning from others, readily accepting teachings from itinerant mystics, Christian Scientists, and spiritists. 2013-08-01T19:56:36Z IRA splinter group claims responsibility for police shooting Many ex-Wayers continue to read Bullinger, as they did while in The Way. They include the Foundational Class (Receive with Meekness), the Intermediate Class (Retain with Conviction), and the Advanced Class (Release with Boldness). 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). How do they suffocate you as a person? 2013-08-09T12:10:58-05:00 His complaint, however, implies that he realized there were significant errors in PFAL. 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). Oh, so when I say curveballs I mean it in the figurative sense. They have rejected some Christian teachings (such as the Trinity17) primarily because they have accepted Way caricatures and have not fully understood them. I am glad I am not the only one who dealt with growing up in TWI. As a result, many Wayers view Geer as being the true spiritual heir to Wierwille. Unlike the WOWs, the Disciples program is open only to Advanced Class graduates, and therefore probably consists mainly of members of the Way Corps. The Way International - Free Christian Ministry We believe and speculate it was attributed because of the known cult The Way International. Yeah Um would you look at the time? Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is the university she attended as a non-traditional student and place of employment. A place for discussion about cults and other new age religious movements. Edited to add: Would anyone be interested in an ex-Way subreddit? We are near 70 years of age now, but the "Way" still affects us. 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. Every splinter group or offshoot of the Worldwide Church of God claims Conveniently situated in the Minh Khai part of Phu Ly (Ha Nam), this property puts you close . 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. There are less and less full time ministers on the field and in many Regions only one full time couple in the entire Region. I think others have covered the most common manipulation tactics the group used. 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. 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. 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. Juedes is a Lutheran paster who has written extensively on the Way. application/pdf The Way of Life or The Way of Death (self-published, 1987), 106. Prominent splinter groups include Christian Educational Service (CES) led by John Lynn, Pacific West Fellowship, Great Lakes Fellowship, and The Way of Great Britain headed by Chris Geer. Our dear and sweet beloved friend. Nonetheless, hundreds of Way refugees are resisting the new groups pleas to join up. Second, the doctrine of the splinter groups is nearly a carbon copy of Way doctrine. 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. As well as the original post questions. A number of people died. 7:15). See also Elena Whiteside, The Way Living with Love, 2d ed. About The Way International has the most comprehensive collection of articles on The Way International found anywhere-- over 110. "Christian Educational Services"-- The nature, strengths and weaknesses of the largest of the Way split-off groups, led by John Lynn. The leader was arrested recently as he had convinced the fellowship members to give him their eldest daughters which he physically and sexually abused for 9+ years until one girl escaped. The Way used to mail cassette tapes of the Sunday service to those "in good standing". A few, but not tons. At one point I got sick with an infectious disease that typically kills you within 48 hours. 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. The kind of stuff people go to therapy for years to get over. My home life was very turbulent because of TWI. The Way, International, page 2 The appeal was in its casual nature, balanced with an accessible way to become disciplined in Biblical scholarship. 16 Wierwille noted that acquiring young people from the Jesus movement caused the Ways growth (Whiteside, 230-35). Sann, on the other hand, considers people like Lynn to have gone too far in rejecting valid teachings. International b275 tractor bonnet - gqqa.wikinger-turnier.de Take The Diary of Anne Frank for example. She was loved by many because she was easy going, fit in with many and different groups - a legitimate interest in others, etc. Although Wierwille has written against spiritism, he welcomed this spiritist with open arms. All of these classes are weeks long, have an enrollment fee, and have their own expensive materials (books, binders, etc.) - Nowadays, Finnegan runs another Way splinter group called Christian Biblical Counsel. When I arrived back home my entire bedroom and all my belongings had been searched for anything ungodly. See also pp.38 and 52. . Another splinter group By Fredchopin, September 3, 2021. Many Wayers have accepted these allegations in part because they explain and confirm previous experiences. Additionally, ex-members have on file letters and transcripts in which Way president L. Craig Martindale defends sex outside marriage in many situations. His appendices offered reasons Way leaders gave to justify adultery, along with his own rebuttals. Disgusting. To be honest, it sounds nice on paper in many ways. Homosexuals Purged, Wow Ambassadors Terminated, Martindale also hopes the new classes will hinder homosexuals from joining The Way, because he condemns homosexuality. The false apostles disguises are being pulled from their faces, and the virgins who were led astray are returning to the one true Jesus, Spirit, and gospel, and the church of Jesus Christ. 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. 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. My mom thought God helped her get a good parking space once (Im not kidding). https://www.reddit.com/r/BGSU/comments/mlu753/the_way_international_twi/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Its not interested in interrogating deep questions of being and it doesnt hold up well to fact based challenges. 