I really wonder how many people were good, loving people before they got involved in twi in the first place,whether they changed and after leaving 'reverted back' to their good, loving nature ??!!
Our association with CFF the Organization with Clapp & Shoyer was brief--a couple emails and the free tapes--and that was a pleasant surprise to us. That part of it was positive.
Then we got involved in Real Life little CFF fellowship, and it was pretty much same ol' same ol'--'we need to have Fellowship at YOUR house,'We need help moving' etc...
We felt like a resource to be used and were not at all ready to have a new 'twig leader' involved in running our lives. We politely excused ourselves. We didn't find a friendship type relationship in that real life group--very definitely a leadership type relationship.
Remember--some of those CFF twig coords will have had training in leadership from their LCM TWI days.
My ears were burning, so I thought I'd show up here before I go on another hiatus (back to school).
Please keep in mind, as I share my point of view, that I am NOT personally involved in running a fellowship. Like IGotOut, I enjoy going to the reunion and fellowshipping with the folks there that I know. I will tell you what I have personally observed firsthand. Your mileage may vary.
As for how CFF treats women, they recently ordained a woman. And I'm sure they enjoy what this woman contributes so much, they'll probably do it again (a different woman ;)-->).
How they treat the children, I don't know. The ones I saw at the reunion seem pretty happy. My daughter will be a "teen vet" this year (turning 20), so I don't know much about their children's fellowship. But I do know from my own daughter having attended several of their teen camps, that she had a blast every time.
As far as I can tell at the moment, CFF is not a performace based ministry a la TWI. In other words, they don't require a whole lot out of people. They haven't stuck their noses in my business where they don't belong (Of course they'd lose it if they did :P-->), and they are consipicuously absent in poking and prodding into my life.
CFF leaves it up to the individual how they want to conduct their own fellowship. You can be as involved or uninvolved as you want to be, and no one should bug you about it. I know that is how it has been for me. I pretty much do what I want. Of course, I'd do whatever I wanted regardless .
As I have posted on this site, I'm not much involved in the fellowship, although my husband has one in our home. Occasionally I do attend, but usually I'm doing homework or otherwise occupied.
My husband is notoriously very "relaxed" about the way he conducts fellowship-- people aren't castigated for being late, for instance. Occasionally my husband is even late for his own meeting-- he'll try to call me first though, so I can let people know! Nor do we call people up and require their presence. We're glad to see them when they come.
Also, we may spontaneously decide to serve dinner, dessert, or coffee to everyone DURING the meeting. Sometimes there is singing, sometimes not. There is always prayer, and usually manifestations, but they do not follow a predictable "order of service."
As a huge departure from the way TWI has always run things, my husband allows people to interrupt him with questions DURING his teaching, and conducts more of a forum for discussion rather than TWI-style "teachings."
I believe in order to do that, it takes more flexibility, preparation, knowlege, and humility on the part of the teacher, than to sit there autocratically and expect everyone to accept what you are pushing without question.
That format also enables the hearer to exercise his own thought processes... something TWI is not willing to allow a person to do, and I think it is very necessary, especially in cult recovery. You need to find your brain, think with it, and ask questions.
When I attend, I am known for occasionally interrupting my husband and adding a point or two of my own, or asking probing questions to stimulate thinking if I have an opposing view to the one being presented, and people who come are always welcome to follow suit. You'll never find THAT allowed in TWI...
And by the way, I believe that it takes a leader confident in his abilities and a leader of humility, to be still and allow someone else to speak if they are so inspired. You don't have that in TWI. The spirits of the prophets are subject to the leadership. That's why they have all been silenced or run off.
As far as approval seeking behavior, I personally am not a person who seeks approval-- I don't feel I need anyone else's verification of my worthiness as a human being.
Apparently, CFF doesn't nurture the kind of behavior that encourages approval seeking. They want you to grow up and make your own decisions in life with a mature outlook, from the standpoint of The Word of God.
