A name used by Share International. And we have to consider the times: inspired by peace movements and anti-war efforts. I cannot stress enough how much the control and fear is internal. 7 Whiteside, 205-9. Take The Diary of Anne Frank for example. The most ridiculous instance was when he beat me for clinking my fork too loudly in my plate at the dinner table. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. One response still in print is Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth by H.A. Point out that Wierwilles adultery and lying (plagiarism) mark him a false teacher, not just a teacher with failings (Matt. However, it sucked to consider our loved as anything less than brilliant, observant, and aware. We were required to eat every dinner together or we would be reprimanded in front of the whole house (about 10 people). Defectors also accused Way leadership of practicing and approving adultery as a godly practice. 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. This is where I experienced most of the abuse. Este artculo es una exclusiva en lnea de Christian Research Journal. 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. My parents met in the Way in the late 80s through the WOW program. At that time I had recently come out as bisexual to my mom, which went as well as you'd expect. Could John Lynn be the undisputed king of Offshoot ministries? But thats the thing: the adversary throws you curve balls, and its our job as athletes of the spirit to make smart moves. 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. The Way International introduced sweeping changes at the annual Rock of Ages gathering last year. Available from: Capitol Saints/John A. Lynn, 5918 Chesterbrook Road, McLean, VA 22101. 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. Sometime after reading that I came across Religion Trauma Syndrome (RTS) and learned about repressive cognitive dissonance. 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. Third, help them to relearn. 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. Wierwille exercised very little discernment in learning from others, readily accepting teachings from itinerant mystics, Christian Scientists, and spiritists. Para ms informacin o para Join now to access this Journal subscriber only content. 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. Like Wierwille, Bergs teachings became the ultimate authority, and when he committed adultery, he reinterpreted the Bible in order to defend his sinful practice. 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). Martindales classes include material from PFAL as well as new topics. I was left on the bathroom floor for a week because "there's nothing we can do if you're not believing God to heal you." 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. I was born in Sidney, Ohio in 2001 and lived at the Way Headquarters in New Knoxville. In addition, anyone who is well-acquainted with Wierwilles writings and reads Kenyons and Bullingers books is struck by the close parallels, even though one cannot always trace exact word-for-word plagiarism. I think another thing to think about with the Way is that it is in many ways a pyramid scheme. Just as 100 different Mormon groups all revere the Temple Lot in Independence, Missouri, because of founder Joseph Smiths attachment to it, the many Way splinter groups also revere Wierwilles New Knoxville, Ohio family farm and books. Many of us were had gotten the impression that she was back. For instance, trustee Donald Wierwille (Victor Pauls son) confessed, I apologize for not having followed my man of God.6. I think some of the main differences between the 80's and now is the infrastructure. My story might be pretty different compared to those of you who grew up in the 80's/90's. nase ahora para acceder a este contenido exclusivo para suscriptores de Journal, http://www.equip.org/christian-research-journal/, To the Cancel Culture: We Respectfully Decline When Believers are Told What We May or May Not Say, Polite Refusal is Called For, Christ or Lucretius: Nature and Natures God in the poems of Mary Oliver. 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. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The stories which former (and current) Way insiders hear include many more specific charges about shocking events. His appendices offered reasons Way leaders gave to justify adultery, along with his own rebuttals. Please keep in touch. 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. 0 replies; 812 views; Fredchopin . The creed and The Way are very much one and the same; The Way is just the religion they follow. I just wanted to paint a picture here of the laid back approach to Christian faith that makes the Way appealing to people.
