I was very enthusiastic about witnessing in the early 70's. I was inviting my friends to something I loved and thought made my life so much better. I also witnessed to strangers with the excitement of someone who believes they have found all the answers to life's questions. No one had to teach me how, or tell me I had to go witnessing. I just did it.
Fast forward to my WOW year... Door-to-door was introduced and I refused to go. REFUSED! Told my WOW coordinator I thought it was an awful idea and didn't want to knock on people's doors because I didn't want them knocking on mine! I got kicked off the WOW field. I only went door-to-door twice - once in residence (we had to) and once in our area during some silly outreach teaching. I never knocked on the door or spoke to anyone. I was there for support. I spoke in tongues while the other person did the witnessing :P--> .
After the Corps, I only talked to people I worked with. After VP died and LCM took over, I stopped witnessing all together. I couldn't bring anyone to TWI without lying about it - and wouldn't lie about it - so I just quit telling anyone about it. After a while, it became an embarrassment to me, so I didn't even tell people I became friends with about TWI unless they asked what church I went to.
I don't know anyone who was excited about bringing "new" people (gawd, I hate that term) to fellowships in the 90's - especially after the WAP class was made the foundational class.
When we went witnessing in our fellowship - it was usually to a bookstore. I went with the BC a few times, and he never witnessed to ANYONE. His wife did, very "boldly" (obnoxiously, IMO).
Witnessing was mandatory - not out of love or enthusiasm for what we'd been taught - but out of the need to enforce some kind or rule or law.
Again - and please, you TWI 2 folks please tell me if I'm wrong - I know of no one who genuinely wanted to bring anyone to TWI2 or the WAP class.
We could have been in the same fellowship. I concur 100% including the non-witnessing BC. There was NO enthusiasm for anything TWI did. Your comment about it eventually being an embarrassment really nails it.
Thanks for the kind words. :)--> Witnessing was ok, when it was spontaneous and heartfelt and all about Jesus Christ. For me, it was never about TWI, as much as it was about reading and understanding the bible, and getting to know the Father and Son.
But sadly, some of the people that I introduced to the corporation became zealous idiots, and corps nazis and such things. :(--> But I guess that's just people....
Alright, Chas! I'm convinced we have the same brain! You posted verbatim what I was thinking of posting!
I even called our twig "The Dead Sea" for the same reasons. I got people involved when practically no one else in our twig did and they left quickly when the screws and manipulation started becoming more obvious. Our WC leadership never did bring anyone the whole time.
"people that I introduced to the corporation became zealous idiots, and corps nazis and such things. But I guess that's just people...."
They certainly had a lot of encouragement to behave that way. Belle's comment about the "Dead Sea" is poignant and spot on. All of my twigs/fellowships in the 90s fit that description.
However, I do remember a time when TWI seemed more like what you described. Or maybe I was less wayferish? Egad, what a thought!
The nice thing is, now that I'm out, I find it is so much more fun to talk to others about God. People are no longer potential piffle targets are just people. Sure are a lot of nice christians out there. A few here too. :-)
Lightbearers was a pain in the butt! Very few people ever were won to the Word this way. The only plus of Lightbearers when I was at Gunnison was that we got to escape from Rev. TJ for two weeks and spend it with a very nice couple named Greg and Andi ... and my sweet WC coordinator in that two-week adventure went on to be a rather well-renowned Elvis tribute artist!
Lightbearers my first year in Cedar Rapids, IA was the two weeks from hell, on the other hand ...
(Edited for spelling by ToadFriend, who left the "n" out of "renowned" on the first go-round)
I hear you so loud and clear. I agree with you, that it's so much fun to be a freelance Christian with absolutely no agenda, except proclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord. And he lives wherever he wants to, regardless of how much "knowledge of the word" one posesses. :)-->
I think the eights corps had a lot of those enthusiastic voluntary witnessing folks. That's why we were the ones to get pushed hard with "motivational techniques" and selling the class.
Just so you know, I got witnessed to by a Lightbearer in the MALL! Stranger things do happen, and who's to say that time was a complete waste, even if it felt like it? You just don't always know how your actions will impact someone else's life.
I remember going light bearers...it was a nightmare. The leadership at Emporia had told us that each group that failed to put a class together, would be kicked out of the corps. Our group failed, as did most. When I got back to Emporia, I started packing my stuff to leave...
