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. 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. I once broke a bone and had to secretly crawl to my car to go to the hospital. . 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. Our dear and sweet beloved friend. I'm a robot. 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. The past two years have been a very unsettling time for Wayers. 12 Lynn, Overview of Events. Kenyon. This is certainly helpful and appreciated. One of the many difficult things about digesting this for us is that her personality and character did not reflect this at all. She was loved by many, the brightest light and simply someone you could not avoid noticing. Except they pretty much worship the bible. 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. Para ms informacin o para Join now to access this Journal subscriber only content. The stories which former (and current) Way insiders hear include many more specific charges about shocking events. 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. The Advanced Class was first presented in the fall of 1995. Her recent suicide however was as a member in leadership. Splintering and Subjugating.as night follows day, Remembering a woman of courage, who stood up to a monster. 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. Thank you thank you for replying and contributing to the thread. A few, but not tons. About The Way International. The group's misogyny was deeply ingrained while also being subtle at times. That was deep, honest and almost liberating because it brought some of us closer to understanding as well as closure. We are talking about a lot of people who fall for get-rich-quick schemes and fad diets. Their arguments included: women who traveled with Jesus and Paul supplied them with sex because it satisfied their legitimate needs; men have needs for sex with a variety of women and God provides for this; all things are lawful when done in faith (Rom. 17 Rick Lessing, An Analysis and Critique of the Theology of The Way International: An Evangelical Christian Response to Victor Paul Wierwilles Concept of the Trinity (unpublished paper, 1986), makes a case that Wierwille misunderstood Trinitarianism as (alternately) Sabellianism and polytheism, and that when Trinitarianism is properly explained, it is clearly biblically valid and coherent. 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. 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. 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. We were taught that debt was inherently evil and that it made you a slave to the lender. Again - really helpful and it has expanded my perspective as well as empathy much more. Second, the doctrine of the splinter groups is nearly a carbon copy of Way . 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. But in reality, women in the Way were valued primarily for sex and as caretakers. They believed that God heals and if you believe enough he can heal anything. She was loved by many because she was easy going, fit in with many and different groups - a legitimate interest in others, etc. 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. Although Guideposts helped popularize Cliffes writings and he claimed to be Anglican, Cliffe held New Thought beliefs, seeing God as impersonal principle. Like Wierwille, Bergs teachings became the ultimate authority, and when he committed adultery, he reinterpreted the Bible in order to defend his sinful practice. 8 Whiteside, 197-200. Some retain great respect for Wierwille, while a few joke about him. Wierwille as father, friend, and teacher, but both the Scriptures and the empirical evidence demand it. John Lynn described in detail how Way leaders practiced and tried to justify adultery in the audiotape, Overview of Events-1.. Geer believes Wierwille actually caused his body to die: There were two points when I felt that he might change his mind and decide to go on living.I am fully convinced that he believed to stop the functions of his body.8 He seems to believe that Wierwille chose to commit suicide, using his spiritual weapon of believing, rather than to continue fighting the spiritual decline of the trustees. (The PFAL classes had been open to anyone who paid the $50 fee.) 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. The creed and The Way are very much one and the same; The Way is just the religion they follow. J. Juedes, PFO Journal, 1990. Can any recent survivors provide their reflections if its not to much: What are the manipulation tactics used? 2013-08-09T12:10:58-05:00 Each fellowship was just one small twig connected to a branch, then a limb, then a trunk and so on. Disciples serve only four months, and The Way plans to send out two waves a year. Wierwille exercised very little discernment in learning from others, readily accepting teachings from itinerant mystics, Christian Scientists, and spiritists. The other classes were filmed from February through April of 1995 and are currently being used. For Feb 24, 2023 | Christian Articles, en Espanol. This is just awful, horrible and egregious in every way possible. My parents are still standing, as they say. Okay. And Im not sure I can completely answer your question about stepping out of line and facing consequences. They perpetuation of mental health that manifested in suicide with no accountability. My home life was very turbulent because of TWI. But thats the thing: the adversary throws you curve balls, and its our job as athletes of the spirit to make smart moves. Defectors also accused Way leadership of practicing and approving adultery as a godly practice. Meanwhile, Way leaders apparently have tried biblically to defend adultery. John Schonheits paper on adultery was a thinly veiled accusation that Wierwille and other leaders falsely taught that adultery is a biblically acceptable practice. 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. Still involved. What do they make members do? My impression is that BGSU Staff/Administration is unaware that she was a Way member. The Corp program was insane and I could write a huge thread just about that experience. When The Way International splintered in the years following the death of founder V. P. Wierwille, many splinter groups formed. 2013-08-09T12:10:58-05:00 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. See also Elena Whiteside, The Way Living with Love, 2d ed. This is very hard. Pacific West Fellowship,13 headed by Steve Sann (who also was once a Limb and Region Coordinator), seems to be the second most aggressive splinter group. 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 also feel the need for teaching and fellowship with other believers. 