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. Have others committed suicide? Could you elaborate on the manipulation? There hasn't been a good gathering place for survivors since the Greasespot Cafe and I think there is a need for one. My impression is that BGSU Staff/Administration is unaware that she was a Way member. The car parking and the Wi-Fi are always free, so you can stay in touch and come and go as you please. I wouldnt say my experience is at all recent since that was 2001, but I can absolutely say their tactics are manipulative. For instance, trustee Donald Wierwille (Victor Pauls son) confessed, I apologize for not having followed my man of God.6. 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. 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. It's 2am and so I decided to reminisce in Google-land by doing a search on the The Way International; a group I was once affiliated with . Your reply was a lot to unpack, digest, snd accept. 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. Many former Way members are flocking to break-off organizations some of which are led by well-known and respected ex-leaders. 16 Wierwille noted that acquiring young people from the Jesus movement caused the Ways growth (Whiteside, 230-35). 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. J. Juedes, PFO Journal, 1990. nase ahora para acceder a este contenido exclusivo para suscriptores de 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. 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. Strangely, that means that TWI is responsible for my birth. 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. Youre not going to have to perform penance. My eating habits were monitored and I would get made fun of by leadership for things i liked or how much I ate. 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. What practices are different from the 80s? The Way International fellowships are located throughout the United States, as well as over 30 countries. 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. Like Wierwille, Bergs teachings became the ultimate authority, and when he committed adultery, he reinterpreted the Bible in order to defend his sinful practice. This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 44, number 2 (2021). 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. The most debate arose when the topic of financing CES was raised, which prompted fears that their donations would be misused by yet another organization. This is certainly helpful and appreciated. Incidentally, only Geers group has published a book by Wierwille since his death. 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. 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? Oh my goodness. An iconic five-star international hotel Our hotel is located in the heart of the city and provides 180 rooms and suites. Im terribly sorry to hear that feel free to message me privately if it helps. Its current headquarters are in New Knoxville, Ohio; estimates of its membership range from 3,000 to 20,000. 14 Letter by Steve Sann, Pacific West Fellowship, 2 March 1988. 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. An Open Letter to You Who Are Disillusioned with The Way Ministry, J. Juedes PFO Journal. 1 John P. Juedes and Douglas V. Morton, The Integrity and Accuracy of The Ways Word (St. Louis: Personal Freedom Outreach, 1980), 43-48. They have been active and effective at exposing problems in The Way through personal influence and meetings of Wayers around the nation. This practice is intended to weed out any opponents. I am sorry for your loss. Based at . Your last sentence though. dagger to the heart ..internal turmoil reconciling her faith with just being a person in the world. 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). 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 have realized that they have also been falsely taught on Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and have turned to evangelical beliefs instead. The Way International also claims trademark rights in the following: . Lynn summarized this when he assured listeners that many stories would curl your hair.12. There is also an intermediate and advanced classes. Some retain great respect for Wierwille, while a few joke about him. A number of people died. 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. 1 See The Way Tree Is Splintering, Christian Research Journal, Fall 1988. 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. But in reality, women in the Way were valued primarily for sex and as caretakers. 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 . Rev. 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 To Happiness International. The appeal was in its casual nature, balanced with an accessible way to become disciplined in Biblical scholarship. Oh! 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. Except they pretty much worship the bible. This present controversy is serving to alert pure believers that Wierwille and his successors are false apostles after all. Disgusting. He taught that Jesus Christ was not resurrected bodily and will not return visibly, and that the Holy Spirit is an influence, not a personal being. 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. The Way is predominantly financed via its course fees and tithing. Current Way affiliates are more than welcome to utilize . I'm a robot. Splinter Cults are WORSE..not better. I am also former TWI. She was sobbing and apologized profusely that she hid this from them. A name used by Share International. Meanwhile, Way leaders apparently have tried biblically to defend adultery. 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. 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. I tried explaining to the family member that "reverend" Martindale just advocated for mass murder. It has now become apparent to many of them that Wierwille was instead an eclectic plagiarist. 2 The Way Magazine, Nov.-Dec. 1994, 26. 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. Followers 0. 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." Until then I was personally fighting acceptance because I wasnt able to understand and someone else had not articulated a realistic and plausible answer. I dont know if any of this is helpful to you. Started in the early 1950s by the late Victor Paul Wierwille (1916-1985), the original organization was called the Way Incorporated. James K. Walker In 2000, the president of The Way, Craig Martindale, resigned following . Defectors also accused Way leadership of practicing and approving adultery as a godly practice. To me this is the core of the Way: the planting of the idea that its us against them. Over time that can be very isolating considering that there arent that many people in the ministry. Para ms informacin o para Join now to access this Journal subscriber only content. A Profile of The Way, International uuid:d7ca4186-7029-344b-a237-3b86f585aa59 They perpetuation of mental health that manifested in suicide with no accountability. 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. He cultivated an image of being an original Bible researcher and his followers have seen him as such. 2.) The creed and The Way are very much one and the same; The Way is just the religion they follow. 