newlife

DWBH.....Thanks for your posts! I am so glad you still pop in and post direct, uncovering truth for people who are here. There are new people here all the time and they need to hear the straight truth of it all. When I read stories of "what happened", it makes me sick! I ask myself, how in the world did I become a part of this organization and stay for 13 years??? Unbelievable to me! And here's the worst part of it all, I wanted to be like them! OMG.......I'm lucky to be alive! God's mercy and forgiveness is a gift to me. I'm am so sorry for having been in it, promoted it, lived it, stood by it and then almost died with it. And there are soooo many split offs that are promoting their own versions of "The Truth". For me, I wasn't sure what truth was when I left TWI....just was confused and depressed by it all. I left in 86 I believe and it's taken all these years to sort through all the stuff, beliefs, lies, and get to a place of having what I consider to be a blessed and good life. I'm getting ready to retire soon, and I am so very grateful to a God who has brought me through it all!!

I don't believe I can cause anything to change just because I believe it so. It's The Power of God that can change things.....Either God Himself (Example creation) or the manifestation of HIS power within me. But Me?? Are you kidding??? I'm just a human being who had no spiritual power in my life till I got Born Again and then that changed everything, cause it changed me. Praise Him!!

I was thinking about the book of Acts.....the apostles healed people, cast out spirits, etc........that's, to me, believing. And I've heard a lot about healings, etc done by former TWI people since they have left TWI...... I believe it's the Power of God in us who does the healings, etc. I also believe God can heal without a person ministering healing etc. And if one doesn't believe in the power within, then there will be no manifestation of these things. My experience, when I was 38 I got very sick with cancer. The Dr. said, I had a 20% chance of living. That no treatment would change that. A former TWI ministered healing to me over the phone and I was instantly healed just like that. Went back to the Dr. and She said, (She was a christian) well, I can't write down on the record that a miracle happened, but that is what it is, a miracle. I've not had a problem with it since and it's been 28 years since then. I praise God!!

I do believe in the manifestation of believing, So if I had the revelation to move a literal mountain, then I think I could do it, and I also believe in "Moving of your personal mountains" meaning.....what ever mountain (problem) is in your way. Maybe that is too simplistic, but it's as specific as I can get with it.

Could someone please list them, as I have forgotten what they were......... I think one was "Wait for the green light"?

Waysider......I was wondering if you would tell a little more about the "Murders" on the WOW field which are documented. Just interested in how this could happen and what happened to make this an occurrence on the WOW field. (not asking for names) Some of these things I've heard are just beyond my understanding. Thanks.........

Thanks for the topic. For me, it was bittersweet. It wasn't all good, and it wasn't all bad. I got into TWI at a time in my life when I was rock bottom and was suicidal. Once I was in TWI, life changed for me....I found a "Family" of sorts which I had never had and I found acceptance of myself and I had never experienced hugs from people like I did before getting into TWI. I was a "Believer". Since a child I had desired to be a "Missionary" so I thought this was God's answer for me to become that. I thought I would be a lifer cause I had never heard the bible taught like that, seen as many people committed as I saw. I thought it was the best ever. I did start seeing some things in people that didn't set right. I started having some questions in my mind about the doctrine. I started seeing some red flags here and there. But, I just discarded them because I was sure this is where God wanted me to be. Well, things got progressively worse and I started experiencing some verbal abuse as well as some physical abuse and it just got crazy Yet, I stayed because at that point I sincerely did not know how to leave. It wasn't until it started toppling down from the top that I saw the opening and I took it. I left I think it was like in 87 or something like that. The Good things for me were, I met some really wonderful, loving, geniune people of whom a few are still in my life today. I obtained the mindset of reading the bible and believing it was indeed the Word of God. I learned alot about the Word that I never knew before. Alot of teaching I am not grateful for, but I am grateful that I learned who I am in Christ. And as I said I was rock bottom when I joined, and I believe that was a saving of my life for sure. There were many times of having fun, lots of laughter and just good times that made some memories for me. The Bad things were when I left and realized all the things that I had believed were not necessary truth and I had heard about alot of the things that were going on in top leadership because I had a lot of corps friends even though I wasn't corps, I was angry. I was so upset that I felt that the "good years" in my life, meaning middle age....late 20's and 30's were gone. Time when people were planning and executing their careers, having families etc and here I was a mess, emotionally, mentally from being in TWI......I was bitter for a number of years until I sought some help to deal with things. Most of the time, I don't have much remembrance of my 13 years in TWI. I have a life now that is pretty good. I still feel that many years were lost in my life, but then maybe not.....time will give me the answer to that. So, to me it was bittersweet. I guess I have to say that obviously while in TWI I thought the good outweighed the bad....but after leaving I think the bad outweighed the good, I just couldn't see it when I was in it. I have had to learn that there were decisions that I made that were in error. In other words, I can't blame everything on TWI.....I own my own stuff. This has been my experience thus far in life with TWI....And I am very aware of the fact that others have had completely different experiences and we can't all be lumped into one little compartment.

