I should also add that I already spoke in tongues before I came to my first fellowship. I wasn't taught to do it by anyone, and I hadn't ever seen anyone do it - I just sort of did it on my own. I also had a quite a few very supernatural experiences in my life already by that point (I know some of you will think I am crazy as you read this) ...experiences with visions, spirits, etc. TWI accepted these things as real and actually offered at least some explanation for my experiences, although I told no one in twi about them and didn't speak in tongues in front of anyone until the appropriate class.
Funny thing is that even though they had an explanation for what i experienced, in the end they condemned it as much as all the other Christian churches I had been a part of! Also, now that I am out of twi, the spiritual side of things has opened back up to me and God has been able to teach me more in this category than the Way ever did - much more on the good side of things than just devil spirits...
I've been trying to figure something out... The population of the GSC seems to be pretty varies as far as current belief systems. What was it that brought us all to twi? Is there a least common denominator? In short, why me, and why us?
What got the rest of you involved?
I was in a Jesus freak group, back in the early 70's. Myself (and 3 other folks there) questioned everything. One evening at our normal Friday night fellowship, a fellow by the name of Bill M**ton from twi showed up and dangled some "tantalizing bits of biblical research" in front of the four of us. We took the bait, and "bit". We bit so hard, all 4 of us ended up spending the next decade in twi. A wasted 10 (or so) years following what we were told to do/ believe/ etc., but that there was the beginning of it for me.
and Garth - - - Yea. It's the Bill M**ton you're thinking of. The harpsichord guy.
Several doctrinal reasons capped off by the board of directors hypocrisy and mean spirited attitudes towards the way corps. This is by no means a complete list and it's in no order of importance.
I left because I found out first hand that all the power they claim to have is just an empty promise. I put my whole heart in their principles (that they falsely claim just work) on healing and found it to be riddled with lies. So in short, the way they approach God is from a heart of demanding something that is rightfully theirs. Like spoiled children. God resists the proud....anywho.
Also, they have virtually eliminated all things Jesus Christ and placed themselves as the head of the church in his supposed absence. That to me is a big one.
The tithe. All the bible says to the Christian is to give as they purpose in their heart and do it cheerfully. No where are we supposed to give to get God's blessings. That's just a plain old LIE! I believe God will bless you whether you give money or not and can back that one up with the simple truth of God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. If you follow the way internationals pseudo-logic then that would be a response to the world giving at least 10% because God won't spit in our direction unless we give the minimum. By the way, they never recanted The Forehead's give until it hurts teachings in the late 90s so one has to assume they still stand. Sorry innies.
Above all. They could care less about the way corps unless the corps are towing the line on what Rosalie wants for them. They will grudgingly work with you if your request is not to far out of line with Rosie's desires. But when you have an assignment request that you and your wife have decided is best the watch out. They will do anything in their power to get you into submissive obedience because they think they represent God in placing people in the body of Christ. (pssst....hey Rosie, Christ is the head of the church....not you...I know...try tending your garden a while...that'll keep you busy...) Eventually, she may even attack you directly like she did me and my wife. She even sent in one of her lap dog vice presidents to divide us, which failed. I saw her k9s up close and personal and know first hand that the people running the way international are not good people. In fact after my experiences I can say first hand they are EVIL!
All great reasons for getting the heck out, OldSkool!!!
What got you IN? What was the bait? What made you such a mark for the con?
twi filled some sort of need in some capacity or we wouldn't have been there in the first place - even though they were only there for their own lust and greed to feed off of us. They had to have something that got us involved, or we wouldn't be here at GSC now.
All great reasons for getting the heck out, OldSkool!!!
Well, they got me started with the very beginning of a relationship with God. Study, prayer, fellowship with other Christians, etc. However, as I've said elsewhere on the forums, they then promptly and subtly started placing themselves as my arbitrator with God, becoming his representative, and eventually sitting in place of God - demanding my absolute sold out commitment to the way international. I was reeled in hook, line, and sinker. It happens so subtly and they groomed for the process. They will have to explain all of that come bema time. Rosie....you got some splainin to do....
I was brought up RC, and was fairly active in the campus RC church when I was in grad school. I was witnessed to, decided that I did need to learn more about the Bible, and went to fellowship. The logic and heart of the teachings kept me. Again, this was the late 70's, when things were still "good."