As far as legalism is concered, since CFF doesn't require much out of people, I wouldn't consider them legalistic. Like I stated before, they are not intrusive into your personal business. They expect you to be honest and handle your own life responsibly, but will counsel you if you ask.
As for giving, we don't send in money from our fellowship (we don't collect money from people, either) and CFF has never asked us for any. But if anyone in our fellowship has a financial need (or otherwise) everyone chips in and helps out if they can.
There are fellowships, though, who regularly share financially with CFF, though there are no requirements I am aware of other than it be given willingly and not of necessity. I think the amount is left up to the individual, and the distribution is up to the home fellowship. I know my husband has returned from the clergy meetings saying Shroyer does not want to centralize funds like TWI, but rather wants to leave the distributions up to the local leadership.
I do know, that CFF has sent money out to individuals, fellowships, or even to other ministries in the United States and elsewhere, who have need. They are very caring and generous.
To my knowlege, and from my over two decades of experience with them, I never knew TWI to do that, EVER-- not to people I knew who were suffering severe hardship, and especially not to other ministries.
I've never seen a "blue form" pushed on us. The last ones we had from TWI, I had them cut up, padded, and used them for scrap paper.
As far as abusive behavior, I have heard from someone on GSC (Can't remember who it was) of one particular person who ran a group of home fellowships who was legalistic and even abusive, using some of the TWI II tactics against his people. He no longer associates with CFF, and that may be why.
Shroyer really doesn't like, and will not tolerate abusive behavior, and has publicly stated for the record that he will not tolerate adulterous behavior in the leadership or the followers.
At a minimum the splinters appear to make excellent decompression chambers for some. This is not to say that thats all they are good for or ,on the opposite side,that they are sufficiently different from TWI to warrant your time and money (if they ask for that). But why not try something that is not derivative of TWI ?
As for how CFF treats women, they recently ordained a woman. And I'm sure they enjoy what this woman contributes so much, they'll probably do it again (a different woman ).
Guess that kind of taints the whole bible research fellowship thing for me....Seeing as twi proved that you can make scripture agree with just about anything the researcher wants to justify.
Good thing for me that God appears able and quite willing to work outside of the avenues employed by twi to make himself known....else many of us would never trust him again.
My whole point was, not to slam cff, ( I think the guys who run it are good folks) but to give thought that meaningfull christian fellowship can be found.
------------------------------------------------
I'm always amazed at how these threads play out. A simple question.
Getting lonely and wondering about checking out CFF. Anyone here fellowship with them?
Then on cue we have to hear about the abuse in the way followed by lets bring up the past threads on abuse to the top too. What does that have to do with the question? Nothing.
It is clear that she was looking for a Bible based fellowship,but that can't happen No!we must educate them on what they really need. I suppose we are too stupid to know what we want.
But maybe someone who has recently left twi is unaware of the potential rewards of fellowshipping outside of the known comfort zone of a biblical fellowship.
Sometimes it can be rewarding as well as an excellent opportunity for learning, and healing to fellowship with people who live it in their daily lives, rather than sitting in a meeting where folks are teaching the same old thing we have been hearing for 30 years now....
Sometimes after years of association with twi....we are prone to think that a biblical fellowship is the only place to get this particular little *itch* scratched.
________________________________________________
You say you have nothing against this group,but you post as if you know what they do.
You have no idea if people in CFF are living it in their lives or that they are teaching the same things it is an assumption.
It is wrong to insinuate things about these people based upon the past of the Way.
So What? Are we supposed to feel guilty because we enjoy Bible fellowship? Personally I'm sick and tired of doing time for a crime I did not do....
I really wonder how many people were good, loving people before they got involved in twi in the first place,whether they changed and after leaving 'reverted back' to their good, loving nature ??!!
It was NOT clear from the original post dove, I only offered an observation on what had helped me personally when I was lonely after leaving twi....As SOON as Smurff clarified what she was interested in, I shutthe hell up.....
I made no statements concerning cff pro or con, I even expressed a liking for it`s leaders....I did not contradict catcups first hand account in any fashion shape or form....
