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In re-reading the article Driven to Suicide.....this account details the fast-paced chain of events that converged in 1995 upon staffer Tom Mitchell. Interestingly, four years later, in 1999....another man, Paul Allen, came upon similar crossroads where sexual predation on his wife ruled in martindale's twi. Except, this time, the husband and wife were able to escape Martindale's grip and leave staff together. To juxtapose this situation and Tom Mitchell's.....Paul Allen was Driven to Expose Twi. One man succombed to suicide. The other man outflanked twi in every way. One man's story was silenced by the grave. The other man's story, and website Waydale, went around the world and opened the doors to Greasespot Cafe to this day. And yet, the life of both.....so very precious. Driven to Suicide.........how tragic. Driven to Expose Twi......how triumphant. Probably like many others, I too faced extreme challenges and hard times when we exited twi. My wife and I had reached the point where we refused to accept any more corps assignments, relocations. The time to exit had come. Thankfully, I left with my wife and family intact.....BUT the trustees sent their "attack dogs" (two region men) to our area and door. The message was clear: They wanted to silence and destroy our good reputations. I could have easily succombed to the Driven to Silence category. The next corps meeting, our names were trashed with a plethora of lies "to section off this crime scene for all the corps household to witness." The trustees -- Craig, Don, and Howard -- had instructed the trunk personnel to make phone calls to our previous two areas of service to choke off any lingering support or sympathy. And, even though we knew all trustees on a personal level for years and served alongside them at hq on dozens of occasions, not ONE phone call to inquire about our decision. Not ONE personal conversation to express concern or further dialogue. Although it sounds rather dramatic today.....my world, as I knew it, ended. My 24-year social network of "friends"....GONE. My job and twi-groomed skills.......irrelevant. Our kids' twi-friends were stripped from them. All twi-related phone calls ceased...overnight. Our actions were monitored..........for months. [Others, who lefts months and even years after us (1998)...told us what happened and what region/limb guys instructed them to do.] Some people think that CULT is too strong of language for twi. Not me. If I knew of a better word to describe the twisted world and fabric of twi, I would. So, as the doors to Greasespot Cafe are about to close, I will forever be thankful for Ex-Twi (aka Paul A) and Paw. And yet, not forgotten......I remain somber of the reality that the "Tom Mitchells" of twi impacted us in ways, many unspoken, to a higher road. My heart-felt thanks to all posters who were......DRIVEN TO EXPOSE TWI. .

Hey my sweet sister who inherited all the nice genes. :) and the prettier ones!! Yeah, I would avoid such a place and find a nice little church if that is what one is looking for. . . . . and it is not really hard to find a Christian who understands that we are the church(it is not secret knowledge).....not really a stretch to find a Christian church that is comprised of Christians. Even Mega churches just filled with Christians. The Benny Hinns and Creflo Dollars of the world.....and definitely the entire TBN channel ....... are wolves easy to spot. (Of course, we have the edge) But, I have yet to meet a church going Christian who believes the building where they meet or the structure or organization they populate is the complete church. Especially since so many pray for the persecuted church and other churches around the world. Who are these people who don't get it? Other than the obvious wolves .... who are the Pastors getting rich off their flock? Granted....I live in a rural area but I know most of the Pastors around here and not a one of them drives a Beamer. Now, if the Lord refines by fire....and fails to produce His intended work within His people......He is ineffectual. The Lord is not ineffectual. The sparrow does not fall without Him knowing about it. But, not everyone who says they are Christian......is a Christian. Do you honestly believe.....knowing all that you do about God......and placing all your faith in Him.......that one of His true servants would be using Him to make money? We serve from love, but also know enough about God not to dare do something like that....right? Religion is a big business...no doubt. I agree. But a Christian church, filled with Christians......is not. There is a pretty good litmus test for us....and that is...who gets the glory. Maybe, that is why we hear so much from the wolves about themselves? Jesus said He would build His church. I believe Him. I also believe that just because a group of Christians meet in a church and have some structure with an elder or some overseers.......Christians who organize.......it does not mean they don't understand who they are. Church is not the enemy, structure is not the enemy, and commitment to others within a church family is a good thing. We can afford to be a little discerning before we start church bashing .....we may just be lumping a whole bunch of things together that don't really belong together and ourselves missing the real beauty of the church. You know I think the world of you....so we can be honest and talk. You are one of the sweetest people around. And I know you love the saints. Hugs!! :)

Geisha: It was creepy. But I got to tell you the more I have looked at any “church” organization ~ the more I see crap given by all of it/them.… We have got to get to a point, IMHO, where we understand WE are the church. Not buildings not organizations, not the ordained and the adored. But everyday people as we hold forth “God” as we love him and love his people… Church is big business. There are some people who truly do try to “do it right” and I am not knocking their efforts. What I am knocking is “the business of church” “the God business” the making money off of selling people "a hope and a dream" which does not exist outside of the LOVE of God. “Follow me…” “Harken unto my words…” this crap…. When I think of the commandment, thou that shalt not use the Lord the God’s name in vain ~ this BIG church business is a violation of that commandment. For years people cheapened it to mean do not curse or say something as frivolous as “Oh my God!” But that makes no sense to me. God has a shot at giving us 10 commandments and among the towers in them are things like thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not kill, and then this wimpy thing ~ oh and by the way, don’t ever just say, “oh my God.” Unless you mean it… What a wimpy meaning… You’d think God would list arson or something before a wimpy little declaration like that…. So, in giving a look at using his name in vain, what I saw was: using his name to lie, deceive, to bring people to “yourself” leaving people with “empty” in my name… I think THIS is again that. But John is not alone. There are church buildings filled with carnival barkers offering the same “game.” It is rancid and it saddens me.