johnj

it's common for cult leaders to come up with a NEW SPECTACULAR DISCOVERY ONLY I KNOW ABOUT at least once a year to keep followers and money coming in. Michael Rood has done this for years- like clockwork, every 12 months. New video series, new pitch for money. vpw did the same - 4 crucified! No trinity was guaranteed to get attention- he even drove his motor home into town and posted the AMAZING discovery on the local church's door. Only he knew truth not tradition!?!? many of vp's sources were New Thought (like Christian Science) Clark, Mosely, Cliffe, etc, who don't even know a personal God much less a Trinity. But I suspect Lamsa put vp over the top on this. Lamsa himself was a cult leader who, like vp, rewrote Bible verses when he felt like it.a

i don't think twi will ever disappear. all they need is 3 directors who meet once a year to maintain legal status and control of property and funds. With the sale of gunnison they could pay themselves handsomely for another century. And maybe send out a newsletter once a year to a dozen people to show they are maintaining religious activities..

there's a video of a corps introducing the ambassador program in the auditorium. The audience responds to something he says, but it sounds like a group of people in a living room rather than a crowd in an auditorium.

from T-bone/ Mike: "The aim of the way corps program was to create little clones of wierwille… come to think of it, Mike maybe that sounds like something you would have been interested in since you’re a big fan of PFAL and wierwille…but as for me, I was really dissatisfied and frustrated. There was always such hype about the way corps program being lots of in-depth learning of the Bible and biblical principles – but it was just a wierwille-clone factory. What a letdown! " This is mostly true- people were supposed to think, dress, teach like vpw. Clones. With one exception- people were supposed to worship him, not want people to worship them (as vpw did). But the irony is that many upper level leaders DID become completely like vpw. This came out after vp died, when many of them wanted to be "the man of God" (not necessarily using that title), acting in the power of holy spirit. Hence, splinter groups each with a clone of vpw at the head, scrambling for followers, claiming they're different from craig & twi - while producing clones of pfal and the way tree.

twi hopes to have ambassadors in the 12 countries they have active way corps. they have a long history of "believing" for certain large numbers in one program or another. i was always careful to ignore the "believing" numbers they published beforehand in the way magazine, and look at the actual numbers after an event (they didn't often put actual numbers in, but you could guess by looking at group photos). No doubt a few corps pad the numbers in some way when they pass them uphill. "Believing" often means living in fairy land. twi still has an inflated self image, still following vpw's narcissistic example they seem to be heavily promoting gunnison as a destination, mostly via various "camps." it keeps money flowing in I expect the "Christian music" at the young rock will be as regimented and programmed as anything way productions does. it seems to me everybody at twi dresses, walks and talks alike, in suits and dresses. kind of like the Agents in suits in the matrix

they claim to have active way corps in both congos. Much of africa is the Christian wild west, with lots of cults, heresies and extremity in churches. Lots of converts in deep need of discipling. (I taught there for two months several years ago). it wouldn't surprise me if twi has more people in west africa than the usa and is patting themselves on the back for things they had almost nothing to do with. women hardly ever teach at sunday services at the root.

which limb? how small? how long ago?

How big is TWI now? How many attend the Sunday service? Some (approximate) numbers to consider: Way Disciples – 4 teams (~16 people) / year Corps Grads – 2021 – 7, 2020 – 11, 2019 – 14 Active Corps grads in 12 countries (inclu USA) Advanced Class for Grads, Gunnison, 2021 – 53 Board of Directors – 4 – Vern Edwards (Pres), John Rupp, Bill Greene, Angela Priester Countrywide 75th Anniversary Days - 12 countries, Congo & Togo look pretty large-ish, others not-so-much 2nd website – Godswordworks.org – members-only posts on the glories of TWI Research books – the most recent “research” books listed on twi.org are by vpw (no other author); apparently no notable research for 40 years Sunday Service Teachers – 8 different over the 8 weeks of Aug-Sept

