"the Way:Living in Wonderland"

[jkboehme]

VPW stole concepts from Lamsa without proper attribution.

plagiarism

n 1: a piece of writing that has been copied from someone else and is presented as being your own work 2: the act of plagiarizing; taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own [syn: plagiarization, plagiarisation, piracy]

[oldiesman]

Right, but he never said or wrote that all his ideas were his own.

"Putting it together" so that it fit, he said, was the original work.

Yeah, he learned from Lamsa.

Have anything that was lifted word for word?

That is what we have agreed plagiarism really is...

using someone else's writings and copying them word for word, without giving proper written acknowledgement.

[Belle]

Come on, OM!

You know darn well there's documentation of where he lifted stuff word for word!!!

JK, it's not worth fighting with him. I usually just ignore him. It keeps me from....welll....acting unladylike.

[oldiesman]

Belle, the context is Lamsa...

Relax.

:D

[WordWolf]

Right, but he never said or wrote that all his ideas were his own.

He MISrepresented a large amount of material,

giving ZERO attribution.

ZERO attribution for the work of others is a crime.

"Putting it together" so that it fit, he said, was the original work.

He said that of PFAL,

and the first PFAL classes were transliterations of Leonard.

The only thing he "put together" there was HIS name

and Leonard's work.

Then he added Bullinger, Kenyon and Stiles,

AGAIN giving NO attribution.

That's 3 more crimes.

Yeah, he learned from Lamsa.

Have anything that was lifted word for word?

That is what we have agreed plagiarism really is...

Amazing how you STILL don't "understand" what plagiarism is.

You are UNWILLING to comprehend it.

http://www.greasespotcafe.com/editorial/pl...m-wierwille.htm

Your "definition" of plagiarism falls FAR SHORT of the legal

definition, both in practice and theory.

using someone else's writings and copying them word for word, without giving proper written acknowledgement.

Wrong.

http://www.greasespotcafe.com/editorial/pl...m-wierwille.htm

VPW stole concepts from Lamsa without proper attribution.

plagiarism

n 1: a piece of writing that has been copied from someone else and is presented as being your own work 2: the act of plagiarizing; taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own [syn: plagiarization, plagiarisation, piracy]

[Oakspear]

"Putting it together so it fit" could reasonably be described as telling his students:

"Dr. Smith taught about ABC, but I think he was off on C; Bishop Jones taught XYZ, but his conclusions on Y do not fit 'the Word'; now Rev. Brown taught CY so well that it brought tears to your eyes, but he was too much influenced by WordWolf on AB & XZ to be of much value. Therefore by taking these specific parts of what Dr. Smith, Bishop Jones and Rev. Brown taught, we can see the truth of da Word"

What Wierwille did was closer to this:

"Open your bibles, look at such and such a verse. Look at all these other verses scattered around the bible. Listen to my rambling analogies. See! We can obviously conclude ABCXYZ! Ya know keeds, I learned a lot from Dr. Smith, he really taught the experience of ABC, but he just couldn't put it together from the Word (like I could) and Bishop Jones, I ran into him in Oklahoma in a snowstorm once, but women always lie. He taught me a little bit about how to X, but I documented it fron the Word. Rev. Brown did his translation of the Polish bible at my house.

Name dropping and casually mentioning people who influenced you and who you say you learned from is a far cry from crediting those from whom he got fully formed, fully researched, and fully thought through and published ideas.

[WordWolf]

"Putting it together so it fit" could reasonably be described as telling his students:

"Dr. Smith taught about ABC, but I think he was off on C; Bishop Jones taught XYZ, but his conclusions on Y do not fit 'the Word'; now Rev. Brown taught CY so well that it brought tears to your eyes, but he was too much influenced by WordWolf on AB & XZ to be of much value. Therefore by taking these specific parts of what Dr. Smith, Bishop Jones and Rev. Brown taught, we can see the truth of da Word"

What Wierwille did was closer to this:

"Open your bibles, look at such and such a verse. Look at all these other verses scattered around the bible. Listen to my rambling analogies. See! We can obviously conclude ABCXYZ! Ya know keeds, I learned a lot from Dr. Smith, he really taught the experience of ABC, but he just couldn't put it together from the Word (like I could) and Bishop Jones, I ran into him in Oklahoma in a snowstorm once, but women always lie. He taught me a little bit about how to X, but I documented it fron the Word. Rev. Brown did his translation of the Polish bible at my house.

Name dropping and casually mentioning people who influenced you and who you say you learned from is a far cry from crediting those from whom he got fully formed, fully researched, and fully thought through and published ideas.

Not to mention,

if you tried that defense in court when sued on copyright violation,

(name-dropping and casually mentioning people who influenced you),

the case would be open-and-shut,

and you'd SO lose.

Our JUNIOR high school students know this.

Our HIGH SCHOOL students know this.

Our COLLEGE students know this.

Our MASTERS candidates know this.

Our DOCTORS candidates know this.

vpw KNEW it was a crime.

He learned that in high school, college, and when he went for

his Masters.

He chose to do this anyway,

AND to promptly slap copyright notices on all "his" books,

to complete the hypocrasy.

[WordWolf]

Ok,

here's the third draft of my timeline,

with more tweaks, additions and improvements.

(And mostly from publications OF TWI.)

=========

Let's see.

What did vpw AUTHORIZE to be revealed about himself.....

victor paul wierwille was born to a large family of German descent.

(Born December 31, 1916.)

Each child had their own chores.

Little Victor chose to neglect his chores, and would vanish

for hours into the woods nearby.

When he was young, he once told a minister

that he wanted to be a man of God like him.

Other than this statement, Little Victor showed

no actual involvement in the church, no actual

effort or work in the things of the church.

So, this seems to suggest an interest-not in being

a man of God- but in being the man the whole

community turned out to see, to have their

respect.

As a teenager, young Vic continued to lack any

qualities of a man of God. In fact, he went out of

his way to earn a reputation going in the opposite

direction. He was a bully, a showoff and a braggart.

He did all sorts of things for attention. He was quick

to start a fight or mouth off at others. He had a

quick wit. One of his common ways of showing off

was to tear up and down the streets of New

Knoxville on his motorcycle, trying to get attention.

His demonstrated talents seemed to be limited

to his quick wit and his ability to play a guitar,

which he showed competency in.

Old Man Wierwille was preparing to pass on the

family farm to young Vic, as was the family

tradition. Young Vic balked at this. He'd had

plans to go to college. At first, he considered

a few fields-business and so on- but by this

time, he had decided upon the seminary.

(This was before the time he referred to

as "believing the Bible as the Word of God".)

Old Man Wierwille was skeptical of this,

and said that young Vic, having shown lack

of hard work on simple manual labour on

the farm, would never make a good preacher.

Young Vic convinced him he would do better

with books than with sweating out in the field.

Young Vic went to school for the ministry.

His community thought it was some kind of joke-

everyone knew he lacked the proper character.

(He never overcame that impression with them.)

Victor had the option to study "Bible Languages"

or other subjects requiring hard study. He instead

chose to study Homiletics, the "softest" option he

could have learned. (He never overcame his

deficiency in study in Bible languages, church

history, etc.-not even to the level of an informed

layman as of 2004.)

Victor was married July 2, 1937(Mr was 20, Mrs was 21).

He graduated with a BA from Lakeland College in 1937.

Donald was born in 1940.

Victor graduated Princeton Theological Seminary in 1941, to earn

his Masters in Practical Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary,

also in 1941.

He did his "trial sermons" in 1941 in Payne, Ohio

for the Evangelical and Reformed Church.

According to his memorial in 1985,

he started his first pastorate July 1941,

and was ordained July 29, 1941.

(According to his account in TW:LIL,

his first pastorate began in 1944 in Van Wert, Ohio,

and continued until 1957.)

Victor entered his first pastorate and wasted little

time becoming a bully and a control freak AGAIN.

He himself claims he started his job by immediately

doing whatever the elders told him not to do-

even though it hampered his ability to do his job

properly. According to him, they confronted him

on this, he mouthed off at them, and they just

let him go about his business, and the local

church prospered as a direct result of him.

He was known for building a fairly interesting

sermon, and getting people involved,

including the youths.

(This was STILL before the time when he

claimed he believed the Bible was the Word

of God.)

He said the following year, (1942) he slowly

became discouraged and was searching.

He was still the man he had been, which

is to say he was prideful, arrogant, boastful,

liked attention, and viewed the clergy as a

PROFESSION and not a holy calling.

(He could have been just as "called"

as an accountant or actuary, say.)

During 1942, he claimed he was ready

to give up being a minister.

About a year later (Payne, 1942, August), he

meets Rosal1nd R1nker.

This woman fixed a great deal of attention

on him, and had a forceful personality.

She spent some time with him alone.

It was of this time that he later claimed

he asked forgiveness of God.

He also credits her with DOGGING HIM

"on the Bible being the Word of God",

and she "got me STARTED on the right track".

which, until this time, he hadn't believed,

not even in all his years of school.

During 1942, he claimed he was ready to give

up being a minister in August AND September.

One month later (September 1942), an event happened

that he later showed a habit of re-writing.

As Victor told God he was getting ready to

quit (again),

He claimed that God spoke to him and said

He (God) would teach him (Victor) His Word (God's Word)

like it had not been known since the 1st century,

if he (Victor) would teach it to others.

(This is the famous 1942 promise.)

Victor of course lacked the education in church history

to contextualize this claim-since it was inaccurate

as stated. This implies that this was a made-up story,

or it came from a god lacking knowledge in history.

Victor later added a second part to his story-

a snowstorm. He said that he required PROOF of

God, and asked God to let him see it snow.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, and he saw

a veritable blizzard out his window.

The later addition to this story suggest that he felt

it needed more support after using the initial story.

Victor showed no marked improvement, neither in

character, nor in behaviour, thru the rest of the

1940s (nearly the entire decade after this

supposed promise), which strongly supports the

rather direct assertion that he lied thru his teeth.

October 3, 1942, vpw does his first radio

broadcast. He continued to do a radio show

under one name or another for several

years- Vesper Chimes, aka Chimes Hour Youth

Caravan. Its name changes to Chimes Hour

Youth Caravan in 1947.

Rhoda joined its staff in 1947.

In 1948, vpw is issued a "Doctorate" from

Pikes Peak Seminary, an organization lacking

accreditation and formal classes

(among other things.)

At one point, Rufus Moseley attempts to

minister Holy Spirit to vpw, but vpw demonstrates

an inability to receive it.

In 1951, he visits missionaries in Honduras.

In 1951, vpw makes another claim he's ready

to give up on the ministry

(even after, supposedly a direct promise of

God about really important stuff which promptly

failed to materialize.)

In November, 1951, vpw attends the Full Gospel

Rally, in Tulsa, Oklahoma (a big Evangelical

conference.)

He made several claims of this conference.

People at the conference OTHER than vpw supposedly

had no difficulty beginning speaking in tongues.

He claims he faked speaking in tongues in a clever

way, and others were unable to tell. He is

further disillusioned about working for God.

He then claims a miraculous snowstorm blocked

him into the city entirely, and ALL evidence there

was that there WAS no blizzard (and there was

a WEALTH of evidence-at the airports, Amtrak

and bus depot, the hotel staff, the attendees,

etc) was concealed by angels. vpw also,

apparently, never approached a window,

or they made an illusion at the window.

Supposedly, a woman comes up to him and tells

him that she knows a man who can help him-

JE Stiles. He claims God told Stiles to attend the

conference with the sole purpose of ministering

the Spirit to vpw.

vpw meets with Stiles, and makes a few chauvanistic

observations to himself, before going off with Stiles.

Stiles works with him for hours and hours, hammering

across to vpw what the Bible says on speaking in tongues,

and working over his doubts one by one for hour upon

hour. Finally, vpw was able to speak in tongues.

It was during the 1950s that vpw's behaviour was

noted to finally improve,

although he still did not stop including inappropriate

words or concepts in his sermons.

In 1953, vpw finds out about BG Leonard, and pushes

his way into BG Leonard's CTC Gifts of the Spirit class,

which Leonard permits. vpw takes this class twice,

bringing several people with him the second time.

vpw then went off for a few months by himself,

then told Leonard that he'd like to run Leonard's

CTC Gifts of the Spirit class locally for his

congregation on a one-time basis.

Seeing the benefit to other Christians,

Leonard agrees.

vpw then runs the first of "his" PFAL classes,

and takes a photograph of that class.

He tells the students that this is "his" class

called PFAL, with NO mention of Leonard's

class from which 100% of the content has

been directly lifted. The students have no

reason to think he's lying.

vpw sends the photograph to Leonard

and said tells Leonard that this is a photo

of the class that took Leonard's class

on a one-time basis that was run locally.

Leonard takes vpw at his word,

and has no idea that vpw continues to

run Leonard's class with vpw's name on

it,

defrauding both Leonard AND the students.

To this day, many students STILL think

this was was vpw's class, even when

evidence is introduced to the contrary.

Later, vpw added the contents of JE Stiles' work

on "Gifts of the Spirit" and Bullinger's work on the

Holy Spirit as well as "How to Enjoy the Bible",

and expanded the class into a class that was the

sum of the 3 men's work-Stiles, Bullinger and

Leonard-rather than just Leonard.

vpw later makes a few offhand comments here and

there that the material in the class is not original,

but its compilation was.

(However, as it was constructed, vpw could have

been sued by copyright holders for Bullinger,

Stiles, and Leonard. Leonard found out but chose

not to prosecute.)

In 1953, vpw also takes JE Stiles' "Gifts of the Spirit"

book, changes a few words, and self-publishes it

as the 1st Edition of "Receiving the Holy Spirit Today."

(Later editions would include incorporation of

material from Leonard and Bullinger,

and would include more cosmetic changes in the

order of the words and the specific words used

in an attempt to make it look less like Stiles' book.)

vpw runs "his" PFAL classes continually from 1953

onward, with some success.

According to his published memorial,

Bishop KC Pillai took PFAL in 1954,

and began teaching a class on

"Orientalisms of the Bible".

(Pillai also wrote 3 small books:

"Light Through an Eastern Window"

and Volumes I and II of

"Orientalisms of the Bible.")

According to the memorial in 1985,

1955 was the year they officially chartered

"the Way".

In 1955, JP was born. 2 months later,

VPW leaves JP with family for the next

year or so, taking his wife and eldest son

on a tour of the mission fields in India, on the

Evangelical and Reformed Church's dime.

