I just have to say this

[100% Free]

I know Grease Spot Café is going to close down. I appreciate Paw keeping it up for all these years. But I feel like there are still some things that need to be said. So here goes. I don't ever want to deter anyone from deliverance or the peace the word of God is able to bring someone. If TWI is able to give that to somebody, then so be it. I wouldn't want to talk someone out of it. If God delivers I don't want to tear it down, no matter where the source it comes from. But in my experience TWI stopped being effective in a Godly way a very long time ago. Historically TWI has had the poorest of leadership. They truly did not know how to minister, or they were unwilling to.

When a believer admitted to having a problem or an issue, leadership would often use subterfuge to handle it. Instead of ministering, they would 'turn the tables' so to speak. They would yell at the person who had sought help, accusing them of "not renewing their mind" or "being possessed". No matter how long someone had "stood" with TWI they were usually "mark and avoided". Basically thrown out of TWI in their darkest hour. No support from the ministry they had "stood" with.

My Worst experience was with J and K N. They were both very uneducated. J had run away to a homeless shelter and K had never risen above being a waitress. (I'm not Prejudice against waitresses, not at all. Just trying to show the experience and education this particular leadership had). They were both incredibly arrogant, especially K. They were both full time paid staff on the field, yet expected their home to be cleaned by believers for free, expected to receive child care for free and demanded gifts they had specified.

K threw many temper tantrums. It was basically an excuse for her being uneducated and having no idea how to minister. To this day they are leadership with TWI. They are probably too fearful to venture out on their own because they truly do not have many skills.

I want to say to young people in TWI. You may be excited and committed. But do you realize you are serving an organization that may not be there for you when you need them? When you are old, will they support and help you? It's important that you get yourself educated and have a savings account so you are not out in the cold when you are no longer deemed useful by TWI.

I know a man who "stood" with TWI for over 30 years. He had worked on staff at HQ for many years being paid on a "need basis" only. He left HQ and was a very active member on the field running fellowships and being at the beck and call of "leadership" for TWI.

A couple of years ago, he had some financial issues. He turned to the TWI leadership for guidance and help. He was devastated to be told he was no longer welcome at TWI fellowships. They were not interested in helping him or "believing with him" to resolve his issues. It did not matter how many years he had stood, sacrificed and worked for free. When he needed help, TWI just dumped him.

Please think about your future, because the TWI leadership have proven to be only fair weathered friends. They will most likely use you for as long as possible then turn their backs on you when you need them. Be careful and protect yourself, because they will probably not.

I have more to say, I'll try to get to it later. Any comments about this? Thanks again Paw for giving us a voice.

[waysider]

A couple years ago, GSC was going to shut its doors. Since then, things have changed and it remains open. (I'm not in a position that would lead me to have any special information.)

Aside from that, your post is right on. They will drop you like a hot potato if you no longer bring them any benefit.

"You're always welcome at The Way." ...VPW

Uh huh

"The moon is made of green cheese"...waysider

Edited March 2, 2014 by waysider

[100% Free]

Now a days they don't call it Mark and Avoid. They had gotten too carried away with that one. Now they just say, you are no longer welcome at any Way Ministry fellowships.

[excathedra]

back in the early 80s i think, geer tossed a wonderful believer out of the way in britain. i called him on the phone. i was on hq staff at the time. he geero told me i should watch out because this believer was packing "big ones" i'm like big what? i went to wierwille and told him this dear friend of mine was no longer welcome at the way according to geer. wierwille's reply "how long do i have to suck your corps asses"? lovely

talked to martindale, finnegan, reahard (i think) anyone who would listen

told them we (martha sheehan paid for ticket) were flying him in

went to a blacktop bullsht thing and NONE OF THEM WELCOMED HIM

spineless gutless hypoctrites pieces of crap

--

i also know of people who "stood" their whole life

once they needed real help, bye bye

i'm sorry for those who think it will be different for them

i mean it, it makes me sad very sad

[excathedra]

--

i'm sorry if GS is really closing. but i thank you for it

i just have to say this forum helped me beyond words, made me many friends and many enemies, so to speak

i was a good poster and a horrible mean poster

everything i went through i took it out on here and on pawtucket and others

my whole frikkin wierwille and other sexual assaults were lived again through this forum and i directed much anger and confusion to anyone who looked at me

for this i apologize

and for so much more

i'm human and a screwed up one at that

please forgive me

[excathedra]

......

i just i have to say this is a very good thread if this is a goodbye thread

you know?

a lot of us have been saying i just have to say this for years

i personally have never had the gut to say it all at once. it was just too painful

i just to have to say this.....

it's true wierwille talked at a night owl about touching his daughter

oh man, can i do this?

what happened on the motorcoach to me and countless others....

jesus why is this still so difficult

[GeorgeStGeorge]

oh man, can i do this?

jesus why is this still so difficult

George

[Jim]

Makes me think of Joe Coulter and Carrie Williams. Both good men, talented, motivated, hard workers. AFAIK, still with TWI. Are they there because they truly believe that they are working for God? Or because they are old and gray and TWI will (maybe) take care of them and they don't have any other options. I don't know. Just seems sad, no matter how I look at it.