I have stated before that it is my opinion that God can work in multiple areas ...exactly how we need ..... in whatever the uniquely personal and loving way NEEDED to heal each of us in whatever the best manner that works for that particular individual......even in gasp heaven forbid.... offshoots and dare I say .... churches???
I think the only people that have a real problem with this are those who still insist upon trying to shove the shoe that fits on their foot onto everybody else....
Getting lonely and wondering about checking out CFF. Anyone here fellowship with them?
Pretty simple. Anyone (Any person) here (on this board) fellowhip with them?
(A close association of friends or equals sharing similar interests) that being CFF.
She did not ask about abuse in the Way or civic duty or working at an animal shelter.
I made no statements concerning cff pro or con
Then what was the point of this and who were you talking about? The thread subect was remember? CFF.
Sometimes it can be rewarding as well as an excellent opportunity for learning, and healing to fellowship with people who live it in their daily lives, rather than sitting in a meeting where folks are teaching the same old thing we have been hearing for 30 years
You implied that the civic serving people are "living it" while the Bible fellowship(the thread subject was CFF remember)just sits around teaching the same old stuff. It is a backhanded slap.
I think the only people that have a real problem with this are those who still insist upon trying to shove the shoe that fits on their foot onto everybody else....
Excuse me! it is you who tried to shove your shoe on our foot. She did not ask about the things you posted on. You decided that she needed to consider something besides what she asked about(your Shoe) Read again the question was I'm thinking about this shoe(CFF)do any of you know anything about it? No one was shoving any shoe on anyones foot. Just a question
Dove, you seem to be trying to pick a fight....I have already explained my reasons for offering my opinions on places to find fellowship....I don`t need to defend myself any further to you....
Dove, I don't get why this is generating so much heat from you. Rascal didn't say anything critical of CFF or the Bible, or anything of the kind. Have some cocoa or something.
I see no reason why people can't do both...volunteer or join a club if they so desire and fellowship with CFF if they so desire. Seems simple to me.
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Oakspear
I really wonder how many people were good, loving people before they got involved in twi in the first place,whether they changed and after leaving 'reverted back' to their good, loving nature ??!!
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rascal
Who you callin a nasty piece of work?
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Oakspear
Rascal:
You ARE the mistress of darkness, aren't you?
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Bramble
Our association with CFF the Organization with Clapp & Shoyer was brief--a couple emails and the free tapes--and that was a pleasant surprise to us. That part of it was positive.
Then we got involved in Real Life little CFF fellowship, and it was pretty much same ol' same ol'--'we need to have Fellowship at YOUR house,'We need help moving' etc...
We felt like a resource to be used and were not at all ready to have a new 'twig leader' involved in running our lives. We politely excused ourselves. We didn't find a friendship type relationship in that real life group--very definitely a leadership type relationship.
Remember--some of those CFF twig coords will have had training in leadership from their LCM TWI days.
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rascal
Nuff said ....shiver...
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Catcup
My ears were burning, so I thought I'd show up here before I go on another hiatus (back to school).
Please keep in mind, as I share my point of view, that I am NOT personally involved in running a fellowship. Like IGotOut, I enjoy going to the reunion and fellowshipping with the folks there that I know. I will tell you what I have personally observed firsthand. Your mileage may vary.
As for how CFF treats women, they recently ordained a woman. And I'm sure they enjoy what this woman contributes so much, they'll probably do it again (a different woman ;)-->).
How they treat the children, I don't know. The ones I saw at the reunion seem pretty happy. My daughter will be a "teen vet" this year (turning 20), so I don't know much about their children's fellowship. But I do know from my own daughter having attended several of their teen camps, that she had a blast every time.
As far as I can tell at the moment, CFF is not a performace based ministry a la TWI. In other words, they don't require a whole lot out of people. They haven't stuck their noses in my business where they don't belong (Of course they'd lose it if they did :P-->), and they are consipicuously absent in poking and prodding into my life.
