The way basically grew out of 2 hippy back to Jesus type movements that started in-
1- Rye New York.
2-Haight Ashbury-Caifornia
You can goole news articles on these two movements.
VP invited a bunch of them to HQs to join in his ministry. Some went back and promoted VPs teachings. As their groups started to grow they were called The Way east the the Way West. But VP wan't happy because the revenue wasn't coming in to HQs (go figure). He then went out and got together with the leadership in both areas and brought in some ex military friends and basically booted all the leaders out and took over. Hail to the chief! Hiel Hilter.
In January 1968 Wierwille visited the Haight-Ashbury section of San Francisco with the intention of visiting some of the younger people who were reaching people with their Christian message. He ended up meeting with a group that included Jimmy Doop and Steve Heefner...it may have been called "The House of Acts". At this time PFAL had already been committed to film and Wierwille played parts of it for the group.
Heefner & Doop began using PFAL as part of their outreach, supposedly concluding that PFAL was what they needed in order to give their people a sound biblical foundation. Heefner & Doop withdrew from their former group and formed "The Way West", a corporation that was independent of The Way International (which may have still been merely "The Way Incorporated"). Heefner and his wife moved to New York to pursue an employment opportunity, while Doop remained in California heading up The Way West.
Eventually Heefner incorporated The Way East in New York along the lines of The Way West.
Both The Way West and The Way East were legally independent organizations that cooperated with Wierwille's group, using PFAL and buying Way books.
At some point (early 70's maybe) Wierwille decided to centralize all operations and conducted a takeover of The Way West in the middle of a meeting, not informing Doop ahead of time. This was achieved by convincing the other 2 trustees of the Way West to vote Doop out and Wierwille in. Heefner got wind of this and resigned as head of The Way East before the same thing could be done to him. Another independent corporation in Indiana voluntarily meged with TWI, the organization in Australia remained independent and estarnged from Wierwille's TWI.
Here is a link to Messiah7 website with a brief history of TWI. The author Dr. John Juedes, A lutheran minister and a pfal grad who studies TWI and did a lot of research on this group. He has a lot of fascinating and eye opening information on TWI;
And as Coolchef mentioned, the Cult that snapped is an excellent read which does give a good history of TWI, including as Polar Bear mentioned the hippies that hooked up with TWI and Wierwilles taking control over the Way West and East. The author Karl Kahler was a graduate of the 14h corps and is now a reporter for a Newspaper in I believe San Jose CA. He interviewed many people including those former hippies as well as many former high ranking leaders such as former trunk coordinator Ralph D.
Another execellent source is Wordwolfs thread, "The way living in wonderland". Check the archives here at GS cafe.
A brief synopsis, from what I know is that VP Wierwille graduated from seminary in the early 40's, was ordated and pastored a small church for a few years then pastored another for a few more.
In 1942 he claims he prayed and God spoke to him audibly then made it snow to show proof it was really God.
Wierwille began to rebeliant towards the leaders of his denomonation. They sent him to India to check up on missionaries, shortly after he he came back he resigned as pastor, apparently it was mutual with the leaders of the denomination.
He took B.G. Leonards class in Canada and received permission to teach it. Only he called it PFAL and claimed it was his class.
He started the vesper chimes youth caravan radio show where he preached. And also started TWI shortly after.
Moved back to his family home in Ohio where he held weekly church services and did biblical research.
In 1967 he filmed pfal and went to California where he had heard hippies were into the Jesus movement. There he showed his pfal class and invited them to come to Ohio in the summer for biblical summer school.
About 50 to 100 showed up that summer of 1968. One Steve Heefner, a radio DJ had a job in NY where he was able to start fellowships run pfal classes and preach the word.
Another Jimmy Doop went back to California and started the Way west where he ran pfal classes, fellowships and preached the word to hundreds.
Other went to the midwest and the south and ran classes. TWI began growing fast and Wierwille wanted to control it, plus as PB said get the money sent to him in Ohio. Wierwille showed up at Jimmy Doops area and told him he was taking over. He essentially did the same to Heefner. All this is Karl Kahlers book, the Cult that snapped.
By the early 70's Wierwille started the way corps program and used those graduates as leaders to control TWI.
TWI kept growing and in 1982 Wierwille retired hading the "mantel" to LCM.