(1955-1957) (Per TW:LIL)

He is irritated that he's reminded he is not officially

designated as a spokesman or investigator of

theirs.

According to his account in TW:LIL,

there he meets Bishop KC Pillai, whom he

later invites to teach.

According to the memorial,

this tour of the mission fields from 1955-1956,

and includes stops in Great Britain, Europe, India,

and "the Bible lands."

According to the memorial, 1956 is when he wrote

"the Dilemma of Foreign Missions in India."

(According to TW:LIL)

In 1957, vpw returns to Van Wert.

He cuts his ties with the Evangelical and Reformed

Church, and takes "his" PFAL class with him.

In 1957, he and Harry buy out their brothers and

buy the family farm outright. Rather than take

ownership themselves, they declare it the property

of "the Way", a church organization (thus tax-exempt.)

(Per TW:LIL, Harry said this was the time they chose

the name "the Way".)

Work begins on fixing up the farm.

In 1959, he runs a Wisconsin Summer Camp.

In 1960, he runs an Indiana Summer Camp.

In 1961, he moves to the farm (refurbishment

being sufficient for the move). Bishop Pillai

arrives and teaches at the summer school.

(Per TW:LIL.)

In 1961, he runs a Miamisburg, Ohio Summer Camp.

In 1962, he moves the summer school to the farm

(refurbishment being sufficient to hold classes there

in the new BRC.)

In 1962, Lamsa teaches at the summer school.

(Lamsa is another unconventional teacher who claims

special knowledge of the Bible and special status as

a man of God.)

In 1963, vpw goes to Lima, Ohio and films the

sessions called "the Teacher".

(Despite this, success STILL has not taken off

as vpw wished.)

According to the memorial,

1967 is when "Are the Dead Alive Now?"

(which is adapted from some of Bullinger's books)

was published, and PFAL was filmed.

According to TW:LIL

In 1967,

vpw reads about the Christians at the House of

Acts. vpw goes there, impresses them, and

convinces them he has extensive, EXCLUSIVE knowledge

they lack. He then turns those he can from unorganized

Christians into a recruitment arm for his class and

organization. They agree to handle things on the East

and West coasts, and many young Christians are

impressed with THEM and join.

According to the memorial, his trip to

Haight-Ashbury/House of Acts was in 1968.

As of 1969, sizeable numbers of young people had

flocked to twi from both coasts as a result.

Once there was sizeable membership in both coasts,

vpw pushed out the Christians from the House of

Acts and insisted authority would come FROM hq

and tithes would go TO hq. No exceptions.

At that point (1969), vpw made his first attempt

at a Way Corps, which resulted in the famous

"Zero Corps".

In 1971, vpw began his WOW Ambassador

program. This program underwent some changes,

but primarily was a one-year committment to get

sent out, support yourself, find housing,

and run PFAL classes.

According to his memorial,

1971 was when the Orange Book, "Power for

Abundant Living" was first self-published.

It contained mostly material from Leonard's

class and from Bullinger's book

"How to Enjoy the Bible".

A number of pamphlets called

"Studies in Abundant Living" accompanied the

PFAL class from fairly early on

(the filmed class names "Studies in Human

Suffering", later renamed

"Job:Victim to Victor".)

In 1971, the first 3 volumes of

"Studies in Abundant Living" are published.

In 1974, Emporia College in Emporia, Kansas is bought.

It is renamed "the Way College of Emporia".

Despite an absence of accreditation, licensed professors,

and a school "library" composed ENTIRELY of used textbooks

donated by way members,

it is put forth as if it is a normal, accredited college.

In 1975, "Jesus Christ is Not God" is published.

This is the last book-not counting Vol 4 of Studies in

Abundant Living- that is actually put together by vpw.

In 1976, campuses are purchased in Rome City, Indiana

("the College of Biblical Research) and Gunnison, Colorado

(the Way Family Ranch-Camp Gunnison).

In 1977, the PFAL '77 is done live at Ball State University.

According to the memorial, in 1977, Howard Allen and

"Uncle" Harry Wierwille were installed as Trustees on the

Board of Trustees.

In 1977, Volume 4 of Studies in Abundant Living was

published.

In 1978, the land for the LEAD Outdoor Academy was

purchased in Tinnie, New Mexico.

In 1979, Advanced Class '79 ran (live, I imagine.)

In 1980, "Jesus Christ Our Passover" was published.

This was the first book written by competent staff and

researchers. According to the book itself, it is written

"by Victor Paul Wierwille", with no mention of anyone

else. It is a higher-caliber book than twi normally

self-publishes.

In 1982, twi celebrates its "Fortieth Anniversary" since

the radio shows that weren't called "the Way".

In 1982, vpw installed LCM as the new president of twi

and vpw becomes "president emeritus".

In 1982, "Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed" was published.

It also is written by staff, and says "by Victor Paul

Wierwille" on the cover.

It relies largely on the calculations of another writer

as well. This book also saw the breakthrough of

proper crediting, since it actually named the other writer

(Martin) and his book.

In 1984, a live PFAL class was taught at Camp Gunnison,

and a manor house is purchased in Gartmore, Scotland.

It is named the Way College of Biblical Research.

(aka Gartmore House, or "the big house" to the villagers

of Gartmore.)

In 1985 the "Word over the World Auditorium" opens at

the organizations hq on the farm.

vpw dies May 20, 1985 at age 68.

Volume 5 of Studies in Abundant Living is published

posthumously. Its contents are from vpw, it is edited

by Chr1$ Ge**

============

Ok, that's better still.

I STILL need to put something better about Lamsa

(I'm open to suggestions),

and I'm missing the timeframe for

Dr EE Higgins, his "fan" who called and visited

all the time.

Interesting how some of those dates conflict

from source to source.

Edited November 21, 2005 by WordWolf

[Oakspear]

Interesting how some of those dates conflict

from source to source.

But not surprising. Serial liars can be convincing, but rarely take the time to make sure all their stories line up Edited November 21, 2005 by Oakspear

[WordWolf]

So I don't lose it,

what someone said about Old Man Wierwille,

(Ernst),

when I asked about whether or not he

terrorized the kids...

per the locals....

"Ernst was an alcoholic (like Otto and VP), 6th grade

education, physically battered and abused wife Emma Rein

(in NC it is spelled Rhyne) and children Otto, Harry, Lydia, Sevillia,

Victor and Reuben.

He supposedly had drinking buddies in Shelby County Sheriff's

department who bullied the school principal

(not the superintendent as VP claimed)/ algebra teacher

and had him either resign or be fired by the school board.

Well, poor Victor couldn't go beyond what he was taught.

Of course this is 2nd and 3rd hand information/rumor."

[doojable]

Ok I know that this is a bit off topic - but didn't VPW also state tht HE invented the layup shot? - or was it the 3 point shot? I can't find any anything to dispute or confirm this - but it seems suspicious and possibly one of those tall tales that helped him gain an "in" with young guys.

Any one out there know anything?

[WordWolf]

Ok I know that this is a bit off topic - but didn't VPW also state tht HE invented the layup shot? - or was it the 3 point shot? I can't find any anything to dispute or confirm this - but it seems suspicious and possibly one of those tall tales that helped him gain an "in" with young guys.

Any one out there know anything?

HOOK SHOT.

He claimed to have invented the hook shot.

We discussed it in this thread when we discussed the Sheboygan

Redskins thing.

The short of it is that he claimed to have been connected to the

Sheboygan Redskins,

then later, the claim was that he PLAYED on their team

(which he did not-the entire team roster was posted on the GSC

once, and his name wasn't on it),

then came claims of him inventing the hook shot.

He was probably a fair player in high school,

but he never even claimed to be on his college's

varsity team or earned a varsity letter.

Since the colleges keep records, it was smart

he never made such a claim-

he could have been caught lying...

[doojable]

Thanks WW - I figured you'd be the one to clear this up. And thanks for your patience. I always figure that something has been discussed in the past but I can never figure out just how to track it down..

Anyway, forgive my ignorance of B ball. I don't care much for sports. Give me a painting to do anyday.

[WordWolf]

Ok,

here's the fourth draft of my timeline.

Dr Higgins is added in this iteration.

This timeline is mostly from publications OF TWI.)

=========

Let's see.

What did vpw AUTHORIZE to be revealed about himself.....

victor paul wierwille was born to a large family of German descent.

(Born December 31, 1916.)

Each child had their own chores.

Little Victor chose to neglect his chores, and would vanish

for hours into the woods nearby.

When he was young, he once told a minister

that he wanted to be a man of God like him.

Other than this statement, Little Victor showed

no actual involvement in the church, no actual

effort or work in the things of the church.

So, this seems to suggest an interest-not in being

a man of God- but in being the man the whole

community turned out to see, to have their

respect.

As a teenager, young Vic continued to lack any

qualities of a man of God. In fact, he went out of

his way to earn a reputation going in the opposite

direction. He was a bully, a showoff and a braggart.

He did all sorts of things for attention. He was quick

to start a fight or mouth off at others. He had a

quick wit. One of his common ways of showing off

was to tear up and down the streets of New

Knoxville on his motorcycle, trying to get attention.

His demonstrated talents seemed to be limited

to his quick wit and his ability to play a guitar,

which he showed competency in.

Old Man Wierwille was preparing to pass on the

family farm to young Vic, as was the family

tradition. Young Vic balked at this. He'd had

plans to go to college. At first, he considered

a few fields-business and so on- but by this

time, he had decided upon the seminary.

(This was before the time he referred to

as "believing the Bible as the Word of God".)

Old Man Wierwille was skeptical of this,

and said that young Vic, having shown lack

of hard work on simple manual labour on

the farm, would never make a good preacher.

Young Vic convinced him he would do better

with books than with sweating out in the field.

Young Vic went to school for the ministry.

His community thought it was some kind of joke-

everyone knew he lacked the proper character.

(He never overcame that impression with them.)

Victor had the option to study "Bible Languages"

or other subjects requiring hard study. He instead

chose to study Homiletics, the "softest" option he

could have learned. (He never overcame his

deficiency in study in Bible languages, church

history, etc.-not even to the level of an informed

layman as of 2004.)

Victor was married July 2, 1937(Mr was 20, Mrs was 21).

He graduated with a BA from Lakeland College in 1937.

Donald was born in 1940.

Victor graduated Princeton Theological Seminary in 1941, to earn

his Masters in Practical Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary,

also in 1941.

He did his "trial sermons" in 1941 in Payne, Ohio

for the Evangelical and Reformed Church.

According to his memorial in 1985,

he started his first pastorate July 1941,

and was ordained July 29, 1941.

(According to his account in TW:LIL,

his first pastorate began in 1944 in Van Wert, Ohio,

and continued until 1957.)

Victor entered his first pastorate and wasted little

time becoming a bully and a control freak AGAIN.

He himself claims he started his job by immediately

doing whatever the elders told him not to do-

even though it hampered his ability to do his job

properly. According to him, they confronted him

on this, he mouthed off at them, and they just

let him go about his business, and the local

church prospered as a direct result of him.

He was known for building a fairly interesting

sermon, and getting people involved,

including the youths.

(This was STILL before the time when he

claimed he believed the Bible was the Word

of God.)

He said the following year, (1942) he slowly

became discouraged and was searching.

He was still the man he had been, which

is to say he was prideful, arrogant, boastful,

liked attention, and viewed the clergy as a

PROFESSION and not a holy calling.

(He could have been just as "called"

as an accountant or actuary, say.)

During 1942, he claimed he was ready

to give up being a minister.

About a year later (Payne, 1942, August), he

meets Rosal1nd R1nker. She was a former

missionary to China and Korea.

She's remembered as the anonymous person

who asks vpw

"Why don't you search for the greatest of all

things in life which would teach Christians

the HOW of a really victorious life?"

This woman fixed a great deal of attention

on him, and had a forceful personality.

She spent some time with him alone.

It was of this time that he later claimed

he asked forgiveness of God.

He also credits her with DOGGING HIM

"on the Bible being the Word of God",

and she "got me STARTED on the right track".

which, until this time, he hadn't believed,

not even in all his years of school.

During 1942, he claimed he was ready to give

up being a minister in August AND September.

One month later (September 1942), an event happened

that he later showed a habit of re-writing.

As Victor told God he was getting ready to

quit (again),

He claimed that God spoke to him and said

He (God) would teach him (Victor) His Word (God's Word)

like it had not been known since the 1st century,

if he (Victor) would teach it to others.

(This is the famous 1942 promise.)

Victor of course lacked the education in church history

to contextualize this claim-since it was inaccurate

as stated. This implies that this was a made-up story,

or it came from a god lacking knowledge in history.

Victor later added a second part to his story-

a snowstorm. He said that he required PROOF of

God, and asked God to let him see it snow.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, and he saw

a veritable blizzard out his window.

The later addition to this story suggest that he felt

it needed more support after using the initial story.

Victor showed no marked improvement, neither in

character, nor in behaviour, thru the rest of the

1940s (nearly the entire decade after this

supposed promise), which strongly supports the

rather direct assertion that he lied thru his teeth.

October 3, 1942, vpw does his first radio

broadcast. He continued to do a radio show

under one name or another for several

years- Vesper Chimes, aka Chimes Hour Youth

Caravan. Its name changes to Chimes Hour

Youth Caravan in 1947.

Rhoda joined its staff in 1947.

In 1948, vpw is issued a "Doctorate" from

Pikes Peak Seminary, an organization lacking

accreditation and formal classes

(among other things.)

At one point, Rufus Moseley attempts to

minister Holy Spirit to vpw, but vpw demonstrates

an inability to receive it.

In 1951, he visits missionaries in Honduras.

In 1951, vpw makes another claim he's ready

to give up on the ministry

(even after, supposedly a direct promise of

God about really important stuff which promptly

failed to materialize.)

In November, 1951, vpw attends the Full Gospel

Rally, in Tulsa, Oklahoma (a big Evangelical

conference.)

He made several claims of this conference.

People at the conference OTHER than vpw supposedly

had no difficulty beginning speaking in tongues.

He claims he faked speaking in tongues in a clever

way, and others were unable to tell. He is

further disillusioned about working for God.