I actually don't belong here. I sort of stumbled in while researching the "idiom of permission."
Then I lurked for a couple of months and when I finally said something everybody was friendly, so I stuck around.
I wouldn't say you don't belong here - your life was indirectly impacted by twi, too. And your comments do help those who may be lurking to think about the illogic that twi promotes. That is very important!
I had a friend invite me to a branch meeting where Good Seed was playing. I had heard them often at a local bar. I was unaware that it was a branch meeting until the teaching started. It was nice to see people having a good time without alcohol and I responded well to that. Then I stupidly signed what I believed was a non-obligatory green card, only to find out later that I had (apparently) made a promise to God himself. I started dating a guy who was an AC grad. That made us unevenly yoked. He paid for my PFAL class. I never went any further than that, which in hindsight was a wise move. We got married, had 2 kids, and as hard as I tried to fit in with TWI, I could never do it on the terms that I felt was best for our family, so it never happened. My husband, who had already done all the stuff that it took to be an AC grad and done the WoW thing, told me that I wasn't missing a thing. Once I read the WoW rules and commitments, I had to agree.
Fortunately I was able to retain most of my cynicism through 8 years of being dead weight in TWI - as the way I was treated didn't make it hard. My role was far more active in CES, but I still retained my cynicism, which became useful once CES started acting more like TWI.
I wouldn't say you don't belong here - your life was indirectly impacted by twi, too. And your comments do help those who may be lurking to think about the illogic that twi promotes. That is very important!
Thanks, JJ. That's nice of you to say.
I think you're right: my life was indirectly impacted by TWI -- twice -- but not in the same ways it impacted everyone else here.
I want to post the pathetic saga somewhere, but not on these boards. For one thing, it doesn't compare with the kind of suffering that some of you forumers went through. For another, I wasn't abused in any way (used maybe, but not abused. ha ha!) Ultimately, my story has very little to do with either TWI or the bible.
For now, I can impart this advice to any non-TWIers who may be lurking and are in a relationship with a TWI person: 1) get out, 2) run like hell, and 3) don't ever look back.
I was a lonely kid from a broken home. The promise of being part of a family that never left you...to be needed, an important part of something that was bringing good into the world, a lure that was irresistable to a teen with no guidance or direction in life. To be with people who made you feel like you were a needed important part of a spiritual battle where I could strike a blow for God against darkness and evil...
I wanted what the wows that witnessed to me had... peace, a fearlessness, indomitable enthusiasm...the feeling that nothing was impossible.
I was targeted at 17 yrs old by wows....you know how it was.....find a need and promise any answeres were available if one only took the class...a wow died during the week of the class, the night of my high school graduation.....first experience with death...blamed on the the adversary trying to stop the move of the word....yadda yadda....trying to scare me away....yadda yadda....so what was I gonna do?? be more committed of course...go wow to replace the one he killed of course...grow spiritually as fast as I could in order to be a vital component in the spiritual battle...get my licks in for God don`t cha know?
It all seemed so noble and important at the time....sigh
What exactly does this green card say? Is there an image of one somewhere?
I'd be amazed if there isn't a photo of one on this site somewhere. In short, it was the sign-up card for Power for Abundant Living (Foundational Class). One side had your personal information on it; the other had a list of purported benefits from taking the class. I even had a poster-sized one for many years, used at demonstrations.
...it was the sign-up card for Power for Abundant Living (Foundational Class). One side had your personal information on it; the other had a list of purported benefits from taking the class. I even had a poster-sized one for many years, used at demonstrations.
Hmm...she never bothered to go through the list of benefits of the class with me. She must have known at some level that I wouldn't be receptive to it.
I actually don't belong here. I sort of stumbled in while researching the "idiom of permission."
Then I lurked for a couple of months and when I finally said something everybody was friendly, so I stuck around.
You belong here more than you may realize. The Way, or someone who was a member of The Way, had a long term impact on your life. The severity, or lack thereof, is irrelevant.
I don't want to bore anyone with a "there I was" scenario so I'll do my best to compress it.
