skyrider

DWBH......yeah, disentangling oneself from a cult is very difficult, indeed! Here at The Café....we've been endeavoring to disentangle ourselves, thread after thread. Just a sampling of threads [below] capsulate how vpw/twi fostered aspects of this emerging identity crisis. Dependency: Twi's Sinister Plan Manipulation of One's Consent An Illusion of Leadership Hold the Microphone....Hold the Power Re-Education Camp at HQ

While in college, I sat thru twi's foundational class. At that time, I knew nothing about twi's "headquarters" or the wierwille strategy of his corps program. I simply was interested in learning these biblical keys that were promoted on their green card. Some high points in pfal: 1) No private interpretation....keys to unlock scriptures 2) Judeans, Gentiles and the church of God 3) The Great Mystery Revealed 4) Incorruptible seed....born again 5) Doctrine, Reproof, Correction....instruction in life 6) Five Gift Ministries within the church of God 7) Jesus the man.....lord and mediator between God & man 8) Christ Jesus....sitting at the right hand of the Father Like any class [note: I was in college during pfal]....I gleaned the bullet points from pfal and found merit in these truths. Wierwille's stories were merely side-issues....as was "the law of believing." My eyes were fixated on key elements in the scriptures that pertained to me. After all, that's what the benefits of the green card promoted, right? Namely, that YOU can unlock the keys, YOU can separate truth from error, YOU can have a powerful prayer life, etc. To me, the scriptures AND spirit within were......TO AIM FOR THE FENCES (baseball analogy). Every time I was up-to-bat, my focused-will was to "knock this ball outta the park." Hitting a grand-slam and bringing everyone home was a bonus. Throughout the Old and New Testament, the scriptures high-lighted the Lord God helping to advance individuals thru life's challenges and adversity. The Lord always made a way. Call me young, naïve, whatever.....but my heart was warmed by this loving, all-powerful God and Father who deeply loved me and would lead me forward by His hand of grace and mercy. YET.....with each month and passing year, I learned that wierwille's strategy was to hit singles and "keep the crowd engaged in peanuts, hot dogs and beer." The longer the game lasted, the more money poured in to the organization. Twig fellowships were like the little concession stands....and its quite amazing how much money flows in via peanuts, pepsi and popcorn. Wierwille thrived on being a team-owner. He got to throw his weight around. Sitting high above the others in the owner's suite is a pretty, nifty perk. The corps program was designed to "hit singles"......if they could.

As the years quickly pass, and all the moving parts around me that constitute MY LIFE......I find it difficult to conceptualize "how vpw/twi changed my identity" in any permanent way. Having transitioned into college life a year before ever hearing of twi, nearly everything around me was challenging my identity of self. Sure, my goals had *Business Management and Marketing* in sight......but that was about it. lol But like many young adults, I wasn't locked into a precision-guided career path until I'd checked out some options along the way. And, lo and behold.....some young, enthusiastic WOWs were bopping around with this "research class" so I took it. In contemplating this episode [click]....Transition and Transference So....how has my indentity been altered by twi? 1) Yes and no....more head-knowledge and experiences, but didn't change my heart 2) I thrive on independence....and, for awhile, thought twi advanced 'liberty in Christ' 3) By 1978, inrez corps mtgs...wierwille was fuming at what he called 'cop-outs' [RED FLAG] 4) Began to see a consistent dichotomy in what vpw taught and how he lived 5) Even as in-resident corps, I held fast to my integrity and would not let it go 6) Saw a major chasm between hq-staff living and those assigned to "the field" 7) Loved reading the gospels and how Jesus lived and walked among the people 8) Maybe, I should have never gone corps? [but I met this beautiful corps woman] 9) So, I guess....EVERYTHING was altered because she became my wife 10) Add, our two sons....and 'the road less taken made ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE' Yep, I took this side-detour into twi....and it altered EVERYTHING concerning me, but it altered NOTHING about me. In my travels to find my true identity....I came to realize that I already had established it deep-down inside all along. The bedrock of who I am was established in those formidable days of farm life, small town, good-hearted friends, neighbors and a blessed family. Like Dorothy [Wizard of Oz], what I thought I was searching for was THERE all along. But unlike Dorothy, I didn't just "come back home" .....I married someone who, also, was following 'the yellow brick road.' In traveling life's journey, I'm not sure how one can traipse thru experience after experience and not be altered in some way or fashion. Isn't that why autobiographies are so interesting?