I think the "Jesus Freak" movement started in about '67 or '68( at least any large scale activity)
When did Elton John release "Tiny Dancer" ? It has a line in the song that refers to the movement already in progress.
When I came on board with TWI in mid '72, New Knockwurst was already being promoted as the modern day Holy Land.
I can definately remember people we referred to as " Jesus Freaks" at least 2 years before my involvement with TWI
Now here is a side note: In the '60's, it was common to refer to someone who got high as being a "freak". I know our older posters are saying DUUH! but there are a lot of younger people here too who may not know that. So, for someone to say they were a "Jesus Freak" was, in a sense, saying that their "high" came from Jesus (and the movement) not from drugs.
When I went to ROA '72, it struck me that it was fashioned after some of the music festivals I had been to but there was a distinct absence of drugs.The euphoria that permiated the weekend was supposedly fueled by a new-found awareness of all things spiritual.
I don't know if that helped but there it is anyhow.
I guess what I was trying to say was that Doc Vic may have stummbled upon the plans for a "better mouse trap" before he realized that people were already lined up to buy it. Once he did,though, he acted quickly to expand his product line, increase production and make his move to corner the market.
Mice are clever critters,though. If you continue to use the same trap with the same bait, they start to see through the deception.
I consider wierwille The Great Hijacker. He hijaked power for abundant living from another mans work and basically just renamed it and gave no credit to the originator, BG Leonard, but rather plagerized him and others, and then he Hijaacked a ministry from Doop and Heefner. It was pretty slick, I don't know how much of God was behind all that, his methods aren't indicative of an honest individual.
Didn't he get kicked out of his denomination cause he got his secretary pregnant?
I think the massive growth TWI saw in the 60's and 70's was as waysider said. The right product at the right time.
The baby boomers (me) were not happy with the christian revival of the 50's. We wanted excitement. What we got in church as being told to be se and not heard. Be quiet, sit still, and sing songs from 1890.
What we wanted was excitment, music that moved, and the thought that we were learning things our parents just didn't understand.
If you didn't experience TWI back then you dont understand. We were happy, everyone loved everybody.
When I read the posts about TWI in the 80's and 90's it amazes me that anyone stayed.
It's also interesting to look at the secular influence that TWI used to grow. Amway, the MLM craze, the Fuller Brush Man and motivational speaking all played into the way that VPW structured and controlled the cult. Looking back, the twig, branch and limb meetings looked and ran more like an Amway organization than a religion. VPW seemed to have something of an obsession with successful businesspeople and companies. He looked at them as examples and he treated other grassroots Christian organizations as competiitors.
VPW seemed to have something of an obsession with successful businesspeople and companies. He looked at them as examples and he treated other grassroots Christian organizations as competiitors.
Which is partially why I have speculated in the past that VPW's brother Harry, a very successful businessman, "emptied his account" into Victor's new ministry. I think, this is just me thinking, that Harry was either approached by his brother with a "business plan" or that he saw an opportunity and invested in it.
All of this talk of the "origins" always gives me the creeps. Coupled with the plagiarism, and the foundational teachings that discourage questioning, considering other views, and critical thinking in general makes it all look so calculated.
I have spent the last few days reading the threads about TWI origins “Way Living in Wonderland” and others. WOW!!!
One comment: Up until the 60’s when the Women’s Lib movement started, woman were instructed in magazines and Home Ec class to be subservient, greet their husband’s at the door in a nice dress, jewelry, even heels. Keep the kids quiet, never question them about anything (even if they were late, or didn’t come home that night). He was the ruler of the house, period.
I have spent the last few days reading the threads about TWI origins “Way Living in Wonderland” and others. WOW!!!
One comment: Up until the 60’s when the Women’s Lib movement started, woman were instructed in magazines and Home Ec class to be subservient, greet their husband’s at the door in a nice dress, jewelry, even heels. Keep the kids quiet, never question them about anything (even if they were late, or didn’t come home that night). He was the ruler of the house, period.
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polar bear
Some here may know more but here's my 2 cents.
The way basically grew out of 2 hippy back to Jesus type movements that started in-
1- Rye New York.
2-Haight Ashbury-Caifornia
You can goole news articles on these two movements.