When I was 21, I got witnessed to by a group of high school kids who feigned interest in what I was doing as an aspiring (but unsuccessful) actor/singer/songwriter. One of the young ladies involved me in a "date and switch" scenario (It was strictly Platonic.) long enough to get me to sign "the green card" and get to session #5 before the ruse was uncovered. After that plan of action started to unravel, they fed me false encouragement that I would find a place in the ministry to actively pursue my true interests, which at that time were, as I stated, music and acting. Next thing I know, I'm leading songs at branch meetings, setting up classes, running a twig and on the list goes. It just sort of snowballed in not-so-tiny increments. It didn't take long, though, before they told me I had to choose between the ministry workings and pursuing my show biz dreams. Regardless of what the future may or may not have held for me in entertainment, I made the wrong choice.
Waysider, I have tended to see your story as something that might have happened to me if I had taken the "other road". The risk was there. But for me, at the time, it was a no-brainer to forsake TWI and let her walk away. In the end, who knows how it would have all worked out? (Me being me, I like to torture myself and imagine how great life would have been if I had stuck it out with her -- totally ignoring the fact that I've been pretty lucky and things haved worked out rather well for me. But why let logic and reason intrude on a good session of self-doubt and self-loathing?)
My friend's hopes were that I would take the PFAL class while she went WoW. Then, while she was gone I would morph into a newly-born again TWI-er with the Kool Aid running through my veins (that's my characterization, not hers.)
I don't regret my decision not to take the class. I do have other regrets (which I'll share someday) but that's not one of them.
You could've ended up in Way Productions, even starring in The Soup...
It's like a guy told me once, after I related to him a bit of personal misfortune. He said, "It could have been worse." I asked him,"How?" He said, "Well, it could have happened to ME!"
I was reeled in because I was young and vulnerable. I was violent, heavily on hard drugs, lived a VERY wild life and I wanted to change. So, there was someone going to fellowship and I thought I would give it a try even though I couldn't stand most Christians because I thought they were all a bunch of wimps. Well, I changed my direction with God's help, quit drugs long ago, am only violent if there is no other choice - which is a complete 180, and Craig's yelling and rage appealed to me because he didn't appear weak. Turns out we was VERY weak. So in the process of all of this TWI stepped in to take the credit for the Lord's deliverance that was worked in my life, I decided that if God would be willing to help a mean SOB like me then I would be willing to do whatever he needed. Turns out the way international has programs in place for well meaning people like me.
It's like a guy told me once, after I related to him a bit of personal misfortune. He said, "It could have been worse." I asked him,"How?" He said, "Well, it could have happened to ME!"
I think gullibility might be a part of it... That, and for a lot of us the desire to really do something for God and be special at the same time.
Funny thing is, now that I am out I almost have radar for religious quackery. I get around people and they just feel like twi. It's happened a couple of times - first time when my husband decided he wanted to go to church with a friend of his - nicest kid you could ever meet. My husband came back from church all pumped from the music they played. I was suspicious. I had met the kid and he had that sicky-sweet feel to him. But I thought I was being judgemental. I decided to go to the church. I went. It was ok... Pastor gave me the heebie-jeebies. I chalked it up to having a residual fear of leadership from twi. Second service I attended, the pastor starts saying he has revelation that there are people that need to be ministered to becuase of finances... Come on down!! Slays them in the spirit. Then while they are passed out on the floor he starts calling up those who have a spirit of infirmity! Then depression! Then suicide! People are coming down and screaming, tearing at their clothes, then passing out cold in front of the church. Then he stares at me and my husband and says "Some of us here haven't comitted their lives to God! Come down and let me minister the spirit to you!". I was like, "Hell freaking no!" and almost got up and left. Who the heck was this guy to judge us, who had given EVERYTHING we had to try and serve God? Obviously he wasn't getting revelation, because God knew what we had been through. The pastor and his wife tried to corner us after the service. I brushed past and never looked back. It was so disturbing to me that these people who had genuine problems had been encouraged to air them in front of the entire congregation - and that some of these issues were SEVERE mental disorders that needed to be treated by a mental health professional, regardless if a spirit was involved or not.
I learned after that to trust my gut on this stuff.
The second time was running into kids involved in the International House of Prayer. After meeting them and gettting the cult vibe I knew IHOP was not just another church.
But that has been discussed in another thread.