Looking back, I often marvel at ALL twig coordinators and corps did to welcome complete strangers into our homes and lives. Sure, we were out there recruiting...er, "moving the word" but to do it year after year with fire and compassion. Those who opened their homes, opened their refrigerators are/were the salt of the earth......NOT the bloviating-bible reader at hq. Heck.....when did wierwille EVER do charitable work or knock on doors year after year? Same goes for rivenbark.....geez, a twice-divorced school teacher escaping her past. Ppfftt. Faithful twig coordinators SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN extra praise, perks, and privileges at every roa. They were the "face" of the ministry and the "heart" to the burdened and downtrodden.

So....I take that as a "no, you don't think rosalie would open her home and set the example?" But I suppose you're right.....heck, wierwille PROMISED to open the corps chalet for any traveling corps who needed to spend a night or two. And, we all know how quickly THAT was shut down.

For years, night after night.....3X a week, many of us opened our doors for those who wanted to attend twig fellowship. Yep, we vacuumed the carpets, moved the furniture around, set out songbooks, spent money at the grocery store for refreshments, baked cookies, welcomed guests, taught fellowships........and when the last person left, we cleaned up the kitchen. Then.....we did it a day or two later. Year after year. Under the twi banner, we were a home-based outfit......meaning, my wife and I generously gave our love, time and effort to help build twi and support its mission statement "word over the world." Week after week, year after year.....we freely gave financially, physically, emotionally and "spiritually." The average week Sunday......10am fellowship Monday......7pm Twig Fellowship Coordinators Mtg Tuesday.....7pm Twig Thursday....7pm Twig All of those meetings took work.......heck, at hdqtrs those people get PAID A SALARY for doing meetings. :anim-smile:/>/> But on the field, not so much. When your vacuum cleaner breaks, you go buy a new one at your expense. When some weirdo pees on your couch [like what happened on WOW field]...its got to get cleaned. Add all the paper plates, napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, etc. etc. and it starts adding up. And, add extra air conditioning costs during classes in one's home. Surely, the trustees/twi THANKED US over and over again for all our labor.......pppfffttt. On the contrary, we were confronted for not doing MORE.....or witnessing MORE. What if there was a MIGRATION MARCH of the tens of thousands who have helped twi thru the years and wanted to move to a place that would surely help during tough times? I mean, with $57 MILLION in assets and all.....twi would surely be willing to help thousands upon thousands who'd faithfully given abs to them and ran fellowships. They would want to set the example of OPENING THEIR HOMES AND THEIR REGRIGERATORS.......right? How many would twi house and feed [for a couple of years anyways] to help people get on their feet? .

Damn-it George.....those scriptures are NOT in your retemory pack. You'd better shape up quickly....or you can kiss that adv class nametag good-bye. .

See....THAT is the problem. You guys are reading and applying scriptures from the gospels, not the epistles. Don't you know that those verses are NOT written to us. sarc/ When you become fully indoctrinated....er, instructed in the "lo shanta power" of the Lord, you won't be wasting your time on that Christ administration stuff. Epistle-land is where you earn your strips and get out there knocking on doors and the bureaucracy of overlords in outreach have sway. That's twi, baby......thru and thru.

Excellent point! This same scripture could be used in a pfal thread, any "law of believing" thread, or those where corps leaders were trying to entrap with guilt and fear. Thanks.

Yeah.....one big SHRUG-fest. Wierwille, martindale, t0wnsend, finneg@n, dunc@n, burt0n, cumm!ns, etc. etc.... all the "big name" people, even before the likes of ly-nn, geer, and others... lots of roa personnel riding around everywhere in those golf carts.... AND WHEN IT CAME TO DEMONSTRATING GOD'S POWER? Nope.

Dana.....thank you for posting your story. It is heart-wrenching to see the hurt and pain that you've had to endure because of twi's treachery. You are another brave soul to come forward, among the many..... May you find all the strength and comfort needed to go forward.

....with leadership that has been groomed in the art of deception and have $57 Million in assets to window-dress their product.

