The Way International

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The Way International is a religious organization founded by Victor Paul Wierwille. It claims a founding date of 1942, the year Wierwille began his Vesper Chimes radio program, a.k.a. the Chimes Hour Youth Caravan. The Way International has produced extensive biblical research material dealing with Old Testament and New Testament languages (Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic), numbers, figures of speech, apparent contradictions within the Christian Bible, as well as astronomical and historical information. This group is non-trinitarian and believes that Jesus is the Son of God, but not God Himself. The Way describes itself as a Christian group that teaches others how to operate the "9 manifestations of holy spirit". Critics charge that the beliefs of the group are not consistent with orthodox Christian beliefs, and some accuse the group of being a cult.

While The Way has always drawn a distinction between itself and "churches" and "denominations", some followers now consider The Way a church, and like mainstream churches the organization ordains clergy, performs weddings, has Sunday services, performs communion, and also offers at least one weeknight fellowship at the local level.

Contents

[edit] History

Wierwille was ordained by the Evangelical and Reformed Church in 1941 and took his first assignment in Payne, Ohio. The Way counts its origin from 1942, with the first broadcast of the Vesper Chimes radio show. The radio ministry was incorporated in 1947 as "The Chimes Hour Youth Caravan"; Wierwille changed the name to "The Way, Inc." in October 1955. Victor Paul Wierwille remained president until 1982, when he chose L. Craig Martindale as his replacement.

Wierwille claimed that God spoke to him audibly in 1942 and told him that He (God) would teach Wierwille "The Word like it hadn't been known since the First Century" if he would teach it to others. In the early seventies Wierwille added to this account that God confirmed this promise by making it snow on an otherwise clear day.

[edit] Power For Abundant Living

Despite this promise to be taught by God himself, Wierwille was ready to give up on his mission a decade later; his "ministry" was still confined to his pastoral assignment and his radio program. He relates in "The Way: Living in Love" that a turning point was learning how to speak in tongues during a "Full Gospel" rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma in December 1951. According to Wierwille he met the man who would lead him into speaking in tongues due to an unexpected snowstorm that shut down the airports, trains and buses. Meteorological records show no snow of any note during this time period. Wierwille's wife, Dorothea, gives a different account of this alleged snowstorm in Born Again to Serve, writing that the connecting airport was experiencing snow and that sleet was predicted for Tulsa the following week.

Shortly after this experience, Wierwille travelled to Calgary, Canada to take B.G. Leonard's "Gifts of the Spirit" class. Almost immediately upon his return, in October of 1953, Wierwille began teaching the class that he initially called "Receiving the Holy Spirit Today" and soon changed to "Power for Abundant Living", although it was similar to, if not identical to, Leonard's class, including names of characters such as Maggie Muggins.

Wierwille initially taught this class live, travelling to areas where there was interest in it, only rarely allowing others to teach the class in his place. In 1967 the Foundational/Intermediate class was filmed (the one-hour section on Interpretation of Tongues & Prophesy was later expanded into a full Intermediate class and filmed in the early 70's). From that point Wierwille did not have to be present when a PFAL class was run. An "Advanced Class" was taught regularly, usually at the headquarters in New Knoxville. This class was taught live by Wierwille until filmed versions were put together from live teachings in the late 70's.

[edit] Membership Growth

The Way's membership grew in the late 60's and early 70's. The beginning of this growth was coincident with Wierwille's visit to the Haight-Ashbury area of San Francisco in January 1968 where he sought out a group of young people who were having success reaching people with their Christian message. Several leaders of this movement began using PFAL as a teaching tool and incorporated in New York and California as independent ministries called The Way East and The Way West. According to Karl Kahler in The Cult That Snapped Wierwille took over these organizations and incorporated them into The Way International, centralizing control over any groups using PFAL.

[edit] Rock of Ages

A yearly gathering of Way followers in New Knoxville, Ohio, known as "The Rock of Ages Festival," was a popular Way event from 1970 until 1995, when it was cancelled. Some regional groups (known as limbs) now hold annual meetings instead. According to Way Corps conferences, one reason for the termination of the festival was the suspected teenage sexual relations on campus grounds [1].

[edit] Wierwille's Death

Growth continued until the late 80's in all 50 states and many other countries, especially in the European, South American and African continents. When Wierwille died in 1985, a period of disagreement between organization leaders and followers as well as general decline in numbers developed and seemingly lasted until the early 1990s. Craig Martindale remained president during this period.