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. The immediate cause was metastatic melanoma of the liver, which means that the cancer spread from the eye to the liver. Scientology front group. Sometimes these classes had add-ons like Advanced Class Specials that were held in a hotel conference center in another city and had associated registration and travel fees. The foundational class is 36 hours I believe and I can't tell you how many times I took it. Many remember current leaders as friends, but at the same time despise them for wrongs they believe they have done or allowed. Way trustees fired Schoenheit for writing the paper and sternly warned Wayers not to read it, ask about its contents, or have contact with those who read it. Ultimate question, do you think The Way or anyone that endorses the way is worth pursuing as - culpable? And unjustified bullshit. Offshoots - Splinter Groups : How Many Are There? One Scripture passage (2 Cor. The kind of stuff people go to therapy for years to get over. 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. Edited to add: Would anyone be interested in an ex-Way subreddit? Meanwhile, he promotes his book, The Rise and Expansion of the Church, through weekend seminars. Here's a copy of. He cultivated an image of being an original Bible researcher and his followers have seen him as such. About The Way International has the most comprehensive collection of articles on The Way International found anywhere-- over 110. There are certain rules Mandalorians must adhere to . I was told by a leader that having an understanding of the Word as it is supposed to be understood helps you form opinions. TWI's splinter groups, formed at TWI's implosion in the late 1980's, are bigger than . 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. As a result, Martindale told everyone to eliminate this and other spirit-driven malignancies from Way circles. He is a former follower of The Way International, the same group from which I escaped in 1987. My father also advised the members of our fellowship to beat their children. 8 Ibid., 67, 68. The Way is predominantly financed via its course fees and tithing. All of these classes are weeks long, have an enrollment fee, and have their own expensive materials (books, binders, etc.) I am glad I am not the only one who dealt with growing up in TWI. Could you elaborate on the manipulation? I think youre absolutely right in that educating others will help with the grieving process. Followers 0. 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. 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. They run off anyone who is not currently active in a Way-controlled twig and who doesnt have a Way escort. 4-5 maybe? 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. haga clic aqu para obtener ms informacin. The Ways security force has become increasingly aggressive, quickly and thoroughly investigating anyone who appears at functions like the Rock of Ages conferences9 or is on their campus without a Way nametag. That ego had gone to their heads; that the Adversary had gotten to them. I told them never to bring up The Way in my presence again. Not that a college degree is by any means the only metric of intelligence, but there arent a lot of college degrees in the faith. 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 so sorry for your loss. 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). For example, Vince Finnegan formed a new splinter group primarily from the block of Wayers he led in New . When I was in the hospital, leadership came to see me only twice and forbid anyone else from seeing me. It is apparent that almost all Wierwille taught he acquired from other men, not from original study of Gods word. Youre a survivor. Cliffes book Lessons in Successful Living addresses similar topics. TL;DR: the Way seems chill and relaxed on the outside but its pretty intense on a personal level. Un apologista cristiano responde a la actuacin satnica de Sam Smith y Kim Petras en los Grammy, Connect with the Christian Research Institute. 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). There is also an intermediate and advanced classes. Oh! She was born into it and her home was a Twig if my verbiage is correct. Also former TWI here, my parents are still in it, and its causing incredible family pain, now between my older sister. Because of the work of splinter groups, in recent years The Way has been marked by heightened paranoia, attention to security, and bitterness. 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. 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. Several thousand followers have severed ties with The Way International as a result of the allegations and evidence they have seen, including the entire state (Limb) of South Carolina in April 1988 and about 80 percent of the Washington, D.C., Limb. Sann distributes a free tape, A Ministry in Crisis: An Editorial on The Way International, in which he asserts that The Way became hierarchical in the 1970s, causing a deterioration of the Ministry in many areas. And you mentioned twig earlier. 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). 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). - Nowadays, Finnegan runs another Way splinter group called Christian Biblical Counsel. The largest group seems to be Christian Educational Services, Inc. (CES), which incorporated this fall in Indianapolis. 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. I did look your friend up on facebook and we have friends in common from the cult (I should probably just start a new FB to rid myself of them), which would lead me to believe it's a splinter group since the two don't typically mix. This is where I experienced most of the abuse. When I arrived back home my entire bedroom and all my belongings had been searched for anything ungodly. No. Although Wierwille has written against spiritism, he welcomed this spiritist with open arms. Not even post TWI as a survivor. Martindale told his followers at the 1995 Rock of Ages conference that new classes were needed because The Ways opponents had attended PFAL classes and learned how to use this material against The Way. 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.. 