JoyfulSoul

So far I know of one mod. Being new, I don't know the difference between a bossy member and someone in a authority. Also too, thinking Ive done nothing wrong, I wonder whose hypersensitivity am I responding to and why? That could in fact be the case. Let's say the operators of this board aren't entirely rational, you still play by their rules or go away. I get it. I've got nothing to say here about DOGE or vaccines or men in women's sports. 'That subject' that we won't mention, I see that as a theological issue first and foremost. Regardless, I'm not here to .... on anyone's Cheerios. I've already done what I came for.

Waysider, do you have a junior deputy badge? This has a theological component when getting involved in Christian Communities. Your point has been made. Recent events portend theological shifts. It's a valid point.

Thank you. I'll just accept everybody just as they are. Right now I'm more interested in connecting with brothers and sisters in the Lord and I don't care about their stance relative to the Way. So, if the Way is really sectarian right now, it's not going to work. If in fact they really are doing better than most, there will be grace to mingle in and out of a diversity of ministries without stepping on territorialism. It's an important time in history. Sounds like Netanyahu may be burying himself. Sounds like Trump is finally distancing himself. Israel is divided and in disarray. With Iran's hypersonic missiles just minutes away, Israel could just FAFO. Someone will say, THAT'S POLITICS! Yeah, but it's also necessary to say this. I look forward to a world of post Zionist Evangelicalism. Zionism more than Trinitarianism had kept me on the outer fringes. What does that have to do with The Way? It may be one step closer to oneness realized with the rest of the body.

You have to be honest about what you're saying, here. You're describing a completely one sided intellectual affair. If that were the case the impossibility would be real. It's not one sided and it's not all intellectual. God had his mind on us before we put our minds on him. Further, none of us knew all the religions when we first believed. Someone might have considered the inflection point in dating human history is based on one major religion but in the end, it was set out there and we took it. Unapologetically, subjective experience is a big part of it.

I began as a college atheist 45 years ago. I'm long gone. Over the edge gone. Unreachable. Forever lost. If we ever enforce a complete atheist, anti-supernatural society, take me first, drag me around back and shoot me.

I don't know if I should laugh or cry, Charity? I appreciate your kind concern. So, when I wrote about those people talking about their out of body experiences, you don't think that's real either? When it comes to the supernatural realm, I'm long gone out there. I've experienced a lot, but I've heard a lot more and frankly, I'm jealous. Take Will, for instance, I believe every word:

I thought that was a joke. As I said, I dropped out of the Intermediate Class. I just didn't feel comfortable saying whatever came to mind. Doubtless, demons started with me maybe in the womb, who knows? I'd hear a guy in twig proclaiming, once again, 'walk forth boldly on my word...'. You could predict it. I just wasn't settled with it. Wasn't even allowed to take CFS. Dale Sides was a Corp graduate, I believe. Deliverance, that was his thing (one of his things). Been prayed over by a lot of people. Unless someone truly has experience and insight, I don't take this matter to men anymore. For 30 years I've just been going and doing best I can. I spoke of a malaise, though. That was real. Seems everyone was affected by. Idk, I 'see' the Holy Spirit working right next to demons all the time. All over the place. Paul writes of the disarray in the assemblies sitting alone in prison in his latter years.

True story. And, I dropped out of the intermediate class. I dropped in for the weekend. What about all the people who took all the classes and lived there in training? Those demons had a lot more time to work.