**edited because I hate auto spell check on my iPhone.
Recommended Posts
JavaJane
I should also add that I already spoke in tongues before I came to my first fellowship. I wasn't taught to do it by anyone, and I hadn't ever seen anyone do it - I just sort of did it on my own. I also had a quite a few very supernatural experiences in my life already by that point (I know some of you will think I am crazy as you read this) ...experiences with visions, spirits, etc. TWI accepted these things as real and actually offered at least some explanation for my experiences, although I told no one in twi about them and didn't speak in tongues in front of anyone until the appropriate class.
Funny thing is that even though they had an explanation for what i experienced, in the end they condemned it as much as all the other Christian churches I had been a part of! Also, now that I am out of twi, the spiritual side of things has opened back up to me and God has been able to teach me more in this category than the Way ever did - much more on the good side of things than just devil spirits...
Link to comment
Share on other sites
dmiller
I was in a Jesus freak group, back in the early 70's. Myself (and 3 other folks there) questioned everything. One evening at our normal Friday night fellowship, a fellow by the name of Bill M**ton from twi showed up and dangled some "tantalizing bits of biblical research" in front of the four of us. We took the bait, and "bit". We bit so hard, all 4 of us ended up spending the next decade in twi. A wasted 10 (or so) years following what we were told to do/ believe/ etc., but that there was the beginning of it for me.
and Garth - - - Yea. It's the Bill M**ton you're thinking of. The harpsichord guy.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
OldSkool
Several doctrinal reasons capped off by the board of directors hypocrisy and mean spirited attitudes towards the way corps. This is by no means a complete list and it's in no order of importance.
I left because I found out first hand that all the power they claim to have is just an empty promise. I put my whole heart in their principles (that they falsely claim just work) on healing and found it to be riddled with lies. So in short, the way they approach God is from a heart of demanding something that is rightfully theirs. Like spoiled children. God resists the proud....anywho.
Also, they have virtually eliminated all things Jesus Christ and placed themselves as the head of the church in his supposed absence. That to me is a big one.
The tithe. All the bible says to the Christian is to give as they purpose in their heart and do it cheerfully. No where are we supposed to give to get God's blessings. That's just a plain old LIE! I believe God will bless you whether you give money or not and can back that one up with the simple truth of God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. If you follow the way internationals pseudo-logic then that would be a response to the world giving at least 10% because God won't spit in our direction unless we give the minimum. By the way, they never recanted The Forehead's give until it hurts teachings in the late 90s so one has to assume they still stand. Sorry innies.
Above all. They could care less about the way corps unless the corps are towing the line on what Rosalie wants for them. They will grudgingly work with you if your request is not to far out of line with Rosie's desires. But when you have an assignment request that you and your wife have decided is best the watch out. They will do anything in their power to get you into submissive obedience because they think they represent God in placing people in the body of Christ. (pssst....hey Rosie, Christ is the head of the church....not you...I know...try tending your garden a while...that'll keep you busy...) Eventually, she may even attack you directly like she did me and my wife. She even sent in one of her lap dog vice presidents to divide us, which failed. I saw her k9s up close and personal and know first hand that the people running the way international are not good people. In fact after my experiences I can say first hand they are EVIL!
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JavaJane
All great reasons for getting the heck out, OldSkool!!!
What got you IN? What was the bait? What made you such a mark for the con?
twi filled some sort of need in some capacity or we wouldn't have been there in the first place - even though they were only there for their own lust and greed to feed off of us. They had to have something that got us involved, or we wouldn't be here at GSC now.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
OldSkool
Well, they got me started with the very beginning of a relationship with God. Study, prayer, fellowship with other Christians, etc. However, as I've said elsewhere on the forums, they then promptly and subtly started placing themselves as my arbitrator with God, becoming his representative, and eventually sitting in place of God - demanding my absolute sold out commitment to the way international. I was reeled in hook, line, and sinker. It happens so subtly and they groomed for the process. They will have to explain all of that come bema time. Rosie....you got some splainin to do....
Link to comment
Share on other sites
GeorgeStGeorge
I was brought up RC, and was fairly active in the campus RC church when I was in grad school. I was witnessed to, decided that I did need to learn more about the Bible, and went to fellowship. The logic and heart of the teachings kept me. Again, this was the late 70's, when things were still "good."
George
Link to comment
Share on other sites
soul searcher
I actually don't belong here. I sort of stumbled in while researching the "idiom of permission."
Then I lurked for a couple of months and when I finally said something everybody was friendly, so I stuck around.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JavaJane
I wouldn't say you don't belong here - your life was indirectly impacted by twi, too. And your comments do help those who may be lurking to think about the illogic that twi promotes. That is very important!