[edit] L. Craig Martindale

L. Craig Martindale was the president of The Way International from 1982 - 2000. He joined The Way in 1971. He served as head of the Way Corps training program from 1977 to 2000 (retaining the position through his presidency) and had many articles published in The Way Magazine. He taught most Sunday Teaching Services during his presidency. He wrote a book titled The Rise and Expansion of the Christian Church in the First Century.

In 2000, Martindale's term as president was ended following allegations of sexual misconduct[2] and Rosalie F. Rivenbark replaced him. A minor change in the structure of the Board of Directors leadership body was introduced in October, 2005 at the Anniversary meeting. The new structure includes three vice presidents instead of the single vice president that was used previously.

[edit] Structure

[edit] Organization

The Way International's division of duties and geographical regions was originally based on the physical structure of a tree. While this is still generally the case, the tree structure is no longer used as rigorously as it once was.

The headquarters in New Knoxville, Ohio and the Way Corps training location in Gunnison, Colorado are considered "root" locations. Each country in which The Way International operates is called a "trunk". Each state in the United States is called a "limb" and each "limb" can contain a number of subdivisions called "branches". Finally, each "branch" consists of several household fellowships (which used to be called "twigs"). The term "leaf" was originally used to describe an individual follower, but was dropped during the 1990s. Currently followers simply call each other "follower", "disciple" or "believer".(The phrase "follower of The Way" appeared in brochures printed by the organization through most of the 1980s.)

The Way focuses on the household fellowship as the most basic organizational unit. These meetings are run in the home by volunteers who have completed the four biblical studies classes taught by The Way. These men and women are called "fellowship coordinators". Participants in household fellowship meetings are free to come as often as they please. The Way International has no official "membership" other than the Board of Directors and in theory, no attendance commitment. However, The Way discourages continuing in meetings or taking their classes if no on-going commitment has been evidenced.

[edit] Classes

The Way features a four-level series of classes that teach the beliefs and doctrine of the organization:

  • The Foundational Class on The Way of Abundance and Power
  • The Intermediate Class on The Way of Abundance and Power
  • Defeating the Adversary
  • The Advanced Class on The Way of Abundance and Power

The first three classes are taught in local areas a few times each year, but the Advanced Class is taught at the Way Headquarters every summer. To reach the Advanced class, one must have taken the Foundational and Intermediate classes twice, as well as "Defeating the Adversary."

Other classes offered include:

  • "Living God's Word as a Family"

"Living God's Word as a Family" can only be taken after completion of "The Intermediate Class" but is not a prerequisite for "The Advanced Class"

For many years the main class offering of The Way was the three-level "Power for Abundant Living" (PFAL) class. This class was taught live by Wierwille beginning in the early 50's and was offered in video and audio tape form from 1967 until it was replaced by Martindale's class in the mid-nineties.

[edit] The Way Corps

After completing the Advanced class, a follower may apply for enrollment in the Way Corps Leadership Program, a full-time work/study program structured to produce leaders for the organization. Before one can enter the program, however, local leadership usually approves the applicant's entrance or discusses it with someone further up the 'tree'. (Describing someone with more authority.) Way Corps duties can include providing leadership at all levels and the carrying out of decisions made by the root leadership of the Way International.

According to Wierwille, The Way Corps was started out of inspiration from his observations of the United States Marine Corps and their commitment to duty, their examples of valor, and their indomitable will to achieve victory in spite of the odds against them. He claimed his vision for graduates of this program was ministers who would live, speak, and teach a lifestyle of what he called "It is written".

As currently structured, those accepted into the program start with a "Candidate Year", where new Way Corps are instructed in the program requirements, work on getting their tuition together, recruit "spiritual partners" (who assist the candidate with finances), and work with local leadership in preparation for the second, or "Apprentice Year". Sometimes goals such as signing someone up for the foundational class or running a local fellowship are set. Ordinarily the candidate stays in his or her home area during this year.

During the "Apprentice Year" the Way Corps member assumes leadership responsibilities, often as a team leader for a "Way Disciples" group or on staff at one of the "root" locations.