VP invited a bunch of them to HQs to join in his ministry. Some went back and promoted VPs teachings. As their groups started to grow they were called The Way east the the Way West. But VP wan't happy because the revenue wasn't coming in to HQs (go figure). He then went out and got together with the leadership in both areas and brought in some ex military friends and basically booted all the leaders out and took over. Hail to the chief! Hiel Hilter.
Anyone else?
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coolchef
a good read is
the cult that snapped
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Oakspear
In January 1968 Wierwille visited the Haight-Ashbury section of San Francisco with the intention of visiting some of the younger people who were reaching people with their Christian message. He ended up meeting with a group that included Jimmy Doop and Steve Heefner...it may have been called "The House of Acts". At this time PFAL had already been committed to film and Wierwille played parts of it for the group.
Heefner & Doop began using PFAL as part of their outreach, supposedly concluding that PFAL was what they needed in order to give their people a sound biblical foundation. Heefner & Doop withdrew from their former group and formed "The Way West", a corporation that was independent of The Way International (which may have still been merely "The Way Incorporated"). Heefner and his wife moved to New York to pursue an employment opportunity, while Doop remained in California heading up The Way West.
Eventually Heefner incorporated The Way East in New York along the lines of The Way West.
Both The Way West and The Way East were legally independent organizations that cooperated with Wierwille's group, using PFAL and buying Way books.
At some point (early 70's maybe) Wierwille decided to centralize all operations and conducted a takeover of The Way West in the middle of a meeting, not informing Doop ahead of time. This was achieved by convincing the other 2 trustees of the Way West to vote Doop out and Wierwille in. Heefner got wind of this and resigned as head of The Way East before the same thing could be done to him. Another independent corporation in Indiana voluntarily meged with TWI, the organization in Australia remained independent and estarnged from Wierwille's TWI.
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dmiller
Hey there Bolshvik. :)
HERE'S A THREAD from two years ago.
Take a look at it. It should answer many of your questions.
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Outin88.
Here is a link to Messiah7 website with a brief history of TWI. The author Dr. John Juedes, A lutheran minister and a pfal grad who studies TWI and did a lot of research on this group. He has a lot of fascinating and eye opening information on TWI;
http://www.uia.net/~messiah7/rsr_vcchap1-2.htm
And as Coolchef mentioned, the Cult that snapped is an excellent read which does give a good history of TWI, including as Polar Bear mentioned the hippies that hooked up with TWI and Wierwilles taking control over the Way West and East. The author Karl Kahler was a graduate of the 14h corps and is now a reporter for a Newspaper in I believe San Jose CA. He interviewed many people including those former hippies as well as many former high ranking leaders such as former trunk coordinator Ralph D.
http://www.ex-way.com/
Another execellent source is Wordwolfs thread, "The way living in wonderland". Check the archives here at GS cafe.
A brief synopsis, from what I know is that VP Wierwille graduated from seminary in the early 40's, was ordated and pastored a small church for a few years then pastored another for a few more.
In 1942 he claims he prayed and God spoke to him audibly then made it snow to show proof it was really God.
Wierwille began to rebeliant towards the leaders of his denomonation. They sent him to India to check up on missionaries, shortly after he he came back he resigned as pastor, apparently it was mutual with the leaders of the denomination.
He took B.G. Leonards class in Canada and received permission to teach it. Only he called it PFAL and claimed it was his class.
He started the vesper chimes youth caravan radio show where he preached. And also started TWI shortly after.
Moved back to his family home in Ohio where he held weekly church services and did biblical research.
In 1967 he filmed pfal and went to California where he had heard hippies were into the Jesus movement. There he showed his pfal class and invited them to come to Ohio in the summer for biblical summer school.
About 50 to 100 showed up that summer of 1968. One Steve Heefner, a radio DJ had a job in NY where he was able to start fellowships run pfal classes and preach the word.
Another Jimmy Doop went back to California and started the Way west where he ran pfal classes, fellowships and preached the word to hundreds.
Other went to the midwest and the south and ran classes. TWI began growing fast and Wierwille wanted to control it, plus as PB said get the money sent to him in Ohio. Wierwille showed up at Jimmy Doops area and told him he was taking over. He essentially did the same to Heefner. All this is Karl Kahlers book, the Cult that snapped.