When the power of God is present......the humble of heart will be there. Roa main stage events would not have needed hype and coercion.....if men walked by the spirit. The scriptures give us ample insight to the Pharisees and how they micromanaged the people with guilt and fear. Yet, they would not follow that which they scripted for others. I will never forget how my heart sank when wierwille stood at the microphone, at roa, and requested that advanced class grads come forward to minister healing. Why was "the man of god" and his inner-circle men not going down, off the stage, to the people to minister? Really? This doesn't pass the power-in-action smell test!! C'mon, let's SEE that "I've got the power" tonight. Right here. Right now. That's it? Delegate and wait? Now, everyone back to their seats. What a disappointment!!

It seems to me that, for a few years, the roa brochure promoted the event as "....great food, fellowship and fun. I could be wrong on this. Maybe dreaming? Well, if it was great food......then somebody doesn't get out much. If it was great fellowship......then somebody doesn't have a lot of friends. It it was great fun.............then somebody doesn't know about Disney Word or theme parks. Take the juxtaposed position of wierwille/twi for the sake of discussion......what IF vpee would have stated upfront, "Listen, I understand that we all love God and our heart longs and thirsts for truth....BUT we also know that you come here to reunite with your friends, family and loved ones. Have picnics in the way woods. Go to Lake St. Marys. Enjoy yourselves. Each night, the main stage will feature heart-inspiring music and truth.... come join us. But throughout each day, relish in the joy of being with loved ones." Rather than suffocate us with control.....love us into living life! Rather than indoctrinate us into twi......let us go to love Him more. Rather than micromanage every moment......believe that He leads the moments.

Detailing some of this three-year slog-subsistence......Click Here -- 1995 full-time corps "revelation"

Yeah....when I say that, for me, the roa ceased being fun in 1981 my perspective is one of way corps and having ALREADY been there for a week in the hot, humid, work-slog drudgery of corps week. Oftentimes, corps....if seen just "hanging out during roa" were requested by those roa-overseers in those golf carts to help work in an overburdened area [ie--food prep, chicken wagon, trash detail, put down plywood for mud areas, etc]. See, the corps were ALWAYS on duty.....and it was THEIR RESPONSIBILITY to do whatever was necessary to make the roa run smoothly [wierwille's orders]. And.....even though corps did the service with a smile, the dissent and contention was building. With each passing year, corps grads were moving on with higher education, careers, and family and there was a major divide growing between those corps who were ON TWI PAYROLL [and some riding around in golf carts] and those who drove a thousand miles on their OWN EXPENSE and gave 15 days of time/labor to be in Ohio EACH YEAR. Then, get back home, get to work, etc. etc. and have twig meetings, branch events, twig coordinator meetings and corps meetings to attend. That's why....by the 1986 Corps Week and chris geer reading his pop paper, there was a seismic shift in twi THAT HAD BEEN BUILDING FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. The 1984 roa was the largest on record......24,000 showed up. Those in the trunk office said that, with this figure, they calculated about probably 30,000-32,000 were faithful twi followers in 1984. All that hooey of 100,000 taking the pfal class was irrelevant to the numbers guys.

Yeah.....those early ROAs were fun and carefree throughout the day. You could grab breakfast and sit for an hour with your former WOW-sister and talk about the exciting God-moments and what had transpired in your lives since last year. Then, stop by a 'Family Table' and listen to someone play a song that they'd just written, or a poem.....or a deliverance story. Nothing was scripted.....and the dam-n corps weren't everywhere micromanaging everything!!! Years later, even the flag raising and early morning prayer was wayspeak. It was all surreal like "invasion of the waybot-snatchers" or something. The whole atmosphere was controlled by the spiritually-correct policemen and warnings/mini-confrontations were issued. And then, in 1981....a 7th corps guy suggested that 11:00am twigs would be a neat idea for believers to check-in with one another.......but these ROA TWIGS became full-scale ego-boosters for field corps to teach for a dam-n 45 minutes. Uuuuuuuuugh. Yeah....like we all want to sit and listen to ANOTHER REPETITIVE TEACHING. Looking back.....I seriously doubt whether wierwille, martindale, geer, rivenbark and any other narcissist figured out why we enjoyed the annual pilgrimage to the rock of ages. Did they really think it was all about them? :biglaugh:/> :biglaugh:/> :biglaugh:/> .

