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I have to strongly disagree with you using words like "sledgehammer, hate, rumor mills and loving anti-idol worship" (not sure what it is but it sounds bad). Posters on GSC are not dealing with rainbows and cupcakes. They are dealing with some pretty dark and nasty sh* t which people have experienced because of their involvement with twi. Why won't you try, Mike, to walk in the shoes of those who post on GSC (many of whom are former corps members) or the shoes of Charlene Edge and Kristen Skedgell? If you did, you would better understand what people say on GSC. Disagreeing with them by saying things like "well, it wasn't so bad where I was" or "I never saw any of those things happen" just doesn't cut it. Sticking one's head in the sand is not a viable excuse for pleading ignorance about twi's behavior when the facts are readily available in Charlene and Kristen's books. If you don't want to understand and accept where we are coming from on GSC, at least do not call it hate. In my opinion, what you are seeing here is righteous anger, concern and pain - not hate. - Righteous anger not only because we know from experience what ungodly things happened in twi (especially those who were in the corps), but also because these things that oppose God continue to be covered up, whitewashed and denied by people who are still promoting twi. - Concern for twi people who have left or are still involved who are struggling with fear, grief, confusion, anger, self-doubt, suicidal thoughts...the list goes on and on. They are fighting for these believers who seriously need the validation, help and support that GSC gives. - Pain can be frustrating and upsetting when the hurt we feel in our own lives or in the lives of others should never have happened in the first place if the leaders had loved as Jesus loved.

It's called presentism, as the video below explains:

Right. Ugly truths are to be augmented with prettier truths so they aren’t so ugly. Ugly facts that could lead to ugly truths need to be hidden, because really young believers to the cult need time to build the prettier truths into their head before facing the ugly facts that could direct them to the ugly truths rather than the prettier augmenting truths. And it’s only the prettier truths in the Word that will make them free not the uglier truths. I see it all now. I can see the difference. Thanks for making it all so clear for me. I think you are the perfect person to write the Ways history from 1982 - present.

I kinda lost sight of Jesus Christ while in TWI. Got "God-focused" but lost "Jesus-focus." Even now, I'm not very sure, not as Jesus-focused as those around me. Am I missing something? Or someone? "Jesus" is some kind of talisman name in TWI. And Wayfers can have amazing discussions about whether wording should be "Jesus Christ" or "Christ Jesus," the difference between these two styles of address, and other such nonsense, without ever seriously studying the books about the Man's life and actions. Wayfers might read a bit here or there, even have a bash at a "harmony of the gospels" - but in depth looking at the Man's lifestyle, his prayers, his words generally? Nah, that's for someone else, y'know, the people in the churches and denominations. If Jesus is the fulfilment of the law for righteousness, what laws did he fulfil? How? What Wayfers look at that? What Wayfers consider the OT? And the OT's relevance to us now? Because that does still have relevance to what we do now. And (Wayfers! here's news!) Jesus has relevance to our lives now, too!

Praise the lord, when I was looking for work in 2006, God opened an amazing door for me to return to the legal profession, found me friends, found me somewhere to live (rented room) and then a house (to buy). The people I initially stayed with belonged to a church and invited me along. I went with some fear and a lot of suspicion. And I wept through the whole of that first service. It was healing, clean tears, washing away the hurt and pain of TWI. I could feel myself being strengthened. I felt clean, safe. Nobody asked me a thing, just passed me some tissues and clearly realised talking wasn't what was needed. Decided to go back the next week - every week for the next 6 months I wept at some point. After a year or two, I was part of a church plant in a more deprived part of my city. The original commitment was, if I recall right, three years, but most of us are still at the church plant, which is now very strongly established and dominant in bringing help of all kinds to the community. We do do lots of things together as a church family, and they're fun. And we do lots of things in our individual workplaces too. Charity, if you can, find a good, outward-facing church, engaged with the community around it, that will build you up first, so that you can then go out and help others. It's as you do that, that you will find out how God works in you.