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tzaia
I had a friend invite me to a branch meeting where Good Seed was playing. I had heard them often at a local bar. I was unaware that it was a branch meeting until the teaching started. It was nice to see people having a good time without alcohol and I responded well to that. Then I stupidly signed what I believed was a non-obligatory green card, only to find out later that I had (apparently) made a promise to God himself. I started dating a guy who was an AC grad. That made us unevenly yoked. He paid for my PFAL class. I never went any further than that, which in hindsight was a wise move. We got married, had 2 kids, and as hard as I tried to fit in with TWI, I could never do it on the terms that I felt was best for our family, so it never happened. My husband, who had already done all the stuff that it took to be an AC grad and done the WoW thing, told me that I wasn't missing a thing. Once I read the WoW rules and commitments, I had to agree.
Fortunately I was able to retain most of my cynicism through 8 years of being dead weight in TWI - as the way I was treated didn't make it hard. My role was far more active in CES, but I still retained my cynicism, which became useful once CES started acting more like TWI.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
soul searcher
Thanks, JJ. That's nice of you to say.
I think you're right: my life was indirectly impacted by TWI -- twice -- but not in the same ways it impacted everyone else here.
I want to post the pathetic saga somewhere, but not on these boards. For one thing, it doesn't compare with the kind of suffering that some of you forumers went through. For another, I wasn't abused in any way (used maybe, but not abused. ha ha!) Ultimately, my story has very little to do with either TWI or the bible.
For now, I can impart this advice to any non-TWIers who may be lurking and are in a relationship with a TWI person: 1) get out, 2) run like hell, and 3) don't ever look back.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
rascal
I was a lonely kid from a broken home. The promise of being part of a family that never left you...to be needed, an important part of something that was bringing good into the world, a lure that was irresistable to a teen with no guidance or direction in life. To be with people who made you feel like you were a needed important part of a spiritual battle where I could strike a blow for God against darkness and evil...
I wanted what the wows that witnessed to me had... peace, a fearlessness, indomitable enthusiasm...the feeling that nothing was impossible.
I was targeted at 17 yrs old by wows....you know how it was.....find a need and promise any answeres were available if one only took the class...a wow died during the week of the class, the night of my high school graduation.....first experience with death...blamed on the the adversary trying to stop the move of the word....yadda yadda....trying to scare me away....yadda yadda....so what was I gonna do?? be more committed of course...go wow to replace the one he killed of course...grow spiritually as fast as I could in order to be a vital component in the spiritual battle...get my licks in for God don`t cha know?
It all seemed so noble and important at the time....sigh
Link to comment
Share on other sites
hiway29
zoning out through college in a marijuana cloud
scared to death of the future
witnessed to by 3 different pretty girls in the cafeteria
dragged my foggy, pliable brain to a group that insisted they weren't a religion
spent the next 12 years being told what to do and think
started from square one afterwards, and somehow found myself
Link to comment
Share on other sites
GarthP2000
What?! You didn't sign The Green Card??
Link to comment
Share on other sites
soul searcher
What exactly does this green card say? Is there an image of one somewhere?
Link to comment
Share on other sites
GeorgeStGeorge
I'd be amazed if there isn't a photo of one on this site somewhere. In short, it was the sign-up card for Power for Abundant Living (Foundational Class). One side had your personal information on it; the other had a list of purported benefits from taking the class. I even had a poster-sized one for many years, used at demonstrations.
George
Link to comment
Share on other sites
soul searcher
Hmm...she never bothered to go through the list of benefits of the class with me. She must have known at some level that I wouldn't be receptive to it.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
chockfull
When we were all selling the spiritual version of Amway, bro.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Twinky
The least common denominator?
Gullibility.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
waysider
You belong here more than you may realize. The Way, or someone who was a member of The Way, had a long term impact on your life. The severity, or lack thereof, is irrelevant.
I don't want to bore anyone with a "there I was" scenario so I'll do my best to compress it.