They called us all into an "emergency" meeting and informed us that they changed their mind and we could all stay. While others around me were cheering, I was thinking to myself that they had no integrity. I also was wondering why they had held me responsible for "causing the increase"...I had planted and watered, that was it, as far as I was concerned.
Twi coerced us into being a free sales force in their marketing scam. It was nothing more than an "Amway" type of scheme, with a so-called Christian veneer. Wierwille should have received an Academy award for how he cried on stage at the ROA, calling the WOW's "his kids"...sending out thousands of young people to hawk his wares to an unsuspecting public and receiving no compensation for their troubles.
Lightbearers was a recruiting tool, where in-rez corps were sent for two weeks (in the spring?) as a group to an area to witness and put together a piffle class.
As a host, the first year hubs and I were married they sent 5th and 7th corps to our little town.
There were four of them, two of us, and two college division folks. The four corps stayed with us in our two bedroom-one bath duplex.
For two weeks.
Did I mention one bath?
They were good people, not Nazified, and we enjoyed their company. I was just glad to get my bathroom back.
I much prefer those two weeks to my two in-rez deployments. I detested "witnessing", but managed to witness to some of the finest cheesecake and pizza that Chicago has to offer...
In the 8th (first year) , we were sent out in January 1978, for 15 days. We went again (in our case, to the same place) in May of that year, for 10 days.
I had a blast going out lightbearers to INDY. It was two weeks of cutting up, darts every night in a dart bar. Our senior corps wife did cheers at the bus stop. We cleaned some guys apartment for him. We got our seven together with time to spare. When we went back, one guy thanked us and said we saved his life because he was out of control before we came along. We also started deaf outreach which was pretty cool. Do I regret witnessinging, yeah some, but lightbearers was a ton of fun!
When was that, may I ask? Reason I ask is that I got involved at Indy back in the '70s. My lightbearers time was in Durant, OK (in 1978 as noted aboce).
Around '79, I witnessed to a guy named JB, who went on to be WOW. While on the WOW field he left and went straight to a newspaper and a church and announced he was in a cult. His picture was in the paper and the leadership in that town never regrouped.
I never told anyone I signed him up after he left the field. But HQ did communicate with my Branch leader and he and I sat down and discussed it. Looking back now, I wonder if they suspected JB was trying to get me out of the ministry. -->
I had put about a dozen or more in the class before I went Corps. But after going through one year of the 10th Corps and having to leave because my spouse and I couldn't get it together (she didn't want to be Corps), I found it difficult to get people to get to a fellowship, much less a class.
The 70's were the last years of serious outreach. The 80's introduced the brief case and 3-piece suit. ( you could sweat but you had to smile doing it) The 90's introduced total control over the lives of those who wanted to love God but couldn't figure out how to do it without someone dictating the next move.
Personalentertainr...or may I call you P.E.? You summed up the 70's, 80's and 90's quite nicely. I was also in the 10th corps...you're lucky that you got out when you did. ;)-->
What exactly was Lightbearers? Was it just practice witnessing for in-rez corpse?
I was in the 5th corps when lightbearers started. There was some book about a christian school in England (if memory serves) and part of their training was to leave the school for 2 weeks with a small bit of money. They were told to go around doing good for people and to "believe" for their food and housing to be met. They were not allowed to ask for stuff. They were expected to return to the school with the same amount of money that they left with.
This was copied by vpw and became light bearers. However the part about doing good for people morphed into putting together a PFAL class. After all, what better good could you do for anyone. Eventually I think light bearers were assigned to stay with local believers so there went the part about not asking for food and shelter as well.
The kicker was we were supposed to sign up enough people for a class in those 2 weeks or be out of the corps. I know a lot of groups that didn't get classes together. Many more who only added the last few students to a class the locals had almost together and yet I don't know anyone kicked out of the corps for their performance on lightbearers.
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Hope R.
I was very enthusiastic about witnessing in the early 70's. I was inviting my friends to something I loved and thought made my life so much better. I also witnessed to strangers with the excitement of someone who believes they have found all the answers to life's questions. No one had to teach me how, or tell me I had to go witnessing. I just did it.
Fast forward to my WOW year... Door-to-door was introduced and I refused to go. REFUSED! Told my WOW coordinator I thought it was an awful idea and didn't want to knock on people's doors because I didn't want them knocking on mine! I got kicked off the WOW field. I only went door-to-door twice - once in residence (we had to) and once in our area during some silly outreach teaching. I never knocked on the door or spoke to anyone. I was there for support. I spoke in tongues while the other person did the witnessing
:P--> 
.