Thanks, Charity. I do a lot of things very quietly on my own. I lost my job in big layoffs in 2008 when the economy tanked. Eventually I set up as a self-employed "go-fer" and doing anything that came to hand - principally gardening, but it's anything that people need. One thing leads to another. So I've done people's gardens and gone on to paper their rooms or paint something; I fix small things, attach rails, mend broken stuff, sew on buttons; I take people to hospitals and other appointments; clean their houses and carpets; draft legal documents; help claim government grants and other financial assistance; I currently hold power of attorney for some elderly clients - well, only one now, the husband died - and I organised his funeral and everything around that; I visit my clients in hospital and read or pray with them as they are about to die; and I do very much more for people. Nearly all my clients are very elderly. They may have adult (retired age) children, but they don't live near. Or they may have no-one at all. I've noticed that many of my clients are themselves Christians but often haven't been to church for a long, long time because they can't get there. So we have "spiritual" conversations sometimes. I get to know their families and major contacts, and they're happy for me to help, and I can bless them too by keeping an eye on their elderly loved ones. And so this circle of love and trust keeps expanding. When a client dies, moves to live with family, or move to live in a care home (or otherwise dispenses with my services), I see that an an opportunity. And I say, "Okay, Dad, who do you want me to serve now?" and out of the blue someone will ring and ask if I can help. They may have a very old flyer that I put out when I first started, or a friend gave them my number, or they saw me working in someone's garden... I never advertise now. And I always have exactly the amount of work that I need. No more, and no less. Just what I can handle. Don't you think that it's so amazing that God would meet my need (to work, to have an income) and match me with some elderly person who needs work done? I have to say: God is the best employment agency. And the best employer! Another thing I noticed is that I quickly become the trusted person that my client turns to. God puts me in position and we build up a relationship. And then some disaster strikes: client gets ill, has a stroke, a fall; etc etc - and I'm the go-to person. Because that trust relationship is already there. All this comes, Charity, from a simple trust relationship. I have only my God to rely on. No-one else supports me, gives me money. I put myself totally at God's service and say, "What do you want me to do?" And a door opens for me. And I go through it and see who's on the other side. No plan, just: How can I help? It seems that everything that I've done in my life points to where I am now, serving in the capacity that I can now. All my clients and their families know I am a committed Christian and that I help them as an expression of that Christian commitment. I don't go on about it in conversation, no heavy "witnessing" sessions, but when we chat, I touch on what I do and things I pray for, and let my actions bear witness for me. And the benefit for me is that the more I put my trust in God, the more trustworthy he becomes. No, that's not right. I mean, the more I trust God, the more I am able to trust God in and for the future.

I sing with a church music group. This year, I've asked if a group of us can go into a nearby care home (where I have an old friend) and sing carols for a little while. So that's what I'm doing on 20 Dec (I'm even cancelling an afternoon's work to be able to do it). It will bring much joy to the residents. I'm also serving on Christmas Day by fetching people for a Christmas Dinner and Party, put on by (mostly) Christians in the city, for people who would otherwise be on their own. There will be (so far) about 130 guests and there are dozens of people willing to lend a hand to put the party on: present wrappers, vege peelers, cooks, table setters, table hosts, fetchers of guests, others to take guests home, helpers for those who need a little extra attention for special needs such as toileting, washers-up... many hands make light work. Some have volunteered for more than one role. Everyone says it's a jolly occasion. Some volunteers have been doing it for many years. Additionally, quite a few churches are hosting Christmas lunches. Recently, October or November, as a church we held a Saturday morning for local tidying action. We hire three big skips, put at different locations, and people can bring rubbish to toss into them. The church is in one of the poorest areas of the city, and it's not easy for some to dispose of the broken fridge, the wretched old mattress, the table that finally broke, etc. Rather than dump in the street or leave to moulder in the back garden, we help keep the area tidy and more attractive to live in. The skips are manned, and those not manning skips were litter picking in the nearby streets and in the little shopping area. Local residents are amazed that we should do this - free! And we tell them that we do it because we love them, Jesus loves them and cares about them. And how else can we help them (as individuals)? Recently, some members of the church have seen a need for housing vulnerable people and have got involved with "Hope into Action." I am on the prayer and support team for this. Idea is to buy a house (=get an investor), furnish it, house some vulnerable people, and over two years mentor them, help them grow into responsible adults, and move on with their lives. There will be one social worker involved, and there will be two "befrienders" per tenant. Our first house has been bought, many members of the church helped with cleaning, painting, getting the garden up straight, and furnishing. First tenants move in very soon; three girls who have been in local authority care for some years. The tenants will know we are from the local church (it's actually 50yards across the road from the church!) but there is no pressure to come along, convert, or any such thing. It's just - loving them into becoming responsible adults. Bravo, Rob, for this outreach! https://www.hopeintoaction.org.uk/ So many ways to serve the lost and lonely.