Just to be clear..... Most of the early roa had less structure.....and more time to just hang out. In 1978 [and maybe, 1979].....there was a two-act play performed in one of the tents. The International Tent was a-buzz with fun, laughter, song and sharings. The Arts and Craft Tent [1980?] sold items made from believers. Teen Outreach Tent was in the west woods. By 1987 or so, roa became a bland, sanitized, structured mog-fest.

The Rock of Ages was like all things in twi.....it evolved over time. I've often said that, for me, the roa ceased being fun and exciting around 1981. Imo....the downward trajectory and outcome should not solely fall on lcm's shoulders, because wierwille frog-marched years of corps involvement to bland conformity and lots were sick and tired of this hot, humid, ho-hum fest. Same old, same old.....while vpw stood on the main stage with an air conditioner neatly concealed in the podium. Those who had attended say, in 1972, at age 20......were hitting age 36 in 1989. Sure, the corps were growing more contentious......many had wives, kids, school attendance in a few days after roa, jobs to get back to, etc. If you lived in Arizona...2 days travel to corps week, roa, and 2 days travel home = 15 days away [from home & job] without pay! And......wierwille DID NOT THANK THE CORPS WITH HEART-FELT APPRECIATION. Corps had to go to corps week and roa prepared with work clothes, casual clothes, dress clothes, etc. Not only did they work during corps week, but spent much of roa working shifts as well. Time for any fun/fellowship was limited.....and really, after several years, it all grew bland. Except for the rekindling of friendships and personal relationships.....few relish sitting in a hot, humid tent every night for 2 1/2 hours. Heck, after 10, 12, or 15 years in twi......most went to roa to see their friends and loved ones, not to hear "the word" taught from main stage. But from the corps perspective, it was two-weeks of work, confrontation, anxiety, and challenges to sleep in a tent and wear a pressed suit that night. Good riddance to the roa. Wierwille NEVER looked at the roa thru the prism of the way corps. He only saw himself teaching the masses "the word of God." Twi would like for martindale to be the fall guy in all this. I don't buy it for one new york minute. Wierwille set roa protocols in motion. Martindale followed the roa blueprint. Way corps grew tired of manipulation/exploitation. It was only a matter of when. .

Oakspear......well, "the reason for corps [ushers] to suit up in the big top tent" was because [drum roll.......] the word was being taught and wierwille was marketing a product. He wasn't concerned about OUR comfort.....or the logic of an August sweltering tent. Wierwille set the precedent of "being your best for God" and everyone fell in line. Oh, and.....with regards to the teens hanging out late at the roa gazebo. Well, in 1995 some said it was extremely rowdy and music playing....AND disrespect for towards the bless patrol folk to tried to tamper down the noise. But also.... so many PARENTS [corps and adv class grads] had worked their butts off for days and were sound asleep. What was wrong with those parents?

Twinky, on the contrary.......with regards to roa, nothing was "really after my time" because I was there thru the end of the roa era, namely August 1995. After the exodus of nearly 80% of corps and followers [ie -- the "loyalty letter brouhaha"] each subsequent rock of ages [1990-1995] the major workload that befell to those corps and staff remaining in twi was brutal. Yes, many of us were working double shifts and were soliciting our faithful advanced class grads in our states to step up their roa workload, as well. At the time, I was a limb coordinator and worked all day....then had to put on my suit and usher in the Big Top each evening. I absolutely loathed this task. Here I was, having grown up on a farm, and was ordered to stand in this glorified cornfield...in a hot, humid tent...in August...in a suit!!! For those who missed this *turning point*.......here is what happened. At the end of twi's Placement Meetings in March 1995, martindale decreed that ALL active way corps would be put on full-time staff in August [1995] and would need to meet with twi's Personnel Director [br@d Th0rpe] at a scheduled time during Corps Week to determine need/salary. This decree put a thousand things in motion and thousands of heads spinning. :biglaugh:/>/>/> And, here's my "Aha moment"...... The first Corps Meeting of the calendar year, in September.....martindale spent the majority of this phone hook-up to all corps NOW ON TWI'S PAYROLL, to specify all that this entailed and DID NOT entail. In other words, he made it clear that only a few SELECTED corps would be attending the Advanced Class Special in Dallas that year. If you aren't selected, then you are NOT WELCOME. You are now on staff and we want you to stay in your area. AND FURTHER.....WE ARE CANCELLING THE ROCK OF AGES FROM HENCEFORTH. The whole backstory on the 1995 Rock of Ages was an out-of-control environment, teens up all hours and hanging at the gazebo, and homo spirit infiltration [supposedly, :rolleyes:/>/>/> ] and the last ROA was turned into "a class setting" with basically martindale teaching every night. Stiff. Rigid. Boring. BUT.....imo, the REAL reason that martindale was cancelling the rock of ages festival was because NOW that way corps were on the payroll, ALL EXPENSES INCURRED [travel, lodging, food, car expense, etc] would be on twi's doorstep. Now, when the corps traveled.....twi's petty cash accounts were running and needed reimbursed. Same with corps family and KIDS....they've got to eat too. No longer was the rock of ages going to be a cash cow for twi. I think martindale was a little late in figuring all this out......and his "all full-time corps revelation" started dying before it hardly had time to breathe. And, without way corps working at the roa? No roa. It was THAT simple. :anim-smile:/>/>/> .