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Oh, so when I say curveballs I mean it in the figurative sense. 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. The Way is considered a cult by many former members, by most mainstream churches, and by certain secular groups. If you have done your reading about cults, then you are probably familiar with Dr. Steve Hassan's BITE model. I had been a professional lead singer and performer since I was 16, and although I . I was raised "in the word" as they say, meaning I was a born into the cult. Current Way affiliates are more than welcome to utilize . Lynn summarized this when he assured listeners that many stories would curl your hair.12. First, it is helpful to present facts of doctrinal, organizational, and personal error in Way leaders. That was deep, honest and almost liberating because it brought some of us closer to understanding as well as closure. This practice was common back in the 70s-80s as well as taking people's medications away so they could "prove God." Youre not going to have to perform penance. 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. TWI's splinter groups, formed at TWI's implosion in the late 1980's, are bigger than . 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. 2013-08-09T12:10:58-05:00 For example, Geer describes Wierwille as one who was very hard to live with, often lashing out at those closest to him and hurting them.5 It includes a reproduction of handwritten notes in which the three trustees admit that the accusations against them are true. He cultivated an image of being an original Bible researcher and his followers have seen him as such. OVERVIEW OF THE WAY'S SPLINTER GROUPS. Boy howdy that was an ear-full. I saw your post a few days ago when it was first posted and having been thinking about it ever since. Some say that the Way International is a cult. This is his first book, and the first book produced by this Biblical Research and Teaching ministry in over 10 years. This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 44, number 2 (2021). 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. Wierwilles death certificate lists ocular melanoma, or malignant tumor of the eye, as the underlying cause of death. 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. Meanwhile, Way leaders apparently have tried biblically to defend adultery. 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. The Way is predominantly financed via its course fees and tithing. There is a great diversity of emotions and viewpoints among those who have left The Way International. Disgusting. For Feb 24, 2023 | Christian Articles, en Espanol. 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. Word 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. What practices are still common? I told them never to bring up The Way in my presence again. He would beat me for nearly any infraction. European Christian Press (which Geer controls) then published it a few years after Wierwilles death. That is to say, other people are nice and fine, but its only the true Believers that are truly living Godly lives. 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 . Needless to say, growing up in a large communal living situation for 2 years of my childhood had unique benefits and DEFINITE drawbacks. 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. Your last sentence though. dagger to the heart ..internal turmoil reconciling her faith with just being a person in the world. I was forced to eat food I'm allergic to in order to prove God healed me. Its current headquarters are in New Knoxville, Ohio; estimates of its membership range from 3,000 to 20,000. 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. The most important change involves the new The Way of Abundance and Power classes by Way president, L. Craig Martindale. After I had a fight in elementary school, TWI advised him to beat me into submission. A number of people died. . 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). Each year The Way had sent out hundreds of WOW (Word Over the World) Ambassadors as volunteer missionaries to cities around the world, which was its primary outreach for 25 years. 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. Geer is damaging to The Way because of his previous close ties to Wierwille. Way-Showers. Like the new classes and the Disciples, this is a sign that The Way is striving to further restrict access to its activities, purge anyone who questions current Way leadership, increase control, and consolidate. I'm a robot. The Way stressed that these gatherings were for committed, faithful followers, unlike the Rock, which was open to anyone. 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. Many remember current leaders as friends, but at the same time despise them for wrongs they believe they have done or allowed. Oh! 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. There is also an intermediate and advanced classes. 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. Subforums. Oh my goodness. J. Juedes, PFO Journal, 1990. I am also former TWI. Yeah Um would you look at the time? It is apparent that almost all Wierwille taught he acquired from other men, not from original study of Gods word. 10 These are actual experiences which Wayers, ex-Wayers, and others have shared with me. James K. Walker This is just awful, horrible and egregious in every way possible. There were people who were sexually assaulted while hitchhiking and injured due to accidents. 2 The Way Magazine, Nov.-Dec. 1994, 26. 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. And you mentioned twig earlier. The Advanced Class was first presented in the fall of 1995. That wing of my family joined nearly 30 years ago. The Way International fellowships are located throughout the United States, as well as over 30 countries. With the more aggressive and cultic mindset of current Way leadership, followers can expect more years of turbulence and change. He rightly exhorted them to reactivate critical thought rather than just change from being a Wierwille disciple to a Bullinger disciple. My eating habits were monitored and I would get made fun of by leadership for things i liked or how much I ate. Thank you thank you for replying and contributing to the thread. This book condemned not only the trustees but all Way leadership, including the clergy, headquarters staff, regional leaders, and Corps around the world. The Way International (TWI) has been on cult watchers' radar screens for decades. The CES meeting in May 1988 sponsored two and one-half days of biblical teachings and allowed sales of books by those attending, including Lynn, Lionel Recio, and myself. These people were rarely spoken of again, and if they were it was in hushed tones. I get the impression her experience was exactly as youve shared. . But small IRA splinter groups have continued to launch sporadic attacks on security forces. Mac OS X 10.7.5 Quartz PDFContext Heart-to-heart sharing with those who have . However, BGSU is a Way Campus where members are sent for their education as well as recruiting practice; all things already mentioned. The Way International introduced sweeping changes at the annual Rock of Ages gathering last year. I think others have covered the most common manipulation tactics the group used. No. 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). Christian can also help (ex-) Wayers through four basic steps of reorientation: 1) expose, 2) emotional reaction, 3) relearning, and 4) reconstruction. Most ex-Wayers are confused, not knowing where to turn, whom to trust, or what to believe. 8 Ibid., 67, 68. 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.