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. The past two years have been a very unsettling time for Wayers. 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. 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. Some people started their own non-Way affiliated Bible fellowships. 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. How do they suffocate you as a person? Can any recent survivors provide their reflections if its not to much: What are the manipulation tactics used? European Christian Press (which Geer controls) then published it a few years after Wierwilles death. It begins to be the only thing you can do and the only people you can see. 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. His complaint, however, implies that he realized there were significant errors in PFAL. 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. The largest group seems to be Christian Educational Services, Inc. (CES), which incorporated this fall in Indianapolis. 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). I grew up in the Way Ministry in the 80s and left in my last year of high school in 96. Few know that many able scholars have effectively refuted some of Bullingers ideas. The reason it was called that was because we imagined the whole ministry all over the world as one big tree. I was lucky enough to leave in high school when I was about 16. At 29yrs old. The manipulation tactics come from many angles. My story might be pretty different compared to those of you who grew up in the 80's/90's. This practice was common back in the 70s-80s as well as taking people's medications away so they could "prove God." I once broke a bone and had to secretly crawl to my car to go to the hospital. 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. Sann also circulates periodic newsletters and regularly publishes teaching tapes. 7:15). At first I was told how loved and adored I was but quickly that facade died and it was clear I was not loved. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2dshceGGvY&ab_channel=TheEyewitnesses. To address your questions about suicides directly - yes there have been suicides in the past as well as other deaths. Please keep in touch. Many people did not believe in medical care. It has shrunk in size and, as often is the case in cults when the original leader dies, splintered into various rival movements. She was born into it and her home was a Twig if my verbiage is correct. 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. I think some of the main differences between the 80's and now is the infrastructure. The Advanced Class was first presented in the fall of 1995. After all, it is their friends who have left and made accusations of severe error against The Way leadership. Not something I wanted to read, but something I needed to read. To be honest, it sounds nice on paper in many ways. The Way is marketed as a biblical research, teaching, and fellowship ministry. Martindale seems determined to remake The Way and close ranks, which may result in an increasingly cultic mindset. We both are still active in the remnants of one of the many splinter groups and have become the inheritors of a fellowship in limbo. %PDF-1.7 % I think others have covered the most common manipulation tactics the group used. The logic has more dangerous consequences when people literally think God will cure their Cancer, Lupus, diabetes. The Way also teaches its followers to receive an impersonal power (called holy spirit, power from on high, or Christ in you) by inhaling, and that speaking in tongues is the only proof that one is born again. Show love and patience throughout this trying time of change. Accordingly, several groups have arisen to try to meet these needs. When I arrived back home my entire bedroom and all my belongings had been searched for anything ungodly. Since then, The Way has sought to purge (that is, totally shun) all who do not tithe or who question Martindale on any issue. 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. 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. 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). 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. Un apologista cristiano responde a la actuacin satnica de Sam Smith y Kim Petras en los Grammy, Connect with the Christian Research Institute. The Way International introduced sweeping changes at the annual Rock of Ages gathering last year. 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. 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. Pretty sure "in good standing" meant you "tithed" over a certain amount each month. But thats the thing: the adversary throws you curve balls, and its our job as athletes of the spirit to make smart moves. The Way International introduced sweeping changes at the annual Rock of Ages gathering last year. These were known as splinter groups and were always talked about as deceptive as if they were scheming their followers. Off-shoot of The Way (formerly Christian Educational Services) 6.3k posts. Geer and trustee Howard Allen apparently believed that the behavior of the trustees, not strokes and cancer, caused Wierwilles death. Think of an abuser boyfriend who doesnt let you have friendships with other guys or other people, really, because it distracts your attention from him, the most important person in your life. Available from: Capitol Saints/John A. Lynn, 5918 Chesterbrook Road, McLean, VA 22101. I was raised "in the word" as they say, meaning I was a born into the cult. I did not take your explanation about The Way members as rude. 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. 3 Victor Paul Wierwille, Power for Abundant Living (New Knoxville, OH: American Christian Press, 1971), 119-20.4 Victor Paul Wierwille, Receiving the Holy Spirit Today, 6th ed. And to answer your question, yes, people do commit suicide after being in the cult. Mac OS X 10.7.5 Quartz PDFContext 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. 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). 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. John Lynn described in detail how Way leaders practiced and tried to justify adultery in the audiotape, Overview of Events-1.. The kind of stuff people go to therapy for years to get over. A place for discussion about cults and other new age religious movements. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. The complexity and overarching theme of shame as well as guilt is much bigger than I ever imagined. Mostly shame, guilt, separation from anyone but the group, brainwashing. (St. Louis: Personal Freedom Outreach, 1987), 50 pp. Explain teachings carefully, and give them time alone to read the Bible in a newer version (such as the New International Version or New American Standard) which has clearer wording and lacks Wierwilles marginal notes and deletions marked in their old King James Versions. There are less and less full time ministers on the field and in many Regions only one full time couple in the entire Region. 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. Atheism. 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.
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