He then claims a miraculous snowstorm blocked

him into the city entirely, and ALL evidence there

was that there WAS no blizzard (and there was

a WEALTH of evidence-at the airports, Amtrak

and bus depot, the hotel staff, the attendees,

etc) was concealed by angels. vpw also,

apparently, never approached a window,

or they made an illusion at the window.

Supposedly, a woman comes up to him and tells

him that she knows a man who can help him-

JE Stiles. He claims God told Stiles to attend the

conference with the sole purpose of ministering

the Spirit to vpw.

vpw meets with Stiles, and makes a few chauvanistic

observations to himself, before going off with Stiles.

Stiles works with him for hours and hours, hammering

across to vpw what the Bible says on speaking in tongues,

and working over his doubts one by one for hour upon

hour. Finally, vpw was able to speak in tongues.

It was during the 1950s that vpw's behaviour was

noted to finally improve,

although he still did not stop including inappropriate

words or concepts in his sermons.

In March, 1953, vpw finds out about BG Leonard, and pushes

his way into BG Leonard's CTC Gifts of the Spirit class,

which Leonard permits. vpw takes this class twice,

bringing several people with him the second time.

(That second time was July 1953.)

vpw then went off for a few months by himself,

then told Leonard that he'd like to run Leonard's

CTC Gifts of the Spirit class locally for his

congregation on a one-time basis.

Seeing the benefit to other Christians,

Leonard agrees.

vpw then runs the first of "his" PFAL classes,

(October 1953)

and takes a photograph of that class.

He tells the students that this is "his" class

called PFAL, with NO mention of Leonard's

class from which 100% of the content has

been directly lifted. The students have no

reason to think he's lying.

vpw sends the photograph to Leonard

and said tells Leonard that this is a photo

of the class that took Leonard's class

on a one-time basis that was run locally.

Leonard takes vpw at his word,

and has no idea that vpw continues to

run Leonard's class with vpw's name on

it,

defrauding both Leonard AND the students.

To this day, many students STILL think

this was was vpw's class, even when

evidence is introduced to the contrary.

Later, vpw added the contents of JE Stiles' work

on "Gifts of the Spirit" and Bullinger's work on the

Holy Spirit as well as "How to Enjoy the Bible",

and expanded the class into a class that was the

sum of the 3 men's work-Stiles, Bullinger and

Leonard-rather than just Leonard.

vpw later makes a few offhand comments here and

there that the material in the class is not original,

but its compilation was.

(However, as it was constructed, vpw could have

been sued by copyright holders for Bullinger,

Stiles, and Leonard. Leonard found out but chose

not to prosecute.)

In 1953, vpw also takes JE Stiles' "Gifts of the Spirit"

book, changes a few words, and self-publishes it

as the 1st Edition of "Receiving the Holy Spirit Today."

(Later editions would include incorporation of

material from Leonard and Bullinger,

and would include more cosmetic changes in the

order of the words and the specific words used

in an attempt to make it look less like Stiles' book.)

vpw runs "his" PFAL classes continually from 1953

onward, with some success.

Dr E.E. Higgins was one of the students in the

October 1953 class. She's known as the anonymous

person who would call vpw at night and ask what God

showed him that day.

In 1954, Dr Higgins first introduced vpw to EW

Bullinger's books, and gave him his first copies of

the Companion Bible, and "How to Enjoy the Bible."

The contents of both these books later became integral

parts of "vpw's" class.

According to his published memorial,

Bishop KC Pillai took PFAL in 1954,

and began teaching a class on

"Orientalisms of the Bible".

(Pillai also wrote 3 small books:

"Light Through an Eastern Window"

and Volumes I and II of

"Orientalisms of the Bible.")

According to the memorial in 1985,

1955 was the year they officially chartered

"the Way".

In 1955, JP was born. 2 months later,

VPW leaves JP with family for the next

year or so, taking his wife and eldest son

on a tour of the mission fields in India, on the

Evangelical and Reformed Church's dime.

(1955-1957) (Per TW:LIL)

He is irritated that he's reminded he is not officially

designated as a spokesman or investigator of

theirs.

According to his account in TW:LIL,

there he meets Bishop KC Pillai, whom he

later invites to teach.

According to the memorial,

this tour of the mission fields from 1955-1956,

and includes stops in Great Britain, Europe, India,

and "the Bible lands."

According to the memorial, 1956 is when he wrote

"the Dilemma of Foreign Missions in India."

(According to TW:LIL)

In 1957, vpw returns to Van Wert.

He cuts his ties with the Evangelical and Reformed

Church, and takes "his" PFAL class with him.

In 1957, he and Harry buy out their brothers and

buy the family farm outright. Rather than take

ownership themselves, they declare it the property

of "the Way", a church organization (thus tax-exempt.)

(Per TW:LIL, Harry said this was the time they chose

the name "the Way".)

Work begins on fixing up the farm.

In 1959, he runs a Wisconsin Summer Camp.

In 1960, he runs an Indiana Summer Camp.

In 1961, he moves to the farm (refurbishment

being sufficient for the move). Bishop Pillai

arrives and teaches at the summer school.

(Per TW:LIL.)

In 1961, he runs a Miamisburg, Ohio Summer Camp.

In 1962, he moves the summer school to the farm

(refurbishment being sufficient to hold classes there

in the new BRC.)

In 1962, Lamsa teaches at the summer school.

(Lamsa is another unconventional teacher who claims

special knowledge of the Bible and special status as

a man of God.)

In 1963, vpw goes to Lima, Ohio and films the

sessions called "the Teacher".

(Despite this, success STILL has not taken off

as vpw wished.)

According to the memorial,

1967 is when "Are the Dead Alive Now?"

(which is adapted from some of Bullinger's books)

was published, and PFAL was filmed.

This was the edition of PFAL that incorporated

Bullinger's books (the contents, but not the books

themselves) into the curriculum.

According to TW:LIL

In 1967,

vpw reads about the Christians at the House of

Acts. vpw goes there, impresses them, and

convinces them he has extensive, EXCLUSIVE knowledge

they lack. He then turns those he can from unorganized

Christians into a recruitment arm for his class and

organization. They agree to handle things on the East

and West coasts, and many young Christians are

impressed with THEM and join.

According to the memorial, his trip to

Haight-Ashbury/House of Acts was in 1968.

As of 1969, sizeable numbers of young people had

flocked to twi from both coasts as a result.

Once there was sizeable membership in both coasts,

vpw pushed out the Christians from the House of

Acts and insisted authority would come FROM hq

and tithes would go TO hq. No exceptions.

At that point (1969), vpw made his first attempt

at a Way Corps, which resulted in the famous

"Zero Corps".

At some point-presumably early in the way

corps history, and possibly as early as 1969,

vpw (according to Mrs W's account) first

begins to tell his "snow on the pumps" account

to people, starting with the way corps.

In 1971, vpw began his WOW Ambassador

program. This program underwent some changes,

but primarily was a one-year committment to get

sent out, support yourself, find housing,

and run PFAL classes.

According to his memorial,

1971 was when the Orange Book, "Power for

Abundant Living" was first self-published.

It contained mostly material from Leonard's

class and from Bullinger's book

"How to Enjoy the Bible".

A number of pamphlets called

"Studies in Abundant Living" accompanied the

PFAL class from fairly early on

(the filmed class names "Studies in Human

Suffering", later renamed

"Job:Victim to Victor".)

In 1971, the first 3 volumes of

"Studies in Abundant Living" are published.

In 1974, Emporia College in Emporia, Kansas is bought.

It is renamed "the Way College of Emporia".

Despite an absence of accreditation, licensed professors,

and a school "library" composed ENTIRELY of used textbooks

donated by way members,

it is put forth as if it is a normal, accredited college.

In 1975, "Jesus Christ is Not God" is published.

This is the last book-not counting Vol 4 of Studies in

Abundant Living- that is actually put together by vpw.

In 1976, campuses are purchased in Rome City, Indiana

("the College of Biblical Research) and Gunnison, Colorado

(the Way Family Ranch-Camp Gunnison).

In 1977, the PFAL '77 is done live at Ball State University.

According to the memorial, in 1977, Howard Allen and

"Uncle" Harry Wierwille were installed as Trustees on the

Board of Trustees.

In 1977, Volume 4 of Studies in Abundant Living was

published.

In 1978, the land for the LEAD Outdoor Academy was

purchased in Tinnie, New Mexico.

In 1979, Advanced Class '79 ran (live, I imagine.)

In 1980, "Jesus Christ Our Passover" was published.

This was the first book written by competent staff and

researchers. According to the book itself, it is written

"by Victor Paul Wierwille", with no mention of anyone

else. It is a higher-caliber book than twi normally

self-publishes.

In 1982, twi celebrates its "Fortieth Anniversary" since

the radio shows that weren't called "the Way".

In 1982, vpw installed LCM as the new president of twi

and vpw becomes "president emeritus".

In 1982, "Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed" was published.

It also is written by staff, and says "by Victor Paul

Wierwille" on the cover.

It relies largely on the calculations of another writer

as well. This book also saw the breakthrough of

proper crediting, since it actually named the other writer

(Martin) and his book.

In 1984, a live PFAL class was taught at Camp Gunnison,

and a manor house is purchased in Gartmore, Scotland.

It is named the Way College of Biblical Research.

(aka Gartmore House, or "the big house" to the villagers

of Gartmore.)

In 1985 the "Word over the World Auditorium" opens at

the organizations hq on the farm.

vpw dies May 20, 1985 at age 68.

Volume 5 of Studies in Abundant Living is published

posthumously. Its contents are from vpw, it is edited

by Chr1$ Ge**

============

I STILL need to put something better about Lamsa

(I'm open to suggestions).

[WordWolf]

Here's edition 4.5 of my timeline.

I added Old Man Wierwille to the mix.

This timeline is mostly from publications OF TWI.

=========

Let's see.

What did vpw AUTHORIZE to be revealed about himself.....

victor paul wierwille was born to a large family of German descent.

(Born December 31, 1916.)

According to locals,

Ernst, his father, was an alcoholic with negligible

education, with a bad temper who acted as a bully.

This was true in his dealings with locals AND with

his own family.

Each child had their own chores.

Little Victor chose to neglect his chores, and would vanish

for hours into the woods nearby.

(It has been noted that this running off may have been as

much to avoid an abusive father as it was to avoid

doing any work. Or it may be unrelated.)

When he was young, he once told a minister

that he wanted to be a man of God like him.

Other than this statement, Little Victor showed

no actual involvement in the church, no actual

effort or work in the things of the church.

So, this seems to suggest an interest-not in being

a man of God- but in being the man the whole

community turned out to see, to have their

respect.

As a teenager, young Vic continued to lack any

qualities of a man of God. In fact, he went out of

his way to earn a reputation going in the opposite

direction. He was a bully, a showoff and a braggart.

(He seems to have been taught this at home.)

He did all sorts of things for attention. He was quick

to start a fight or mouth off at others. He had a

quick wit. One of his common ways of showing off

was to tear up and down the streets of New

Knoxville on his motorcycle, trying to get attention.

His demonstrated talents seemed to be limited

to his quick wit and his ability to play a guitar,

which he showed competency in.

Old Man Wierwille was preparing to pass on the

family farm to young Vic, as was the family

tradition. Young Vic balked at this. He'd had

plans to go to college. At first, he considered

a few fields-business and so on- but by this

time, he had decided upon the seminary.

(This was before the time he referred to

as "believing the Bible as the Word of God".)

Old Man Wierwille was skeptical of this,

and said that young Vic, having shown lack

of hard work on simple manual labour on

the farm, would never make a good preacher.

Young Vic convinced him he would do better

with books than with sweating out in the field.

Young Vic went to school for the ministry.

His community thought it was some kind of joke-

everyone knew he lacked the proper character.

(He never overcame that impression with them.)

Victor had the option to study "Bible Languages"

or other subjects requiring hard study. He instead

chose to study Homiletics, the "softest" option he

could have learned. (He never overcame his

deficiency in study in Bible languages, church

history, etc.-not even to the level of an informed

layman as of 2004.)

Victor was married July 2, 1937(Mr was 20, Mrs was 21).

He graduated with a BA from Lakeland College in 1937.

Donald was born in 1940.

Victor graduated Princeton Theological Seminary in 1941, to earn

his Masters in Practical Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary,

also in 1941.

He did his "trial sermons" in 1941 in Payne, Ohio

for the Evangelical and Reformed Church.

According to his memorial in 1985,

he started his first pastorate July 1941,

and was ordained July 29, 1941.

(According to his account in TW:LIL,

his first pastorate began in 1944 in Van Wert, Ohio,

and continued until 1957.)

Victor entered his first pastorate and wasted little

time becoming a bully and a control freak AGAIN.

He himself claims he started his job by immediately

doing whatever the elders told him not to do-

even though it hampered his ability to do his job

properly. According to him, they confronted him

on this, he mouthed off at them, and they just

let him go about his business, and the local

church prospered as a direct result of him.

He was known for building a fairly interesting

sermon, and getting people involved,

including the youths.

(This was STILL before the time when he

claimed he believed the Bible was the Word

of God.)

He said the following year, (1942) he slowly

became discouraged and was searching.

He was still the man he had been, which

is to say he was prideful, arrogant, boastful,

liked attention, and viewed the clergy as a

PROFESSION and not a holy calling.

(He could have been just as "called"

as an accountant or actuary, say.)

During 1942, he claimed he was ready

to give up being a minister.

About a year later (Payne, 1942, August), he

meets Rosal1nd R1nker. She was a former

missionary to China and Korea.

She's remembered as the anonymous person

who asks vpw

"Why don't you search for the greatest of all

things in life which would teach Christians

the HOW of a really victorious life?"

This woman fixed a great deal of attention

on him, and had a forceful personality.

She spent some time with him alone.

It was of this time that he later claimed

he asked forgiveness of God.

He also credits her with DOGGING HIM

"on the Bible being the Word of God",

and she "got me STARTED on the right track".

which, until this time, he hadn't believed,

not even in all his years of school.

During 1942, he claimed he was ready to give

up being a minister in August AND September.

One month later (September 1942), an event happened

that he later showed a habit of re-writing.

As Victor told God he was getting ready to

quit (again),

He claimed that God spoke to him and said

He (God) would teach him (Victor) His Word (God's Word)

like it had not been known since the 1st century,

if he (Victor) would teach it to others.

(This is the famous 1942 promise.)

Victor of course lacked the education in church history

to contextualize this claim-since it was inaccurate

as stated. This implies that this was a made-up story,

or it came from a god lacking knowledge in history.

