I'm not sure if I remember that, but I do remember them sending Way Productions around the country to hold special meetings to drum up money for the joint.
Of course, that was to be after you've abs'ed.
All their millions, and they were still shaking down the minimum wage twig members. After years of dumping on religions that build big structures, instead of the Godly home fellowships-NOW there was an exception with this place-and we STILL had to pay for it.
I wasn't in TWI when the Auditorium was built. I left in 76 and came back for a very short while around '89. I won't go into the reasons returning, except that I was again studying the bible and didn't know where else to go. I still remember pulling into the parking lot and the first time I saw the Auditorium rather than the old BRC. I literally saw an image of a tree dying from the roots up when I looked at the Auditorium. Going in was worse. I had arrived early and sat in the front row. Still dressed in the type of clothes I would have worn in the '70's Bluejeans and a fairly nice shirt. I was really bugged by the number of people in suits a formals. Then as I looked at the walls I kept "seeing" plaster fall off in places and worms and maggots crawling in the walls. Not to mention how cold everyone was towards me, but it may have been because of the bluejeans.
I know some of you no longer believe in this type of revelation, but honestly, I believe that God was telling me to get the H out of there. I've learned a lot since I left the second time and I'm very glad I didn't stick around long.
I don't know if you call it revelation or a vision or spiritual awakening or whatever. It wasn't a hallucination. And it was NOT that "small still voice", "Christ's eyes behind your eyes" stuff that was taught in the AC. Did you tell anyone about your experience? What was their reaction?
BTW---When I took the AC, it was in the old BRC so your description really caught my attention.
My name is in that little book in the auditorium.. if they haven't burned it during a burn the chaff or uncle(?) harry ceremony or something.. I forget how much it was I gave..
I don't remember the thing about not abbreviating The WOW Auditorium. I don't remember Way Prod. singing a song about it either. I do remember when they were building it and it was around the same time TWI decided to start recording things on Beta. I remember being on the field in a state far removed from Ohio when we heard that the first thing TWI was going to put on BETA for us was the Word Over the World Auditorium updates. I mean, they really made a big deal out of this as if putting those updates on Beta was such a treat for those of us on the field. One of my Corps brothers sarcastically uttered, "Oh, thank God!" Anyway, it was one of my first inklings that HQ was living in a world all its own.
I remember that we weren't to abbreviate the name, waysider. Out in T, I also remember that horrible song. The Word over the world aud-i-tor-or-i-um.
The tour was to drum up money for the behemoth. We didn't have a thousand dollars to our name, much less to give...wasn't that how much it took to get your name in the book? I know we gave more than we could afford.
The visions you guys had...I believe were real. I had doubts and questions about lots of things, but had turned my brain off years before and just attributed them to "devilish" doubts. Probably even a vision of vp hugging satan himself wouldn't have woken me up.
I remember that the name was supposed to be "The Word Over the World Auditorium," PERIOD. No VPW on it. I contributed for that reason. Then, up goes the building, and what's it called?
I have to admit I find some of the posts regarding the WOW Aud. interesting. As mentioned I wasn't in when it was built, but it seems that the focus of the ministry was firmly focused on TWI and not on God or Christ at this point. Actual songs about the Aud. Wow! (no pun intended) talk about a misplace focus. I don't know of anyplace were we are told to sing praises to a ministry or even worse its buildings. It sounds like TWI was really pushing people away from God and making God over in the image of men. I heard an interesting teaching on Romans one talking about the downward spiral of what man made Gods. It was always a downward spiral. First they made him look like them, then birds and animals, then creeping things. Almost sounds like they were putting the Aud. up there, when puts it lower than creeping things as it isn't even alive.
I remember that the name was supposed to be "The Word Over the World Auditorium," PERIOD. No VPW on it. I contributed for that reason. Then, up goes the building, and what's it called?
I was on staff when the auditorium was built and dedicated. Actually, it wasn't called the VPW WOW Auditorium when it went up; it was called the Word Over the World Auditorium. VPW was adamant that his name not be included in its name. It was changed after his death. I don't remember exactly when, but I'm sure it was after I left HQ, which was in the spring of 1986.
