The Shepherding Movement and VPW

[Rejoice]

I was reading about some folks who finally escaped from yet another nightmare control cult. It sounds a lot like what we endured with TWI.

"The Shepherding Movement (sometimes called the "Discipleship Movement") was an influential and controversial movement within some British and American charismatic churches, emerging in the 1970s and early 1980s. The doctrine of the movement emphasized the "one another" passages of the New Testament, and the mentoring relationship described in 2 Timothy."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherding_Movement

[Twinky]

Never heard of it before, but it sounds all too familiar.

[WordWolf]

If the wikipedia article is correct,

I suspect the founders (at least 2 of the 5, maybe more) genuinely wanted to do good.

I say that because they left when it looked like the results were bad, and warned others

about that. So, they may have meant well and ended badly.

vpw, on the other hand, never made any kind of repentance for his actions.

(The closest he came was to say he wish he'd been a better man, which is INCREDIBLY

vague and puts the emphasis on HIM rather than on those wronged or the organization

that wronged them-beginning with himself.)

I think they saw a problem and tried to SOLVE it.

I think vpw saw a problem and tried to EXPLOIT it.

[Twinky]

If the wikipedia article is correct,

I suspect the founders (at least 2 of the 5, maybe more) genuinely wanted to do good.

I say that because they left when it looked like the results were bad, and warned others about that. So, they may have meant well and ended badly. ...

I think they saw a problem and tried to SOLVE it.

The way I read it, too.

It's a fine balance between being genuinely helped in one's Christian walk, being corrected and encouraged to a more worthy endeavor where necessary - and being bullied.

As we have all found.

[TrustAndObey]

I was reading about some folks who finally escaped from yet another nightmare control cult. It sounds a lot like what we endured with TWI.

I guess the article and things said about the cult could resemble TWI.. But it was far from TWI when I was involved.. My family was a part of the "discipleship" movement for many years and I personally knew Bob Mumford and Ern Baxter.. some of the founders. The thing that did set them different is there wasn't a "one" know it all.. There was a group of them who for the most part kept one another in check, and money was used to help families, and not just those at the top. But like most churches/gatherings/and groups, there always ends up being those who take charge and those who abuse that power. The whole "leadership" or "shepherds" idea they promoted is unbiblical and unhealthy. And while the top tier didn't do anything like VP (take advantage of women, drunkard, etc), they did promote the headship and authority of men in the church more than promoting the headship of our Lord, Jesus. And many they allowed to be in "charge" under them did act like VP as oversight of many "shepherds" didn't work out as the original founders thought. But then, it's no different than any denomination. Allowing men to rule over men, and eventually many put in "charge" over a church, or a group of churches, ends up taking advantage of the power they should never have been given.. And the cycle continues.

So, while I wasn't a part of one of the destructive shepherding/discipleship churches or home flock groups as we called them, I wouldn't doubt many of things that happened in TWI happened there also. The atmosphere was perfect for it, as is any group that sets men/women in charge and then presents them as being more wise, noble, capable, and/or just someone to look up to.. Rather than realizing we are created equal each with differing abilities that can help one another. While I had great and fond memories being a part of the one group and not really any negative memories (although I have no doubt it set me up for joining TWI later in life), I can't say so much for TWI.. The whole top tier was and is corrupt as can be and has no desire for anything Godly. At least as far as Ern and Bob, I can't say the same, howbeit they certainly did make some major, life altering and destroying mistakes.