During the third and fourth years the students are "in residence" at Camp Gunnison, Colorado for their training. Originally all training was at Way International Headquarters, and later at "The Way College of Emporia" in Emporia, Kansas. Eventually the Family Corps was trained at a Way property in Rome City, Indiana. (The Rome City and Emporia properties were sold in the early 90's). Upon completion of the four year course, they receive a non-accredited degree in theology. The graduating Way Corps can be sent out to different states or countries to start fellowships or fulfill other assigned responsibilities, or remain at Headquarters or Gunnison as "staff".

Originally the Way Corps was a 2-year "in-residence" training program; after a few years an "interim" year was inserted between the 2 years where the Way Corps student was given a 1-year assignment before completing training (the Family Corps usually had this year tacked onto the end and was called a "practicum" year). Eventually an apprentice year was added before the on-campus training which was virtually the same as the current "candidate" year.

For the first 20 plus years of the program the Way Corps graduating classes were referred to by number, i.e. "First Corps" referred to the first group that completed the training in 1972, The "Second Corps", the second group, etc. Beginning in the late 90's the Corps graduates were officially referred to by their year of graduation, but unofficially the old terminology persisted.

At the time that the Fifth Corps began training in 1974, a program called "The Family Corps" was started, primarily for Corps candidates with minor children. Family Corps I began training with the Fifth Corps, Family Corps II with the Sixth Corps, etc. Several years ago, possibly due to declining numbers, the regular Way Corps and family Corps were again combined. Groups called "Recognized Corps" and "Special Corps" were instituted for limited times during the late 70's.

A member may be dropped from being Way Corps at any time without prior notice, although in recent years this practice has become uncommon. A policy titled Mark and Avoid was the major contributor to Way Corps discharge.

Prior to the First Corps, which began training in 1970, Wierwille invited a group of Way followers to New Knoxville to begin Way Corps training. He disbanded the group for reasons that were never made public. In later years this group was referred to as "The Zero Corps".

At Rock of Ages 1995, the final ROA festival, Martindale, noting that all members of the First Way Corps were no longer with The Way International, designated long-standing Way followers such as Don Wierwille and Dorothy Owens as "The First Corps".

Numbers of trainees in each group have fluctuated over the years. The first several groups had less than a dozen each, while later graduating classes numbered higher than 400. Recent Corps groups have been in the single digits.

The title of Corps Alumni was given to those who dropped out of the role of active Way Corps as opposed to being kicked out of this position.

[edit] Beliefs and practices

[edit] Nature of Jesus Christ

The Way teaches that Jesus Christ had no existence before birth except in the mind of God. That though Jesus was a perfect sinless man, he was only a man, never God. In his book, Jesus Christ is Not God, Wierwille explained:

"In other words, I am saying that Jesus Christ is not God, but the Son of God. They are not 'co-eternal, without beginning or end, and co-equal [as one and the same being].' Jesus Christ was not literally with God in the beginning; neither does he have all the assets of God".

Wierwille asserts that God and Jesus Christ are separate, independently-thinking entities who are literally father and son. He holds that Jesus Christ did not exist until God created a fertilized egg in Mary's womb and that he did not have any consciousness until she gave birth to him in Luke 2:7.

Regarding the Holy Spirit, Wierwille taught that there was a distinction between "The Holy Spirit" and "holy spirit". The former refers directly to God the Father while the latter refers to an emanation or power from God (a.k.a. "the gift of holy spirit").

The Way holds that God is the Father of Jesus Christ, that Jesus Christ is his first-born son, and that the "Holy Ghost" is the "gift of holy spirit" that He made available on the Day of Pentecost. They assert that the "Holy Ghost" is not a person or spirit that follows you around. They also maintain that the 19 prayers Jesus Christ prayed in the Gospels prove that he is an individual distinct from God and not God himself.

[edit] Four Crucified with Christ

The Way also teaches that Jesus was raised on Saturday and that there were four people crucified with Him, not two. Wierwille noted in his book, "The Word's Way", that the record in Luke uses the Greek word "kakourgos" (for "malefactors"), but in Matthew a different Greek word is used "lestes" (for thieves). He also notes that Matthew 27:44 says "The thieves [lestes] also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth" but one of the "kakourgos" in Luke 23:40-42 clearly defended him and did NOT "cast the same in his teeth".

Luke 23:39-42 (39) And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, "If thou be Christ, save thyself and us." (40) But the other answering rebuked him, saying, "Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? (41) And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss." (42) And he said unto Jesus, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom."

