For what it's worth, most of the people in my church growing up weren't much better. Religion attracts a lot of crutch-seekers. Did you have any experience with an offshoot? I don't so I'd be interested if it was any different.
I run what I guess would be called a TWI offshot, but I would hate to call it that. Still, if the shoe fits...right?
Do we have any newbies? No not really. And I admit that is our fault. For a while we were tied in to hard to TWI teachings. Many of us had that hold over "we are better than everyone else" attitude. But I am fighting that with every thing I can muster. The only problem is that I sometimes find I am having to fight it in my own life as well.
We are not better and we do not have more or better "Word of God" than anyone else and in many cases we were wrong. We were to work together with all Christians and we were and are just to stupied and bull headed to do it.
Sometimes we have been unloving. That is a fight all of us have to deal with ourselves. I can't make you loving, I can only work to be more loving my self. I can think of lots of times when I messed up badly. Some recently, some a while ago.
Sometimes we even "played at church." I'm sure you know what I mean by that. All of us have been guilty of that at some time or other.
I do know that while we have not grown much locally, we have through the internet. No I don't have any newbies close by, but we work with new Christians in Poland, India, Kenya and other countries and giving them finacial aid when we can, no strings attached We send them teachings free of charge and I hope that we are blessing them. These are groups with no TWI links, they are just our brothers in Christ. We have some difference in understanding, but that doesn't make them any less our brothers.
Locally we have spent much time trying to heal. To re-examine the teachings we had while with TWI and from other offshoots. I pray that we do this with God's guidence and not our own bias.
Yes I would like to grow. It has been too easy to be comfortable with the small group that we have. But I also have to admit that I would like to see this "we are better than you and have the answers" attitude gone among our people before we grow and it is this attitude that I believe has done more to keep us from growing than any other.
Wow, keith, your heart sounds like its in a good place. I'll be praying for you and your group. This is what I thought twi was all about. At one time, anyways. I hope it works for you and your fellowship!!!! And I truly mean that!!!
Ok!! I will not try to be a nice person...ok? I will not!!
One thing you might consider is community involvement, helping the needy. Food Banks that provide meals and groceries to people. United Way has lots of organizations under their umbrella, you can give them a call. Just cleaning out your closets and garages and taking all your old coats and clothes and stuff and donating them to people. It's Christmas. Some people aren't going to have much to share or share with others. Wouldn't it be nice to know some kids out there got something to make their season a little better? Life is hard for a lot of little ones who didn't ask for it to be that way. Might be someone out there that needs you, you've got a lot to offer. :)-->
Its' so very far away, takes about a half a day to get there,
Thanks for your advice. We are finically involved with several charities locally. We also give item personally, I, for some reason, hadn't thought about asking the people who attend our fellowship to donate also.
I know one thing a lot of us used to dislike was being told what we had to do via Way Tree bureaucracy, whatever the next Big Thing was for our fellowships, yearly themes, "get the tape" instructions, "teach this", don't teach that. People here talk about the "old wineskins" thing of everything being tossed out from the past, etc. etc. etc. and it being anathema to reference certain things, yada yada. I can see that's not where you're at. :)-->But yeah, community stuff might be something cool to do for those who want to.
It's a "sermon we can see". I often think of Jesus and the ol' loaves and fishes. The Samritan helping the guy who got attacked.
Hungry peop's, gotta eat.
Its' so very far away, takes about a half a day to get there,
"It's a "sermon we can see". I often think of Jesus and the ol' loaves and fishes. The Samritan helping the guy who got attacked.
Hungry peop's, gotta eat."
We've gone off topic, but.... What set this idea for me was an often overlooked statement. When Judas left to betray Jesus it says that some of the disciples thought he was going to give money to the poor. Why would they have thought that if it was not something that Jesus told Judas to do on a regular baisis.
I think what happened was as I started to write that post, it brought back all those thoughts and emotions I felt many times when I was in TWI.
Attending fellowship 3/week was a strain for me(and I'm sure for many, many others). It stole my social life away. It stole my time away. I could never be part of the human race it seemed because...I HAD TO GO TO FELLOWSHIP or I WASN'T COMMITTED.
I could not take evening courses. I could not take self-interest courses. I felt like TWI had me by the balls...(Figure of speech of course :D-->)
I can empathize. No time for career development of any kind. Even afraid to commit to after school activities because a class might come up which screw everything up.
I hope you're making up for lost time in a way that makes you happy.
You are very welcome! Me making up for lost time? Absolutely and I'm just now making my way out of TWI. Although the truth is has been happening for some time. The ironic thing to me is how many other people could be mistaken for me. Kind of involved but now realizing their kids aren't getting any younger or they only have so much time with their spouse and family.
My biggest change has been to spend great moments with my family. Sadly, there was damage due to time lost but it's being put together and life is become wonderful again.
