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A lifetime of Christian service


lindyhopper
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I haven't read the last page of so... but what's the big deal? (not referring to the post immediately preceding this one)

Wasn't the question "what did you think it meant? I assumed this was directed at corps folks... and then it went into breaking down the semantics of the brochure... I don't understand...

My answer is that I never paid much attention to "the brochure" it didn't matter to me... to me it was 'above' that... now I was aware that it was a "lifetime commitment" that wasn't a big deal. I always figured it was a commitment to a way of life... service. I still do that, I'm just not part of any "ministry"...

Edited by Tom Strange
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Here's the deal, tom strange, my husband was offered a phd fellowship at the University of Michigan that he turned down to take our "corps assignement."

It just really makes me mad, this whole subject.

Sorry for being grouchy.

What it boiled down to is this, if any of us corpsbees had any kind of aspirations beyong the Way, upon graduation from the corps, we got GUILTED into doing the ministry THANG. Yes, I can attest to this, as can many of my family and friends.

Makes me mad, to this day. Sorry.

Edited by ex10
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Here's the deal, tom strange, my husband was offered a phd fellowship at the University of Michigan that he turned down to take our "corps assignement."

It just really makes me mad, this whole subject.

Sorry for being grouchy.

You're allowed to be grouchy on this board (and other places as well).

My post was regarding 'the rest of the thread' and the things I was feeling about hopper's original question. (well, up to last night anyway because I haven't read the posts since then except yours immediately preceeding mine, I got tired of reading about the brochure).

And that really sucks about the phd fellowship... but I certainly understand it... believe me I do...

My post says how I felt about the commitment... but I also feel like I wasted a lot of valuable "life and time" that is gone and done with... and I'd be lying if I told you that I never wished I could have a "do over" from about age 18 on... but not because of being commited to helping others...

Edited by Tom Strange
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That's it! tommy.

I don't know anybody who doesn't wish we had a "do over."

;)

Like who do you know in your world is really happy about wasting time with the Way? We invested our heart, knowledge, energy, youth, and look where it is now.

Not too much to be proud of, is it?

Sorry if I sound bitter.

Edited by ex10
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Slightly off center of the topic, but I think this applies - there was some chicanery in the corps assignments over the years as ex10 says. It seemed to build through the 80's as the Way grew in numbers.

Strip away the "spiritual" double talk and what's left is a group of people in "top" leadership capacities in the trunk, region and limb positions negotiating and coordinating where 100's of people would be assigned every year.

It was the early 80's when I first heard how the summer "leadership" meetings where assignments were put together were being run and it was suprising. Region and limb bosses jockeying for position to get more people, have cities that would receive high profile marketing in the Way Tree. Pretty much a person could get caught in the cross fire and be sent somewhere based on nothing more than heavy lobbying by that region's limb leader(s) for more people.

In the 70's you could certainly contribute to that assignment process. You were able to make the decision for yourself if there was a place you wanted to go to and work and live, or an endeavor that you wanted to pursue.

It was popular to leave it open and see where the winds of change blew you. When you're young it sounds exciting, interesting, an opportunity to do good.

One of the biggest things that affected all of this "go forth as leaders in areas of etc" that a lot of people don't realize was the establishment of the "Trunk" office and a U.S. Trunk leader who oversaw the regions and limbs of the entire country. Following that there was a position put into place called "Worldwide Outreach" coordinator. So you've got a WW boss, a Trunk/U.S. boss and support for those two positions at the Way Nash, and those two people had a huge impact on what happened to the Way Corps.

The political structure became very business like by 1982-3, and with that came all of the things, good and bad, that go with big-business. In theory the Way Tree was supposed to allow for there to always be one-on-one consideration of each person. But that depended on the PEOPLE that were in the Way Tree positions.

With the Way growing as fast as it did and people being shuffled in and out of "leadership" positions every year you simply didn't see the kind of maturity and ability that would be required at all levels of the Way Tree. Sure you had some people that cared and had no ill intent and some very caring people too. But the primary qualifications for tenure were - PFAL registrations and money taken in ABS. High numbers got and kept people on those positions.