Linda, I don't remember the date of the name change either but I distinctly remember Craig telling us that he wanted Vic's name added. And that while he knew VPW asked that the auditorium not bear his name, Craiggers thought it was an appropriate post-death tribute, so it was done.
Maybe I'm remembering this thing wrong. Maybe it was just The Word Over The World Auditorium. I'm not sure. I do know, though, that they were very adamant it was never, ever to be abbreviated or referred to using acronyms.
I have a letter that VP sent out concerning the Auditorium. Unfortunately it's not dated.
To You My Power for Abundant Living Grad:
My blessing and greetings to you in the wonderful name of our living lord and savior, Jesus Christ, who always causes us to triumph when we do God's will according to God's Word.
Many of our people whose lives were blessed and so wonderfully changed in my class on Power for Abundant Living have become successful and blessed in many different ways. But, in the dollars and cents category and in other material things, even including health, the Adversary has continued stealing from our people.
Apparently the people God has given me believe most things I teach them from the Word; but they do not really believe the truth regarding their money, their dollar and cents incomes, and tithing. I know the major reason WHY Way believers have financial difficulties and can tell you that they have neglected to put into practice the basic principle starting towards abundance, and that is tithing.
At the Word in Business and Profession Conference I taught that the only way whereby a believer can continuously manifest a more than abundant life is by believing God, His Word, and by practicing more than tithing.
etc.........................
The enclosure with this letter is a short work on the integrity and accuracy of God's Word that will dispel any believer's ignorance or wrong teaching and open God's floodgates of heaven, if practiced. Every believer is responsible to decide for himself whether to live his life in accordance with God's Word or not. Why don't you just try it? Give God an opportunity to prove it to you. Keep good financial records and you'll see. etc....................................... Bless you real good.
Faithfully,
In His service,
Victor Paul Wierwille
P.S. The ministry desperately needs the Word Over the World Auditorium. As every believer is instructed in God's Word to speak much in tongues in order to remain spiritually sharp, so the abundant sharing, beyond the tithe, will take care of a lot of financial, material, and physical opportunities. If you are parcticing abundant sharing, which begins beyond the tithe, I want to encourage you to continue to make that abundant sharing available to the Word Over the World Auditorium.
As of this week, the Board of Trustees has decided to take 15 percent (a tithe would be 10 percent) of all monies that are shared in the horns of plenty around the country weekly and transfer that 15 percent to the Word Over the World Auditorium fund.
Please pardon any spelling errors. I can post the teaching at a later date if there's an interest.
GIVING AND RECEIVING
(Not Law-But Grace)
To make a long story short............. "Any born-again believer who does not operate the principle of abundant sharing keeps God from blessing him to the fullest extent and allows the Adversary to steal more and more".
I received a very similar letter from Mr. Wierwille within a year of my taking the PFAL class (1972). The tone was a little different, though.
He wrote about how the Adversary had really attacked the Way through the music ministry, and he needed our help in bailing it out, essentially.
He had sent 4 record albums with the letter; two of Pressed Down, Shaken Together and Running Over, and two of Selah. In the letter he asked us to either sell or give away the albums and send him $20 ($5 per album).
I ended up giving away the albums, and not sending any money for it. I was a little shocked and offended at the entire thing. I had just recently finished his class which taught me we were more than conquerors in every situation, that we were to go boldly to God for our requests, believing He would be our sufficiency, and then I get a letter with unsolicited material begging me to send money to TWI. I never felt it was my obligation to send money for this, especially given the begging tone of the letter, and the albums were not requested by me.
I notice, though, that the tone of the begging changed from the letter that I got to the WOW auditorium letter. It went from, "Hey, please help us out over this rough spot" to "It's your fault finances aren't going well for us (or you), and you're in poor health because you don't send us enough money, so send us money and things will get better (and we can build our auditorium, which you had no input into having built in the first place)".
I must have been "stupider than stupid" to have missed all the red flags over the years. Man, I hope I'm a little smarter now.
I have a letter that VP sent out concerning the Auditorium. Unfortunately it's not dated.
To You My Power for Abundant Living Grad:
[snip] But, in the dollars and cents category and in other material things, even including health, the Adversary has continued stealing from our people.