So, I guess, I should thank you for asking too. :-) You, Oakspear and Ex always seem to make my day.
It has been a while since I posted. (I almost forgot my GS password...)
I travel a lot and visit many ex-twi fellowships. I have seen lots of new people who have no twi roots. There have been so many that I have altered my teachings to be more generic in nature and I have consciously tried to not use twi terminology.
That has been a good thing. I noticed that when I lapsed and used twi terminlolgy that the grads did not track as well with what I was teaching. The terminology sort of spawned an " already know that - click!" response. I found that if I rephrased things in new ways that I was able to better hold people's attention. So now I try to teach as if no one had a twi background!
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JustThinking
A la,
Sorry you are in a sour mood. :-)
For what it's worth, most of the people in my church growing up weren't much better. Religion attracts a lot of crutch-seekers. Did you have any experience with an offshoot? I don't so I'd be interested if it was any different.
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wyteduv58
jonaim....My hubby is fellowshipping with CRF too. But long distance ...we live in California.
From what I've heard on his tapes he is a very loving man and has never asked us for money.
J.H. has sent us his classes at his own expence and from what I heard he foot the bill for most of the advanced class.
Not everything VPW taught was wrong and J.H. and Craig C. seem to be weeding out the bad and teaching the good.
I can't honestly say that I myself am fellowshipping with CRF, but I have taken 2 of his classes.
There are no fellowships of his in our area and my hubby wants to start one and asked me to be his assistant, I said no, but my older son would do it.
I'm still scared of "joining" anything. but if he does this he has left it up to me whether I want to go or not.
I do have to confess that I have been listening to his tapes in private ssshhhh don't tell on me. And I am impressed with him.
Hubby is a long time friend of Craig C dating way back to Whittier Ca. His brother Chris witnessed to my hubby at a college.
I'd like to know more about this group. Would you PT me?
Dovey....proud owner of two low riders...Dovey's Doxies...... Dovey
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Keith
I run what I guess would be called a TWI offshot, but I would hate to call it that. Still, if the shoe fits...right?
Do we have any newbies? No not really. And I admit that is our fault. For a while we were tied in to hard to TWI teachings. Many of us had that hold over "we are better than everyone else" attitude. But I am fighting that with every thing I can muster. The only problem is that I sometimes find I am having to fight it in my own life as well.
We are not better and we do not have more or better "Word of God" than anyone else and in many cases we were wrong. We were to work together with all Christians and we were and are just to stupied and bull headed to do it.
Sometimes we have been unloving. That is a fight all of us have to deal with ourselves. I can't make you loving, I can only work to be more loving my self. I can think of lots of times when I messed up badly. Some recently, some a while ago.
Sometimes we even "played at church." I'm sure you know what I mean by that. All of us have been guilty of that at some time or other.
I do know that while we have not grown much locally, we have through the internet. No I don't have any newbies close by, but we work with new Christians in Poland, India, Kenya and other countries and giving them finacial aid when we can, no strings attached We send them teachings free of charge and I hope that we are blessing them. These are groups with no TWI links, they are just our brothers in Christ. We have some difference in understanding, but that doesn't make them any less our brothers.
Locally we have spent much time trying to heal. To re-examine the teachings we had while with TWI and from other offshoots. I pray that we do this with God's guidence and not our own bias.
Yes I would like to grow. It has been too easy to be comfortable with the small group that we have. But I also have to admit that I would like to see this "we are better than you and have the answers" attitude gone among our people before we grow and it is this attitude that I believe has done more to keep us from growing than any other.
Please keep us in your prayers.
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vickles
Wow, keith, your heart sounds like its in a good place. I'll be praying for you and your group. This is what I thought twi was all about. At one time, anyways. I hope it works for you and your fellowship!!!! And I truly mean that!!!
Ok!! I will not try to be a nice person...ok? I will not!!
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socks
Hey Keith, ditto to Vickles.
One thing you might consider is community involvement, helping the needy. Food Banks that provide meals and groceries to people. United Way has lots of organizations under their umbrella, you can give them a call. Just cleaning out your closets and garages and taking all your old coats and clothes and stuff and donating them to people. It's Christmas. Some people aren't going to have much to share or share with others. Wouldn't it be nice to know some kids out there got something to make their season a little better? Life is hard for a lot of little ones who didn't ask for it to be that way. Might be someone out there that needs you, you've got a lot to offer.
:)-->
Its' so very far away, takes about a half a day to get there,
If we travel by my dragonfly....
(Jimi)
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Keith
Thanks for your advice. We are finically involved with several charities locally. We also give item personally, I, for some reason, hadn't thought about asking the people who attend our fellowship to donate also.
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socks
Cool.
:)--> It's like a "group hug". 