[edit] The Gathering Together

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 (15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Only those born-again (i.e., believers who lived after Pentecost) will be gathered together with Jesus Christ upon his return. Everyone who died before the day of Pentecost (including the men and women of the Old Testament), everyone who has lived after Pentecost and are not born-again (who have not believed Romans 10:9), and those who live in the tribulation period will be raised in the "Resurrection of the Just" or the "Resurrection of the Unjust".

[edit] The Dead Are Dead

They also teach that the dead are not conscious and that anyone who does not "confess Jesus as Lord" will be raised again in either the "Resurrection of the Just" or the "Resurrection of the Unjust".

[edit] Eternal Life Cannot Be Lost

The Way also teaches that once a person is saved, he cannot lose the spirit through any sinful acts since it is eternal life. A principle called "renewing your mind" is taught as a way for a person to discipline his thoughts and actions in alignment with the Bible, God's written Word.

[edit] Tithing

Wierwille taught that God instituted immutable principles that can be appropriated and obeyed by Christians. God's principle of Tithing requires that believers give 10% of their net income (which is owed to God, but given by the free-will choice of the Christian to their church of choice) and any additional voluntary donation (called "abundant sharing") to those who teach them the Word of God, which in practical terms meant The Way International. An additional term, "plurality giving", was coined to refer to calculating the amount of money you need to live on, and giving all the rest as above the tithe. It would be the extreme end of "abundant sharing". Failure to follow the law of tithing can result in a violation of the reciprocal "law of prosperity" which can affect one's personal wealth and health (Watchman telephone interview with Way spokesman, Bill Green, October 11, 1996; Christian Research Journal, Fall 1988, p. 11). L. Craig Martindale addressed this concern multiple times throughout his leadership term [3].

[edit] Speaking in Tongues

According to the founding President of The Way International, Victor Paul Wierwille, speaking in tongues is " ... the believer's external manifestation in the senses world of the internal reality and presence of the power of the holy spirit". Speaking in tongues is to speak by inspiration of God in a language of men or of angels (1 Corinthians 13:1). In the Book of Acts, on the Day of Pentecost, when God first made holy spirit available to all men, the 12 Apostles spoke in tongues in the languages of the foreigners present in the Temple. This phenomenon does not happen every time someone speaks in tongues.

According to The Way, speaking in tongues can only be interpreted in a meeting where other believers are present. The Way holds that speaking in tongues can never be interpreted in a believer's private prayer life.

Speaking in tongues is taught as a free-will choice and as a beneficial part of a believer's daily walk. In his book, "Receiving the Holy Spirit Today", Wierwille lists 12 benefits of speaking in tongues ... ranging from "strengthening you with might in the inner man" [Eph. 3:16] to being "rest to the soul" [Isa. 28:12] to being "a sign to unbelievers" [1 Cor. 14:22].

[edit] 9 Manifestations

The Way teaches that there are 9 manifestations of holy spirit and that every Christian has the inherent ability to operate all nine. These "manifestations" are listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 King James Version

(7) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
(8) For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
(9) To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
(10) To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

The Way maintains that speaking in tongues energizes and enables the "effectual operation" of the other 8 manifestations. They also hold that the phrase "for to one" refers to "profit withal" ... each manifestation has a corresponding profit or benefit.

[edit] 5 Gift Ministries

The Way teaches that there are 5 gift ministries, or abilities of service, that Jesus Christ gave to the Church. The 5 ministries are listed in Ephesians 4:11

(11) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

The Way teaches that when Jesus Christ ascended 40 days after his resurrection he sent the gift of holy spirit, or "the Comforter", to be poured out upon Man - first upon the Apostles on the Day of Pentecost, and then upon all those who would believe in Jesus Christ. Inherent in this "gift of holy spirit" is the ability to operate 9 "manifestations", and to be energized and comforted by the 5 "gift ministries".