Apparently the people God has given me believe most things I teach them from the Word; but they do not really believe the truth regarding their money, their dollar and cents incomes, and tithing. I know the major reason WHY Way believers have financial difficulties and can tell you that they have neglected to put into practice the basic principle starting towards abundance, and that is tithing.
At the Word in Business and Profession Conference I taught that the only way whereby a believer can continuously manifest a more than abundant life is by believing God, His Word, and by practicing more than tithing.
etc.........................
The enclosure with this letter is a short work on the integrity and accuracy of God's Word that will dispel any believer's ignorance or wrong teaching and open God's floodgates of heaven, if practiced. Every believer is responsible to decide for himself whether to live his life in accordance with God's Word or not.(In other words, if you don't give us your money, you're not doing God's Will, and you will subsequently be screwed over by The Almighty.) Why don't you just try it? Give God an opportunity to prove it to you. Keep good financial records and you'll see. etc....................................... Bless you real good.
Faithfully,
In His service,
Victor Paul Wierwille
P.S. The ministry desperately needs the Word Over the World Auditorium. As every believer is instructed in God's Word to speak much in tongues in order to remain spiritually sharp, so the abundant sharing, beyond the tithe, will take care of a lot of financial, material, and physical opportunities. If you are practicing abundant sharing, which begins beyond the tithe, I want to encourage you to continue to make that abundant sharing available to the Word Over the World Auditorium.
As of this week, the Board of Trustees has decided to take 15 percent (a tithe would be 10 percent) of all monies that are shared in the horns of plenty around the country weekly and transfer that 15 percent to the Word Over the World Auditorium fund.
(Note: bolded, underlined and italicized words are my emphasis)
Wow, Kevlar, that's bizarre. I took PFAL after ROA in 1972, but I didn't get that letter or those albums. It reminds me of some goofy supposedly Christian organization that sends out little "prayer cloths" and asks for donations.
It's ironic that VPW ragged on churches for holding bake sales and rummage sales to raise money, but he had no problem with guilting them into forking over the cash. Another double standard.
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outintexas
I remember the Word Over the World Auditorium song by Way productions. :wacko:
waysider
When plans were first announced for construction of the auditorium, we were told to always refer to the structure by its full name . We were told that acronyms and abbreviations were unacceptably disr
Keith
I wasn't in TWI when the Auditorium was built. I left in 76 and came back for a very short while around '89. I won't go into the reasons returning, except that I was again studying the bible and did
hiway29
I'm not sure if I remember that, but I do remember them sending Way Productions around the country to hold special meetings to drum up money for the joint.
Of course, that was to be after you've abs'ed.
All their millions, and they were still shaking down the minimum wage twig members. After years of dumping on religions that build big structures, instead of the Godly home fellowships-NOW there was an exception with this place-and we STILL had to pay for it.
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Tzaia
Nope. I remember being pressured to join the $1k club.
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Oakspear
It's now called the Victor Paul Wierwille Prevailing Word Auditorium. :wacko:
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penworks
Yes, I remember it when it was built. How could I forget it? I was there opening night. Oh the drama.
It originally was supposed to have a research library in it but that got scrapped. I noticed huge paintings of VP in there on the wall, though.
I remember the Corps night we got locked in there to listen to Chris Geer spout his stuff he said that VP said that he said ...blah blah blah
I remember the gross Athletes of the Spirit performance on that high priced technical stage.
I remember the ... oh forget it.
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Zshot
I remember being "asked" for a special "ABS" for the auditorium.
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waysider
Was that before or after we were "asked" for special ABS to defray the cost of restoring a 1949 Indian motorcycle to "bless" The Man Of God?
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Keith
I wasn't in TWI when the Auditorium was built. I left in 76 and came back for a very short while around '89. I won't go into the reasons returning, except that I was again studying the bible and didn't know where else to go. I still remember pulling into the parking lot and the first time I saw the Auditorium rather than the old BRC. I literally saw an image of a tree dying from the roots up when I looked at the Auditorium. Going in was worse. I had arrived early and sat in the front row. Still dressed in the type of clothes I would have worn in the '70's Bluejeans and a fairly nice shirt. I was really bugged by the number of people in suits a formals. Then as I looked at the walls I kept "seeing" plaster fall off in places and worms and maggots crawling in the walls. Not to mention how cold everyone was towards me, but it may have been because of the bluejeans.