CFF leaves it up to the individual how they want to conduct their own fellowship. You can be as involved or uninvolved as you want to be, and no one should bug you about it. I know that is how it has been for me. I pretty much do what I want. Of course, I'd do whatever I wanted regardless .
As I have posted on this site, I'm not much involved in the fellowship, although my husband has one in our home. Occasionally I do attend, but usually I'm doing homework or otherwise occupied.
My husband is notoriously very "relaxed" about the way he conducts fellowship-- people aren't castigated for being late, for instance. Occasionally my husband is even late for his own meeting-- he'll try to call me first though, so I can let people know! Nor do we call people up and require their presence. We're glad to see them when they come.
Also, we may spontaneously decide to serve dinner, dessert, or coffee to everyone DURING the meeting. Sometimes there is singing, sometimes not. There is always prayer, and usually manifestations, but they do not follow a predictable "order of service."
As a huge departure from the way TWI has always run things, my husband allows people to interrupt him with questions DURING his teaching, and conducts more of a forum for discussion rather than TWI-style "teachings."
I believe in order to do that, it takes more flexibility, preparation, knowlege, and humility on the part of the teacher, than to sit there autocratically and expect everyone to accept what you are pushing without question.
That format also enables the hearer to exercise his own thought processes... something TWI is not willing to allow a person to do, and I think it is very necessary, especially in cult recovery. You need to find your brain, think with it, and ask questions.
When I attend, I am known for occasionally interrupting my husband and adding a point or two of my own, or asking probing questions to stimulate thinking if I have an opposing view to the one being presented, and people who come are always welcome to follow suit. You'll never find THAT allowed in TWI...
And by the way, I believe that it takes a leader confident in his abilities and a leader of humility, to be still and allow someone else to speak if they are so inspired. You don't have that in TWI. The spirits of the prophets are subject to the leadership. That's why they have all been silenced or run off.
As far as approval seeking behavior, I personally am not a person who seeks approval-- I don't feel I need anyone else's verification of my worthiness as a human being.
Apparently, CFF doesn't nurture the kind of behavior that encourages approval seeking. They want you to grow up and make your own decisions in life with a mature outlook, from the standpoint of The Word of God.
As far as legalism is concered, since CFF doesn't require much out of people, I wouldn't consider them legalistic. Like I stated before, they are not intrusive into your personal business. They expect you to be honest and handle your own life responsibly, but will counsel you if you ask.
As for giving, we don't send in money from our fellowship (we don't collect money from people, either) and CFF has never asked us for any. But if anyone in our fellowship has a financial need (or otherwise) everyone chips in and helps out if they can.
There are fellowships, though, who regularly share financially with CFF, though there are no requirements I am aware of other than it be given willingly and not of necessity. I think the amount is left up to the individual, and the distribution is up to the home fellowship. I know my husband has returned from the clergy meetings saying Shroyer does not want to centralize funds like TWI, but rather wants to leave the distributions up to the local leadership.
I do know, that CFF has sent money out to individuals, fellowships, or even to other ministries in the United States and elsewhere, who have need. They are very caring and generous.
To my knowlege, and from my over two decades of experience with them, I never knew TWI to do that, EVER-- not to people I knew who were suffering severe hardship, and especially not to other ministries.
I've never seen a "blue form" pushed on us. The last ones we had from TWI, I had them cut up, padded, and used them for scrap paper.
As far as abusive behavior, I have heard from someone on GSC (Can't remember who it was) of one particular person who ran a group of home fellowships who was legalistic and even abusive, using some of the TWI II tactics against his people. He no longer associates with CFF, and that may be why.
Shroyer really doesn't like, and will not tolerate abusive behavior, and has publicly stated for the record that he will not tolerate adulterous behavior in the leadership or the followers.
That's about all I could tell you.
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WhiteDove
Thanks Catcup for taking the time to post it was as always very informative.