It seems TWI is trying to revive the “gory glory years.” It plans to revive “the Rock” as “Young Adult Rock” Aug 12-14, 2022. They call it a “Christian music festival” for Foundational class grads ages 18-35. A few days after it, TWI plans to send out Way “Ambassadors.” The “Ambassadors of The Way Outreach Program” will replace both the original WOW and the Way Disciples outreach program, which sends an anemic 4 teams (approx.) per term/ year. They will serve Aug 21 to June 4, 2023. That’s a 9.5 month term vs. the 6 month disciple and 12 month WOW terms. They hope to have Ambassadors in 12 countries in which there are active Way Corps. How many people will they actually get? What do they mean by "Christian music"?

I'm guessing that some variations of the "red thread" idea of tracing the history of Christ by comparing it to weaving and fabric have popped up here and there for a long time somewhere in the Christian Church. I think Americans have less sense of heritage and symbolism than other cultures, especially historic ones. But Scotts identify their clans by the colors and weave of tartans/ kilts. Mid eastern tribes identified themselves similarly, and Palestinian nationalism is in the colors and pattern of the headdress. Others express personal or tribal history in embroidery, whether red thread or another color. Americans see some symbolism in color, like patriotic red white and blue. I suspect certain weavers "signed" their handiwork in some part of the fabric. Identity and history by weaves probably started by accident, because each locale had only certain natural dyes and fabrics available, though they grew as trade expanded. So why not identify Christ as having been woven into the fabric of the history of God's people as recorded in Scripture?

"Romans Road" is a similar and very common way of "packaging" a series of verses to make them more memorable. As most of you know, it explains and leads people to faith in Christ via Romans 3, 5, 8 and 10.

the concept of finding Christ throughout the Bible is a foundational Christian principle. We see him in direct prophecies, types (like king David being a type of King Jesus), foreshadowing (sacrificial lambs in the temple), prophecies with double fulfillment, etc. The "red thread" is just a way of "packaging" it in a sermon or Bible study in a way that is memorable. "Red" or scarlet is a natural choice because the blood shed by Christ is central to the faith. "Thread" is a natural choice because everyone has carpets and textiles, and countless people wove their own over the centuries- many with intricate patterns and symbolism built in (including red in temple textiles). You could pick other figures of speech besides thread, like chain or pattern, to follow the presentations of Christ through the Bible. Picking one from each book is also a handy structure, but may be to long for a typical sermon if you want to talk about any passages in any detail. No doubt VP stole the whole package from Roberts, since he loved to plagiarize. But I have no doubt that hundreds of preachers have preached sermons/ studies very much like this over the centuries. I wouldn't be surprised if you found examples of this in centuries of British preaching and/ or the pre- and post- Nicene church fathers (their writings fill about 25 volumes). There's nothing new under the sun.

What's Missing from Power for Abundant Living and The Way of Abundance and Power? https://youtu.be/aM8uzzPVe1s description: Something very important is missing from Victor Paul Wierwille's Power for Abundant Living and The Way International's The Way of Abundance and Power classes.

new video by John Juedes- What Victor Paul Wierwille's Power for Abundant Living class did Very Well Victor Paul Wierwille's Power for Abundant Living class did one thing very well, even though it wasn't a stated purpose of the class, and participants didn't realize what they were hearing. It's my ninth video on TWI on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2quaAr-n98 vs210206-002.BMP

VPW did not care what he taught, he only used "new" or out-of-the-mainstream claims to to "prove" that he alone taught truth instead of tradition, seem distinct and gain a following. Michael Rood and other Prophecy club speakers and cult leaders do the same thing today. Rood has a new "amazing discovery" every year, like clockwork. Over-the-top and "unique" claims are the way to get attention and money. VP promoted odd ideas like 4 crucified, law of believing, etc, not because they were true, but because they gained a following and served his megalomania. "The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine... they have itching ears... they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables" (2 Timothy 4:3). Sadly, many well-meaning people were deceived.