Deputy? How come? And what is the function of such a person??

Good topic! When I got in, which was in 1975, it was exciting, it was growing. Twigs were wonderful. They were full of love and acceptance. I ran a twig and we had coffeehouses in our house and it was packed, I mean packed, you couldn't always find a place to sit. There were people on the floor, on the porch. But, then came the "leadership" and it was like they stepped into "God's Shoes" Instead of God being the last word on things, they were. Needless to say, all those wonderful, good things started decreasing and being replaced by "Things you need to do to be spiritual".....it became a "works" thing. I was a twig leader in a city in the south after a corp couple left and the fellowship doubled like to about 25 or so.....well the "leadership" decided to bring in a corps person and they split the fellowship....he got 19 of them and I got 6 people. You can get the drift of that.... I have to say I know some corps that were absolutely wonderful.....my branch leader on my wow year was one of them.....really tuned into God and it was a time of love and grace. We had lots of growth. My experience......

I had never heard or read the entire poem. But, I heard VP say part of it. I like it.....so very true isn't it?? I think of by their fruit you shall know them.......Guess I forgot about that when I was in TWI.... Thanks for posting that.

Interesting Posts....... My question is.....what did the military techniques have anything to do with spiritual principles. I remember hearing about the gun training at Emporia and thinking....what? Gun Training, kind of scared me that would be taught in a bible based group.....and then someone said well it's Gun Safety training. But later I had heard it was about how to be ready in case of attack. Just some strange training......LEAD........Survival training.....At Rome City......How to kill chickens.......How to string chairs, How to Teach....tell them what you are going to teach, teach it and then tell them what you taught......How to pack your suitcase......And I'm sure that some of this stuff was good to know....but I think it all got carried away and ridiculous. Especially all these exercises at Emporia to make people be unified and together......How did this have anything to do with biblical studies?? Thanks again for your posts.....

I read the account about the girl that severed her own toe! Made me sick!! That whole experience was from the devil. LEAD had so many sad stories of what happened to people when they went LEAD. Teamwork?? Build character, build believing?? What a bunch of crap. It was nothing but another exercise in what authority people could have over others. There was no real genuine concern about people and their well being. Who makes people stay out in the freezing cold with wet boots, wet socks, and says it's ok in their mind to do this? Pretty screwed up people that's who. We were told LEAD was a Godly thing, but there are many, many stories on the contrary about people who suffered. Some who even died. I'm so glad I never actually went corps. I was apprentice corps but after getting kicked and hit by leadership, I dropped out....all the time thinking I was an inferior believer who just didn't have what it took....It just appears to me that what we thought was Godly situations, were only devil inspired situations to berate, bring down, and belittle. How sickening. Teamwork, building character? What hogwash really. I'm so sorry for any of you who were in the Corps and experienced this horrible type of treatment. It's so sad......so sad. This has rekindled my anger at what happened in TWI........people need to know. Thanks for your posts......

I was reading some of the posts from and about the corps, it joggled my memory. Any of you in the corps.....I heard this story that on one day, the corp were told to pack some things and then they all lined up each one holding on to a rope that went to the next person so that everyone was holding on to the same rope one behind another. They took the group out on this exercise.....you couldn't drop or let go of the rope. They led the group up and down hills, and through water ponds and then even under a fence and the expectation was that you still held onto the rope no matter what. They ended up at a barn where other exercises were performed.......I can't remember them except some of them had to do with rocks. Did any of you participate in this and could validate this or add to it??? Just curious as to what all this was suppose to mean and to teach the corps????

Sorry, I have no memories of something like that. I left in mid 80's and I was a joyful Noise lover as well as Country Caravan and Good Seed lover. There's no comparison! Of course this is my opinion, and my preference ONLY. Others are definitely free to have their own opinion and preferences as well.

Hey Everyone...... I would like to hear from those people who were raised in the church and who who fully believed in the trinity, Who got involved with TWI and who changed their belief to be non-trinitarian...Who, after leaving TWI wanted to get back to believing once again in the Trinity.....How'd you do it???? Thanks for your experience.......

I am so sorry I read that wrong. Please forgive me.........

I found it very interesting that The Way International was talked about in the article that Belle posted. So the person that is behind the program has done some research. That's what makes me think that maybe someone has made their story known, or someone has some first hand knowledge of being in TWI and has based this show on those experiences. Just a thought......be interesting to see what this is about.

Good to see you back here Belle..... I don't know....I think it may very well be based on someone's story of their involvement in TWI......I would not at all be surprised at all. Our stories are not exactly the normal way of life!! No doubt we will relate, and see some familiar situations we have encountered in the past. LOL I'm looking forward to checking it out. Thanks for letting us know.