......

i just i have to say this is a very good thread if this is a goodbye thread

you know?

a lot of us have been saying i just have to say this for years

i personally have never had the gut to say it all at once. it was just too painful

i just to have to say this.....

it's true wierwille talked at a night owl about touching his daughter

oh man, can i do this?

what happened on the motorcoach to me and countless others....

jesus why is this still so difficult

He tore out a part of your heart, but you've shown you still have plenty of heart left. I've loved reading your posts over the years. You're a great lady and I'm sure you're a great mom.

Edited March 10, 2014 by Jim

[Kit Sober]

Anyone who wants to help Pawtucket keep GreaseSpot Café open can always add their 2 cents through PayPal. There is a link on the home page. here

[100% Free]

When I was young, I felt like I had so much time. I became involved with twi as an impressionable teenager. I wanted to understand the bible and bought into what they said about being the only ones with the truth. And honestly, at that time they were teaching more than I had been taught at the churches I had attended up until then. But while they tried to paint all churches as evil, I had good experiences at the churches and youth groups I'd grown up in. I have many fond memories, and yes I learned some bible before twi. But I was searching for more and came to believe I'd found it in twi.

So anyway, back to thinking I had time to do what I wanted to do with my life. I had always known what I wanted to be "when I grew up". I had talent and natural ability in the area's I wanted to work in. twi was heavily promoting several programs. I was heavily encouraged, challenged and "confronted" about going on a one year program. I complied, actually wanting to go and thinking to myself: I have a lot of time, it's only a year.

However, that year turned into many as twi led me to believe anything I did on my own behalf was selfish, education was irrelevant and if I was believing, my needs would always be met. I spent many years working for free or on a need basis. In the back of my mind I continued to think I would one day have time to pursue my dreams.

But as the years went on, the twi leaders made more and more demands. Three to five meetings a week in addition to mandatory witnessing hours. Cleaning limb homes and babysitting for free. Cleaning public buildings we had rented before and after a twi event. (Buildings were already clean- but ahead of time we were supposed to make it spiritually clean, and afterwards we were supposed to leave it better than we found it. Even areas of the building we had not used). Helping to run classes, limb meetings etc...

God forbid you lived within a 250 mile radius of a root location. Forget about a nice Sunday at home.

There was no time for me or my well being. I was too busy doing their constant bidding. When times were tough, I looked for guidance from twi leaders. They either raged about how I should be believing God or were indifferent. No help at all. (ie: Limb coord wife insisted I give up several shifts at work for 3 weeks so I could come clean her home and baby sit because there was a class being run at their home and it was the spiritual priority. The region coord wife had told her this and we were to be on the "obedience to abundance" track)...... I was broke and starving.

I am now becoming educated and working towards my goals.

I have much greater success, happiness, well being and friendships now than I ever did in "the promised land of the prevailing word" of twi.

Although I am decades behind most in accomplishing these things, I'm thankful I didn't let twi take my entire time here on earth.

My advice is, take care of your own life first. Volunteer along the way, be giving and helpful but don't ever let any organization, especially twi or others like it to consume your life.

[waysider]

Good post,100% Free.

It reminds me of an old joke.

A man was seen banging his head against the wall. When approached and asked if it hurt, he replied that it did. "Why do it then?", he was asked. "It feels so good when I quit.", he replied.

[100% Free]

Good post,100% Free.

It reminds me of an old joke.

A man was seen banging his head against the wall. When approached and asked if it hurt, he replied that it did. "Why do it then?", he was asked. "It feels so good when I quit.", he replied.

Ha Ha Ha. Thanks for the laugh.

[Grace Valerie Claire]

On 3/2/2014 at 2:21 AM, 100% Free said:

I know Grease Spot Café is going to close down. I appreciate Paw keeping it up for all these years. But I feel like there are still some things that need to be said. So here goes. I don't ever want to deter anyone from deliverance or the peace the word of God is able to bring someone. If TWI is able to give that to somebody, then so be it. I wouldn't want to talk someone out of it. If God delivers I don't want to tear it down, no matter where the source it comes from. But in my experience TWI stopped being effective in a Godly way a very long time ago. Historically TWI has had the poorest of leadership. They truly did not know how to minister, or they were unwilling to.

When a believer admitted to having a problem or an issue, leadership would often use subterfuge to handle it. Instead of ministering, they would 'turn the tables' so to speak. They would yell at the person who had sought help, accusing them of "not renewing their mind" or "being possessed". No matter how long someone had "stood" with TWI they were usually "mark and avoided". Basically thrown out of TWI in their darkest hour. No support from the ministry they had "stood" with.

My Worst experience was with J and K N. They were both very uneducated. J had run away to a homeless shelter and K had never risen above being a waitress. (I'm not Prejudice against waitresses, not at all. Just trying to show the experience and education this particular leadership had). They were both incredibly arrogant, especially K. They were both full time paid staff on the field, yet expected their home to be cleaned by believers for free, expected to receive child care for free and demanded gifts they had specified.