The Way teaches that each ministry has these basic characteristics and functions :

  • apostle : a ministry, or ability of service, that rediscovers and holds forth forgotten truths from the Bible; an apostle is one sent forth to declare the Word to their generation
  • prophet : a ministry, or ability of service, that "draws the line on the Word"; a prophet is one who speaks for God and gives the final word on a matter or subject (based on Scripture)
  • evangelist : a ministry, or ability of service, that inspires others to God and to Jesus Christ; an evangelist wins others to Christ and motivates people to turn to the Bible
  • pastor : a ministry, or ability of service, that "feeds the flock" - that gives constant love, support, and encouragement to others; a pastor shepherds his family, friends, and fellow Christians
  • teacher : a ministry, or ability of service, that instructs others in the details and rewards of the Word; a teacher expounds the truths of the Bible

The Way holds that these 5 "abilities of service" are inherent capabilities in every believer.

[edit] The 7 Administrations

The Way teaches that there are 7 administrations, or distinct periods of time governed by certain promises and commands God has given Man at key points in history.

  • The first "administration" begins with the "Paradise Administration", where God dealt with Adam and Eve according to what He spoke in Genesis 2:16-17.
  • After Adam sinned that brought in the "Patriarchal Administration", where God dealt with Adam and his offspring according to the words He spoke in Genesis 3:14-19.
  • With Moses and the Ten Commandments came the "Law Administration", where God dealt with His people according to what was written in Exodus through Deuteronomy and Joshua through Malachi.
  • Next, according to The Way, came the "Christ Administration", initiated when Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist and governed by the instructions he gave his disciples in Matthew through John.
  • The "Fifth, Church, or Grace, Administration" began on the Day of Pentecost and is governed by the truths set down in Romans through Thessalonians (and 1 Timothy through Philemon). The Book of Acts, The Way holds, is a transition between the "Law Administration" and the "Grace Administration", showing how God's chosen people learned to walk by faith and grace, instead of the Law.
  • The "Rapture, Advent, or Appearing Administration" begins when Jesus Christ returns to gather the Church and will be governed by truths set down in the Gospels and Hebrews through Revelation.
  • The "Seventh, Eternal, or Glory Administration" begins after death and hell are cast into the lake of fire and is described in Revelation 21 and 22.

The Way maintains that people living today are currently in the 5th, or "Grace", administration (and are therefore supposed to primarily focus on the doctrine and practice of Romans through Thessalonians).

[edit] 5 Sonship Rights

Victor Paul Wierwille taught that every Christian has 5 basic rights as sons and daughters of God. These fundamental rights are :

  • righteousness - the "God-given ability to stand before God without any sense of sin, guilt, or shortcomings" ... in essence, the ability to communicate with God as a son to a father, or even as one best friend to another (Matthew 5:20 and 6:33; Romans 1:17 and 3:22, 4:3-6)
  • redemption - the God-given right to be rescued and redeemed from any situation beyond your control ... it is also a right to forgiveness from and reconciliation to God (Romans 3:24; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; 1 Corinthians 10:13)
  • justification - the God-given right to be declared innocent upon restoration of fellowship with God (1 John 1:9; Romans 4:25, 5:16, and 5:18)
  • sanctification - the God-given right to live set apart from the world and to live as "more than a conqueror" in Christ ... it is the right to speak and live the truth freely and without hindrance (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2)
  • ministry of reconciliation - the God-given right and responsibility to reconcile men back to God and to speak the truth with all boldness (2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Acts 28:31)

[edit] Paul's Thorn in the Flesh

The Way maintains that the "thorn in the flesh" referred to in 2 Corinthians 12:7 ...

(7) And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

... refers to an individual sent by Satan to disrupt his ministry. They assert that the thorn in the flesh was not an illness.

[edit] "Adoption of Children"

The Way holds that the "adoption of children" spoken of in Ephesians 1:5 ...

(5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

... is a reference to a Roman law stating that biological children could have their inheritance revoked, but adopted children could not (see : Adoption in Ephesians and Galatians, Ref. #30) - their fathers could never (and most would never) take their inheritance away (because of the sacrifice, cost, and love invested in making them legally their own). They maintain that this verse says that once a person is born-again they can never lose eternal life. They assert that rewards can be lost, but not eternal life.

[edit] Cry of Triumph

The Way teaches that this phrase was left in the verse Mark 15:34 because the King James translators were unsure of its meaning:

(34) And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" Which is, being interpreted, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

They maintain that this phrase is better translated, "My God, my God, for this reason I was preserved!". To support their position they cite at least 10 different verses starting with Hebrews 13:5 ...

(5) Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

Deuteronomy 31:6 ...

(6) Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Deuteronomy 31:8 ...