If I remember correctly.....1976 and 1977 Rock of Ages were in Sidney, OH and wierwille made the decision to "bring the Rock of Ages home to The Way International grounds." So, August of 1978 was the beginning of the big festivals at hdqtrs. Not sure if Corps Week was implemented in 1978, but definitely by 1979. With some 15,000, 16,000 or 18,000 showing up......twi NEEDED way corps to help with the vast details before the grand opening night. All the smaller tents, food areas, plastic white chain link installments, plywood flooring, main stage area, assemble backrooms, etc. etc. etc. The corps were "called in early" to...man all the stations: bless patrol, camping, shower units, food prep and storage, warehousing, honey wagon and trash detail, porta-potties, main tent lighting, sound and a/v, backrooms, chairs and stringing them in straight rows (of course), etc. Mornings and evenings were reserved for "meetings and such".....but afternoons were strictly designed for work. With 2,400 rolling up their sleeves with FREE LABOR.....quite a bit can get accomplished in 4-5 hours a day, for 6 days!! And, if the roa coordinator felt that we were behind schedule.......then, the morning meeting was CANCELLED. See the priority?!?!

Bill M@ize

This was wierwille's lifelong modus operandi....trying to get FREE LABOR & STUFF 1) In 1961,62.....didn't howard, and others, travel from Kentucky to build the BRC on weekends? 2) Wierwille sets up a work/study program for inrez corps....lots of free labor at emporia campus 3) Way Builder-types were vp's & howard's "buddies" during those building years 4) Plenty of inrez-corps carpenters/plumbers/electrians were sent to Camp G. and LEAD hdqtrs to work 5) Wierwille encouraged sunset corps to volunteer their work/services at root locales 6) Dorothy and Rhoda were held up as examples.....not retiring and working into their 80s(?) 7) Corps Week was established to bring in corps grads - TO WORK AND SET UP FOR ROCK OF AGES 8) Anyone who thinks that Corps Week was to further teach the corps......hahahaha 9) And, you corps grads better NOT skip out on the roa and go home early (spit spit) 10) Wierwille wanted elderly followers to invest in cabin at CampG [at death, twi gets possession] 11) People like Dr. R@wlins were held up as examples of living/applying biblical truths/abundance 12) Yet, R@wlins and other "celebs" were successful LONG BEFORE PFAL/TWI. 13) Those with money were given access to Trustees and privileges 14) Even Way Prod talent was manipulated and exploited until no longer deemed needed

Yeah, chockfull......totally. How old is Ch@ndler now? 29? 30? And, if he's got student loans with that pharm degree....he should be making decent money to pay down that loan and stay on that career path. This window of opportunity is GOING TO PASS HIM BY.....and his resume will suck in about 15 years. So, at age 45....he might find himself being passed over because employers will look at his resume and be dumb-struck by his side-ways religious leanings. Not smart. Not faithful. Not professional. And, the younger, energetic 26-year olds will look much more advantageous for employment. Oh well....maybe, it's a "parent-thing?" Bill and Marcia must be SO proud. :biglaugh: