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Well, Geshem the Arrabian................how about this up-to-date info from March 2016: 30 Years is more than enough Quote from post: <takes a seat and pulls out a menu> Hello All- There's quite a bit to unpack from 30 years. Bare with my rambling thoughts as they all get down. A third-generation "legacy", I only knew TWI as truth absolute. A child of the 80's, I remember growing up and having The Way being the only way. I took each class in the entire class series the exact week I was eligible, and repeated every chance I could. I only knew LCM as the fount-head of all things godly, and worshipped with (at) him through the birth of the new class. I soldiered on through his fall and stood behind my identity as a chosen part of the faithful remnant throughout the early 2000's. I pursued a degree and lead fellowships, certain I held forth what I knew to be the epicenter of the spiritual world. Once I got close to graduation, the promise of getting a job became VERY real. In a market the began to shrivel, I went from interview to interview, each time putting in hours of deliberate, thoughtful prayer and reflection, certain that the God I knew dwelt in my fellowships and that I was told would never let any wrong befall would come through in the clutch. Each time, nothing. Each time, disappointment. Each time, words came from those more seasoned as "Renew Your Mind", "It's not the spiritually best for YOU!", "God's got something bigger for YOU!". This was the first time I needed to prove God had my back. Long story short, I cobbled together enough to get by, but nothing close to the Eph 3:20 I was told time and time again. I got married, to an amazing and supportive spouse, who left her church to join up. She realized if she wanted tot be with me, she had to drink the Koolaid, and drink she did. She practically did a keg stand with that Hawaiian punch. Together, we weathered many situations that were far from the rosy scenes painted on STS tapes (or CDs or VHSs). Real life was hard as hell, and the God of the lectern and the magazine was not as quick to come through. There was always an explanation, mind you, but should not have to be this hard. "Maybe we're not studying enough. Maybe and hour daily is just a start.". "Are we giving enough? We're at 20%, but could we do more to prove our commitment to God and not our paycheck". We ABSed our meager earnings, lived in apartments, drove our terrible, leaky, beaten cars, and gladly taught others on how much God loved us and would provide. Any positive event in life was championed as proof of TWI's system. It began to seem like a lens that made all the bad not their fault and any positive thing their cause. Perspective. Fast forward to a fourth generation being born. Numerous requests from insiders to go on Staff and change from within. By this time, my life had changed. The grind of finally getting (and keeping) a real job meant hard work. I began to feel like everything in the ministry was a motion. Same old collaterals. The articles in the magazine were SOOOO predictable, as were the overly scripted services. Title, personal anecdote, verses, three main points, conclusion, blanket "Let's continue to..." statement... repeat. I felt as if I wasn't learning anything. To challenge myself and scratch my own spiritual and intellectual itch, I started my own studies and digging. ANy time I would bring these up, I was chastised for going solo and delving into what was already researched. I should re-search what is already available. By this time, I could hear an introduction and immediately know which verses would come up. One STS, I wrote on my wife's notes five verses. Sure as dang, each one was ticked in the course of that scripted speech teaching. I stopped taking notes. I stopped putting time into my teachings at fellowships. I started coasting. I could see others going through the same motions. I used to talk about all of the interesting connections and parallels the moment a great teaching was done. Now I saw how quickly others began talking about their week, their boring lives, their.... anything but the bible. Truth was, it was the collaterals being taught again and again and again. LCM was disavowed, never to be mentioned. All that was safe was the collaterals. So that's were everything went, and still are. Last flash is to the moment I realized how crumby the long-term TWI plan is for those out in the field. Find a menial job, work hard and don't rock the boat. Try to witness but we only need seats for the class- if it's just a connection, move it along. SELL SELL!!!! Find an apartment, move every few years, drive a 5 year+ model car (and keep that cardboard so you don't mess up the driveway). Long-term planning? You don't need that. God's got you. I woke up one day to realize my parents have no retirement and no equity of ANY kind. I didn't want that. I began looking at houses and tried every way to get one without getting a loan. Couldn't do it, so I tried to ask permission. Another post needs to explain this hot mess, but needless to say it was not on the menu. I forged ahead to the disapproval of many. Kid number two arrives- I stop going to STS. Our last trip, I don't even open my bible. I hear and scrutinize the entire presentation better than I had every encapsulated with my notes. (Oh the notes, but I digress...). On our way home, my wife says "What an electrifying teaching!". I let the air clear for about 5 seconds and say "Was it?". Her face was as white as the audience at any given STS. We then discuss very openly our current role in the ministry and where we saw our spiritual lives. Needless to say, it was the beginning of the end. We limped along for a few more years, mainly because of the sweet people that genuinely did care about others and the large family/friend connections. This is certainly a fact that cannot be overlooked, but we were killed with kindness and not won by spiritual truth. We eventually decide to skip fellowship for any convenient reason, attend other church services on Sunday mornings, and try on many religions/denominations. It came to a road that lead to us moving and telling our new coordinators we were out. I felt it necessary to go out on my terms, not middle-fingers a-blazing, but with a truthful talk. We left about two years ago.............<snip>

sexual molestations by certain top leadership lives and reputations of whistle-blowers trashed by an organized slander campaign marriages and families torn apart because one of them did not agree with TWI people sacrificing careers, finances, and personal goals because of pressure from TWI leadership Geshem you said “but you have that in any group” surely you don’t mean any group without exception…you must mean any predatory abusive parasitic life-dominating group welcome to Grease Spot, Geshem....stick around awhile - perhaps you'll find yourself wanting to revise your statement