4 Lionel Recio and Steve Lefevers, The Way of Life or the Way of Death (self-published, 1987), 106. Okay. And Im not sure I can completely answer your question about stepping out of line and facing consequences. They justify ANY abuse by saying it was reproof and you needed it. 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. The Way International is a nondenominational Christian ministry based in New Knoxville, Ohio.The followers congregate primarily in home fellowships located throughout the United States, two US territories and in over 30 countries. It helps me after hearing some of your stories. Spirit and Truth Fellowship International. 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? 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. The other classes were filmed from February through April of 1995 and are currently being used. 2 John P. Juedes and Jay Valusek, Will the Real Author Please Stand Up? She didnt take the class. If possible, use Way terminology and address Way thought patterns, or put them in touch with ex-Wayers who can. 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. After I had a fight in elementary school, TWI advised him to beat me into submission. No. Nonetheless, many ex-Wayers desire publications, traveling teachers, regional meetings, and a network of fellowships similar to those they had in The Way. 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. We ourselves have two articles in our website concerning that movement. One of the many difficult things about digesting this for us is that her personality and character did not reflect this at all. Word Many former Way members are flocking to break-off organizations some of which are led by well-known and respected ex-leaders. Are other families struggling to watch their loved ones involved? 8 Whiteside, 197-200. This conflict has increased as ex-Wayers have persuaded many of their friends to leave Martindales group. As a kid, I was always 1.) Started in the early 1950s by the late Victor Paul Wierwille (1916-1985), the original organization was called the Way Incorporated. These people are capable of anything. The current turmoil surrounding The Way presents an excellent opportunity for Christians to befriend ex-Wayers and help them discover biblical truths they have forgotten or never known. 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. Some people started their own non-Way affiliated Bible fellowships. 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. The Way is marketed as a biblical research, teaching, and fellowship ministry. For example, Lionel Recio and Steve Lefevers claim that one woman was gang-raped by several Way clergy and that the Corps residence training was sometimes like a bordello with promiscuity, adultery, orgies, and wife-swapping. 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. Kenyon. So I dont think youre going to find any one person in her fellowship circle to point a finger at, but I can imagine your friend, as a young, thinking, caring person was having a lot of internal turmoil reconciling her faith with just being a person in the world. I wouldnt say my experience is at all recent since that was 2001, but I can absolutely say their tactics are manipulative. The main groups vying for control of rural settlements - including the National Liberal Army (ELN), two rival splinter or "dissident" groups composed of reconstituted FARC remnants, the Gulf Clan and smaller illicit bands - are now the focus of government efforts to pen deals aimed at halting the hostilities. 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. 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. One Scripture passage (2 Cor. Splinter group of the Worldwide Church of God (WCoG). By word, character, and example, show them that there is more-than-abundant life outside The Way International.Dr. They use Wierwilles teachings, jargon, and writings, and have drawn off many of The Ways followers by accusing International of authoritarianism, misuse of power, adultery, misuse of funds, spiritual corruption, departure from the Word of God, and denominationalism. Third, help them to relearn. Many remember current leaders as friends, but at the same time despise them for wrongs they believe they have done or allowed. Cliffes book Lessons in Successful Living addresses similar 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. Im terribly sorry to hear that feel free to message me privately if it helps. 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. He also hopes to produce more printed materials, provide a network of fellowships, and serve as a traveling teacher. 35 0 obj <> endobj 60 0 obj <>stream And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 1 See The Way Tree Is Splintering, Christian Research Journal, Fall 1988. I get the impression her experience was exactly as youve shared. And I am glad you are with us. The Way is considered a cult by many former members, by most mainstream churches, and by certain secular groups. They did not understand that Wierwille preached another Jesus (who was only a man) and another spirit (not the Holy Spirit personally indwelling them). She was born into it and her home was a Twig if my verbiage is correct. Way security personnel try to intimidate outsiders by dressing as police officers complete with utility belt, holster, CB-style microphone clipped to a shoulder, metal badge with the word patrolman prominently stamped on it, and white vehicles with a seal painted on the door and emergency lights on top. But if you fall out of line, you risk being shunned by the people most important to you. The group's misogyny was deeply ingrained while also being subtle at times. 12 Lynn, Overview of Events. Followers 0. But thats the thing: the adversary throws you curve balls, and its our job as athletes of the spirit to make smart moves. He cultivated an image of being an original Bible researcher and his followers have seen him as such. 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.

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