But many of the older Way Corps grads were shuffled off and out of leadership positions where they could have impact because they weren't keeping up with the times and changes. You would hear about so-and-so, "they're taking a year or two off". Why? There were definitely cases where people got shoved out to make room for those who were more in step iwth the direction the Way wanted to go - fast, business like growth. Others simply redirected their energies to things that were becoming important to them, like family and careers.

As the newbies came on board many were, IMO, less interested in the value of the individual person and their success and more interested in the "big picture" of numbers growth, grads, attendance, dollars taken in.

A lifetime of service was a fluid thing when I was involved. It was expected it might mean many things over the years, and certainly as long as I was involved with the Way it would involve doing things with them. I do think the push to become more of a big successful company/church hurt because it didn't allow the time necessary for people to grow and mature and gain the experience and skills needed to responsibly pastor people. that's what it comes down to - what's the motivation? Is it the best thing for the person and their success? Or is it the best thing for the "program"? Programs serve people, not the other way around. But not in the Way. The Program rules supreme. People get with it or get gone.

Edited by socks
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WD,

Actually.......you have ALREADY given TWO versions of "consistent" intent. :biglaugh:

Check your post #29

Check your post #52

Consistent intent???????????? In this thread, you've already given us two "printed" intents.

Twi did the same to the corps program.

:biglaugh::biglaugh:

Right sky two different quotes from different printed documents As I said the wording changed slightly but the intent never did. Always a lifetime of Christian service was the expected result.

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What was said, in writing by the way inc, and what was practiced are two entirely different things.
I never said it was not. different issue. I only spoke to the fact that it was never intended to be a 2 or 4 year committment
You have no idea what some of us went through. And what we gave up, and the kind of sacrifices we made. I am so tired of crap being minimized. Call me grouchy.......

I'm sick of it. It's easy for people who never gave up anything to judge those of us who did.

Your right T I did come in the Corps through the back door so to speak,but I was held to the same accountability as you were. And don't think for a heartbeat that I did not or do not take that commitment seriously.

And you have no idea the price I paid or do each day either T

Edited by WhiteDove
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But dove, enlighten me or something. You never went into the corps, never went wow, never did any of the regular stuff most of us did.

So I guess I'm missing something....???? Not to make light of who you are or what you did, but you didn't do the same stuff we did. So why come off as knowing and understanding all the other stuff, when you never did it? I'm just asking.

Edited by ex10
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So, I might be missing an important clue here but....

Isn't it possible that a lifetime of CHRISTIAN service can be had without a lifetme of TWI service?

When I went into the 10th corps that is what I thought. Now the implication is and was that to serve God you would serve twi. All the corps I knew were limb, branch, area leaders, many of them ordained.

But, I thought that those leadership positions were a result of greater commitment, not that there would be no choices in assignments later on.

The simple truth was, that for me, I just wanted to get into the corps, they could have told me anything and I would have nodded my head and signed up - I truly believed that that is what God wanted me to do.

I can only assume that since we can't go back in time and read each and every person's mind, or carefully see what they saw and read, this si really pretty subjective. We have to take each person at their word regarding what they thought they were getting themselves into.

WW was right in that he said that some corps went back to college - and for a time the ministry applauded that. ( At least that is what we heard.) Especially is the person went back to college to study business, or Greek - because twi saw that as something they could use to their advantage down the road.

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T I never said I knew anything but this

VPW remember him the founding president and of the Way Corps. He said and I suppose he would know since it was his program. " The Way Corps is a lifetime of Christian Service. Graduates of the Way Corps go forth to serve in areas of concern,interest,and need. Where they serve depends upon their desire, ability and the needs of the ministry. It's pretty simple to see the intent in his statement. Do you really think that you were being trained to serve in some other ministry. You were being trained to serve in the way tree structure ie twigs ,branches ,limbs ect. that is unique to one group The Way. Obviously they intended your lifetime service to be in the way. Seems pretty simple.

Edited by WhiteDove
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dooj, my last year in-rez, I applied to 3 different colleges, same ones my beloved applied to, because we had a plan for both of us to go back to school. Pat Lynn assured us that our requests would be met, and there would be no problems.