(8) And the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

Deuteronomy 4:31, Joshua 1:5, 1 Samuel 12:22, 1 Kings 6:13, 1 Chronicles 28:20, Isaiah 41:17, and Luke 23:46.

Wierwille based this teaching largely on his familiarity with George Lamsa's translation from the Peshitta Aramaic text, but the Aramaic Interlinear and Concordance published by The Way's American Christian Press (after Wierwille's death) gives a different translation: "My God, my God, why hast thou spared me?" This disagreement is especially peculiar, since Wierwille stated that Aramaic does not HAVE a word "lama", but only "lemana", and that "lemana" would ONLY be used in an exclamation, in a "cry of triumph", and that it NEVER would be used in a question.

[edit] Heaven and Paradise

The Way maintains that Luke 23:43 ...

(43) And Jesus said unto him, "Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise."

... is more accurately translated, "Verily I say unto thee today, thou shalt be with me in paradise." They support their position by noting that the Greek word "semeron" means "this day" or "right now". They also point out that the resurrections of the just and the unjust, as well as the gathering of the Church to Christ, are still future events even today. This translation is also consistent with their belief that the dead are not alive, but await resurrection.

[edit] Without Form and Void

Wierwille taught that in Genesis 1:2 ...

(2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

... the Hebrew word for "was" [hayah] is better translated "became". Joseph Rotherham's Emphasized Bible also holds this view. As well, Strong's concordance notes that "hayah" means "to become" or "to come to pass". Therefore, the earth was not made without form and empty of life, but it became that way (by a cataclysmic event ... the fall of Lucifer and 1/3 of the angels).

Second Way President L. Craig Martindale, in his class "The Way of Abundance and Power", (WayAP) taught that the "becoming without form and void" was related to the "face of the deep" being frozen. He taught that the fall of 1/3 of the angels with Lucifer was physically to "the face of the deep" and that their absence of light froze it. This was so catastrophic that all light in universe was extinguished and all life wiped out until God commanded "Let there be light".

Martindale's view was that the universe was surrounded by a salt-water solution. He based this on:

Job 38:8Or [who] shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, [as if] it had issued out of the womb?

and

Job 38:29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

[edit] The Original Sin of Mankind

Regarding Genesis 3:6ff...

Wierwille, in his class "Christian Family and Sex", taught that the literal original sin of mankind was masturbation. He reasoned that the "tree of life" from Genesis could be compared to verses where people were figuratively referred to as trees, he further compared the "fruit" of the tree of knowledge with the human genitalia, from whence human fruit, i.e, children, proceeds and came to the conclusion that Adam and Eve's sin was a sexual sin, masturbation. He supported his view with the statement "they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons" in Genesis 3:7.

Martindale, in the Foundational Class on The Way of Abundance and Power, changed this Way doctrine, concluding that virtually every word in Genesis 3:6 had a sexual connotation, and that since (according to him) homosexuality was the lowest degradation of sexuality, the original sin of mankind was Eve having lesbian sex with the Devil, who had "come into concretion" in the form of a beautiful woman.

[edit] Mark and Avoid

"Mark and Avoid" is a term for a form of shunning involving the separation of certain people from the main body of followers in the Way. The term is derived from the Biblical passage Romans 16:17 (King James Version, boldface added for emphasis)

(17) Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

This practice is reportedly used when, according to the judgement of the Board of Directors of The Way International, a person has met the criteria that would warrant separation from the other followers of The Way. In recent years, usage of the Mark and Avoid system has declined. Mark and Avoid was introduced by Martindale during his tenure. "Spiritual Probation" was an intermediate step introduced by Martindale where a follower was prohibited from contact with active followers for a set period, usually six months. When certain criteria where met, the follower was allowed back into full participation in Way activities. Generally a letter to the state coordinator was required, outlining the steps that where being taken by the follower to ensure that the "error" was corrected and that they were back "on the Word". Abundant sharing was also required during this period.

[edit] The "Purge"

During the Rock of Ages festival in August 1994 President L. Craig Martindale convened closed meetings of first The Way Corps, then Advanced Class graduates, and also veterans of the W.O.W. Ambassador program. The subject was his belief that homosexuals, who Martindale categorized as "the lowest of the low", had infiltrated the W.O.W. program and the "ministry" at large. He described this "infiltration" as "an attack of the Adversary" (the Devil) and outlined steps to combat what he saw as a major problem.