Victor later added a second part to his story-

a snowstorm. He said that he required PROOF of

God, and asked God to let him see it snow.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, and he saw

a veritable blizzard out his window.

The later addition to this story suggest that he felt

it needed more support after using the initial story.

Victor showed no marked improvement, neither in

character, nor in behaviour, thru the rest of the

1940s (nearly the entire decade after this

supposed promise), which strongly supports the

rather direct assertion that he lied thru his teeth.

October 3, 1942, vpw does his first radio

broadcast. He continued to do a radio show

under one name or another for several

years- Vesper Chimes, aka Chimes Hour Youth

Caravan. Its name changes to Chimes Hour

Youth Caravan in 1947.

Rhoda joined its staff in 1947.

In 1948, vpw is issued a "Doctorate" from

Pikes Peak Seminary, an organization lacking

accreditation and formal classes

(among other things.)

At one point, Rufus Moseley attempts to

minister Holy Spirit to vpw, but vpw demonstrates

an inability to receive it.

In 1951, he visits missionaries in Honduras.

In 1951, vpw makes another claim he's ready

to give up on the ministry

(even after, supposedly a direct promise of

God about really important stuff which promptly

failed to materialize.)

In November, 1951, vpw attends the Full Gospel

Rally, in Tulsa, Oklahoma (a big Evangelical

conference.)

He made several claims of this conference.

People at the conference OTHER than vpw supposedly

had no difficulty beginning speaking in tongues.

He claims he faked speaking in tongues in a clever

way, and others were unable to tell. He is

further disillusioned about working for God.

He then claims a miraculous snowstorm blocked

him into the city entirely, and ALL evidence there

was that there WAS no blizzard (and there was

a WEALTH of evidence-at the airports, Amtrak

and bus depot, the hotel staff, the attendees,

etc) was concealed by angels. vpw also,

apparently, never approached a window,

or they made an illusion at the window.

Supposedly, a woman comes up to him and tells

him that she knows a man who can help him-

JE Stiles. He claims God told Stiles to attend the

conference with the sole purpose of ministering

the Spirit to vpw.

vpw meets with Stiles, and makes a few chauvanistic

observations to himself, before going off with Stiles.

Stiles works with him for hours and hours, hammering

across to vpw what the Bible says on speaking in tongues,

and working over his doubts one by one for hour upon

hour. Finally, vpw was able to speak in tongues.

It was during the 1950s that vpw's behaviour was

noted to finally improve,

although he still did not stop including inappropriate

words or concepts in his sermons.

In March, 1953, vpw finds out about BG Leonard, and pushes

his way into BG Leonard's CTC Gifts of the Spirit class,

which Leonard permits. vpw takes this class twice,

bringing several people with him the second time.

(That second time was July 1953.)

vpw then went off for a few months by himself,

then told Leonard that he'd like to run Leonard's

CTC Gifts of the Spirit class locally for his

congregation on a one-time basis.

Seeing the benefit to other Christians,

Leonard agrees.

vpw then runs the first of "his" PFAL classes,

(October 1953)

and takes a photograph of that class.

He tells the students that this is "his" class

called PFAL, with NO mention of Leonard's

class from which 100% of the content has

been directly lifted. The students have no

reason to think he's lying.

vpw sends the photograph to Leonard

and said tells Leonard that this is a photo

of the class that took Leonard's class

on a one-time basis that was run locally.

Leonard takes vpw at his word,

and has no idea that vpw continues to

run Leonard's class with vpw's name on

it,

defrauding both Leonard AND the students.

To this day, many students STILL think

this was was vpw's class, even when

evidence is introduced to the contrary.

Later, vpw added the contents of JE Stiles' work

on "Gifts of the Spirit" and Bullinger's work on the

Holy Spirit as well as "How to Enjoy the Bible",

and expanded the class into a class that was the

sum of the 3 men's work-Stiles, Bullinger and

Leonard-rather than just Leonard.

vpw later makes a few offhand comments here and

there that the material in the class is not original,

but its compilation was.

(However, as it was constructed, vpw could have

been sued by copyright holders for Bullinger,

Stiles, and Leonard. Leonard found out but chose

not to prosecute.)

In 1953, vpw also takes JE Stiles' "Gifts of the Spirit"

book, changes a few words, and self-publishes it

as the 1st Edition of "Receiving the Holy Spirit Today."

(Later editions would include incorporation of

material from Leonard and Bullinger,

and would include more cosmetic changes in the

order of the words and the specific words used

in an attempt to make it look less like Stiles' book.)

vpw runs "his" PFAL classes continually from 1953

onward, with some success.

Dr E.E. Higgins was one of the students in the

October 1953 class. She's known as the anonymous

person who would call vpw at night and ask what God

showed him that day.

In 1954, Dr Higgins first introduced vpw to EW

Bullinger's books, and gave him his first copies of

the Companion Bible, and "How to Enjoy the Bible."

The contents of both these books later became integral

parts of "vpw's" class.

According to his published memorial,

Bishop KC Pillai took PFAL in 1954,

and began teaching a class on

"Orientalisms of the Bible".

(Pillai also wrote 3 small books:

"Light Through an Eastern Window"

and Volumes I and II of

"Orientalisms of the Bible.")

According to the memorial in 1985,

1955 was the year they officially chartered

"the Way".

In 1955, JP was born. 2 months later,

VPW leaves JP with family for the next

year or so, taking his wife and eldest son

on a tour of the mission fields in India, on the

Evangelical and Reformed Church's dime.

(1955-1957) (Per TW:LIL)

He is irritated that he's reminded he is not officially

designated as a spokesman or investigator of

theirs.

According to his account in TW:LIL,

there he meets Bishop KC Pillai, whom he

later invites to teach.

According to the memorial,

this tour of the mission fields from 1955-1956,

and includes stops in Great Britain, Europe, India,

and "the Bible lands."

According to the memorial, 1956 is when he wrote

"the Dilemma of Foreign Missions in India."

(According to TW:LIL)

In 1957, vpw returns to Van Wert.

He cuts his ties with the Evangelical and Reformed

Church, and takes "his" PFAL class with him.

In 1957, he and Harry buy out their brothers and

buy the family farm outright. Rather than take

ownership themselves, they declare it the property

of "the Way", a church organization (thus tax-exempt.)

(Per TW:LIL, Harry said this was the time they chose

the name "the Way".)

Work begins on fixing up the farm.

In 1959, he runs a Wisconsin Summer Camp.

In 1960, he runs an Indiana Summer Camp.

In 1961, he moves to the farm (refurbishment

being sufficient for the move). Bishop Pillai

arrives and teaches at the summer school.

(Per TW:LIL.)

In 1961, he runs a Miamisburg, Ohio Summer Camp.

In 1962, he moves the summer school to the farm

(refurbishment being sufficient to hold classes there

in the new BRC.)

In 1962, Lamsa teaches at the summer school.

(Lamsa is another unconventional teacher who claims

special knowledge of the Bible and special status as

a man of God.)

In 1963, vpw goes to Lima, Ohio and films the

sessions called "the Teacher".

(Despite this, success STILL has not taken off

as vpw wished.)

According to the memorial,

1967 is when "Are the Dead Alive Now?"

(which is adapted from some of Bullinger's books)

was published, and PFAL was filmed.

This was the edition of PFAL that incorporated

Bullinger's books (the contents, but not the books

themselves) into the curriculum.

According to TW:LIL

In 1967,

vpw reads about the Christians at the House of

Acts. vpw goes there, impresses them, and

convinces them he has extensive, EXCLUSIVE knowledge

they lack. He then turns those he can from unorganized

Christians into a recruitment arm for his class and

organization. They agree to handle things on the East

and West coasts, and many young Christians are

impressed with THEM and join.

According to the memorial, his trip to

Haight-Ashbury/House of Acts was in 1968.

As of 1969, sizeable numbers of young people had

flocked to twi from both coasts as a result.

Once there was sizeable membership in both coasts,

vpw pushed out the Christians from the House of

Acts and insisted authority would come FROM hq

and tithes would go TO hq. No exceptions.

At that point (1969), vpw made his first attempt

at a Way Corps, which resulted in the famous

"Zero Corps".

At some point-presumably early in the way

corps history, and possibly as early as 1969,

vpw (according to Mrs W's account) first

begins to tell his "snow on the pumps" account

to people, starting with the way corps.

In 1971, vpw began his WOW Ambassador

program. This program underwent some changes,

but primarily was a one-year committment to get

sent out, support yourself, find housing,

and run PFAL classes.

According to his memorial,

1971 was when the Orange Book, "Power for

Abundant Living" was first self-published.

It contained mostly material from Leonard's

class and from Bullinger's book

"How to Enjoy the Bible".

A number of pamphlets called

"Studies in Abundant Living" accompanied the

PFAL class from fairly early on

(the filmed class names "Studies in Human

Suffering", later renamed

"Job:Victim to Victor".)

In 1971, the first 3 volumes of

"Studies in Abundant Living" are published.

In 1974, Emporia College in Emporia, Kansas is bought.

It is renamed "the Way College of Emporia".

Despite an absence of accreditation, licensed professors,

and a school "library" composed ENTIRELY of used textbooks

donated by way members,

it is put forth as if it is a normal, accredited college.

In 1975, "Jesus Christ is Not God" is published.

This is the last book-not counting Vol 4 of Studies in

Abundant Living- that is actually put together by vpw.

In 1976, campuses are purchased in Rome City, Indiana

("the College of Biblical Research) and Gunnison, Colorado

(the Way Family Ranch-Camp Gunnison).

In 1977, the PFAL '77 is done live at Ball State University.

According to the memorial, in 1977, Howard Allen and

"Uncle" Harry Wierwille were installed as Trustees on the

Board of Trustees.

In 1977, Volume 4 of Studies in Abundant Living was

published.

In 1978, the land for the LEAD Outdoor Academy was

purchased in Tinnie, New Mexico.

In 1979, Advanced Class '79 ran (live, I imagine.)

In 1980, "Jesus Christ Our Passover" was published.

This was the first book written by competent staff and

researchers. According to the book itself, it is written

"by Victor Paul Wierwille", with no mention of anyone

else. It is a higher-caliber book than twi normally

self-publishes.

In 1982, twi celebrates its "Fortieth Anniversary" since

the radio shows that weren't called "the Way".

In 1982, vpw installed LCM as the new president of twi

and vpw becomes "president emeritus".

In 1982, "Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed" was published.

It also is written by staff, and says "by Victor Paul

Wierwille" on the cover.

It relies largely on the calculations of another writer

as well. This book also saw the breakthrough of

proper crediting, since it actually named the other writer

(Martin) and his book.

In 1984, a live PFAL class was taught at Camp Gunnison,

and a manor house is purchased in Gartmore, Scotland.

It is named the Way College of Biblical Research.

(aka Gartmore House, or "the big house" to the villagers

of Gartmore.)

In 1985 the "Word over the World Auditorium" opens at

the organizations hq on the farm.

vpw dies May 20, 1985 at age 68.

Volume 5 of Studies in Abundant Living is published

posthumously. Its contents are from vpw, it is edited

by Chr1$ Ge**

============

I STILL need to put something better about Lamsa

(I'm open to suggestions).

[WordWolf]

Edition 4.7 of my timeline.

I'm cleaning up some grammar and so on.

This timeline is mostly from publications OF TWI.

=========

Let's see.

What did vpw AUTHORIZE to be revealed about himself.....

victor paul wierwille was born to a large family of German descent.

(Born December 31, 1916.)

According to locals, Ernst, his father, was an alcoholic with negligible

education, with a bad temper who acted as a bully.This was true in his dealings

with locals AND with his own family.Each child had their own chores.

Little Victor chose to neglect his chores, and would vanish for hours into the woods nearby.

(It has been noted that this running off may have been as much to avoid

an abusive father as it was to avoid doing any work. Or it may be unrelated.)

He claimed that when he was young, he once told a minister that he wanted to be

a man of God like him. Other than this statement, Little Victor showed

no actual involvement in the church, no actual effort or work in the things of the church.

So, this seems to suggest an interest-not in being a man of God- but in being

the man the whole community turned out to see, to have their respect.

As a teenager, young Vic continued to lack any qualities of a man of God. In fact, he went out of

his way to earn a reputation going in the opposite direction. He was a bully, a showoff and a braggart.

(He seems to have been taught this at home.)He did all sorts of things for attention. He was quick

to start a fight or mouth off at others. He had a quick wit. One of his common ways of showing off

was to tear up and down the streets of New Knoxville on his motorcycle, trying to get attention.

His demonstrated talents seemed to be limited to his quick wit and his ability to play a guitar,

which he showed competency in.

Old Man Wierwille was preparing to pass on thefamily farm to young Vic, as was the family

tradition. Young Vic balked at this. He'd had plans to go to college. At first, he considered

a few fields-business and so on- but by this time, he had decided upon the seminary.

(This was before the time he referred to as "believing the Bible as the Word of God".)

Old Man Wierwille was skeptical of this, and said that young Vic, having shown lack

of hard work on simple manual labour on the farm, would never make a good preacher.

Young Vic convinced him he would do better with books than with sweating out in the field.

Young Vic went to school for the ministry.

His community thought it was some kind of joke- everyone knew he lacked the proper character.

(He never overcame that impression with them.)

Victor had the option to study "Bible Languages" or other subjects requiring hard study. He instead

chose to study Homiletics, the "softest" option he could have learned. (He never overcame his

deficiency in study in Bible languages, church history, etc.-not even to the level of an informed

layman as of 2004.)

Victor was married July 2, 1937(Mr was 20, Mrs was 21). He graduated with a BA from

Lakeland College in 1937. Donald was born in 1940.

Victor graduated Princeton Theological Seminary in 1941, with a Masters in Practical Theology.

He did his "trial sermons" in 1941 in Payne, Ohio for the Evangelical and Reformed Church.

According to his memorial in 1985, he started his first pastorate July 1941,

and was ordained July 29, 1941.

(According to his account in TW:LIL, his first pastorate began in 1944 in Van Wert, Ohio,

and continued until 1957.)

Victor entered his first pastorate and wasted little time becoming a bully and a

control freak AGAIN. He himself claimed he started his job by immediately

doing whatever the elders told him not to do- even though it hampered his ability to do his job

properly. According to him, they confronted him on this, he mouthed off at them, and they just

let him go about his business, and the local church prospered as a direct result of him.