I know some of you no longer believe in this type of revelation, but honestly, I believe that God was telling me to get the H out of there. I've learned a lot since I left the second time and I'm very glad I didn't stick around long.
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waysider
I don't know if you've ever read any of my posts about VPW "giving me the finger" but I don't doubt your experience for a nanosecond.
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waysider
I don't know if you call it revelation or a vision or spiritual awakening or whatever. It wasn't a hallucination. And it was NOT that "small still voice", "Christ's eyes behind your eyes" stuff that was taught in the AC. Did you tell anyone about your experience? What was their reaction?
BTW---When I took the AC, it was in the old BRC so your description really caught my attention.
edit
This probably should have it's own thread.
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Ham
I have words for this.. that I won't say.
No.. I better not..
*choke*.. *ahem*..
*Gawd bless them, every one..*
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Ham
My name is in that little book in the auditorium.. if they haven't burned it during a burn the chaff or uncle(?) harry ceremony or something.. I forget how much it was I gave..
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outintexas
I remember the Word Over the World Auditorium song by Way productions. :wacko:
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cheranne
I had an experience like that too ! I still believe in God and have made my peace and I don't doubt what you saw Keith!
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Broken Arrow
I don't remember the thing about not abbreviating The WOW Auditorium. I don't remember Way Prod. singing a song about it either. I do remember when they were building it and it was around the same time TWI decided to start recording things on Beta. I remember being on the field in a state far removed from Ohio when we heard that the first thing TWI was going to put on BETA for us was the Word Over the World Auditorium updates. I mean, they really made a big deal out of this as if putting those updates on Beta was such a treat for those of us on the field. One of my Corps brothers sarcastically uttered, "Oh, thank God!" Anyway, it was one of my first inklings that HQ was living in a world all its own.
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tonto
I remember that we weren't to abbreviate the name, waysider. Out in T, I also remember that horrible song. The Word over the world aud-i-tor-or-i-um.
The tour was to drum up money for the behemoth. We didn't have a thousand dollars to our name, much less to give...wasn't that how much it took to get your name in the book? I know we gave more than we could afford.
The visions you guys had...I believe were real. I had doubts and questions about lots of things, but had turned my brain off years before and just attributed them to "devilish" doubts. Probably even a vision of vp hugging satan himself wouldn't have woken me up.
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GeorgeStGeorge
I remember that the name was supposed to be "The Word Over the World Auditorium," PERIOD. No VPW on it. I contributed for that reason. Then, up goes the building, and what's it called?
George
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Keith
I have to admit I find some of the posts regarding the WOW Aud. interesting. As mentioned I wasn't in when it was built, but it seems that the focus of the ministry was firmly focused on TWI and not on God or Christ at this point. Actual songs about the Aud. Wow! (no pun intended) talk about a misplace focus. I don't know of anyplace were we are told to sing praises to a ministry or even worse its buildings. It sounds like TWI was really pushing people away from God and making God over in the image of men. I heard an interesting teaching on Romans one talking about the downward spiral of what man made Gods. It was always a downward spiral. First they made him look like them, then birds and animals, then creeping things. Almost sounds like they were putting the Aud. up there, when puts it lower than creeping things as it isn't even alive.
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Linda Z
I was on staff when the auditorium was built and dedicated. Actually, it wasn't called the VPW WOW Auditorium when it went up; it was called the Word Over the World Auditorium. VPW was adamant that his name not be included in its name. It was changed after his death. I don't remember exactly when, but I'm sure it was after I left HQ, which was in the spring of 1986.
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TheHighWay
Linda, I don't remember the date of the name change either but I distinctly remember Craig telling us that he wanted Vic's name added. And that while he knew VPW asked that the auditorium not bear his name, Craiggers thought it was an appropriate post-death tribute, so it was done.
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waysider
OK
Maybe I'm remembering this thing wrong. Maybe it was just The Word Over The World Auditorium. I'm not sure. I do know, though, that they were very adamant it was never, ever to be abbreviated or referred to using acronyms.