I know one thing a lot of us used to dislike was being told what we had to do via Way Tree bureaucracy, whatever the next Big Thing was for our fellowships, yearly themes, "get the tape" instructions, "teach this", don't teach that. People here talk about the "old wineskins" thing of everything being tossed out from the past, etc. etc. etc. and it being anathema to reference certain things, yada yada. I can see that's not where you're at.
:)-->But yeah, community stuff might be something cool to do for those who want to.
It's a "sermon we can see". I often think of Jesus and the ol' loaves and fishes. The Samritan helping the guy who got attacked.
Hungry peop's, gotta eat.
Its' so very far away, takes about a half a day to get there,
If we travel by my dragonfly....
(Jimi)
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excathedra
rags leroux,
what do you mean about your spouse and you were forgiven by wonderful offshoot people ?
and does geer actively participate in this fellowship ?
?
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Keith
"It's a "sermon we can see". I often think of Jesus and the ol' loaves and fishes. The Samritan helping the guy who got attacked.
Hungry peop's, gotta eat."
We've gone off topic, but.... What set this idea for me was an often overlooked statement. When Judas left to betray Jesus it says that some of the disciples thought he was going to give money to the poor. Why would they have thought that if it was not something that Jesus told Judas to do on a regular baisis.
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excathedra
i know a "poor" (at this time anyway) person here who isn't going to have christmas
?
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A la prochaine
Just Thinking,
Thank you for commenting on my 'sour mood'.
I think what happened was as I started to write that post, it brought back all those thoughts and emotions I felt many times when I was in TWI.
Attending fellowship 3/week was a strain for me(and I'm sure for many, many others). It stole my social life away. It stole my time away. I could never be part of the human race it seemed because...I HAD TO GO TO FELLOWSHIP or I WASN'T COMMITTED.
I could not take evening courses. I could not take self-interest courses. I felt like TWI had me by the balls...(Figure of speech of course
:D-->)
'til the next time...
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A la prochaine
Just Thinking,
Forgot to answer your question. OOPS
-->
No I have never attended an offshoot.
'til the next time...
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JustThinking
A La,
I can empathize. No time for career development of any kind. Even afraid to commit to after school activities because a class might come up which screw everything up.
I hope you're making up for lost time in a way that makes you happy.
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A la prochaine
JT,
Yes I am ... in every possible way. Thank you for asking.
How about you? How have you made up for the lost time?
Enquiring minds want to know
:D--> 
:D-->
'til the next time...
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JustThinking
ALP,
"ALP" makes you sound a bit Nordic.
You are very welcome! Me making up for lost time? Absolutely and I'm just now making my way out of TWI. Although the truth is has been happening for some time. The ironic thing to me is how many other people could be mistaken for me. Kind of involved but now realizing their kids aren't getting any younger or they only have so much time with their spouse and family.
My biggest change has been to spend great moments with my family. Sadly, there was damage due to time lost but it's being put together and life is become wonderful again.
So, I guess, I should thank you for asking too. :-) You, Oakspear and Ex always seem to make my day.
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A la prochaine
JT,
Thank you for the beautiful compliment...it is a pleasure to help someone 'make their day'.
So glad to hear you are exiting that place called TWI.
The damage in your family will certainly heal up in time and you will find that the bonds are now sweeter and tighter more than ever before.
Congrats and welcome home!
'til the next time...
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wyteduv58
Our family became a familiy when we ALL left TWI. It was the best thing we ever did for our family.
Dovey....proud owner of two low riders...Dovey's Doxies...... Dovey
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Research Geek
Hi.
It has been a while since I posted. (I almost forgot my GS password...)
I travel a lot and visit many ex-twi fellowships. I have seen lots of new people who have no twi roots. There have been so many that I have altered my teachings to be more generic in nature and I have consciously tried to not use twi terminology.
That has been a good thing. I noticed that when I lapsed and used twi terminlolgy that the grads did not track as well with what I was teaching. The terminology sort of spawned an " already know that - click!" response. I found that if I rephrased things in new ways that I was able to better hold people's attention. So now I try to teach as if no one had a twi background!
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vickles
That is way cool, rg...
:)-->
Ok!! I will not try to be a nice person...ok? I will not!!
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Shellon
Ala, I miss seeing you in chat. Are you going to an offshoot chat now?
:D-->
Pop in and say hello once in awhile???
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excathedra
rottie said about people saying:
well i'm about to drop dead right now from laughingokay i'll go back and read this thread
?
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excathedra
ahhhhhhh never mind i'm not in the mood
i feel the same about offshoots as i do about my family in the catholic church. hey if it feels good, do it, but leave me the hell alone
;)-->
?
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MRAP
this is just a test of how the site works, not since this is back in 2004, will it bring it up to the top - will see.
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MRAP
This was a test on how the chronological listing appears on the system: experiment, confirmed.
OH RAF, you look so young back in 2004.
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