He was known for building a fairly interesting sermon, and getting people involved,

including the youths.

(This was STILL before the time when he claimed he believed the Bible was the Word

of God.)

He said the following year, (1942) he slowly became discouraged and was searching.

He was still the man he had been, which is to say he was prideful, arrogant, boastful,

liked attention, and viewed the clergy as a PROFESSION and not a holy calling.

(He could have been just as "called" as an accountant or actuary, say.)

During 1942, he claimed he was ready to give up being a minister.

About a year later (Payne, 1942, August), he met Rosal1nd R1nker. She was a former

missionary to China and Korea. She's remembered as the anonymous person

who asks vpw

"Why don't you search for the greatest of all

things in life which would teach Christians

the HOW of a really victorious life?"

This woman fixed a great deal of attention on him, and had a forceful personality.

She spent some time with him alone. It was of this time that he later claimed

he asked forgiveness of God. He also credits her with DOGGING HIM

"on the Bible being the Word of God",

and she "got me STARTED on the right track".

which, until this time, he hadn't believed, not even in all his years of school.

During 1942, he claimed he was ready to give up being a minister in August AND September.

One month later (September 1942), an event happened that he later showed a habit of re-writing.

As Victor told God he was getting ready to quit (again),

He claimed that God spoke to him and said

He (God) would teach him (Victor) His Word (God's Word)

like it had not been known since the 1st century,

if he (Victor) would teach it to others.

(This is the famous 1942 promise.)

vpw did not discuss this event with anyone until he told the early corps-according to Mrs W.

Thus, the earliest possible origin-point of this story is 1969,

when the "zero corps" was begun.

Victor of course lacked the education in church history to contextualize this claim-

since it was inaccurate as stated. This implies that this was a made-up story,

or it came from a god lacking knowledge in history.

Victor later added a second part to his story- a snowstorm.

He said that he required PROOF of God, and asked God to let him see it snow.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, and he saw a veritable blizzard out his window.

The later addition to this story suggest that he felt it needed more support

after using the initial story. Victor showed no marked improvement, neither in

character, nor in behaviour, thru the rest of the 1940s (nearly the entire decade after this

supposed promise), which strongly supports the rather direct assertion that he lied thru his teeth.

vpw referred to this as one of the two most significant days of his life.

October 3, 1942, vpw did his first radio broadcast. He continued to do a radio show

under one name or another for several years- Vesper Chimes, aka Chimes Hour Youth

Caravan. Its name changes to Chimes Hour Youth Caravan in 1947.

Rhoda joined its staff in 1947.

(Supposedly, the name "the Way" was in the documentation for this group since 1942.)

In 1948, vpw was issued a "Doctorate" from Pikes Peak Seminary, an organization lacking

accreditation and formal classes (among other things.)

At one point, Rufus Moseley attempted to minister Holy Spirit to vpw, but vpw demonstrated

an inability to receive it.

In 1951, he visited missionaries in Honduras.

In 1951, vpw made another claim he was ready to give up on the ministry

(even after, supposedly a direct promise of God about really important stuff

which promptly failed to materialize.)

In November, 1951, vpw attended the Full Gospel Rally, in Tulsa, Oklahoma

(a big Evangelical conference.) He made several claims of this conference.

People at the conference OTHER than vpw supposedly had no difficulty beginning

speaking in tongues. He claimed he faked speaking in tongues in a clever

way, and others were unable to tell. He was further disillusioned about working for God.

He then claimed a miraculous snowstorm blocked him into the city entirely, and

ALL the evidence there NO blizzard whatsoever (and there was a WEALTH of evidence

-at the airports, Amtrak and bus depot, the hotel staff, the attendees,

etc) was concealed by angels. vpw also, apparently, never approached a window,

or they made an illusion at the window.

vpw has referred to this as one of the two most significant days of his life.

Supposedly, a woman came up to him and told him that she knew a man who can help him-

JE Stiles. He claims God told Stiles to attend the conference with the sole purpose

of ministering the Spirit to vpw. vpw met with Stiles, and made a few chauvinistic

observations to himself, before going off with Stiles.

Stiles worked with him for a few hours nonstop, hammering across to vpw what

the Bible says on speaking in tongues, and working over his doubts one by one.

Finally, vpw was able to speak in tongues.

It was during the 1950s that vpw's behaviour was noted to finally improve,

although he still did not stop including inappropriate words or concepts in his sermons.

In March, 1953, vpw found out about BG Leonard, and pushed his way into BG Leonard's

CTC Gifts of the Spirit class, which Leonard told him was closed, but permitted him

to enter after vpw arrived. vpw took this class twice, bringing several people with him

the second time. (That second time was July 1953.)

vpw then went off for a few months by himself, then told Leonard that he'd like to run

Leonard's CTC Gifts of the Spirit class locally for his congregation on a one-time basis.

Seeing the benefit to other Christians, Leonard agrees.

vpw then ran the first of "his" PFAL classes, (October 1953)and took a photograph of that class.

He told the students that this is "his" class called PFAL, with NO mention of Leonard's

class from which 100% of the content had been directly lifted. The students had no

reason to think he's lying. vpw sent the photograph to Leonard and told Leonard that

this is a photo of the class that took Leonard's class on a one-time basis that was run locally.

Leonard took vpw at his word, and had no idea that vpw continued to run Leonard's class

with vpw's name on it, defrauding both Leonard AND the students.

To this day, many students STILL think this was was vpw's class, even when

evidence is introduced to the contrary. Later, vpw added the contents of JE Stiles' work

on "Gifts of the Spirit" and Bullinger's work on the Holy Spirit as well as

"How to Enjoy the Bible", and expanded the class into a class that was the

sum of the 3 men's work-Stiles, Bullinger and Leonard-rather than just Leonard.

vpw later made a few offhand comments here and there that the material in the class

is not original, but its compilation was.

(However, as it was constructed, vpw could have been sued by copyright holders for

Bullinger, Stiles, and Leonard. Leonard found out but chose not to prosecute.)

It is often noted that the supposed 1942 promise claimed vpw would be taught-by God-

things unknown since the First Century Christians, if vpw would teach others-

yet ALL the material vpw taught was all taken from Leonard/Stiles/Bullinger/Kenyon

and a few others, and thus, it was all KNOWN. Therefore, if a god gave vpw revelation

in 1942, it was a god that lied, since vpw's source for everything was

MAN and NEVER represented information lost since the First Century AD-not even once.

In 1953, vpw also took JE Stiles' "Gifts of the Spirit" book, changed a few words,

and self-published it as the 1st Edition of "Receiving the Holy Spirit Today."

(Later editions would include incorporation of material from Leonard and Bullinger,

and would include more cosmetic changes in the order of the words and the

specific words used in an attempt to make it look less like Stiles' book.)

vpw ran "his" PFAL classes continually from 1953 onward, with some success.

Dr E.E. Higgins was one of the students in the October 1953 class. She's known as

the anonymous person who would call vpw at night and ask what God

showed him that day. In 1954, Dr Higgins first introduced vpw to EW

Bullinger's books, and gave him his first copies ofthe Companion Bible, and

"How to Enjoy the Bible."The contents of both these books later became integral

parts of "vpw's" class.

According to his published memorial, Bishop KC Pillai took PFAL in 1954,

and began teaching a class on"Orientalisms of the Bible".

(Pillai also wrote 3 small books: "Light Through an Eastern Window"

and Volumes I and II of "Orientalisms of the Bible.")

According to the memorial in 1985, 1955 was the year they officially chartered

"the Way".

In 1955, JP was born. 2 months later, VPW left JP with family for the next

year or so, and took his wife and eldest son on a tour of the mission fields in India,

on the Evangelical and Reformed Church's dime.(1955-1957) (Per TW:LIL)

He was irritated that he's reminded he is not officially designated as a spokesman

or investigator of theirs. According to his account in TW:LIL,

he there met Bishop KC Pillai, whom he later invited to teach.

According to the memorial, this tour of the mission fields ran from 1955-1956,

and included stops in Great Britain, Europe, India, and "the Bible lands."

According to the memorial, 1956 was when he wrote

"the Dilemma of Foreign Missions in India."(According to TW:LIL)

In 1957, vpw returned to Van Wert. He cut his ties with the Evangelical and Reformed

Church, and took "his" PFAL class with him.In 1957, he and Harry bought out

their brothers and bought the family farm outright. Rather than take ownership

themselves, they declared it the propertyof "the Way", a church organization

(thus tax-exempt.)(Per TW:LIL, Harry said this was the time they chose the name

"the Way".) Work began on fixing up the farm.

In 1959, he ran a Wisconsin Summer Camp. In 1960, he ran an Indiana Summer Camp.

In 1961, he moved to the farm (refurbishment being sufficient for the move). Bishop Pillai

arrived and taught at the summer school. (Per TW:LIL.)

In 1961, he ran a Miamisburg, Ohio Summer Camp.

In 1962, he moved the summer school to the farm (refurbishment being sufficient

to hold classes there in the new BRC.)

In 1962, Lamsa taught at the summer school.(Lamsa is another unconventional teacher

who claimed special knowledge of the Bible and special status as a man of God.)

In 1963, vpw went to Lima, Ohio and filmed the sessions called "the Teacher".

(Despite this, success STILL had not taken off as vpw wished.)

According to the memorial, 1967 was when "Are the Dead Alive Now?"

(which is adapted from some of Bullinger's books) was published, and PFAL was filmed.

This was the edition of PFAL that incorporated Bullinger's books

(the contents, but not the books themselves) into the curriculum.

According to TW:LIL, In 1967, vpw read about the Christians at the House of

Acts. vpw went there, impressed them, and convinced them he has extensive,

EXCLUSIVE knowledge they lack. He then turned those he could from unorganized

Christians into a recruitment arm for his class and organization. They agreed

to handle things on the East and West coasts, and many young Christians were

impressed with THEM and join.

According to the memorial, his trip to Haight-Ashbury/House of Acts was in 1968.

As of 1969, sizeable numbers of young people had flocked to twi from both coasts

as a result.

Once there was sizeable membership in both coasts, vpw pushed out the Christians

from the House of Acts and insisted authority would come FROM hq and tithes

would go TO hq. No exceptions. At that point (1969), vpw made his first attempt

at a Way Corps, which resulted in the famous "Zero Corps".

At some point-presumably early in the way corps history, and possibly as early as 1969,

vpw (according to Mrs W's account) first begins to tell his "snow on the pumps" account

to people, starting with the way corps.

In 1971, vpw began his WOW Ambassador program. This program underwent some

changes, but primarily was a one-year committment to get sent out,

support yourself, find housing, and run PFAL classes.

According to his memorial, 1971 was when the Orange Book, "Power for

Abundant Living" was first self-published. It contained mostly material from Leonard's

class and from Bullinger's book "How to Enjoy the Bible".

A number of pamphlets called "Studies in Abundant Living" accompanied the

PFAL class from fairly early on (the filmed class names "Studies in Human

Suffering", later renamed "Job:Victim to Victor".)

In 1971, the first 3 volumes of "Studies in Abundant Living" are published.

In 1974, Emporia College in Emporia, Kansas was bought. It was renamed

"the Way College of Emporia". Despite an absence of accreditation, licensed professors,

and a school "library" composed ENTIRELY of used textbooks donated by way members,

it was put forth as if it is a normal, accredited college.

In 1975, "Jesus Christ is Not God" was published. This was the last book-

not counting Vol 4 of Studies in Abundant Living- that was actually put together by vpw.

In 1976, campuses were purchased in Rome City, Indiana ("the College of Biblical Research")

and Gunnison, Colorado ("the Way Family Ranch-Camp Gunnison").

In 1977, the PFAL '77 was done live at Ball State University. According to the memorial,

in 1977, Howard Allen and Donald Wierwille were installed as Trustees on the

Board of Trustees (replacing "Uncle" Harry Wierwille and Ermal Owens.)

In 1977, Volume 4 of Studies in Abundant Living was published.

In 1978, the land for the LEAD Outdoor Academy was purchased in Tinnie, New Mexico.

In 1979, Advanced Class '79 ran (live, I imagine.)

In 1980, "Jesus Christ Our Passover" was published. This was the first book written by

competent staff and researchers. According to the book itself, it was written

"by Victor Paul Wierwille", with no mention of anyone else. It was a higher-caliber book

than twi normally self-publishes.

In 1982, twi celebrates its "Fortieth Anniversary" since the radio shows that

weren't called "the Way". In 1982, vpw installed LCM as the new president of twi

and vpw becomes "president emeritus".

In 1982, "Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed" was published. It also was written by staff,

and said "by Victor Paul Wierwille" on the cover.

It relied largely on the calculations of another writer as well. This book also saw the

breakthrough of proper crediting, since it actually named the other writer

(Martin) and his book.

In 1984, a live PFAL class was taught at Camp Gunnison, and a manor house was

purchased in Gartmore, Scotland. It was named the Way College of Biblical Research.

(aka Gartmore House, or "the big house" to the villagers of Gartmore.)

In 1985 the "Word over the World Auditorium" opened at the organizations hq on the farm.

vpw died May 20, 1985 at age 68. Volume 5 of Studies in Abundant Living was published

posthumously. Its contents were from vpw, it was edited by Chr1$ Ge*r.

=========

Edited January 22, 2006 by WordWolf

[Oakspear]

...According to the memorial, in 1977, Howard Allen and

"Uncle" Harry Wierwille were installed as Trustees on the

Board of Trustees.

Is this a misprint of yours, or is it written this way in Way material?

Howard replaced Harry Wierwille on the BOT, Don Wierwille replaced Ermal Owens

Edited January 22, 2006 by Oakspear

[WordWolf]

Is this a misprint of yours, or is it written this way in Way material?

Howard replaced Harry Wierwille on the BOT, Don Wierwille replaced Ermal Owens

I was going from another poster's posting of the entry in the memorial brochure of ROA 85.

"1977...HEW and HRA installed as new BOT; Vol. 4 published."

I suppose it SHOULD have read

"1977...DW and HRA installed as new BOT..."

I'll make the correction in the next one.

And how come it took so long to CATCH that?

:)

[shazdancer]

Oak, I totally LOVE your explanation of the difference between citing a source, and what Wierwille did, name-dropping but setting himself up as better than all of them.

Priceless!