When I was 21, I got witnessed to by a group of high school kids who feigned interest in what I was doing as an aspiring (but unsuccessful) actor/singer/songwriter. One of the young ladies involved me in a "date and switch" scenario (It was strictly Platonic.) long enough to get me to sign "the green card" and get to session #5 before the ruse was uncovered. After that plan of action started to unravel, they fed me false encouragement that I would find a place in the ministry to actively pursue my true interests, which at that time were, as I stated, music and acting. Next thing I know, I'm leading songs at branch meetings, setting up classes, running a twig and on the list goes. It just sort of snowballed in not-so-tiny increments. It didn't take long, though, before they told me I had to choose between the ministry workings and pursuing my show biz dreams. Regardless of what the future may or may not have held for me in entertainment, I made the wrong choice.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Twinky
Sad, Waysider, but it could have been worse.
You could've ended up in Way Productions, even starring in The Soup...
Link to comment
Share on other sites
soul searcher
Waysider, I have tended to see your story as something that might have happened to me if I had taken the "other road". The risk was there. But for me, at the time, it was a no-brainer to forsake TWI and let her walk away. In the end, who knows how it would have all worked out? (Me being me, I like to torture myself and imagine how great life would have been if I had stuck it out with her -- totally ignoring the fact that I've been pretty lucky and things haved worked out rather well for me. But why let logic and reason intrude on a good session of self-doubt and self-loathing?)
My friend's hopes were that I would take the PFAL class while she went WoW. Then, while she was gone I would morph into a newly-born again TWI-er with the Kool Aid running through my veins (that's my characterization, not hers.)
I don't regret my decision not to take the class. I do have other regrets (which I'll share someday) but that's not one of them.
Edited by soul searcherLink to comment
Share on other sites
waysider
It's like a guy told me once, after I related to him a bit of personal misfortune. He said, "It could have been worse." I asked him,"How?" He said, "Well, it could have happened to ME!"
:P
Link to comment
Share on other sites
OldSkool
I just realized I told why I left.
I was reeled in because I was young and vulnerable. I was violent, heavily on hard drugs, lived a VERY wild life and I wanted to change. So, there was someone going to fellowship and I thought I would give it a try even though I couldn't stand most Christians because I thought they were all a bunch of wimps. Well, I changed my direction with God's help, quit drugs long ago, am only violent if there is no other choice - which is a complete 180, and Craig's yelling and rage appealed to me because he didn't appear weak. Turns out we was VERY weak. So in the process of all of this TWI stepped in to take the credit for the Lord's deliverance that was worked in my life, I decided that if God would be willing to help a mean SOB like me then I would be willing to do whatever he needed. Turns out the way international has programs in place for well meaning people like me.
That is classic!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JavaJane
I think gullibility might be a part of it... That, and for a lot of us the desire to really do something for God and be special at the same time.
Funny thing is, now that I am out I almost have radar for religious quackery. I get around people and they just feel like twi. It's happened a couple of times - first time when my husband decided he wanted to go to church with a friend of his - nicest kid you could ever meet. My husband came back from church all pumped from the music they played. I was suspicious. I had met the kid and he had that sicky-sweet feel to him. But I thought I was being judgemental. I decided to go to the church. I went. It was ok... Pastor gave me the heebie-jeebies. I chalked it up to having a residual fear of leadership from twi. Second service I attended, the pastor starts saying he has revelation that there are people that need to be ministered to becuase of finances... Come on down!! Slays them in the spirit. Then while they are passed out on the floor he starts calling up those who have a spirit of infirmity! Then depression! Then suicide! People are coming down and screaming, tearing at their clothes, then passing out cold in front of the church. Then he stares at me and my husband and says "Some of us here haven't comitted their lives to God! Come down and let me minister the spirit to you!". I was like, "Hell freaking no!" and almost got up and left. Who the heck was this guy to judge us, who had given EVERYTHING we had to try and serve God? Obviously he wasn't getting revelation, because God knew what we had been through. The pastor and his wife tried to corner us after the service. I brushed past and never looked back. It was so disturbing to me that these people who had genuine problems had been encouraged to air them in front of the entire congregation - and that some of these issues were SEVERE mental disorders that needed to be treated by a mental health professional, regardless if a spirit was involved or not.
I learned after that to trust my gut on this stuff.
The second time was running into kids involved in the International House of Prayer. After meeting them and gettting the cult vibe I knew IHOP was not just another church.
But that has been discussed in another thread.
**edited because I hate auto spell check on my iPhone.
Edited by JavaJaneLink to comment
Share on other sites
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.