There's one story of TWI I haven't told. I forget about it. Now, it comes back. After my two wonderful ROAs, I eventually wound up in the Army. I got back out and joined a twig. Some of us went together to some fall Harvest weekend at HQ. Everything felt different. There was a malaise over the place. As a relative outsider I was used to the kind of music you hear from the platform. This more informal weekend, the Fresh Prez was DJing a dance with music like ZZ Top, Legs. On Sunday we were sitting third row center in the WOW auditorium. LCM looked down into my eyes, I looked up at him expectantly, then BAM! A demonic transference took place, I had been hit. That thing hit my brain coiling itself around like Battling Tops. I didn't know what to do. Should I get out of there fast, speaking in tongues, rebuking it, making a scene? How would I explain that to my twig coordinator and the people with whom I was trying to fit in? I had never experienced anything like this, just how serious is this? That demonic bondage has been with me since. I feel it right now as I type. It's always there but I forget about it. I didn't run out of the auditorium. I stayed as we sang something like How Firm a Foundation. Only God knows how this has impacted me for 30 years. All the churching I mentioned I did in this current state. Once, when a man named Bobby Connor was preaching, it started making noises. I got up and walked out of the room. So, I apologize to anyone with fresh wounds I may have offended. I've sought deliverance and been told to get over it myself. I'm trying... I have. Laying on the floor, speaking in tongues trying to rebuke it. Some long fasts. Go here, go there, sitting in deliverance class. I sat through Exercising Spiritual Authority, or whatever it's called with Dr Dale Sides of LMCI. In earlier days he'd do a mass deliverance of everyone in the room. Hacking, coughing, shrieking, it was quite a spectacle. I was not affected, however. Yeah, it can get bad. Freedom for me has been coping. Pushing on. And, having recalled all this and spoken it openly (there are a few people on the planet who could figure out who I am) I have to rethink my plans And just for my own benefit, I like women, OK? Thank you Jesus that's not what I wrestle with.

Some on this board have been consistently kind and welcoming. Others of you have been consistently combative. Gentlemen, I have no interest in this. Where's the prize? What would make a ....ing contest worthwhile? I've probably stepped on toes. Sorry about that. If I'm going to be combative with anyone there better be something worth winning. https://x.com/TopGResistance/status/1920262595455357177?t=r2Ene5aPv5pHM4VSHYR6hQ&s=19

I don't care how he spends he spends his time. Just saying, that wouldn't be for me. Now you're going to start that again and act like I started it again!? At this point I'm ready to listen to somebody else talk about what they want to talk about. 5 pages of this thread, here. I'm ready to follow the wind of the spirit where it blows.

I can kind of understand that for awhile but then I'd be moving on. As a ministry I can better understand it, giving others the opportunity to talk over their issues. But, that would be ministry. Service. Once I've talked something out I'm looking for fresh. About that, I think I've learned there's only one thing in the world that never gets old and that's the Holy Spirit. That's true. Songs get old, the presence of God never gets old.

And, thank you, Joe. Somehow I imagined us all as seniors, I think it's fascinating to hear from someone recently with The Way. I'd love to hear your story, too. Just got my call from the "Limb Coordinator", if that's what we're still saying. Wonderful, fascinating conversation. He's 65 and he's been around his whole life...I mean, he's telling me about VPW's tangential real life relationship with the people in the recent movie, Jesus Revolution. Yep, both of us, doing a comparison of Lonnie Frisbee and VPW. Along those lines, Ted Haggard, ever heard of him? I had the opportunity to speak to him after church once. I'm pretty much full. Gotta process. Gotta 'hear' from God. Still hope to hit the Rock and maybe now a "limb" meeting. If you spill your story out here, Joe, I'll be listening.

Thank you, Nathan

See, Vineyard librarian. Now, that's the kind of thing I find interesting. I'd love to hear this story. That's not specifically about The Way, however. Out of bounds?

Modcat5, It makes me wonder how tightly the lines are drawn. I think this is the only currently active thread and and I haven't posted to any others. This is the third time the boundaries have been laid out for me (second by a mod). Are you saying the forum is not about people who have been involved with the Way? Just, the Way itself. I find it very useful learning about the spiritual life of the person I'm talking to. Everyone has had their experiences with the Way and this one came away and became a Catholic. Another came away and sometimes listens to LCM- just, imagine that!? Somebody has been deeply traumatized by his experiences. And, atheists. Of course I have shared a lot about my Journey, my faith and ministries I've been associated with. Are you saying Im pushing some kind of limit? As far as I know I'm the only one interested in reaching out to them and the truth is, how much a class costs isn't something I've even thought about. I'm not into rocking boats. I just don't know how strict you are about confining the subject matter. Comparing the lives of VPW and Lonnie Frisbee, for instance, to me that's very interesting. OTOH, you could say that's not about the Way. I just don't know because this freewheeling exchange has been therapeutic for me. I'm not really in need of anything, however. There's Charity, now. Comparing IHOPKC and The Way, is that out of bounds?