Regards,

Shaz

[WordWolf]

Edition 5.0 of my timeline.

I added the details re: vpw's death.

This timeline is mostly from publications OF TWI.

=========

Let's see.

What did vpw AUTHORIZE to be revealed about himself.....

victor paul wierwille was born to a large family of German descent.

(Born December 31, 1916.)

According to locals, Ernst, his father, was an alcoholic with negligible

education, with a bad temper who acted as a bully.This was true in his dealings

with locals AND with his own family.Each child had their own chores.

Little Victor chose to neglect his chores, and would vanish for hours into the woods nearby.

(It has been noted that this running off may have been as much to avoid

an abusive father as it was to avoid doing any work. Or it may be unrelated.)

He claimed that when he was young, he once told a minister that he wanted to be

a man of God like him. Other than this statement, Little Victor showed

no actual involvement in the church, no actual effort or work in the things of the church.

So, this seems to suggest an interest-not in being a man of God- but in being

the man the whole community turned out to see, to have their respect.

As a teenager, young Vic continued to lack any qualities of a man of God. In fact, he went out of

his way to earn a reputation going in the opposite direction. He was a bully, a showoff and a braggart.

(He seems to have been taught this at home.)He did all sorts of things for attention. He was quick

to start a fight or mouth off at others. He had a quick wit. One of his common ways of showing off

was to tear up and down the streets of New Knoxville on his motorcycle, trying to get attention.

His demonstrated talents seemed to be limited to his quick wit and his ability to play a guitar,

which he showed competency in.

Old Man Wierwille was preparing to pass on thefamily farm to young Vic, as was the family

tradition. Young Vic balked at this. He'd had plans to go to college. At first, he considered

a few fields-business and so on- but by this time, he had decided upon the seminary.

(This was before the time he referred to as "believing the Bible as the Word of God".)

Old Man Wierwille was skeptical of this, and said that young Vic, having shown lack

of hard work on simple manual labour on the farm, would never make a good preacher.

Young Vic convinced him he would do better with books than with sweating out in the field.

Young Vic went to school for the ministry.

His community thought it was some kind of joke- everyone knew he lacked the proper character.

(He never overcame that impression with them.)

Victor had the option to study "Bible Languages" or other subjects requiring hard study. He instead

chose to study Homiletics, the "softest" option he could have learned. (He never overcame his

deficiency in study in Bible languages, church history, etc.-not even to the level of an informed

layman as of 2004.)

Victor was married July 2, 1937(Mr was 20, Mrs was 21). He graduated with a BA from

Lakeland College in 1937. Donald was born in 1940.

Victor graduated Princeton Theological Seminary in 1941, with a Masters in Practical Theology.

He did his "trial sermons" in 1941 in Payne, Ohio for the Evangelical and Reformed Church.

According to his memorial in 1985, he started his first pastorate July 1941,

and was ordained July 29, 1941.

(According to his account in TW:LIL, his first pastorate began in 1944 in Van Wert, Ohio,

and continued until 1957.)

Victor entered his first pastorate and wasted little time becoming a bully and a

control freak AGAIN. He himself claimed he started his job by immediately

doing whatever the elders told him not to do- even though it hampered his ability to do his job

properly. According to him, they confronted him on this, he mouthed off at them, and they just

let him go about his business, and the local church prospered as a direct result of him.

He was known for building a fairly interesting sermon, and getting people involved,

including the youths.

(This was STILL before the time when he claimed he believed the Bible was the Word

of God.)

He said the following year, (1942) he slowly became discouraged and was searching.

He was still the man he had been, which is to say he was prideful, arrogant, boastful,

liked attention, and viewed the clergy as a PROFESSION and not a holy calling.

(He could have been just as "called" as an accountant or actuary, say.)

During 1942, he claimed he was ready to give up being a minister.

About a year later (Payne, 1942, August), he met Rosal1nd R1nker. She was a former

missionary to China and Korea. She's remembered as the anonymous person

who asks vpw

"Why don't you search for the greatest of all

things in life which would teach Christians

the HOW of a really victorious life?"

This woman fixed a great deal of attention on him, and had a forceful personality.

She spent some time with him alone. It was of this time that he later claimed

he asked forgiveness of God. He also credits her with DOGGING HIM

"on the Bible being the Word of God",

and she "got me STARTED on the right track".

which, until this time, he hadn't believed, not even in all his years of school.

During 1942, he claimed he was ready to give up being a minister in August AND September.

One month later (September 1942), an event happened that he later showed a habit of re-writing.

As Victor told God he was getting ready to quit (again),

He claimed that God spoke to him and said

He (God) would teach him (Victor) His Word (God's Word)

like it had not been known since the 1st century,

if he (Victor) would teach it to others.

(This is the famous 1942 promise.)

vpw did not discuss this event with anyone until he told the early corps-according to Mrs W.

Thus, the earliest possible origin-point of this story is 1969,

when the "zero corps" was begun.

Victor of course lacked the education in church history to contextualize this claim-

since it was inaccurate as stated. This implies that this was a made-up story,

or it came from a god lacking knowledge in history.

Victor later added a second part to his story- a snowstorm.

He said that he required PROOF of God, and asked God to let him see it snow.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, and he saw a veritable blizzard out his window.

The later addition to this story suggest that he felt it needed more support

after using the initial story. Victor showed no marked improvement, neither in

character, nor in behaviour, thru the rest of the 1940s (nearly the entire decade after this

supposed promise), which strongly supports the rather direct assertion that he lied thru his teeth.

vpw referred to this as one of the two most significant days of his life.

October 3, 1942, vpw did his first radio broadcast. He continued to do a radio show

under one name or another for several years- Vesper Chimes, aka Chimes Hour Youth

Caravan. Its name changes to Chimes Hour Youth Caravan in 1947.

Rhoda joined its staff in 1947.

(Supposedly, the name "the Way" was in the documentation for this group since 1942.)

In 1948, vpw was issued a "Doctorate" from Pikes Peak Seminary, an organization lacking

accreditation and formal classes (among other things.)

At one point, Rufus Moseley attempted to minister Holy Spirit to vpw, but vpw demonstrated

an inability to receive it.

In 1951, he visited missionaries in Honduras.

In 1951, vpw made another claim he was ready to give up on the ministry

(even after, supposedly a direct promise of God about really important stuff

which promptly failed to materialize.)

In November, 1951, vpw attended the Full Gospel Rally, in Tulsa, Oklahoma

(a big Evangelical conference.) He made several claims of this conference.

People at the conference OTHER than vpw supposedly had no difficulty beginning

speaking in tongues. He claimed he faked speaking in tongues in a clever

way, and others were unable to tell. He was further disillusioned about working for God.

He then claimed a miraculous snowstorm blocked him into the city entirely, and

ALL the evidence there NO blizzard whatsoever (and there was a WEALTH of evidence

-at the airports, Amtrak and bus depot, the hotel staff, the attendees,

etc) was concealed by angels. vpw also, apparently, never approached a window,

or they made an illusion at the window.

vpw has referred to this as one of the two most significant days of his life.

Supposedly, a woman came up to him and told him that she knew a man who can help him-

JE Stiles. He claims God told Stiles to attend the conference with the sole purpose

of ministering the Spirit to vpw. vpw met with Stiles, and made a few chauvinistic

observations to himself, before going off with Stiles.

Stiles worked with him for a few hours nonstop, hammering across to vpw what

the Bible says on speaking in tongues, and working over his doubts one by one.

Finally, vpw was able to speak in tongues.

It was during the 1950s that vpw's behaviour was noted to finally improve,

although he still did not stop including inappropriate words or concepts in his sermons.

In March, 1953, vpw found out about BG Leonard, and pushed his way into BG Leonard's

CTC Gifts of the Spirit class, which Leonard told him was closed, but permitted him

to enter after vpw arrived. vpw took this class twice, bringing several people with him

the second time. (That second time was July 1953.)

vpw then went off for a few months by himself, then told Leonard that he'd like to run

Leonard's CTC Gifts of the Spirit class locally for his congregation on a one-time basis.

Seeing the benefit to other Christians, Leonard agrees.

vpw then ran the first of "his" PFAL classes, (October 1953)and took a photograph of that class.

He told the students that this is "his" class called PFAL, with NO mention of Leonard's

class from which 100% of the content had been directly lifted. The students had no

reason to think he's lying. vpw sent the photograph to Leonard and told Leonard that

this is a photo of the class that took Leonard's class on a one-time basis that was run locally.

Leonard took vpw at his word, and had no idea that vpw continued to run Leonard's class

with vpw's name on it, defrauding both Leonard AND the students.

To this day, many students STILL think this was was vpw's class, even when

evidence is introduced to the contrary. Later, vpw added the contents of JE Stiles' work

on "Gifts of the Spirit" and Bullinger's work on the Holy Spirit as well as

"How to Enjoy the Bible", and expanded the class into a class that was the

sum of the 3 men's work-Stiles, Bullinger and Leonard-rather than just Leonard.

vpw later made a few offhand comments here and there that the material in the class

is not original, but its compilation was.

(However, as it was constructed, vpw could have been sued by copyright holders for

Bullinger, Stiles, and Leonard. Leonard found out but chose not to prosecute.)

It is often noted that the supposed 1942 promise claimed vpw would be taught-by God-

things unknown since the First Century Christians, if vpw would teach others-

yet ALL the material vpw taught was all taken from Leonard/Stiles/Bullinger/Kenyon

and a few others, and thus, it was all KNOWN. Therefore, if a god gave vpw revelation

in 1942, it was a god that lied, since vpw's source for everything was

MAN and NEVER represented information lost since the First Century AD-not even once.

In 1953, vpw also took JE Stiles' "Gifts of the Spirit" book, changed a few words,

and self-published it as the 1st Edition of "Receiving the Holy Spirit Today."

(Later editions would include incorporation of material from Leonard and Bullinger,

and would include more cosmetic changes in the order of the words and the

specific words used in an attempt to make it look less like Stiles' book.)

vpw ran "his" PFAL classes continually from 1953 onward, with some success.

Dr E.E. Higgins was one of the students in the October 1953 class. She's known as

the anonymous person who would call vpw at night and ask what God

showed him that day. In 1954, Dr Higgins first introduced vpw to EW

Bullinger's books, and gave him his first copies ofthe Companion Bible, and

"How to Enjoy the Bible."The contents of both these books later became integral

parts of "vpw's" class.

According to his published memorial, Bishop KC Pillai took PFAL in 1954,

and began teaching a class on"Orientalisms of the Bible".

(Pillai also wrote 3 small books: "Light Through an Eastern Window"

and Volumes I and II of "Orientalisms of the Bible.")

According to the memorial in 1985, 1955 was the year they officially chartered

"the Way".

In 1955, JP was born. 2 months later, VPW left JP with family for the next

year or so, and took his wife and eldest son on a tour of the mission fields in India,

on the Evangelical and Reformed Church's dime.(1955-1957) (Per TW:LIL)

He was irritated that he's reminded he is not officially designated as a spokesman

or investigator of theirs. According to his account in TW:LIL,

he there met Bishop KC Pillai, whom he later invited to teach.

According to the memorial, this tour of the mission fields ran from 1955-1956,

and included stops in Great Britain, Europe, India, and "the Bible lands."

According to the memorial, 1956 was when he wrote

"the Dilemma of Foreign Missions in India."(According to TW:LIL)

In 1957, vpw returned to Van Wert. He cut his ties with the Evangelical and Reformed

Church, and took "his" PFAL class with him.In 1957, he and Harry bought out

their brothers and bought the family farm outright. Rather than take ownership

themselves, they declared it the propertyof "the Way", a church organization

(thus tax-exempt.)(Per TW:LIL, Harry said this was the time they chose the name

"the Way".) Work began on fixing up the farm.

In 1959, he ran a Wisconsin Summer Camp. In 1960, he ran an Indiana Summer Camp.

In 1961, he moved to the farm (refurbishment being sufficient for the move). Bishop Pillai

arrived and taught at the summer school. (Per TW:LIL.)

In 1961, he ran a Miamisburg, Ohio Summer Camp.

In 1962, he moved the summer school to the farm (refurbishment being sufficient

to hold classes there in the new BRC.)

In 1962, Lamsa taught at the summer school.(Lamsa is another unconventional teacher

who claimed special knowledge of the Bible and special status as a man of God.)

In 1963, vpw went to Lima, Ohio and filmed the sessions called "the Teacher".

(Despite this, success STILL had not taken off as vpw wished.)

According to the memorial, 1967 was when "Are the Dead Alive Now?"

(which is adapted from some of Bullinger's books) was published, and PFAL was filmed.

This was the edition of PFAL that incorporated Bullinger's books

(the contents, but not the books themselves) into the curriculum.

In Fall of 1967, vpw first filmed the PFAL class. This was done in a setting

with bright studio lights. (Bright studio lights do not cause cancer.)

vpw claimed that a doctor told him that filming a second day would mean

permanent eye damage, and that he was staring into 8000 watts.

He filmed for 3 complete days, getting sore eyes from the bright lights

(which do not cause cancer.) The figure of 2000 watts seems to be a more

realistic figure for the light level of the filmed class (which is still VERY bright.)

According to TW:LIL, In 1967, vpw read about the Christians at the House of

Acts. vpw went there, impressed them, and convinced them he has extensive,

EXCLUSIVE knowledge they lack. He then turned those he could from unorganized

Christians into a recruitment arm for his class and organization. They agreed

to handle things on the East and West coasts, and many young Christians were

impressed with THEM and join.

According to the memorial, his trip to Haight-Ashbury/House of Acts was in 1968.

As of 1969, sizeable numbers of young people had flocked to twi from both coasts

as a result.

Once there was sizeable membership in both coasts, vpw pushed out the Christians

from the House of Acts and insisted authority would come FROM hq and tithes

would go TO hq. No exceptions. At that point (1969), vpw made his first attempt

at a Way Corps, which resulted in the famous "Zero Corps".

At some point-presumably early in the way corps history, and possibly as early as 1969,

vpw (according to Mrs W's account) first begins to tell his "snow on the pumps" account

to people, starting with the way corps.

In 1971, vpw began his WOW Ambassador program. This program underwent some

changes, but primarily was a one-year committment to get sent out,

support yourself, find housing, and run PFAL classes.

According to his memorial, 1971 was when the Orange Book, "Power for

Abundant Living" was first self-published. It contained mostly material from Leonard's

class and from Bullinger's book "How to Enjoy the Bible".