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rascal
ROFLMAO Oak! technically, I think it was *agent * of darkness....but mistress `ll do ;-)
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diazbro
At a minimum the splinters appear to make excellent decompression chambers for some. This is not to say that thats all they are good for or ,on the opposite side,that they are sufficiently different from TWI to warrant your time and money (if they ask for that). But why not try something that is not derivative of TWI ?
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TheSongRemainsTheSame
I love that one!!!
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WhiteDove
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TheSongRemainsTheSame
Kinda a mixed observation for you eh Oak?
Same for me!
Many A Good Folk I met.
Doncha ya know we will even judge ANGELS!!!!!
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TheSongRemainsTheSame
The
Mystery O Christ~~~
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TheSongRemainsTheSame
TWInty years worth here the Mystery of Christ
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rascal
It was NOT clear from the original post dove, I only offered an observation on what had helped me personally when I was lonely after leaving twi....As SOON as Smurff clarified what she was interested in, I shutthe hell up.....
I made no statements concerning cff pro or con, I even expressed a liking for it`s leaders....I did not contradict catcups first hand account in any fashion shape or form....
I have stated before that it is my opinion that God can work in multiple areas ...exactly how we need ..... in whatever the uniquely personal and loving way NEEDED to heal each of us in whatever the best manner that works for that particular individual......even in gasp heaven forbid.... offshoots and dare I say .... churches???
I think the only people that have a real problem with this are those who still insist upon trying to shove the shoe that fits on their foot onto everybody else....
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Oakspear
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rascal
Did I mention how much I adore you ((((oak))))?
You are entirely correct...so, that settled, who do ya gotta know round this joint to get the karma under my name changed?
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WhiteDove
Nope
The origional question was pretty simple.
Getting lonely and wondering about checking out CFF. Anyone here fellowship with them?
Pretty simple. Anyone (Any person) here (on this board) fellowhip with them?
(A close association of friends or equals sharing similar interests) that being CFF.
She did not ask about abuse in the Way or civic duty or working at an animal shelter.
I made no statements concerning cff pro or con
Then what was the point of this and who were you talking about? The thread subect was remember? CFF.
Sometimes it can be rewarding as well as an excellent opportunity for learning, and healing to fellowship with people who live it in their daily lives, rather than sitting in a meeting where folks are teaching the same old thing we have been hearing for 30 years
You implied that the civic serving people are "living it" while the Bible fellowship(the thread subject was CFF remember)just sits around teaching the same old stuff. It is a backhanded slap.
I think the only people that have a real problem with this are those who still insist upon trying to shove the shoe that fits on their foot onto everybody else....
Excuse me! it is you who tried to shove your shoe on our foot. She did not ask about the things you posted on. You decided that she needed to consider something besides what she asked about(your Shoe) Read again the question was I'm thinking about this shoe(CFF)do any of you know anything about it? No one was shoving any shoe on anyones foot. Just a question
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rascal
Dove, you seem to be trying to pick a fight....I have already explained my reasons for offering my opinions on places to find fellowship....I don`t need to defend myself any further to you....
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Linda Z
Rascal, I could see you were offering help.
Dove, I don't get why this is generating so much heat from you. Rascal didn't say anything critical of CFF or the Bible, or anything of the kind. Have some cocoa or something.
I see no reason why people can't do both...volunteer or join a club if they so desire and fellowship with CFF if they so desire. Seems simple to me.
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Allan
So Rascal..what is your true motivation for posting on the forum anyway, sorry, some of us are tending to believe it is for ©ulterior motives ?!
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Allan
..and your reasons for your opinions are becoming a 'little' bit shall we say..hard to swallow.
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rascal
Thanks Linda, I agree, it does not have to be an either or thing.....
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Allan
From page one of thread entitled 'praising or cursing'
Rascal quote.."could God really be responsible' does He really deserve praise for such devastation wrought in His name ?" end quote
Yeah, we're getting it now Mr.H, Cw, Linda Z, Rascal. We'll all start cursing God if that's what you're after !!
Kinda reminds me of..did God reallyyyy say..
Now who was that ??
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