After the Corps, I only talked to people I worked with. After VP died and LCM took over, I stopped witnessing all together. I couldn't bring anyone to TWI without lying about it - and wouldn't lie about it - so I just quit telling anyone about it. After a while, it became an embarrassment to me, so I didn't even tell people I became friends with about TWI unless they asked what church I went to.
I don't know anyone who was excited about bringing "new" people (gawd, I hate that term) to fellowships in the 90's - especially after the WAP class was made the foundational class.
When we went witnessing in our fellowship - it was usually to a bookstore. I went with the BC a few times, and he never witnessed to ANYONE. His wife did, very "boldly" (obnoxiously, IMO).
Witnessing was mandatory - not out of love or enthusiasm for what we'd been taught - but out of the need to enforce some kind or rule or law.
Again - and please, you TWI 2 folks please tell me if I'm wrong - I know of no one who genuinely wanted to bring anyone to TWI2 or the WAP class.
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JustThinking
Hope,
We could have been in the same fellowship. I concur 100% including the non-witnessing BC. There was NO enthusiasm for anything TWI did. Your comment about it eventually being an embarrassment really nails it.
My time was all TWI-II.
JT
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Oakspear
Same personality type, I see where you would think that! TH was our LC and was the guy who threw me out
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ex10
JT
Thanks for the kind words.
:)--> Witnessing was ok, when it was spontaneous and heartfelt and all about Jesus Christ. For me, it was never about TWI, as much as it was about reading and understanding the bible, and getting to know the Father and Son.
But sadly, some of the people that I introduced to the corporation became zealous idiots, and corps nazis and such things.
:(--> But I guess that's just people....
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Belle
Alright, Chas! I'm convinced we have the same brain! You posted verbatim what I was thinking of posting!
I even called our twig "The Dead Sea" for the same reasons. I got people involved when practically no one else in our twig did and they left quickly when the screws and manipulation started becoming more obvious. Our WC leadership never did bring anyone the whole time.
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JustThinking
Ex 10,
You are very welcome.
"people that I introduced to the corporation became zealous idiots, and corps nazis and such things. But I guess that's just people...."
They certainly had a lot of encouragement to behave that way. Belle's comment about the "Dead Sea" is poignant and spot on. All of my twigs/fellowships in the 90s fit that description.
However, I do remember a time when TWI seemed more like what you described. Or maybe I was less wayferish? Egad, what a thought!
The nice thing is, now that I'm out, I find it is so much more fun to talk to others about God. People are no longer potential piffle targets are just people. Sure are a lot of nice christians out there. A few here too. :-)
JT
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ToadFriend
Lightbearers was a pain in the butt! Very few people ever were won to the Word this way. The only plus of Lightbearers when I was at Gunnison was that we got to escape from Rev. TJ for two weeks and spend it with a very nice couple named Greg and Andi ... and my sweet WC coordinator in that two-week adventure went on to be a rather well-renowned Elvis tribute artist!
Lightbearers my first year in Cedar Rapids, IA was the two weeks from hell, on the other hand ...
(Edited for spelling by ToadFriend, who left the "n" out of "renowned" on the first go-round)
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ex10
JT
I hear you so loud and clear. I agree with you, that it's so much fun to be a freelance Christian with absolutely no agenda, except proclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord. And he lives wherever he wants to, regardless of how much "knowledge of the word" one posesses.
:)-->
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Lifted Up
Hope, you got kicked off the WOW field and they still let you in the corps?
Oh, that's right, it was the SIXTH, wasn't it?
:D-->
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Lifted Up
I think the eights corps had a lot of those enthusiastic voluntary witnessing folks. That's why we were the ones to get pushed hard with "motivational techniques" and selling the class.
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wwjesuslaughat
Toad,
Just so you know, I got witnessed to by a Lightbearer in the MALL! Stranger things do happen, and who's to say that time was a complete waste, even if it felt like it? You just don't always know how your actions will impact someone else's life.
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Lifted Up
I know I spent a lot of my wintessing time on lightbearers in Durant at the college.
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JustThinking
Ex10,
"Freelance Christian." Cool term. May I use it? Not really part of any formal group so it fits rather well.