A number of pamphlets called "Studies in Abundant Living" accompanied the

PFAL class from fairly early on (the filmed class names "Studies in Human

Suffering", later renamed "Job:Victim to Victor".)

In 1971, the first 3 volumes of "Studies in Abundant Living" are published.

In 1974, Emporia College in Emporia, Kansas was bought. It was renamed

"the Way College of Emporia". Despite an absence of accreditation, licensed professors,

and a school "library" composed ENTIRELY of used textbooks donated by way members,

it was put forth as if it is a normal, accredited college.

In 1975, "Jesus Christ is Not God" was published. This was the last book-

not counting Vol 4 of Studies in Abundant Living- that was actually put together by vpw.

In 1976, campuses were purchased in Rome City, Indiana ("the College of Biblical Research")

and Gunnison, Colorado ("the Way Family Ranch-Camp Gunnison").

In 1977, the PFAL '77 was done live at Ball State University. According to the memorial,

in 1977, Howard Allen and Donald Wierwille were installed as Trustees on the

Board of Trustees (replacing "Uncle" Harry Wierwille and Ermal Owens.)

In 1977, Volume 4 of Studies in Abundant Living was published.

In 1978, the land for the LEAD Outdoor Academy was purchased in Tinnie, New Mexico.

In 1979, Advanced Class '79 ran (live, I imagine.)

In 1980, "Jesus Christ Our Passover" was published. This was the first book written by

competent staff and researchers. According to the book itself, it was written

"by Victor Paul Wierwille", with no mention of anyone else. It was a higher-caliber book

than twi normally self-publishes.

In 1982, twi celebrates its "Fortieth Anniversary" since the radio shows that

weren't called "the Way". In 1982, vpw installed LCM as the new president of twi

and vpw becomes "president emeritus".

In 1982, "Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed" was published. It also was written by staff,

and said "by Victor Paul Wierwille" on the cover.

It relied largely on the calculations of another writer as well. This book also saw the

breakthrough of proper crediting, since it actually named the other writer

(Martin) and his book.

In 1984, a live PFAL class was taught at Camp Gunnison, and a manor house was

purchased in Gartmore, Scotland. It was named the Way College of Biblical Research.

(aka Gartmore House, or "the big house" to the villagers of Gartmore.)

vpw spent his life drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking cigarettes and cigars-

tobacco products. Although he usually did it "off-camera", many people knew some

of this. Everyone knew he at least smoked, but he seemed to chain-smoke when

"no one was watching." Furthermore, he had a "coffee cup" next to him for morning

meetings and so on-and often, the contents had nothing to do with coffee. Those who

ever commented on it (who were few enough among those who noticed) were

treated to his comments about us not being "under condemnation" and thus it wasn't

sinful, and therefore had no consequences.

However, there WERE consequences....

By 1984, the long-term exposure to alcohol-which damages internal organs, including

those that act as the body's filtration system and also damages the brain-

and long-term exposure to tobacco-which is a known cancer-causing agent

(unlike studio lights)- resulted in some permanent damage to vpw' body.

He acquired cancer of the eye and liver, and suffered a stroke.

vpw quite vocally-and often- announced that the eye damage was the result

of getting cancer from the studio lights used when filming PFAL- thus saying it was

the result of virtuous activity, and used to give the students a guilty conscience.

Once, when addressing the corps, he was speaking on personal committment to

God. He said "I gave my EYE-what are YOU willing to give?"

Further, in private, vpw was MOST disturbed that he had ANY physical problems,

especially this one. He claimed he'd never been sick or needed an aspirin EVER-

not ONE DAY in his life-before this. Not even in PRIVATE did he ever seem to admit

he'd exposed his body to carcinogens for DECADES. He had surgery that

removed the cancer-stricken eye.

The details of the stroke were COMPLETELY hidden-although there were witnesses-

and the existence of any cancer produced a problem. According to vpw's DOCTRINE,

any Christian should be able to believe sufficiently to burn out a cancer from their

body. vpw had slowly manipulated his personal image to the point that he was

frequently seen as some sort of super-Christian-which is what he wanted. However,

this meant he should have EASILY believed away his cancer.

WORSE, he'd taught in the Advanced class that, since a cancer has a life of its own

(like algae), it must be the result of devil activity. Since vpw was supposedly a

super-Christian, he should have been able to deflect such an assault easily.

However, rather than adjust his image, or correct his doctrine-which had already

hurt many other Christians-he simply hid the cause of his descent into death.

In 1985 the "Word over the World Auditorium" opened at the organizations hq on the farm.

vpw died May 20, 1985 at age 68. According to his death certificate, the cause was

cancer of the liver and of the eye. According to most people in twi at the time,

the cause was UNKNOWN. The most commonly-stated reason was

"he got tired of fighting."

In the last few months of his life, vpw visited Gartmore and spoke privately

with Chr1s Ge*r. He (CG) later claimed that his own paper which he wrote

afterwards-"the Passing of the Patriarch"-was based entirely on private

conversations with vpw. (Some people believe him, some do not.)

That paper-among other things-also claims that vpw would have been

able to "believe himself healthy" if he'd wanted to.

Volume 5 of Studies in Abundant Living was published

posthumously. Its contents were from vpw, it was edited by Chr1$ Ge*r.

=========

Edited January 23, 2006 by WordWolf

[rascal]

I remember at one time him sharing at some gathering that he and mrs.w got married in secret while they were both supposed to be in college .... had to keep it secret from their families for a year untill one or both had graduated.

Guess I always thought that was kind of puzzling behavior for a man who was studying to be a minister....kind of sneaky

If you had to keep it secret .... was there maybe a reason why that you shouldn`t have been doing it?

First documented instance of lock box perhaps?

We are doing this and it is ok ... but don`t tell anybody else because they just wouldn`t understand....

Dunno just struck me as not forthright and honest...

[Oakspear]

And how come it took so long to CATCH that?

:)

Must be out of fllowship

[WordWolf]

Edition 5.5 of my timeline.

I added the John Birch Society and secret marriage,

and a little exposition on his miraculous snowstorms.

====

This timeline is mostly from publications OF TWI.

=========

Let's see.

victor paul wierwille was born to a large family of German descent.

(Born December 31, 1916.)

According to locals, Ernst, his father, was an alcoholic with negligible

education, with a bad temper who acted as a bully.This was true in his dealings

with locals AND with his own family.Each child had their own chores.

Little Victor chose to neglect his chores, and would vanish for hours into the woods nearby.

(It has been noted that this running off may have been as much to avoid

an abusive father as it was to avoid doing any work. Or it may be unrelated.)

He claimed that when he was young, he once told a minister that he wanted to be

a man of God like him. Other than this statement, Little Victor showed

no actual involvement in the church, no actual effort or work in the things of the church.

So, this seems to suggest an interest-not in being a man of God- but in being

the man the whole community turned out to see, to have their respect.

As a teenager, young Vic continued to lack any qualities of a man of God. In fact, he went out of

his way to earn a reputation going in the opposite direction. He was a bully, a showoff and a braggart.

(He seems to have been taught this at home.)He did all sorts of things for attention. He was quick

to start a fight or mouth off at others. He had a quick wit. One of his common ways of showing off

was to tear up and down the streets of New Knoxville on his motorcycle, trying to get attention.

His demonstrated talents seemed to be limited to his quick wit and his ability to play a guitar,

which he showed competency in.

Old Man Wierwille was preparing to pass on thefamily farm to young Vic, as was the family

tradition. Young Vic balked at this. He'd had plans to go to college. At first, he considered

a few fields-business and so on- but by this time, he had decided upon the seminary.

(This was before the time he referred to as "believing the Bible as the Word of God".)

Old Man Wierwille was skeptical of this, and said that young Vic, having shown lack

of hard work on simple manual labour on the farm, would never make a good preacher.

Young Vic convinced him he would do better with books than with sweating out in the field.

Young Vic went to school for the ministry.

His community thought it was some kind of joke- everyone knew he lacked the proper character.

(He never overcame that impression with them.)

Victor had the option to study "Bible Languages" or other subjects requiring hard study. He instead

chose to study Homiletics, the "softest" option he could have learned. (He never overcame his

deficiency in study in Bible languages, church history, etc.-not even to the level of an informed

layman as of 2004.)

Victor was married July 2, 1937(Mr was 20, Mrs was 21). According to vpw, he and Mrs W married

secretly while he was still in college. No reason for this was ever given.

Victor suggested he played on his college's basketball team, and that after college

he played on the professional team "the Sheboygan Redskins." His claim of each was

phrased ambiguously ("I played basketball all through college" "I was involved in the

Sheboygan Redskins") and the purpose seems to have been so that he was believed

to have said he did both without actually making the claims. Later, he began

making claims that he also "invented the hook shot" at this time.

He graduated with a BA from Lakeland College in 1937. Donald was born in 1940.

Victor graduated Princeton Theological Seminary in 1941, with a Masters in Practical Theology.

He did his "trial sermons" in 1941 in Payne, Ohio for the Evangelical and Reformed Church.

According to his memorial in 1985, he started his first pastorate July 1941,

and was ordained July 29, 1941.

(According to his account in TW:LIL, his first pastorate began in 1944 in Van Wert, Ohio,

and continued until 1957.)

Victor entered his first pastorate and wasted little time becoming a bully and a

control freak AGAIN. He himself claimed he started his job by immediately

doing whatever the elders told him not to do- even though it hampered his ability to do his job

properly. According to him, they confronted him on this, he mouthed off at them, and they just

let him go about his business, and the local church prospered as a direct result of him.

He was known for building a fairly interesting sermon, and getting people involved,

including the youths. (This was STILL before the time when he claimed he believed

the Bible was the Word of God.)

He said the following year, (1942) he slowly became discouraged and was searching.

He was still the man he had been, which is to say he was prideful, arrogant, boastful,

liked attention, and viewed the clergy as a PROFESSION and not a holy calling.

(He could have been just as "called" as an accountant or actuary, say.)

During 1942, he claimed he was ready to give up being a minister.

About a year later (Payne, 1942, August), he met Rosal1nd R1nker. She was a former

missionary to China and Korea. She's remembered as the anonymous person

who asks vpw

"Why don't you search for the greatest of all things in life

which would teach Christians the HOW of a really victorious life?"

This woman fixed a great deal of attention on him, and had a forceful personality.

She spent some time with him alone. It was of this time that he later claimed

he asked forgiveness of God. He also credits her with DOGGING HIM

"on the Bible being the Word of God",

and she "got me STARTED on the right track".

which, until this time, he hadn't believed, not even in all his years of school.

During 1942, he claimed he was ready to give up being a minister in August AND September.

One month later (September 1942), an event happened that he later showed a habit of re-writing.

As Victor told God he was getting ready to quit (again), He claimed that God spoke to him and said

He (God) would teach him (Victor) His Word (God's Word)

like it had not been known since the 1st century,

if he (Victor) would teach it to others.

(This is the famous 1942 promise.)

vpw did not discuss this event with anyone until he told the early corps-according to Mrs W.

Thus, the earliest possible origin-point of this story is 1969,

when the "zero corps" was begun.

Victor of course lacked the education in church history to contextualize this claim-

since it was inaccurate as stated. This implies that this was a made-up story,

or it came from a god lacking knowledge in history.

Victor later added a second part to his story- a snowstorm.

He said that he required PROOF of God, and asked God to let him see it snow.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, and he saw a veritable blizzard out his window.

The later addition to this story suggest that he felt it needed more support

after using the initial story. Victor showed no marked improvement, neither in

character, nor in behaviour, thru the rest of the 1940s (nearly the entire decade after this

supposed promise), which strongly supports the rather direct assertion that he lied thru his teeth.

vpw referred to this as one of the two most significant days of his life.

October 3, 1942, vpw did his first radio broadcast. He continued to do a radio show

under one name or another for several years- Vesper Chimes, aka Chimes Hour Youth

Caravan. Its name changes to Chimes Hour Youth Caravan in 1947.

Rhoda joined its staff in 1947.

(Supposedly, the name "the Way" was in the documentation for this group since 1942.)

In 1948, vpw was issued a "Doctorate" from Pikes Peak Seminary, an organization lacking

accreditation and formal classes (among other things.)

At one point, Rufus Moseley attempted to minister Holy Spirit to vpw, but vpw demonstrated

an inability to receive it. In 1951, he visited missionaries in Honduras.

In 1951, vpw made another claim he was ready to give up on the ministry

(even after, supposedly a direct promise of God about really important stuff

which promptly failed to materialize.)

In November, 1951, vpw attended the Full Gospel Rally, in Tulsa, Oklahoma

(a big Evangelical conference.) He made several claims of this conference.

People at the conference OTHER than vpw supposedly had no difficulty beginning

speaking in tongues. He claimed he faked speaking in tongues in a clever

way, and others were unable to tell. He was further disillusioned about working for God.

He then claimed a miraculous snowstorm blocked him into the city entirely, and

ALL the evidence there NO blizzard whatsoever (and there was a WEALTH of evidence

-at the airports, Amtrak and bus depot, the hotel staff, the attendees,

etc) was concealed by angels. vpw also, apparently, never approached a window,

or they made an illusion at the window.

vpw has referred to this as one of the two most significant days of his life.

(Many people currently feel that vpw completely made up the story that God spoke

to him in 1942, and that his dependence upon this event plus the event at the

Full Gospel Rally to establish his authority were both dressed up with made-up

snowstorms to make them sound more spectacular. The specifics of both

appear to support this position-especially since vpw was fond of increasing

the magnitude of his claims in things as time went on.)

Supposedly, a woman came up to him and told him that she knew a man who can help him-

JE Stiles. He claims God told Stiles to attend the conference with the sole purpose

of ministering the Spirit to vpw. vpw met with Stiles, and made a few chauvinistic

observations to himself, before going off with Stiles.

Stiles worked with him for a few hours nonstop, hammering across to vpw what

the Bible says on speaking in tongues, and working over his doubts one by one.

Finally, vpw was able to speak in tongues.

It was during the 1950s that vpw's behaviour was noted to finally improve,

although he still did not stop including inappropriate words or concepts in his sermons.