By the early 70's Wierwille started the way corps program and used those graduates as leaders to control TWI.
TWI kept growing and in 1982 Wierwille retired hading the "mantel" to LCM.
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waysider
I think the "Jesus Freak" movement started in about '67 or '68( at least any large scale activity)
When did Elton John release "Tiny Dancer" ? It has a line in the song that refers to the movement already in progress.
When I came on board with TWI in mid '72, New Knockwurst was already being promoted as the modern day Holy Land.
I can definately remember people we referred to as " Jesus Freaks" at least 2 years before my involvement with TWI
Now here is a side note: In the '60's, it was common to refer to someone who got high as being a "freak". I know our older posters are saying DUUH! but there are a lot of younger people here too who may not know that. So, for someone to say they were a "Jesus Freak" was, in a sense, saying that their "high" came from Jesus (and the movement) not from drugs.
When I went to ROA '72, it struck me that it was fashioned after some of the music festivals I had been to but there was a distinct absence of drugs.The euphoria that permiated the weekend was supposedly fueled by a new-found awareness of all things spiritual.
I don't know if that helped but there it is anyhow.
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waysider
I guess what I was trying to say was that Doc Vic may have stummbled upon the plans for a "better mouse trap" before he realized that people were already lined up to buy it. Once he did,though, he acted quickly to expand his product line, increase production and make his move to corner the market.
Mice are clever critters,though. If you continue to use the same trap with the same bait, they start to see through the deception.
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now I see
I consider wierwille The Great Hijacker. He hijaked power for abundant living from another mans work and basically just renamed it and gave no credit to the originator, BG Leonard, but rather plagerized him and others, and then he Hijaacked a ministry from Doop and Heefner. It was pretty slick, I don't know how much of God was behind all that, his methods aren't indicative of an honest individual.
Didn't he get kicked out of his denomination cause he got his secretary pregnant?
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ex70sHouston
I think the massive growth TWI saw in the 60's and 70's was as waysider said. The right product at the right time.
The baby boomers (me) were not happy with the christian revival of the 50's. We wanted excitement. What we got in church as being told to be se and not heard. Be quiet, sit still, and sing songs from 1890.
What we wanted was excitment, music that moved, and the thought that we were learning things our parents just didn't understand.
If you didn't experience TWI back then you dont understand. We were happy, everyone loved everybody.
When I read the posts about TWI in the 80's and 90's it amazes me that anyone stayed.
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Jim
It's also interesting to look at the secular influence that TWI used to grow. Amway, the MLM craze, the Fuller Brush Man and motivational speaking all played into the way that VPW structured and controlled the cult. Looking back, the twig, branch and limb meetings looked and ran more like an Amway organization than a religion. VPW seemed to have something of an obsession with successful businesspeople and companies. He looked at them as examples and he treated other grassroots Christian organizations as competiitors.
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lindyhopper
Which is partially why I have speculated in the past that VPW's brother Harry, a very successful businessman, "emptied his account" into Victor's new ministry. I think, this is just me thinking, that Harry was either approached by his brother with a "business plan" or that he saw an opportunity and invested in it.
All of this talk of the "origins" always gives me the creeps. Coupled with the plagiarism, and the foundational teachings that discourage questioning, considering other views, and critical thinking in general makes it all look so calculated.
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another spot
I have spent the last few days reading the threads about TWI origins “Way Living in Wonderland” and others. WOW!!!
One comment: Up until the 60’s when the Women’s Lib movement started, woman were instructed in magazines and Home Ec class to be subservient, greet their husband’s at the door in a nice dress, jewelry, even heels. Keep the kids quiet, never question them about anything (even if they were late, or didn’t come home that night). He was the ruler of the house, period.
That explains some things about both VP and Mrs.
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coolchef
gee i miss those good old days!
woops just joshing
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outandabout
Yeah, I learned how to sew and cook in Home Ec.
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WordWolf
For those wondering,
that's this thread here....
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...c=7363&st=0
Personally,
I find this other thread useful for a different look,
one from inside, when the cameras weren't rolling...
"vp and me in wonderland"
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...c=8019&st=0
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Bolshevik
thanks Wordwolf,
I've managed to find someone with a copy of TWIlil they're gonna give me next month.
I was told a lot of wayfers were ordered to burn that book.
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