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 conflict has increased as ex-Wayers have persuaded many of their friends to leave Martindales group. (New Knoxville, OH: American Christian Press, 1972), x. This is a big hurdle, because V.P. I think the biggest thing I would emphasize is that the biggest way faith organizations control you is by fear. Technically, the group has only three members the trustees who control all aspects of The Way International, Inc. The Way International, The Way, La Voie, El Camino, PFAL, The Way of Abundance and Power, The Way Magazine, The Way Corps are trademarks registered by The Way International in the United States and/or other countries. The appeal was in its casual nature, balanced with an accessible way to become disciplined in Biblical scholarship. I was isolated from my family physically because they didn't live close, and during private conversations about leadership I was told that my family didn't love me and that they could understand why because I was so horrible, but at least I had them. 9 John Lynn, Overview of Events, two-cassette series, 1987. 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). Strangely, that means that TWI is responsible for my birth. In addition, the account includes several insights into The Way. The car parking and the Wi-Fi are always free, so you can stay in touch and come and go as you please. 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. People were eager to engage, but I dont think answers were ever very satisfying. She didnt take the class. 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. Homosexuals Purged, Wow Ambassadors Terminated, Martindale also hopes the new classes will hinder homosexuals from joining The Way, because he condemns homosexuality. See also pp.38 and 52. This article only sketches the most prominent and publishable charges. 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). I want to be clear that if you think something nefarious has happened here, go with your gut. 10 These are actual experiences which Wayers, ex-Wayers, and others have shared with me. Mac OS X 10.7.5 Quartz PDFContext 3 Highlights of The Way Corps Graduation (June 1995), cassette tape. Almost every one of Wierwilles teachings can be traced to other sources (see sidebar for descriptions of some of Wierwilles teachings). 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. 0 replies; 812 views; Fredchopin . 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. 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. 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. 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. (St. Louis: Personal Freedom Outreach, 1987), 50 pp. 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. Meli Vinpearl Phu Ly. Many ex-Wayers continue to read Bullinger, as they did while in The Way. Because they had women on the Board of Directors and allowed women to lead fellowships, they could espouse their views as progressive. Are other families struggling to watch their loved ones involved? 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 . By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. That exes from his life are all crazy.. 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. 7:15). 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 International fellowships are located throughout the United States, as well as over 30 countries. Off-shoot of The Way (formerly Christian Educational Services) 6.3k posts. After I had a fight in elementary school, TWI advised him to beat me into submission. The reason I created that thread was initial to gain some more insight. This is hard to accept for those who knew V.P. Brainwashing is in part convincing you that the world is evil and filled with devil spirits that are everywhere and you must be vigilant, and part CONSTANT information about the bible. To address your questions about suicides directly - yes there have been suicides in the past as well as other deaths. See John P. Juedes, Looking at Lamsa, Personal Freedom Outreach Newsletter (Jan.-Mar. The Way International is a shell of what it was during the lifetime of Victor Paul Wierwille. This group was formerly known as American Fellowship Services. It has shrunk in size and, as often is the case in cults when the original leader dies, splintered into various rival movements. Para ms informacin o para Join now to access this Journal subscriber only content. Mostly shame, guilt, separation from anyone but the group, brainwashing. 1987). European Christian Press (which Geer controls) then published it a few years after Wierwilles death. The Way International was founded in 1942 by Victor Paul Wierwille as a radio program, then was renamed the Chimes Hour Youth Caravan in 1947. My splinter group was one of them. 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 just wanted to paint a picture here of the laid back approach to Christian faith that makes the Way appealing to people. Available from: Capitol Saints/John A. Lynn, 5918 Chesterbrook Road, McLean, VA 22101. What Are Long-Time Wayers Thinking About? 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. 5 Christopher C. Geer, The Passing of a Patriarch (Attrincham, Cheshire, U.K.: European Christian Press, n.d.), 34. 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). My eating habits were monitored and I would get made fun of by leadership for things i liked or how much I ate. But if you fall out of line, you risk being shunned by the people most important to you. Rev. I had been a professional lead singer and performer since I was 16, and although I . The Way founders instruction on how to receive the Holy Spirit by inhaling and the belief that speaking in tongues cannot be counterfeited were derived from J.E. 1 John P. Juedes and Douglas V. Morton, The Integrity and Accuracy of The Ways Word (St. Louis: Personal Freedom Outreach, 1980), 43-48. 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. Heads up on Another Splinter off the Way International Tree. Then there are all the other classes about specific topics. And because we were Family Corp, children were added into the mix as well. Sometimes area twigs would get together for a branch meeting, and less frequently a limb meeting. Although the Way brags that 5,027 people have attended these seminars, that figure actually indicates an average of only about 100 per state. I'm way-adjacent. Some say that the Way International is a cult. 9 In an April 30, 1996 press release The Way announced it would not hold a Rock of Ages festival in 1996. Splintering of the group since 1985 has greatly reduced its active membership, from a peak of about . 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. 35 0 obj <> endobj 60 0 obj <>stream Im terribly sorry to hear that feel free to message me privately if it helps. Wierwille was not the only former minister to draw away young disciples David Berg was one of several others. 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. Few know that many able scholars have effectively refuted some of Bullingers ideas. Beep. I tried explaining to the family member that "reverend" Martindale just advocated for mass murder. 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 ).