In March, 1953, vpw found out about BG Leonard, and pushed his way into BG Leonard's

CTC Gifts of the Spirit class, which Leonard told him was closed, but permitted him

to enter after vpw arrived. vpw took this class twice, bringing several people with him

the second time. (That second time was July 1953.)

vpw then went off for a few months by himself, then told Leonard that he'd like to run

Leonard's CTC Gifts of the Spirit class locally for his congregation on a one-time basis.

Seeing the benefit to other Christians, Leonard agrees.

vpw then ran the first of "his" PFAL classes, (October 1953)and took a photograph of that class.

He told the students that this is "his" class called PFAL, with NO mention of Leonard's

class from which 100% of the content had been directly lifted. The students had no

reason to think he's lying. vpw sent the photograph to Leonard and told Leonard that

this is a photo of the class that took Leonard's class on a one-time basis that was run locally.

Leonard took vpw at his word, and had no idea that vpw continued to run Leonard's class

with vpw's name on it, defrauding both Leonard AND the students.

To this day, many students STILL think this was was vpw's class, even when

evidence is introduced to the contrary. Later, vpw added the contents of JE Stiles' work

on "Gifts of the Spirit" and Bullinger's work on the Holy Spirit as well as

"How to Enjoy the Bible", and expanded the class into a class that was the

sum of the 3 men's work-Stiles, Bullinger and Leonard-rather than just Leonard.

vpw later made a few offhand comments here and there that the material in the class

is not original, but its compilation was.

(However, as it was constructed, vpw could have been sued by copyright holders for

Bullinger, Stiles, and Leonard. Leonard found out but chose not to prosecute.)

It is often noted that the supposed 1942 promise claimed vpw would be taught-by God-

things unknown since the First Century Christians, if vpw would teach others-

yet ALL the material vpw taught was all taken from Leonard/Stiles/Bullinger/Kenyon

and a few others, and thus, it was all KNOWN. Therefore, if a god gave vpw revelation

in 1942, it was a god that lied, since vpw's source for everything was

MAN and NEVER represented information lost since the First Century AD-not even once.

In 1953, vpw also took JE Stiles' "Gifts of the Spirit" book, changed a few words,

and self-published it as the 1st Edition of "Receiving the Holy Spirit Today."

(Later editions would include incorporation of material from Leonard and Bullinger,

and would include more cosmetic changes in the order of the words and the

specific words used in an attempt to make it look less like Stiles' book.)

vpw ran "his" PFAL classes continually from 1953 onward, with some success.

Dr E.E. Higgins was one of the students in the October 1953 class. She's known as

the anonymous person who would call vpw at night and ask what God

showed him that day. In 1954, Dr Higgins first introduced vpw to EW

Bullinger's books, and gave him his first copies ofthe Companion Bible, and

"How to Enjoy the Bible."The contents of both these books later became integral

parts of "vpw's" class.

According to his published memorial, Bishop KC Pillai took PFAL in 1954,

and began teaching a class on"Orientalisms of the Bible".

(Pillai also wrote 3 small books: "Light Through an Eastern Window"

and Volumes I and II of "Orientalisms of the Bible.")

According to the memorial in 1985, 1955 was the year they officially chartered

"the Way".

In 1955, JP was born. 2 months later, VPW left JP with family for the next

year or so, and took his wife and eldest son on a tour of the mission fields in India,

on the Evangelical and Reformed Church's dime.(1955-1957) (Per TW:LIL)

He was irritated that he's reminded he is not officially designated as a spokesman

or investigator of theirs. According to his account in TW:LIL,

he there met Bishop KC Pillai, whom he later invited to teach.

According to the memorial, this tour of the mission fields ran from 1955-1956,

and included stops in Great Britain, Europe, India, and "the Bible lands."

According to the memorial, 1956 was when he wrote

"the Dilemma of Foreign Missions in India."(According to TW:LIL)

In 1957, vpw returned to Van Wert. He cut his ties with the Evangelical and Reformed

Church, and took "his" PFAL class with him.In 1957, he and Harry bought out

their brothers and bought the family farm outright. Rather than take ownership

themselves, they declared it the propertyof "the Way", a church organization

(thus tax-exempt.)(Per TW:LIL, Harry said this was the time they chose the name

"the Way".) Work began on fixing up the farm.

In 1959, he ran a Wisconsin Summer Camp. In 1960, he ran an Indiana Summer Camp.

In 1961, he moved to the farm (refurbishment being sufficient for the move). Bishop Pillai

arrived and taught at the summer school. (Per TW:LIL.)

In 1961, he ran a Miamisburg, Ohio Summer Camp.

In 1962, he moved the summer school to the farm (refurbishment being sufficient

to hold classes there in the new BRC.)

In 1962, Lamsa taught at the summer school.(Lamsa is another unconventional teacher

who claimed special knowledge of the Bible and special status as a man of God.)

In 1963, vpw went to Lima, Ohio and filmed the sessions called "the Teacher".

(Despite this, success STILL had not taken off as vpw wished.)

According to the memorial, 1967 was when "Are the Dead Alive Now?"

(which is adapted from some of Bullinger's books) was published, and PFAL was filmed.

This was the edition of PFAL that incorporated Bullinger's books

(the contents, but not the books themselves) into the curriculum.

In Fall of 1967, vpw first filmed the PFAL class. This was done in a setting

with bright studio lights. (Bright studio lights do not cause cancer.)

vpw claimed that a doctor told him that filming a second day would mean

permanent eye damage, and that he was staring into 8000 watts.

He filmed for 3 complete days, getting sore eyes from the bright lights

(which do not cause cancer.) The figure of 2000 watts seems to be a more

realistic figure for the light level of the filmed class (which is still VERY bright.)

According to TW:LIL, In 1967, vpw read about the Christians at the House of

Acts. vpw went there, impressed them, and convinced them he has extensive,

EXCLUSIVE knowledge they lack. He then turned those he could from unorganized

Christians into a recruitment arm for his class and organization. They agreed

to handle things on the East and West coasts, and many young Christians were

impressed with THEM and join. It's been suggested that one of the reasons he

went there was because he'd heard of the "free-love" movement and wanted to

connect with Christians who would have sex outside of marriage. Thus claim might

sound ridiculous if his accounts of them didn't include little comments about their

displays of affection-and especially since he'd asked one of them-back then and

there-to give him DETAILS on what an orgy was like. He followed up by claiming

that God PERMITTED orgies-but considered monogamy BETTER.

It's also believed that San Francisco is where vpw bought the pornographic materials

he showed the corps, some Advanced Classes and CFS classes-like the movie

of the two women with the dog. (He MENTIONED that video to many Advanced

classes and CFS classes where it was not SHOWN.)

According to the memorial, his trip to Haight-Ashbury/House of Acts was in 1968.

As of 1969, sizeable numbers of young people had flocked to twi from both coasts

as a result.

Once there was sizeable membership in both coasts, vpw pushed out the Christians

from the House of Acts and insisted authority would come FROM hq and tithes

would go TO hq. No exceptions. At that point (1969), vpw made his first attempt

at a Way Corps, which resulted in the famous "Zero Corps".

At some point-presumably early in the way corps history, and possibly as early as 1969,

vpw (according to Mrs W's account) first begins to tell his "snow on the pumps" account

to people, starting with the way corps.

At another point-before the early 1970s-vpw began adding to the "special revelation"

that produced the books and classes (which were really compilations of the work

of other Christians with their names removed) and began speaking of special

revelation about current events. He began to expound on some conspiracy

theories to the corps, and about attempts to take over the United States.

vpw was getting this material from the John Birch Society and the Liberty Lobby.

A few people on-grounds were aware of information coming in from them,

but almost nobody knew those were the direct sources of his supposed

"revelation". As he had done often before, he just claimed to mysteriously

know things and never cited a source-leaving the listeners to guess that there

WAS no conventional source, making this ANOTHER thing God just told him.

These conspiracy theorist organizations and their personal biases fill in the blanks

in some of his odder statements. Their anti-Semitism helps explain his claims

that the current Jews were not descended from the historic Jews (which has been

disproven genetically since), and his recommendations of books like

"the Thirteenth Tribe." Their condemnation of rock and roll and musician/celebrities

explain his claims of all musicians being possessed, and his recommendation of

"the Marxist Minstrels" to the corps (which claimed rock and roll was a communist

plot to take over the United States.) vpw even had David Noebel, who wrote

"the Marxist Minstrels" come and lecture the corps.

In 1971, vpw began his WOW Ambassador program. This program underwent some

changes, but primarily was a one-year committment to get sent out,

support yourself, find housing, and run PFAL classes.

According to his memorial, 1971 was when the Orange Book, "Power for

Abundant Living" was first self-published. It contained mostly material from Leonard's

class and from Bullinger's book "How to Enjoy the Bible".

A number of pamphlets called "Studies in Abundant Living" accompanied the

PFAL class from fairly early on (the filmed class names "Studies in Human

Suffering", later renamed "Job:Victim to Victor".)

In 1971, the first 3 volumes of "Studies in Abundant Living" are published,

compiling the pamphlets into 3 small hardbound books.

In 1974, Emporia College in Emporia, Kansas was bought. It was renamed

"the Way College of Emporia". Despite an absence of accreditation, licensed professors,

and a school "library" composed ENTIRELY of used textbooks donated by way members,

it was put forth as if it is a normal, accredited college.

In 1975, "Jesus Christ is Not God" was published. This was the last book-

not counting Vol 4 of Studies in Abundant Living- that was actually put together by vpw.

In 1976, campuses were purchased in Rome City, Indiana ("the College of Biblical Research")

and Gunnison, Colorado ("the Way Family Ranch-Camp Gunnison").

In 1977, the PFAL '77 was done live at Ball State University. According to the memorial,

in 1977, Howard Allen and Donald Wierwille were installed as Trustees on the

Board of Trustees (replacing "Uncle" Harry Wierwille and Ermal Owens.)

In 1977, Volume 4 of Studies in Abundant Living was published.

In 1978, the land for the LEAD Outdoor Academy was purchased in Tinnie, New Mexico.

In 1979, Advanced Class '79 ran (live, I imagine.)

In 1980, "Jesus Christ Our Passover" was published. This was the first book written by

competent staff and researchers. According to the book itself, it was written

"by Victor Paul Wierwille", with no mention of anyone else. It was a higher-caliber book

than twi normally self-publishes.

In 1982, twi celebrates its "Fortieth Anniversary" since the radio shows that

weren't called "the Way". In 1982, vpw installed LCM as the new president of twi

and vpw becomes "president emeritus".

In 1982, "Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed" was published. It also was written by staff,

and said "by Victor Paul Wierwille" on the cover.

It relied largely on the calculations of another writer as well. This book also saw the

breakthrough of proper crediting, since it actually named the other writer

(Martin) and his book.

In 1984, a live PFAL class was taught at Camp Gunnison, and a manor house was

purchased in Gartmore, Scotland. It was named the Way College of Biblical Research.

(aka Gartmore House, or "the big house" to the villagers of Gartmore.)

vpw spent his life drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking cigarettes and cigars-

tobacco products. Although he usually did it "off-camera", many people knew some

of this. Everyone knew he at least smoked, but he seemed to chain-smoke when

"no one was watching." Furthermore, he had a "coffee cup" next to him for morning

meetings and so on-and often, the contents had nothing to do with coffee. Those who

ever commented on it (who were few enough among those who noticed) were

treated to his comments about us not being "under condemnation" and thus it wasn't

sinful, and therefore had no consequences.

However, there WERE consequences....

By 1984, the long-term exposure to alcohol-which damages internal organs, including

those that act as the body's filtration system and also damages the brain-

and long-term exposure to tobacco-which is a known cancer-causing agent

(unlike studio lights)- resulted in some permanent damage to vpw' body.

He acquired cancer of the eye and liver, and suffered a stroke.

vpw quite vocally-and often- announced that the eye damage was the result

of getting cancer from the studio lights used when filming PFAL- thus saying it was

the result of virtuous activity, and used to give the students a guilty conscience.

Once, when addressing the corps, he was speaking on personal committment to

God. He said "I gave my EYE-what are YOU willing to give?"

Further, in private, vpw was MOST disturbed that he had ANY physical problems,

especially this one. He claimed he'd never been sick or needed an aspirin EVER-

not ONE DAY in his life-before this. Not even in PRIVATE did he ever seem to admit

he'd exposed his body to carcinogens for DECADES. He had surgery that

removed the cancer-stricken eye.

The details of the stroke were COMPLETELY hidden-although there were witnesses-

and the existence of any cancer produced a problem. According to vpw's DOCTRINE,

any Christian should be able to believe sufficiently to burn out a cancer from their

body. vpw had slowly manipulated his personal image to the point that he was

frequently seen as some sort of super-Christian-which is what he wanted. However,

this meant he should have EASILY believed away his cancer.

WORSE, he'd taught in the Advanced class that, since a cancer has a life of its own

(like algae), it must be the result of devil activity. Since vpw was supposedly a

super-Christian, he should have been able to deflect such an assault easily.

However, rather than adjust his image, or correct his doctrine-which had already

hurt many other Christians-he simply hid the cause of his descent into death.

In 1985 the "Word over the World Auditorium" opened at the organizations hq on the farm.

vpw died May 20, 1985 at age 68. According to his death certificate, the cause was

cancer of the liver and of the eye. According to most people in twi at the time,

the cause was UNKNOWN. The most commonly-stated reason was

"he got tired of fighting."

In the last few months of his life, vpw visited Gartmore and spoke privately

with Chr1s Ge*r. He (CG) later claimed that his own paper which he wrote

afterwards-"the Passing of the Patriarch"-was based entirely on private

conversations with vpw. (Some people believe him, some do not.)

That paper-among other things-also claims that vpw would have been

able to "believe himself healthy" if he'd wanted to.

Volume 5 of Studies in Abundant Living was published

posthumously. Its contents were from vpw, it was edited by Chr1$ Ge*r.

=========

[WordWolf]

Ok,

what should be in this biography that isn't?

And where should it go?

[T-Bone]

After I left TWI at the end of 1986, I began investigating VPW's background. I called the Moody Correspondence School to check out his claim of taking everything he could take through their correspondence courses. Vivian Ruby of the Registrar's Office said they had no records of VPW completing a course. She added that doesn't mean he didn't purchase a course – but that he didn't complete a course. I asked her to send me that in writing on their letterhead – which she did. When I received it I hand-wrote at the bottom the reference page 175 of "The Way, Living in Love" where VPW made that claim. Scanned copy of letter below.