Welcome........ I came here when I didn't know what else to do or where to go. It was and has been a healing effect on my life because I had to talk with people who came from where I came from. I found out I wasn't the only one to have gone through or experienced what I did in TWI. That there were people who understood, who I could relate to, and it became a place of healing for me. People were kind, were reaching out to help me to heal.......and Honestly, I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't come here. For me, it was a God deal to find this sight. You'll find all kinds of posts from all kinds of people here. My phrase is, "Take what you want, and leave the rest". Meaning some posts are positive, and some posts still help me or impact me in a certain way. Others are ones I stop reading or I never read. I've learned who I want to have input in my life. I love God, and I love His Word!! I never stopped my relationship with Him at all. And today, My relationship with Him, my life, has never been better......I give praise to Him. So, that has been my experience at GSC....... Welcome and Hope you will find some people to connect with that you are looking for to have an exchange in conversation.

MRAP......I read your post here and I actually ordered it, but have not received it yet. What did you think of it??

I remember when I lived with others and we had leadership. We had dinner ready and she was not home, but we went ahead and ate. When she came home we got chewed out because we didn't wait for her. Next night we had dinner ready and she wasn't home and we waited for her. When she got home we got chewed out for not eating while the food was hot!! It seemed the rules changed all the time and try as you may to live according to the present rule, it was always different. Don't know if anyone can relate to this or not.

I remember when I was taking the class for the first time and I remember my class instructor said, look some of these things up and you'll see that we teach what the bible says. So I did. I went and bought a Young's concordance and checked the word "Receive". We were taught there were two greek words for it. Decomai and Lambano. I thought those definitions just didn't seem right. So I got my Young's and looked it up and neither of those greek words were listed nor the definitions we had been given. So the next night I took my Young's to class and after class I showed my class instructor what Young's said and said, that's not right what was taught in the class. She replied, well, Dr. has gone way beyond Young's. He has done a lot of research beyond what you could know so you just accept what he says because he knows what is truth. And that set the stage for me for the rest of the 13 years I was in. No reason to ask or question anything cause they knew more than I did no matter what I had found to prove they were in error.

What Bolshevik said, People thanked each other for being harsh........that just struck me. I did that.....a lot. In fact, when I got out of TWI and joined into another group, I was glad to see that they "yelled" a lot. Years Later I realized I equated harshness with love. If you were harsh and yelling at me, I knew you loved me. How screwed up is that? I can say, I no longer think that way...thank-you God!

Hey JavaJane!!!! Good to see you again!!! I've missed you!!! I think it's great you are working on your writing!! I wish you the very best with it!! What got me involved and committed? What a question....that makes the ole brain think back. I've been out for 28 years so you know I have a lot of backtracking to do in my thinking to answer that. What got me involved was that I was at a very low point in my life. Very discouraged and depressed. Had Not finished college, and knew that I was messed up. This was in the 60's....and drinking really got me! I had a bad childhood, adopted, and my adopted father sexually abused me. So, I had drank a bit too much in college. Left College and got a job. Because of the fact I had gone to church growing up, I knew that God had to be the one to help me sort out things in my life. I didn't even know what the problem was, but I just couldn't keep it together. I really prayed and prayed asking God to direct me to some people who could tell me about God and could help me. Well, got fired from that job, and the very next job I took, there was like 12 Fellow laborers working there and so that is how I got connected with TWI...I signed the card and the rest was history. Why did I stay and get committed. I really felt that TWI was the family I always wanted and needed. I felt I was "Home" I mean it was presented that way and I bought it. So, I just kept staying, taking classes, went wow. And even though there were red flags all the time, I got to the place where I ignored them. It was like I didn't know anything about much and they knew everything about everything. So even if I saw a red flag, I ignored it cause I had already found out they would be right and I would be wrong. Now on the spiritual side of it......when I was in H.S. I wanted to be a missionary and felt God called me to that. So when I got in TWI, I thought, This is IT! This is God working in my life fulfilling what I thought was a call of God on my life. I was very elated in the beginning. I mean Word over the World! I was very in love with a lot of the concepts. And even though there were a lot of things that didn't seem right, I still felt that I was suppose to be there.....I often said, I'm a lifer for TWI. Until the end......then I couldn't wait to leave. Things in the ministry just got crazy. And I found when I left, I was in worse condition than when I got in. I left TWI, but I couldn't get TWI out of me. It's taken all these years to feel like I am healed and that I have a good life today. Congrats on writing!!! I do some writing too, so I know what it is to need some inspiration at times. Hope my brief story helps out.

I had never seen a picture of it before.....wow.....that is a huge place. I take it TWI doesn't own it now.