At Living Victoriously, we got our corps assignment, which was nothing like what we were promised. We were upset, to say the least. Went to corps coordinator, bitched, got nowhere, got referred to Johnny Townsend who was to be our limb coordinator.

Turns out, he had "requested" us. We objected. He promised he would make our dreams come true, and if we both wanted to go to KU to finish our degrees, we would work it out.

When we both applied to KU, and got accepted, he told us we couldn't keep our "committment" as branch coordinators and go to school. We requested a change of assignment. Every year for 4 years. Finally, we told him we were quitting to "do our own thing." at the end of year number 4. Unfortunately, our branch had like quadrupled in size, and we were quitting "moving the word."

He relented, and pretty much wrote us off.

We didn't have the "level of committment" it took to be corps grads. It was a shame, according to him, because we had a "future" with "the ministry."

Yeah, right, that "future" included a whole bunch of bs, neither of us wanted.

I could say a whole bunch more, but I don't feel like it now.

ps

white dove

I was made promises by VP that he didn't keep. :B)

Seems he had a selective memory.

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Unfortunately that scenario became all too common, ex10. And it really shows the complete lack of ability to really work with people in a way that would build a lifetime of success. Geezus, the Way put more planning for the future into planting it's dammed trees in New Knoxville than it did in helping people to plan for their whole lives.

It's one of the biggest reasons I learned to not trust Way "leadership" with important decisions and in turn tried to be very cautious about how I dealt with people myself. God, it's LIVES being dealt with.

Many people were drug off to assignment locations for no other reason than someone got a bee in their bonnet and had big plans for this or that and needed people for it. Or they got assignments like in an auction where someone accidentally raises their arm to stretch and finds they just bid 500 dollars for a ceramic pig. "Sure, send them our way! We'll take 'em!"

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But dove, enlighten me or something. You never went into the corps, never went wow, never did any of the regular stuff most of us did.

So I guess I'm missing something....???? Not to make light of who you are or what you did, but you didn't do the same stuff we did. So why come off as knowing and understanding all the other stuff, when you never did it? I'm just asking.

Kinda adds a different flavor to your opinion, WD.

:)

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Unfortunately that scenario became all too common, ex10. And it really shows the complete lack of ability to really work with people in a way that would build a lifetime of success. Geezus, the Way put more planning for the future into planting it's dammed trees in New Knoxville than it did in helping people to plan for their whole lives.

:eusa_clap:

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Kinda adds a different flavor to your opinion, WD.

:)

It changes nothing sky, it is what is written or it is not! The intent of a program is not based on my experiance or opinion ,but that may be lost on you.

Hey by the Way I'm still waiting on your tangible proof! Do you have any quotes to back up your straw man position? Didn't think so ! Nah I have no clue I just reprint other peoples opinions to prop up my case. Show me just one printed place one sound bite where it says the intent of the program was something other than what I have stated.

Edited by WhiteDove
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Graduates of the Way Corps go forth to serve in areas of concern,interest,and need. Where they serve depends upon their desire, ability and the needs of the ministry.

Just READ it...........line by line, word by word.

Pay close attention to each word.

"Where THEY....the corps grads....serve depends upon THEIR interest, ability and the needs of the ministry."

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A Lifetime of Christian Service.

Assume for the sake of argument that Christian = TWI to the producers of this brochure (no big assumption IMHO)

To "go forth to serve in areas of concern,interest,and need.", with the further information that "Where they serve depends upon their desire, ability and the needs of the ministry." does not, either within the context of Wayworld, or in a common sense reading exclude:

  • Serving on staff
  • Serving as a twig coordinator while going to school
  • ...while building a career or business
  • Not having an "official" position, but still leading by supporting the designated branch or limb leader
  • Any other number of life choices that involved serving in a less than full time capacity

Keep in mind that except for a brief period in the 90's, the Way Corps were expected to have a "secular" job. TWI usually didn't pay a salary. Even when they did, there was no guarantee that the next assignment would include a salary as well.

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Of course,

there ARE orders where Christians make lifelong commitments to

go where they are told to go,

serve where they are told to serve,

and leave when they are told to leave.

Those are referred to by many names,

among them Holy Orders, the Priesthood, and so on.