K threw many temper tantrums. It was basically an excuse for her being uneducated and having no idea how to minister. To this day they are leadership with TWI. They are probably too fearful to venture out on their own because they truly do not have many skills.

I want to say to young people in TWI. You may be excited and committed. But do you realize you are serving an organization that may not be there for you when you need them? When you are old, will they support and help you? It's important that you get yourself educated and have a savings account so you are not out in the cold when you are no longer deemed useful by TWI.

I know a man who "stood" with TWI for over 30 years. He had worked on staff at HQ for many years being paid on a "need basis" only. He left HQ and was a very active member on the field running fellowships and being at the beck and call of "leadership" for TWI.

A couple of years ago, he had some financial issues. He turned to the TWI leadership for guidance and help. He was devastated to be told he was no longer welcome at TWI fellowships. They were not interested in helping him or "believing with him" to resolve his issues. It did not matter how many years he had stood, sacrificed and worked for free. When he needed help, TWI just dumped him.

Please think about your future, because the TWI leadership have proven to be only fair weathered friends. They will most likely use you for as long as possible then turn their backs on you when you need them. Be careful and protect yourself, because they will probably not.

I have more to say, I'll try to get to it later. Any comments about this? Thanks again Paw for giving us a voice.

Free, you are so right.  When you had a problem, or asked for help, often you were looked down on.  TWI always had their hands out asking for money, but not once did I ever see them help anyone financially.  They used people as long as they could, and then kicked them to the curb, once they were done with you.  Sad!

[Grace Valerie Claire]

On 3/3/2014 at 11:36 PM, 100% Free said:

Now a days they don't call it Mark and Avoid. They had gotten too carried away with that one. Now they just say, you are no longer welcome at any Way Ministry fellowships.

Free, really?  So who goes to their fellowships these days??

[Grace Valerie Claire]

On 4/7/2014 at 3:11 PM, 100% Free said:

When I was young, I felt like I had so much time. I became involved with twi as an impressionable teenager. I wanted to understand the bible and bought into what they said about being the only ones with the truth. And honestly, at that time they were teaching more than I had been taught at the churches I had attended up until then. But while they tried to paint all churches as evil, I had good experiences at the churches and youth groups I'd grown up in. I have many fond memories, and yes I learned some bible before twi. But I was searching for more and came to believe I'd found it in twi.

So anyway, back to thinking I had time to do what I wanted to do with my life. I had always known what I wanted to be "when I grew up". I had talent and natural ability in the area's I wanted to work in. twi was heavily promoting several programs. I was heavily encouraged, challenged and "confronted" about going on a one year program. I complied, actually wanting to go and thinking to myself: I have a lot of time, it's only a year.

However, that year turned into many as twi led me to believe anything I did on my own behalf was selfish, education was irrelevant and if I was believing, my needs would always be met. I spent many years working for free or on a need basis. In the back of my mind I continued to think I would one day have time to pursue my dreams.

But as the years went on, the twi leaders made more and more demands. Three to five meetings a week in addition to mandatory witnessing hours. Cleaning limb homes and babysitting for free. Cleaning public buildings we had rented before and after a twi event. (Buildings were already clean- but ahead of time we were supposed to make it spiritually clean, and afterwards we were supposed to leave it better than we found it. Even areas of the building we had not used). Helping to run classes, limb meetings etc...

God forbid you lived within a 250 mile radius of a root location. Forget about a nice Sunday at home.

There was no time for me or my well being. I was too busy doing their constant bidding. When times were tough, I looked for guidance from twi leaders. They either raged about how I should be believing God or were indifferent. No help at all. (ie: Limb coord wife insisted I give up several shifts at work for 3 weeks so I could come clean her home and baby sit because there was a class being run at their home and it was the spiritual priority. The region coord wife had told her this and we were to be on the "obedience to abundance" track)...... I was broke and starving.

I am now becoming educated and working towards my goals.

I have much greater success, happiness, well being and friendships now than I ever did in "the promised land of the prevailing word" of twi.

Although I am decades behind most in accomplishing these things, I'm thankful I didn't let twi take my entire time here on earth.

My advice is, take care of your own life first. Volunteer along the way, be giving and helpful but don't ever let any organization, especially twi or others like it to consume your life.

Free, great post!!  The last paragraph in particular is true; take care of you, and yours first.  I don't know how old you are, but you sound young to me.  I am glad you got out of TWI before it consumed your entire life.

[Grace Valerie Claire]

On 3/8/2014 at 6:15 PM, excathedra said:

--

i'm sorry if GS is really closing. but i thank you for it

i just have to say this forum helped me beyond words, made me many friends and many enemies, so to speak

i was a good poster and a horrible mean poster

everything i went through i took it out on here and on pawtucket and others

my whole frikkin wierwille and other sexual assaults were lived again through this forum and i directed much anger and confusion to anyone who looked at me

for this i apologize

and for so much more

i'm human and a screwed up one at that

please forgive me

Exie, I am not sure if you are the woman who wrote of being assaulted by VPW, but if you are, I can not thank you enough.  The post made me cry, and made me really understand the utter depravity of VPW.  No woman deserved that kind of treatment, ever!!  I hope VPW suffers for his sins wherever he is.