The kind of stuff people go to therapy for years to get over. But if you fall out of line, you risk being shunned by the people most important to you. 0 replies; 812 views; Fredchopin . 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. What practices are different from the 80s? 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 . For instance, trustee Donald Wierwille (Victor Pauls son) confessed, I apologize for not having followed my man of God.6. We are talking about a lot of people who fall for get-rich-quick schemes and fad diets. We were taught that debt was inherently evil and that it made you a slave to the lender. He never credited his sources, in effect lying to his readers by leading them to believe that he originated his teachings under Gods direct tutelage. 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. The Way Worship Centre. 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. The Way stressed that these gatherings were for committed, faithful followers, unlike the Rock, which was open to anyone. I think it may be important for you to identify whether she was in TWI proper or a splinter group. 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). Participants were sensitive (having been wounded by The Way), were open to friendships and ideas, and were reevaluating their beliefs. Thank you thank you for replying and contributing to the thread. The group itself says it is a Christian ministry. The Advanced Class was first presented in the fall of 1995. Have others committed suicide? uuid:a0e7d6d5-45d0-8c4c-9602-8d6d3c43e9ff Jun 10, 2009. Youve saved me an extensive amount of grieving. 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. Unlike the WOWs, the Disciples program is open only to Advanced Class graduates, and therefore probably consists mainly of members of the Way Corps. I'd recently read a secular book and they also blamed that. (New Knoxville, OH: American Christian Press, 1972), 209, 174, for Wierwilles claim that his book is the most original coverage of the subject, and p. 178 for his claim that God audibly promised to teach him directly and personally. An alarming statement from her the week prior to committing suicide and a recent appearance/presence on social media a few months prior is also what has really shaken everyone. Not only is it about reading the Bible and having a personal relationship with God, but there are various levels of classes that you take to be better scholars. 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. They are both prevalent in Ohio. At 29yrs old. 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. Ultimately we would also like to provide and seek justice on her behalf. 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. Good call. 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. Meli Vinpearl Phu Ly. The stories which former (and current) Way insiders hear include many more specific charges about shocking events. Prominent ex-Way leaders took with them networks of ex-followers of TWI. (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). She didnt take the class. I don't talk to my family that's "in" much anymore though I do see them every so often. At the time, Schoenheit was on The Ways research team. If possible, use Way terminology and address Way thought patterns, or put them in touch with ex-Wayers who can. 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. Eventually someone outside the house stepped in because they knew what was wrong and got me to the hospital. When I was in the hospital, leadership came to see me only twice and forbid anyone else from seeing me. First, it is helpful to present facts of doctrinal, organizational, and personal error in Way leaders. "rev" gerry wrenn raises wierwille from the dead! 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. Like when life doesnt go like you expect, whether its a health problem or an issue at work. Like Wierwille, Bergs teachings became the ultimate authority, and when he committed adultery, he reinterpreted the Bible in order to defend his sinful practice. 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. CES holds two national meetings per year in Chicago (drawing about 150 people per meeting), publishes Dialogue magazine bi-monthly, circulates periodic newsletters, and distributes tapes. 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. Meanwhile, he promotes his book, The Rise and Expansion of the Church, through weekend seminars. I dont know if any of this is helpful to you. Edited to add: Would anyone be interested in an ex-Way subreddit? Again - really helpful and it has expanded my perspective as well as empathy much more. . 14:21-23); stringent laws are done away with when one is born again (Col. 2:20-21); God punished David for killing Uriah, not for having sex with Bathsheba; and the Bibles word for adultery has a spiritual, not a physical meaning. TL;DR: the Way seems chill and relaxed on the outside but its pretty intense on a personal level. He also hopes to produce more printed materials, provide a network of fellowships, and serve as a traveling teacher. Because of the work of splinter groups, in recent years The Way has been marked by heightened paranoia, attention to security, and bitterness. She was loved by many, the brightest light and simply someone you could not avoid noticing. She probably could have just gone and not told anyone because its not like anyone checked your bank account, but her guilt consumed her and a couple days before, she called our fellowship coordinator over and confessed to him that she had debt. My father also advised the members of our fellowship to beat their children. We were taught that the Adversary is always looking for ways to break down our spiritual fortitude and that can come in the form of media, indoctrination in schools and even our own families. Many people did not believe in medical care. uuid:d7ca4186-7029-344b-a237-3b86f585aa59 Many Wayers have accepted these allegations in part because they explain and confirm previous experiences. TWI's splinter groups, formed at TWI's implosion in the late 1980's, are bigger than . 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. See also Elena Whiteside, The Way Living with Love, 2d ed. A name used by Share International. 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. 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. 11 Morton and Juedes, Integrity and Accuracy, reveals many of Wierwilles errors in scholarship and Bible interpretation. Bullinger is that they had already heard Wierwille teach Bullingers material as his own. Her recent suicide however was as a member in leadership. My mom was a single mother and had registered for an upcoming class. Defectors also accused Way leadership of practicing and approving adultery as a godly practice. 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. This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 44, number 2 (2021). 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. Cliffes book Lessons in Successful Living addresses similar topics. While accusing the Christian church at large of being divisive, the new groups (like The Way International) practice division much more stringently than most Christian denominations or churches. Subforums. They assume that honest, objective biblical research and a fellowship of true believers cannot be found among Christians outside Wierwilles heritage of teaching, so they limit research and fellowship to their own narrow circles. This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 44, number 2 (2021). This is certainly helpful and appreciated. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 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. 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. Are other families struggling to watch their loved ones involved? 4v$gi Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is the university she attended as a non-traditional student and place of employment. Geer and trustee Howard Allen apparently believed that the behavior of the trustees, not strokes and cancer, caused Wierwilles death. Conveniently situated in the Minh Khai part of Phu Ly (Ha Nam), this property puts you close . Splintering of the group since 1985 has greatly reduced its active membership, from a peak of about . Para ms informacin o para Join now to access this Journal subscriber only content. 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. An Open Letter to You Who Are Disillusioned with The Way Ministry, J. Juedes PFO Journal. They include the Foundational Class (Receive with Meekness), the Intermediate Class (Retain with Conviction), and the Advanced Class (Release with Boldness). 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? All of these classes are weeks long, have an enrollment fee, and have their own expensive materials (books, binders, etc.) 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). One response still in print is Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth by H.A. John Lynn described in detail how Way leaders practiced and tried to justify adultery in the audiotape, Overview of Events-1.. 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. We ourselves have two articles in our website concerning that movement. About The Way International has the most comprehensive collection of articles on The Way International found anywhere-- over 110.
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