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taxicab
I have a letter that VP sent out concerning the Auditorium. Unfortunately it's not dated.
To You My Power for Abundant Living Grad:
My blessing and greetings to you in the wonderful name of our living lord and savior, Jesus Christ, who always causes us to triumph when we do God's will according to God's Word.
Many of our people whose lives were blessed and so wonderfully changed in my class on Power for Abundant Living have become successful and blessed in many different ways. But, in the dollars and cents category and in other material things, even including health, the Adversary has continued stealing from our people.
Apparently the people God has given me believe most things I teach them from the Word; but they do not really believe the truth regarding their money, their dollar and cents incomes, and tithing. I know the major reason WHY Way believers have financial difficulties and can tell you that they have neglected to put into practice the basic principle starting towards abundance, and that is tithing.
At the Word in Business and Profession Conference I taught that the only way whereby a believer can continuously manifest a more than abundant life is by believing God, His Word, and by practicing more than tithing.
etc.........................
The enclosure with this letter is a short work on the integrity and accuracy of God's Word that will dispel any believer's ignorance or wrong teaching and open God's floodgates of heaven, if practiced. Every believer is responsible to decide for himself whether to live his life in accordance with God's Word or not. Why don't you just try it? Give God an opportunity to prove it to you. Keep good financial records and you'll see. etc....................................... Bless you real good.
Faithfully,
In His service,
Victor Paul Wierwille
P.S. The ministry desperately needs the Word Over the World Auditorium. As every believer is instructed in God's Word to speak much in tongues in order to remain spiritually sharp, so the abundant sharing, beyond the tithe, will take care of a lot of financial, material, and physical opportunities. If you are parcticing abundant sharing, which begins beyond the tithe, I want to encourage you to continue to make that abundant sharing available to the Word Over the World Auditorium.
As of this week, the Board of Trustees has decided to take 15 percent (a tithe would be 10 percent) of all monies that are shared in the horns of plenty around the country weekly and transfer that 15 percent to the Word Over the World Auditorium fund.
Please pardon any spelling errors. I can post the teaching at a later date if there's an interest.
GIVING AND RECEIVING
(Not Law-But Grace)
To make a long story short............. "Any born-again believer who does not operate the principle of abundant sharing keeps God from blessing him to the fullest extent and allows the Adversary to steal more and more".
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Kevlar2000
I received a very similar letter from Mr. Wierwille within a year of my taking the PFAL class (1972). The tone was a little different, though.
He wrote about how the Adversary had really attacked the Way through the music ministry, and he needed our help in bailing it out, essentially.
He had sent 4 record albums with the letter; two of Pressed Down, Shaken Together and Running Over, and two of Selah. In the letter he asked us to either sell or give away the albums and send him $20 ($5 per album).
I ended up giving away the albums, and not sending any money for it. I was a little shocked and offended at the entire thing. I had just recently finished his class which taught me we were more than conquerors in every situation, that we were to go boldly to God for our requests, believing He would be our sufficiency, and then I get a letter with unsolicited material begging me to send money to TWI. I never felt it was my obligation to send money for this, especially given the begging tone of the letter, and the albums were not requested by me.
I notice, though, that the tone of the begging changed from the letter that I got to the WOW auditorium letter. It went from, "Hey, please help us out over this rough spot" to "It's your fault finances aren't going well for us (or you), and you're in poor health because you don't send us enough money, so send us money and things will get better (and we can build our auditorium, which you had no input into having built in the first place)".
I must have been "stupider than stupid" to have missed all the red flags over the years. Man, I hope I'm a little smarter now.
(Note: bolded, underlined and italicized words are my emphasis)
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Linda Z
Wow, Kevlar, that's bizarre. I took PFAL after ROA in 1972, but I didn't get that letter or those albums. It reminds me of some goofy supposedly Christian organization that sends out little "prayer cloths" and asks for donations.
It's ironic that VPW ragged on churches for holding bake sales and rummage sales to raise money, but he had no problem with guilting them into forking over the cash. Another double standard.
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skyrider
Kevlar.....did you mean to type 1982 instead of 1972?
The WOW Auditorium push came much later.....as it opened in 1985.
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