the way international splinter groups

James K. Walker The Way began to grow significantly only when Wierwille traveled to California and recruited followers from the Jesus movement.16 Like Eve and the Corinthians, these young believers (and many since the 1960s) were virgins with simple devotion to Christ, but were not grounded in Scripture and thus were easily led astray. This is a big hurdle, because V.P. Heads up on Another Splinter off the Way International Tree. However, we are still driven by their nefarious existence. Show love and patience throughout this trying time of change. Reportedly, a few people have even considered suicide or entered mental institutions. Ive started this process in some form and would like to invite you to take a peek at another thread. 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. Also former TWI here, my parents are still in it, and its causing incredible family pain, now between my older sister. A place for discussion about cults and other new age religious movements. Para ms informacin o para Join now to access this Journal subscriber only content. I am glad I am not the only one who dealt with growing up in TWI. 1987). A Profile of The Way, International The Way International is a small, fundamentalist, Bible-based organization headquartered in New Knoxville, Ohio, on property that was once the family farm of the founder, Victor Paul Wierwille. See also pp.38 and 52. Some retain great respect for Wierwille, while a few joke about him. Wierwille credits Stiles with showing him how to receive and manifest the Holy Spirit by speaking in tongues when they met at a Tulsa rally in 1951.7 He took his teachings on evil spirits, definition of humans as body-soul-spirit (with his peculiar exegesis), laying on of hands, and his descriptions and methods of operating the manifestations (gifts of the Spirit) from B.G. And unjustified bullshit. The group says that it will hold classes and smaller conferences instead, including a weeklong gathering of 2,000 at The Ways auditorium in New Knoxville, July 20-27. 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. What do they make members do? We were taught that debt was inherently evil and that it made you a slave to the lender. As well as the original post questions. No Way Out: Why Talk About V. P. Wierwille's Death? Para ms informacin o para Join now to access this Journal subscriber only content. Conveniently situated in the Minh Khai part of Phu Ly (Ha Nam), this property puts you close . In response, he defends such Way teachings as that on interpretation of tongues.14 Ralph Dubofsky told the May 1988 CES meeting that the reason they like so much of E.W. 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. That wing of my family joined nearly 30 years ago. 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. Some people started their own non-Way affiliated Bible fellowships. Accusations have disturbed many people and strained or broken numerous friendships. First, the assumptions and structure of the new groups are like The Way International. That was deep, honest and almost liberating because it brought some of us closer to understanding as well as closure. For the most part this conceptualizing of the world as being on Gods side or influenced but the Adversary makes me roll my eyes. 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. Protecting Colombia's Most Vulnerable on the Road to "Total Peace Sometimes area twigs would get together for a branch meeting, and less frequently a limb meeting. Still involved. Because of the work of splinter groups, in recent years The Way has been marked by heightened paranoia, attention to security, and bitterness. Wierwille exercised very little discernment in learning from others, readily accepting teachings from itinerant mystics, Christian Scientists, and spiritists. 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. Gotta run! Since then, The Way has sought to purge (that is, totally shun) all who do not tithe or who question Martindale on any issue. They did not understand that Wierwille preached another Jesus (who was only a man) and another spirit (not the Holy Spirit personally indwelling them). I dont know if any of this is helpful to you. This is just awful, horrible and egregious in every way possible. 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. 0 replies; 812 views; Fredchopin . Any recent The Way International (TWI) survivors? : r/cults - reddit Nonetheless, many ex-Wayers desire publications, traveling teachers, regional meetings, and a network of fellowships similar to those they had in The 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. One response still in print is Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth by H.A. I'm a robot. Many former Way members are flocking to break-off organizations some of which are led by well-known and respected ex-leaders. The Way International fellowships are located throughout the United States, as well as over 30 countries. My parents met in the Way in the late 80s through the WOW program. It has shrunk in size and, as often is the case in cults when the original leader dies, splintered into various rival movements. Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is the university she attended as a non-traditional student and place of employment. First, it is helpful to present facts of doctrinal, organizational, and personal error in Way leaders. The group's misogyny was deeply ingrained while also being subtle at times. Geer and trustee Howard Allen apparently believed that the behavior of the trustees, not strokes and cancer, caused Wierwilles death. 6 Albert Cliffe, Let Go and Let God (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1951), 157. Answer. 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. 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. 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. Kenyon. While PFAL was used to introduce prospects to The Way, Martindales new classes are open only to people who have attended a twig (home fellowship) for a year and have been taught how to receive holy spirit and speak in tongues by the twig coordinator. By word, character, and example, show them that there is more-than-abundant life outside The Way International.Dr. In the weeks leading up to it, she got sick and missed a few shifts at work and ran up a few hundred dollars of credit card debt to cover bills. 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. About The Way International Michael Rood - Apologetics Index The Way not only teaches that Jesus Christ is not God, but also has instruction on tithing, the law of believing (whatever one believes will happen to one, whether bad or good), and the accuracy of the Bible (as translated by Way leaders). However, it sucked to consider our loved as anything less than brilliant, observant, and aware. Your last sentence though. dagger to the heart ..internal turmoil reconciling her faith with just being a person in the world. After I had a fight in elementary school, TWI advised him to beat me into submission. 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. 35 0 obj <> endobj 60 0 obj <>stream An iconic five-star international hotel Our hotel is located in the heart of the city and provides 180 rooms and suites. It is apparent that almost all Wierwille taught he acquired from other men, not from original study of Gods word. But apparently, he doesn't want people to know what he did in the 1970s and 1980s. Nevertheless, The Ways situation has improved. In 1983 I became involved with the cult the Way International or as it is commonly referred to by members, "the Way." I had a B.A. Strangely, that means that TWI is responsible for my birth. Except they pretty much worship the bible. These people were rarely spoken of again, and if they were it was in hushed tones. That ego had gone to their heads; that the Adversary had gotten to them. He cultivated an image of being an original Bible researcher and his followers have seen him as such. 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. For example, Vince Finnegan formed a new splinter group primarily from the block of Wayers he led in New . 5 Lamsa considered himself an apostle and believed in clairvoyance and universalism. Think of the creed is their unwritten Bible. 3 Highlights of The Way Corps Graduation (June 1995), cassette tape. IRA splinter group claims responsibility for police shooting This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 44, number 2 (2021). By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform.

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