The Way had always been against homosexuality, and in previous years it would take being caught "in the act" for a follower to be "Marked and Avoided". Now, however, Martindale instituted what was called a "genuine spiritual suspicion" as grounds for investigating someone's sexual orientation. In addition to active homosexuals, Martindale targeted what he called "homo sympathizers" and "homo fantasizers". This was connected to Martindale's goal of ridding The Way of those who practiced "the three kinds of evil" [defined by The Way as: phaulos - unproductive evil, poneros - harassing evil, kakos - destructive or violent evil]. The following years saw many "confrontation sessions" convened to "smoke out", as Martindale termed it, those who were weak, evil, or not willing to "do The Word". "Mark & Avoid" and "Spiritual Probation" increased markedly.

Martindale's view that homosexuality was the Devil's strategy for destroying The Way manifested itself in his Way of Abundance and Power class where he taught that the original sin of mankind was Eve having lesbian sex with the Devil, who appeared in the form of a woman.

[edit] Pictures and Music of The Way International

Image:Prevailing Word Auditorium-7.jpg

Pictures:

Music:

[edit] Publications

Please see the page American Christian Press for more information.

[edit] Splinter groups

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By the early 1990s, following the 1982 retirement of Wierwille and his death in 1985, at least four splinter groups had formed from the main body of The Way:

Some sources attribute the formation of splinter groups to specific actions taken by L. Craig Martindale after his appointment to replace Wierwille, including the implementation of new rules and beliefs, while others cite the dissension among its leadership when Rev. Chris Geer initially read the authored 40,000 word document titled "The Passing of the Patriarch" to the trustee leadership and Way headquarters staff. In the document, Geer claimed that Wierwille, during his final weeks, revealed observations, concerns and recommendations regarding the unbiblical direction of the Way and the lack of biblical leadership by Martindale. The document was later read to the Way Corps who disseminated the information throughout the Way. Their presence as organizations became significant in 1989, when L. Craig Martindale fired all Way staff-including local "branch", "territory", "limb" and "region" leaders who did not swear an oath of allegiance to him. Shortly afterwards, he sent a letter to all members announcing the firings, which resulted in approximately 80%[citation needed] of the current membership to leave en masse with their local leaders. At present,some ex-TWI groups either rival or surpass TWI in current membership numbers.[citation needed]

[edit] Cult allegations

The group has been alleged to use "love bombing"[4] to control its initiates. These allegations initially occurred in the 1970's, but accusations and allegations about control of members continue to this day on various ex-Way websites. The Way has also been accused of racism and anti-Semitism in times past, due to references of controversial Holocaust denial books The Hoax of the Twentieth Century, and The Myth of the Six Million.[5][4] Arthur Koestler's The Thirteenth Tribe, also promoted by The Way, does not promote Holocaust denial or anti-Semitism, but its controversial thesis on the origins of modern Jews has been adopted by some anti-Semites.

[edit] Current leadership

  • Rev. Rosalie F. Rivenbark, President
  • Rev. Vince McFadden, Vice President
  • Rev. Roger Mittler, Vice President
  • Rev. John Rupp, Vice President
  • Rev. Jean-Yves De Lisle, Secretary-Treasurer

[edit] Trustees and Directors

Founder and first President

Subsequent Presidents

Vice Presidents

  • Ermal L. Owens (??–1977)
  • Donald Wierwille (1977–1997)
  • Rosalie F. Rivenbark (1997–2001)
  • Harve J. Platig (2001–2005)
  • Vince McFadden (2005–present)
  • Roger Mitler (2005–present)
  • John Rupp (2005–present)

Secretary-treasurers

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ GreaseSpot Cafe Way Corps Notes
  2. ^ William, Laney. "The Way International reaches settlement with couple", Wapakoneta Daily News, 2000-11-07. Retrieved on 2006-06-02.
  3. ^ GreaseSpot Cafe Audio Files
  4. ^ a b Mary, Hargrove. "The Way: After a family breaks up, questions arise about the group", Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1995-10-15. Retrieved on 2006-07-02.
  5. ^ Melton, J. Gordon (1996). The Encyclopedia of American Religions, 5th edition, Detroit: Michigan: Gale Research. ISBN 0-8103-7714-4., as cited at http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/wayintl.html .

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Links to websites of ex-members :

Links to websites of current members :

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