Hi Geshem, you probably mean well…but may I suggest you rethink TWI’s legacy – scratch below the surface…not sure if I’d give any updated veneer much merit – especially considering Jesus’ words in Matthew 23:27 Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean…NIV Also, before you get too involved - like going in the corps, you may want to check out "Undertow" – Penworks and book "Undertow" Penworks blog info on book "Undertow" "Undertow" is a book coming out soon by someone who was in TWI’s research department – the author goes by Penworks here at Grease Spot – the info contained in that book along with what you’ll find here shared by other Grease Spotters should be enough cause for concern…There is a reason why so many were hurt in the past – and it has not be resolved – only covered up…only the naïve will buy into TWI’s “new and improved” rebranding scheme. While I was in the way corps program I found out what skills were really important for us to acquire as leadership in training – we were to master the words of victor paul wierwille – whatever he said about the Bible – indeed that was even more important than the Bible….another skill the corps program encouraged us to become proficient in was squelching any moral qualms…wierwille taught this most effectively while he was showing us his favorite porn video one night – he said a person can so renew their mind that even watching that porn video would not bother them. Looking back – I think that was wierwille’s sedative to the conscience…Guess Jiminy Cricket would not be good corps material.

I'm glad for your deliverance. I'm kind of sorry for all of you guys because in spite of great healing that happens when people believe and trust God, it doesn't mean organizations are worth your trust. Thanks for being sorry for all the people that were hurt. That is empathy you will never find in the upper echelons of the way. Best of wishes on your journey. God has different stories unfold for each of us. I couldn't tell you why mine has taken turns it has, but from my time in the way I found a spouse, got married, had kids, and moved on. I can't stay quiet about their tiered caste system Christianity, fundamentalist doctrine keeping followers destitute and vagrant, and bully-like behavior towards peers in leadership. That's not a matter of whether I'm hurt or not, actually not so much as scarred, but the point rather is about ongoing functioning evil and acknowledging and exposing it.

Geshem, welcome. Nice to hear from a current "innie." You may find, as you read in these forums, that many here were impressed by young leaders who genuinely had a heart for God and God's people. They, and others, ministered healing, taught well, lived well, and had a great lifestyle of living and loving Godliness. That's what kept TWI afloat. Unfortunately, when one enters the Way Corps - that's when it all starts going very badly wrong. Where the legalism really starts to bite. And where the young leaders' Godliness, spirituality , individuality and enthusiasm gets crushed out. Many have had good intentions. Many hearts were broken by the harshness of WC life. Those in the know at the top were corrupt from the beginning. They taught that to their inner circle. Not all were abused and not all were in the inner circle to be corrupted so badly. Some who did learn of the inner workings tried to change things from within. So far, none has achieved this. I am sorry to say that some of those younger leaders who stuck around - are no longer young and are no longer great examples of Godliness. Rather, they exemplify debauched leadership in the style of the sons of Eli (1 Sam 2:22 in particular). Take care of your heart, if you decide to stay. Be wise as a serpent, and do not believe all you see or hear.

To answer Rocky's question, yes, on Tuesday, Nov. 22nd, my website will have a PayPal link for placing orders for Undertow. The website designer is making this happen as soon as she can that day, so if you don't see it at 8:00 am or something, please be patient. It will be there by the end of the day. Just to remind ya'll: From Nov. 22 until Dec. 22 customers in the USA can order Undertow at my website and receive a signed copy in the mail. Transactions will be secured on my website through PayPal. Undertow is $24.95 plus tax and shipping. There are 31 photographs included (you'll get to see all the fascinating ways I wore my hair from age 6 to 35. And those gigantic glasses I wore in the 1980s. No extra charge for that entertainment.) The e-book version is scheduled for early 2017. Later, all customers, including overseas residents, can find Undertow at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other vendors’ websites and can order it from brick and mortar bookstores, too. (FYI -The print-on-demand company printing and distributing my book says the time it takes for books to become available at Amazon, etc., varies from one retailer to another.) If you have any questions, the fastest way to get an answer from me nowadays is to use the Contact page on my website. I will do my best to answer within 24 hours. Thanks for your support, folks. I hope you enjoy the story! Yours, Penworks

yeah, right Donald saying I am going to make The Way International great again and I am building a wall to cut off Wierwille Road from Ohio State highway 29 to keep the authorities off the property. Geshem, it was Jesus Christ who healed you, not The Way. Those sharp leaders who are millenials you talked about, will quickly kicked out. If God is calling you to full time ordained ministry, please seriously, consider leaving TWI and go to a mainline denominational theological seminary. In the long road, you will be much happier and keep your sanity.