It's a Requirement in the Promised Land

In the past six months, a phrase that the Way Corps and staff (especially those at The Way International headquarters) have heard repeated time and time again is that of "implicit obedience."

On January 21, 1999 during one of Craig Martindale's Life and Morality lectures held in the O.S.C. dining room during the staff lunch break, he talked at length about this concept.

Martindale, addressing an audience of about 500 Corps and staff along with many of their children, said that Way followers are supposed to be at the place where they implicitly trust any directive of leadership.

He said that he couldn't expect that type of obedience from a brand new person, but he certainly expected it if the person has been around for a while.

Immediate obedience

Way followers minds shouldn't flinch or jump when asked to do something. Followers should learn to immediately obey.

This was taught by Martindale in light of his handling of Titus chapter 3 during the Corps Morning meeting that week, where he said that the magistrates mentioned were the leadership in the church.

From household fellowship coordinators on up everyone has a leader that they implicitly obey.

That goes all the way back to Reverend Martindale at the top of the leadership pyramid.

The teaching of "implicit obedience" is becoming very key to the teachings of The Way International.

The Joshua teachings from the Advanced Class Special (held in Dallas Texas) are an illustration of this.

The people of Israel prevailed to the degree that the obeyed to the detail, to the very letter, what Joshua told them to do - Craig Martindale

Martindale - the Modern Day Joshua

Martindale is becoming the modern day Joshua,  leading Way followers through the Promised Land. The term "submissive" is also being applied by Martindale frequently in the context of implicit obedience.

Way followers are to submit themselves to the leadership decisions. Followers are to be fully trusting in their leadership.

When presented with an instruction from a leader, a Way follower is supposed to be ready to obey with the full trust and confidence that their leadership have thought through all the details of the situation being addressed, and that all that remains to be done is for them to obey and carry out the instruction.

Martindale was in particular addressing the Way Corps and staff who he said, had seen for themselves on numerous occasions, the Way trustees carefully thinking through the myriad of details associated with any decision, and then getting the "wise counsel" of any others that were needed.

Martindale went on to say that the staff and Way Corps should have no problem having full trust in the trustees, having seen first hand the care and concern that they have for the Way followers.

People in a fellowship are to implicitly trust their household fellowship coordinator, who in turn would implicitly trust his branch coordinator who in turn implicitly trusts the limb coordinator and on up the Way Tree.

Bristling or Bucking Against Leadership

"Bristling" is a term being used frequently by Martindale to describe those who have any objection to leadership asking questions that they don't feel that they have a right to ask or intruding into situation that that person considers personal.

By "bristling," Martindale is referring to the hair standing up on the back of a persons' neck when that person is confronted by something that he or she doesn't like.

How a person is raising their children for example, or spending their money, or overseeing their college aged young adult etc.

An overseer according to Martindale should have the right to get involved anywhere that he believes is appropriate to keep the household clean and right on.

"Anywhere where a follower's walk affects the household or even approaches affecting the household, the overseers have permission to get involved. Indeed are required to get involved!"

"Bristling" is considered a manifestation that the follower is not meek, that he or she does not want the reproof and correction of the household, that they have not renewed your mind to the prevailing word etc.

Don't Ask How High - Just Jump

In residence Way Corps are taught from early in their training, that the suggestion of a General is tantamount to a command.

Many Way followers will remember Victor Paul Wierwille telling students in the Power for Abundant Living class ...when told to jump, you don't ask how high, you just jump!...

Blind Faith

As The Way continues to lose followers in a slow but steady hemorrhage, Martindale and the trustees feel that tightening the rules and demanding unquestioning obedience will help keep some of the flock in the fold.

Way followers who have been involved since the Wierwille days will no doubt remember the criticism that The Way leveled at the Roman Catholic church for its insistence that Roman Catholic churchgoers give their unquestioning obedience to the pope. They accused the Roman Catholic church of demanding "blind faith" from its flock.

The Way are now embracing with open arms the once ridiculed "blind faith" obedience.

With this level of unquestioning obedience being demanded of its followers, we believe that The Way trustees are (unwittingly - we presume) setting the stage for a disaster of Waco Texas type proportions.