I want to be friends with them. I want to realize our brother and sisterhood. It doesn't matter to me if they have some different beliefs. That's been the story of the past 40 years. The only issue is whether they will accept me. I'm not exactly virgin clay. I'm not an empty vessel to be filled. Now, here's a crazy thought. What if, down the road, some people currently with the Way came on this board wanting to talk. What would that look like?

I just read this. All true. All true. Except, does that reflect the Way today? If so, they don't want me there, and I wouldn't want to be there. All love. Im not on a mission to mess with anything they are doing. Just, as I said, I stopped in to remember, and to feast on the beauty of the grounds. Serendipity, I met some really friendly and happy people. I talked to an old acquaintance from decades ago who had been a very emotionally well-adjusted individual- just nice and happy at the core. I do receive them as brothers and a sister in Christ. If like to be friends. I could do without any stage performances I've seen but I think talking would be both edifying and healing.

I don't know how this is going to go over but here it is. No end of the dead alive, angels, "caught up" to Heaven, visitations of the Lord etc, etc. I used to attend a small gathering in Jacksonville called All Things Restored. In one of their meetings, different ones talked about their out of body experiences. Now, the Bible is not my God, God is my God, but the Bible is the owner's manual for my life with God. Just remember most of Christendom lived their lives without even having a Bible. I'm still in the process of reconciling everything I'm hearing with the word.

Yeah, it's like I said, if I'm the only one who has experienced redeeming qualities with the Way I'll just need to be getting on my way. No offense. All love. We're just doing something different. Keep in mind, I haven't done much at all since the 1980s. I've experienced flaws. Serious Flaws. The people I talked to at HQ recently, they've experienced flaws too. For anyone traumatized, I want to give you whatever space you need.

It's a good thing I'm a follower of Jesus Christ and not some other man. The Way International taught me that. Previously, I considered myself an atheist. The narrative of the life of VP Wierwille, maybe I don't know half of it. I do know this, I have Holy Spirit in me, I have some level of discernment, and even though he passed before I came to the ministry, you can't convince the love of God was not in that man. Now, when you get done gnashing your teeth, I'm fully aware there were other things in the man, too. That's tragic. How about that miracle worker Lonnie Frisbee. Is somebody surprised that a godly man can get horribly off track? Anybody here know of Paul Cain? Todd Bentley? Mike Bickle? Jimmy Swaggert? Nothing new under the son, fellas. It's a good thing the Way Introduced me again to Jesus Christ. He doesn't have those kinds of problems.

There is this reformation going on in Christianity. I believe it's called deconstruction. I've been churching a long time. At IHOPKC the vision was the Arrowhead Stadium Prophecy. At Morningstar it was prophecy and worship. Everywhere it seems the vision was another Azusa Street Revival. Miracles? Where are the miracles? We know this much, God isn't the one who has to change. Well then, who has to change!? Did any of you catch the recent Asbury Revival? You may not think that was real but don't even waste your time trying to tell me it wasn't. Dr Wadsworth has just been doing a deep dive on the structure and practices of the first century church. Actually, he's been doing it 40 years or so. He himself started as a professional Sunday-preaching pastor. He does this deep dive and then he compares it to our modern churches with an honest look at our dysfunction. I'm the one saying the Way incorporated a lot of insights into this dysfunction, perhaps the chief of which is that we the laypersons should be studying the Bible FOR OURSELVES. The Way does that. They teach that. I don't have much of an answer for those who have memorized a litany of everything the Way did wrong and don't see anything they do right. That has not been my experience. I don't have the energy to change anyone's mind like that. If I don't find anyone here who has something redemptive to say about the Way my time here will be short lived. Not mad at anyone I'm just coming from a different place going in a different direction. I want everyone to be happy. Just, why are people here? Im only here because I know of no other place to talk to ex-Way people. If I'm the only one who thinks he sees something positive I'm probably in the wrong place.

I mentioned this man before. The Way is part of a further reformation of the church, IMO. Anybody want to see the miracles, again?

Respectfully sir, Evangelicals make up 25% of the American populace. Zionism dies without theology. As I've said before, I do plenty of that elsewhere. I don't need it here. Hopefully more are interested in the Way as it is today. That's why I started the thread.

Zionism is a passionate topic with me. It makes me angry we even have to discuss it. People can be so dense. 'Duh, the Jews, God's chosen people. Israel! That's in the Bible.' It just depends on who wants it. I don't personally need it. There are people more courageous than me on X.