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I was a aGreasespot candidate by the time LCM went on his hunting spree! I could barely believe the things I was hearing from the one or two sources I knew. Then there were the stories about making the Corps live a certain distance from HQ and on and on...I never experienced any of this. Of course, I only was in residence(12th Corps) at Emporia for a year because I was on the WOW field the year before and after. I guess twi successfully instilled a guilt complex in me because it’s still hard for me to admit not returning for final year.

The title may sound crazy but it’s true. At the time I was introduced to TWI I was in to drugs and alcohol. I was using speed to wake up in the morning and downers chased with whiskey to sleep at night. I grew up in church but I saw no power there. It was more of a social gathering. I was only 23 but the drugs and alcohol were beginning to affect my heart’s rhythm. I knew I needed God in my life but didn’t know where to look. Then there was a knock on my apartment door. There stood two WOW ambassadors who had just moved into my apartment complex. I went to Twig a few times but my roommate and I had a disagreement and we both moved out. I moved back home but eventually was contacted by a Corps member and invited to twig run by MW. MW to me was an amazing teacher. We would go so deep into the Word. This was the first time I’d ever heard anything about Greek words. We talked much about SIT. I wanted that so much and never had to wait until the end of PFAL class. I wanted to go in the Way Corps. I wanted to learn and serve with my whole heart, so to get there I went WOW to Chicago in 79/80. And here is where TWI saved my life. It got me away from all the friends and influences in my life that were killing me and gave me the time to become solidly implanted in the Word. I went in residence with the 12th Corps at Emporia. I loved the experiences and have many good memories of the times with my brothers and sisters. I was assigned was a WOW family coordinator in the Oklahoma City area 81/82. I had no idea of the pain and depression that was coming my way. The first member of my WOW family left the field within two months. Another left 3 months after that. We never ran one PFAL class. I was so beat up than when a member of our twig took an interest to me I fell to the temptation. About the time to return for final year she came up pregnant. I would not go back. It wasn’t right in my heart and mind to do this to someone. I stayed in OKC and eventually married her. We had a beautiful little girl and a son 3 years later. Sadly we divorced not long after he was born. God does have a plan for our lives. There story behind how my present wife and I reconnected is good example of that, but that is a story for a later time. But she had 3 kids and I had my 2 when we married and now we have them and their spouses and 10 grandkids. Most of my kids are involved with missions work, solid in the Word of God. I have been abundantly blessed. I am happy I missed the LCM years at the helm of TWI. I know so many were hurt so badly. Even when I was in the Corps I heard accusations about sexual promiscuity from the leadership although I never witnessed anything. I suppose I was too busy working on the lawnmowers or guarding VPW’s airplane to see any of that. I was an unremarkable Schmoo that helped put money in VPW’s bank account, but to this day I would not want anything I experienced to be any different. The Lord through TWI saved my life , put my feet solidly in the Word of God to the point I have an earned Masters of Divinity, have been a college age pastor and now continue actively in ministry to older folks. This is something I’ve wanted to talk about for 40 years. It has taken the invention of the internet to allow it to happen.

Welcome to Grease Spot, Jimbo !!! I can relate... I had 2 years in residence then out on the field with assignment of area coordinator- I left after only a few months ... had a lot of guilt and doubt over doing that at first - but it went away after time...now I have a little guilt that I stayed in for so long - like a betrayal of my true self or something... is there such a thing as cultic- schizophrenia? ...Just kidding - the longer you are out and enjoying the freedom and power to think and choose for yourself - the better you’ll feel all around ! Hey, some more coffee for Jimbo and the rest of the Grease Spotters...I do feel a little guilty over how much coffee I drink here ....and that I still pester folks for corps sponsorship ... just kidding - but not about how much coffee I drink when I’m on Grease Spot.

I'm sure you were better off in the long run. With only a guilt complex, you avoided all the other complexes developed in the 2nd year in residence and subsequent assignments. Trust me. Later on, over 95% of the Corpse also developed a guilt complex (I did) when leaving what was billed to be a lifetime of Christian service. Many who went back and remained developed a "god complex", as evidenced by current Way leadership. At least low self esteem is treatable. Welcome to the 'Spot. Cup o joe and a slice of pie bro!!!!

Fret not brother Jimbo. There were plenty of others (of us) who went through one year in residence but didn't return for the second one. Yes, twi was big on the guilt but I got over it and have been thankful for a long time that I didn't go back to graduate from the corpse.

"Many Ways"- mocking different approaches to God, including in church. "Would You Like to Be Born Again?" to the tune of "Would You Like to Swing on a Star?" Mocked satanists, non-Christians, and denominational Christians. "Gracetrack"" -which didn't mock anyone. "Kidnap My Kid' mocked deprogramming. "Trinity Song" mocked the Trinity, "Water" mocked water Baptism, the Western mentioned above we discussed, "Witches" mocked pagans/wiccans. "Don't Go to Twig" mocked criticisms of twi. The last song didn't mock. "The Earthsuit Song" compared living on Earth to living in space, with body and soul as an "earthsuit" so we can get around here. I don't know if I left something out, but I probably did. If someone gives me a title, line or subject, it will come back to me. The artist did other albums, and they didn't make fun of other people. I don't want to confuse their contents with this one.

I remember that Tom Burke tape entitled "Many Ways" - it was all entirely confrontational / parody with respect to the Way hot buttons. Early to mid '80s? The title track "Many Ways" was making fun of the "there are many ways to get to heaven" line of thinking at the time which was much more collaborative as opposed to separatist and fundamentalist. This was part of an overall strategy of "picking a fight" with organized religion over controversial topics so the Way could introduce their rhetoric in and win people from mainstream Christian denominations. No I don't have a copy nostalgia seekers. What were topics? 1. Homosexuality - made fun of that was redneck and narrow minded even for the '80s and is totally tone deaf now 2. Trinity - if you needed a song to alienate any potential Christian supporters but not followers, this would be the one 3. Commonality of Religion - instead of focusing on similarities and building bridges, the Way is continually the street corner drunk picking a fight Can't remember the rest of the tracks though....

Even the original artist doesn't play this material anymore. Is nostalgia really that important to you, or were you looking for a song to endorse?