JT
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GrouchoMarxJr
I remember going light bearers...it was a nightmare. The leadership at Emporia had told us that each group that failed to put a class together, would be kicked out of the corps. Our group failed, as did most. When I got back to Emporia, I started packing my stuff to leave...
They called us all into an "emergency" meeting and informed us that they changed their mind and we could all stay. While others around me were cheering, I was thinking to myself that they had no integrity. I also was wondering why they had held me responsible for "causing the increase"...I had planted and watered, that was it, as far as I was concerned.
Twi coerced us into being a free sales force in their marketing scam. It was nothing more than an "Amway" type of scheme, with a so-called Christian veneer. Wierwille should have received an Academy award for how he cried on stage at the ROA, calling the WOW's "his kids"...sending out thousands of young people to hawk his wares to an unsuspecting public and receiving no compensation for their troubles.
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JustThinking
What exactly was Lightbearers? Was it just practice witnessing for in-rez corpse?
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tonto
Lightbearers was a recruiting tool, where in-rez corps were sent for two weeks (in the spring?) as a group to an area to witness and put together a piffle class.
As a host, the first year hubs and I were married they sent 5th and 7th corps to our little town.
There were four of them, two of us, and two college division folks. The four corps stayed with us in our two bedroom-one bath duplex.
For two weeks.
Did I mention one bath?
They were good people, not Nazified, and we enjoyed their company. I was just glad to get my bathroom back.
I much prefer those two weeks to my two in-rez deployments. I detested "witnessing", but managed to witness to some of the finest cheesecake and pizza that Chicago has to offer...
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Steve!
Whoops, so it had nothing to do with flames and grizzlies? my bad
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JustThinking
Steve,
LMAM! <:-o>
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Lifted Up
In the 8th (first year) , we were sent out in January 1978, for 15 days. We went again (in our case, to the same place) in May of that year, for 10 days.
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Tumbleweed Kid
I had a blast going out lightbearers to INDY. It was two weeks of cutting up, darts every night in a dart bar. Our senior corps wife did cheers at the bus stop. We cleaned some guys apartment for him. We got our seven together with time to spare. When we went back, one guy thanked us and said we saved his life because he was out of control before we came along. We also started deaf outreach which was pretty cool. Do I regret witnessinging, yeah some, but lightbearers was a ton of fun!
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Lifted Up
When was that, may I ask? Reason I ask is that I got involved at Indy back in the '70s. My lightbearers time was in Durant, OK (in 1978 as noted aboce).
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personalentertainr
Around '79, I witnessed to a guy named JB, who went on to be WOW. While on the WOW field he left and went straight to a newspaper and a church and announced he was in a cult. His picture was in the paper and the leadership in that town never regrouped.
I never told anyone I signed him up after he left the field. But HQ did communicate with my Branch leader and he and I sat down and discussed it. Looking back now, I wonder if they suspected JB was trying to get me out of the ministry.
-->
I had put about a dozen or more in the class before I went Corps. But after going through one year of the 10th Corps and having to leave because my spouse and I couldn't get it together (she didn't want to be Corps), I found it difficult to get people to get to a fellowship, much less a class.
The 70's were the last years of serious outreach. The 80's introduced the brief case and 3-piece suit. ( you could sweat but you had to smile doing it) The 90's introduced total control over the lives of those who wanted to love God but couldn't figure out how to do it without someone dictating the next move.
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GrouchoMarxJr
Personalentertainr...or may I call you P.E.? You summed up the 70's, 80's and 90's quite nicely. I was also in the 10th corps...you're lucky that you got out when you did.
;)-->
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My3Cents
I was in the 5th corps when lightbearers started. There was some book about a christian school in England (if memory serves) and part of their training was to leave the school for 2 weeks with a small bit of money. They were told to go around doing good for people and to "believe" for their food and housing to be met. They were not allowed to ask for stuff. They were expected to return to the school with the same amount of money that they left with.
This was copied by vpw and became light bearers. However the part about doing good for people morphed into putting together a PFAL class. After all, what better good could you do for anyone. Eventually I think light bearers were assigned to stay with local believers so there went the part about not asking for food and shelter as well.
The kicker was we were supposed to sign up enough people for a class in those 2 weeks or be out of the corps. I know a lot of groups that didn't get classes together. Many more who only added the last few students to a class the locals had almost together and yet I don't know anyone kicked out of the corps for their performance on lightbearers.
Says a lot about the integrity of the program.
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