Allan

Dizzy Dog.. summed things up beautifully,also another thing I noticed too was a lot of selfishness that comes through,a lot of focus on me,me,me.Sheesh, no wonder some 'struggle' to get over things. Also, a lot of "well I would like to hear a lot more recognition given to Bullinger, Stiles etc.. in the offshoots ! my reply is "how the sweet Jesus would you know when you don't even go along and have a look-see !!Stand on the side lines and tear down. Prophetic churches ? Been there, experienced a few.What a bunch of phooey,always the same stuff "you are going to be a great warrior for the lord, you are going to preach to thousands etcc..Didn't someone once preach that God is big enough to tell you something first ! That still holds true.Very thankful for that and MANY other doctrinal truths learnt whilst in.

There are plenty of people getting healed(miraculously) in plenty of churches and there are still others who 'don't make it'. I have personally been involved in a young girl coming out of a coma pretty much instantaneously. Selina and I were once at a beach doing some 'witnessing' and I was sitting a way off. I clearly heard God say to me " look in Leahs mouth" (Leah was our 'baby at the time)(and no there was no snow around !!) I looked over at her and my eyes seemed to 'pan in' on her mouth (they were about 20 yards away)In her mouth on a piece of apple that Selina was feeding her was a wasp !!. I yelled out and sprinted over and hooked it out of her mouth, thank God. Many more 'instances' to relay.I still believe God is GOOD ALWAYS, the devil is BAD ALWAYS and Myself, Selina, Leah (who is now 13y.o.) and the rest of our kids are still declaring it.

Thats some deep shi# bro !!

I actually still do consider opinions and advice

Mj412- you are definitely not of the minority. 2 plus 2 always equals 4 and there are many I'm sure who still get uncomfortable or frustrated when someone tries to teach or preach that it adds up to 5 or that it doesn't really matter if it adds up to 22 !etc.. To me 'rightly divided Word' is where the practical meets the doctrinal.(sorry to some of you for using that phrase !!)

Wadsqueda had actually organised a 'scholarship' for our 2nd year in-res( which I think would have been a first ) but I told him to stick it where the Martindales sing.

Ditto what Johnny said for us as well and we went through with 5 kids for one year. What spoilt our fun was a wad named Mos***da. We enjoyed the challenges too, especially things like having 20 minutes after Kitchen duty to get ourselves and kids ready for S.E.S.. We saw people with 1 child struggling, but then we saw people in-res that really shouldn't have been there anyway.

gc- is it the name of our church or group? I wish, about 10,000 turn up on any given sunday and thats just within a 30 mile radius !!

Sorry, do you mean HO-HO ?!! Oh no, hope I haven't started anything !! Btw, what does CHrist-mas mean(as a term of refern'ce)?

try http://www.hillsong.com.au !!

Very good points WaterBuffalo and Catcup !! I remember when Selina and I decided to split out of Indiana campus, I was talking to Bo Th**as about it and he said that if we were peaceful about the decision it was the right one !!

Bet he was s.i.t. like a house on fiahyr!! Good time to recite retemories too!

Worship in music really is a big way to get the heart ready to hear Gods' Word. We have had a number of people from 'pentecostal' churches hanging out with us and it took one of them to honestly say to us "your Sunday services are a bit boring" !!to make us realize that we could probably 'do the music side' better.Funny thing was,it 'lifted' the whole service'.

Oh and don't be 'scared' to wave your hands in the air or clap or shout out hallelujah it really is quite liberating ! Selina and I have realized what worship in music really can be.

Hey Ozbirdau, hope you enjoy it, Pastor Brian Houston is one of my favorite 'preachers'. I also admire Pastor Chris Pringle from Christian City Church. I do not agree with all they teach but I admire their 'sincerity'.

Sorry Raf but I have to call you out on this one. You obviously are not telling the truth because NO-ONE gets blessed or prospers outside of TWI!!

Oh, and from Pet*r Caw***n who co-ordinates Australia for them..ouch!

By the way, I've kept ALL correspondence from Mi**al Ad**s,my wifes brother and his wife Mar* (Rog**s)

When we left Indiana Campus we received 'a letter' from Mi**al Ad**s calling us thieves, dogs, pigs etc.. He also demanded $10,000 from us for our airfares that TWI paid for to get us back to N.Z. He suggested we find a good lawyer because he was going to make our life hell. Best advice he ever gave us !! We found a good lawyer who sent the Di** head a letter saying we could sue him for defamation. Never heard from him (in this capacity) again !!! And he is TWI new 'International Out-reach co-ordinator ?!! ROFLMAOPAOMF

Hi DMILLER,'Hillsong' is actually the name of a church in Australia and the name of their band.It is basically a 'worship music' ministry. http://www.hillsong.com.au or something like that. Ozbirdau.. we have ex-baptists, jw's, lds etc.. involved in our church so I guess theres something out there for ex-anythings..!!

Hi Ozbirdau, glad you asked the question about what I know of other churches 'beliefs'. Our church holds evening services which has allowed me time to visit other denominations and some I have even 'preached' in.I've been doing this for the last six years or so. It has actually been an interest of mine to 'look and see'. I can go into detail if you want about Jehovah Witnesses Catholic Seventh Day Adventists Apostolics Lutheran Latter Day Saints and even more obscure ones like.. Iglesia ne Cristo Apostolic Prophetic. Our Ministry actually has adopted things like full band playing pentecostal hillsongy type songs, we have people clapping, jumping, waving thei hands in the air, lifting holy hands so it aint like we're stuck in a time warp ya know !! So I stick with what I said in my previous post.All the best to you and your family,lovingly, Allan.

Rascal said.."why would anyone give credence to anything they said, regarding doctrine". Because Rascal,many of us who were involved in twi got to actually make up our mind as to whether or not what we were presented with was the truth and with our own minds got to say yes or no. I for one still believe that the basics of what VPW presented (albeit EW Bullinger or whoever) is even today unmatched in most churches.

I know in New Zealand a couple of brothers of some girls who got messed with turned up at leaderships house and things got a bit physical. I remember one time standing in a queue at local post office when Mi**al Ad**s and wife also turned up. When he saw me he hovered in the background furiously dialling his mobile. I presumed he was trying to get through to his 'goon squad'.!!

a finger in the ear does feel kinda nice !!

The room decor does look a 'bit gaudy' even by American mid-west standards !I see they take bookings, maybe possible to have a 'reunion there ??!!