Now, THOSE people don't just make ONE decision to enter

one program and now they're the property of the organization.

(No matter WHAT you were told.)

They receive training, and counseling.

They are questioned as to their commitment and reasoning.

They receive more training, and are REQUIRED to

meditate upon, and consider deeply, over and over,

the consequences of their decision.

It is FAR better for the organization to lose 90% of their

candidates than for them to place unstable, corrupt people

in all their offices.

Those that decide to go ahead swear their oaths,

and leave modern society, in a sense.

THEY'VE sworn oaths of poverty and chastity and stuff

I don't know about because I've never sworn their oaths.

Now,

THEY signed up for a lifetime serving their organization.

That's very different from, say, being a leader who runs

a twig for 5 years, then coordinates the next 4 classes,

then smooths things over for the new Limb leader,

then steps back and helps younger hands learn the basic

skills of leading, then returns to run a twig for a few

years again, then "semi-retires" and remains available

to advise other, newer leaders.

Now, did he serve a lifetime? Yes.

Was it in Christian service? Yes.

Was it where the ministry needed him? Yes.

To most people, the difference, once pointed out, should be obvious.

A Lifetime of Christian Service.

Assume for the sake of argument that Christian = TWI to the producers of this brochure (no big assumption IMHO)

To "go forth to serve in areas of concern,interest,and need.", with the further information that "Where they serve depends upon their desire, ability and the needs of the ministry." does not, either within the context of Wayworld, or in a common sense reading exclude:

  • Serving on staff
  • Serving as a twig coordinator while going to school
  • ...while building a career or business
  • Not having an "official" position, but still leading by supporting the designated branch or limb leader
  • Any other number of life choices that involved serving in a less than full time capacity

Keep in mind that except for a brief period in the 90's, the Way Corps were expected to have a "secular" job. TWI usually didn't pay a salary. Even when they did, there was no guarantee that the next assignment would include a salary as well.

Looks like you and I made the same points, Oak.

Think anybody will read them?

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I have seen this in business as well.

working for years, overtime , weekends, thinking you will be promoted and then your not, again and again

I recently took a position in which I was promised tutition as a benefit of the job... yeah enough hoops more like it.

Like five years down the line and then still a maybe.

folks are often used for the better of a comapny or organization, the thing is, the focus is most often one the self not the good of the "other" self.

I saw people in twi who believed it was life itself that in and of its own self twi was enough to live and be for and with everything .

the degree folks compromised told me alot about what type of "leader' they really happened to be.

I never understood how a person can lead if their own life is in a shambles barely able to move in a positive direction much less be any type of happy.

Yet I saw it all the time in twi.

I do not think it was about being thankful to God either , this serving others business to the degree it compromised your own dreams and goals.

what was it about then? Loving the organization enough to sell out everything eles? I saw that alot.

Why would a person forget their own life, their own goals ,their own happiness for twi?

friends ? a title? If indeed it was all about paying God back for HIS GIFT (which is freely given no strings attached) then why do so many regret it today?

I rather think it was about impressing the right people and hoping to rise in the twi organization ladder , a stroke to the ego and power play if you will. Nothing wrong with that.. but when the company fails to be all it promised or you thought it would be it is most disappointing.

But really IM sorry but it happens everyday in business , business fail, they are corrupt , they have favorites. and if it was NOT for the way tree ladder of success and only to "serve God" then how can one be sad or disappointed?

|God is still on the throne to be served in any manner you wish.

It would indeed be for a life time.

the fact the job of your dreams and climbing the sucess fo the twi ladder was to difficult as time went on , or you changed direction in life , well that is a common situation in life, it is documented folks will change career directions at least four times in a life time.

I have a friend who is in twi they will never leave they gave it all and will forever.. they are happy as clams.

they Knew it was their choice to sell out to twi when they began moving around, chose to not have children etc. and they will probably forever be in the place they chose to be.

how is that anyone eles choice but their own? it really is not. I feel the same way about people who chose to leave after years of service , the terms really have not changed, they did .

who has made the choice?

We all have regrets in life. I do feel alot of pity for those who spent years doing something they now regret as a waste of time, it is a bitter pill.

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