Recently we have received several inquiries about an old topic: The Way International and its offshoots. Several years ago we produced an article on that subject titled “Whatever Happened to the Way International?” In this installment we repeat some of the information we presented then but will try to update the facts on that cult.
Founder: Victor Paul Wierwille (1916-1985)
Current President: Rev. Jean-Yves De Lisle
Current Board of Directors of The Way International
Rev. Rosalie F. Rivenbark, Chairperson
Rev. Jean-Yves De Lisle
Rev. Bill Greene
Rev. John Rupp
The Way International (TWI) was founded by a self-proclaimed Bible scholar named Victor Paul Wierwille. Wierwille was born in New Knoxville, Ohio, on December 31, 1916. He and his family were members of an Evangelical and Reformed Church (ERC). The ERC is now the United Church of Christ. He attended Mission House (Lakeland) College and graduated in 1941 from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Wierwille claimed that on October 3, 1942 he heard God speak to him saying that He would guide him to understand and interpret the Bible more accurately than anyone since the apostolic age. As a result, Wierwille claimed he dumped 3,000 of his theological textbooks into a trash heap and began his own study of Scripture.
In 1948, Wierwille received a Doctor of Theology degree from the unaccredited (and now defunct) Pike’s Peak Bible Seminary in Manitou Springs, Colorado. In 1951 he visited a Pentecostal evangelist named J.E. Stiles and learned his technique for teaching people to speak in tongues. In 1953, Wierwille developed and began teaching his “Power for Abundant Living” (PFAL) classes, a series of lectures highlighting his unusual doctrinal views. In 1955, Wierwille incorporated his ministry as The Way, Inc. in New Knoxville. A few years later he formally withdrew from the Evangelical and Reformed Church denomination. Over the next few years, Wierwille’s theology increasingly deviated from orthodox Christianity, particularly his views of the Trinity and the nature of Christ.
In the early 1970s, Wierwille changed the name of his organization to The Way International (TWI). In 1975 the TWI bought the campus of what had been the College of Emporia in Emporia, Kansas, a small Presbyterian college that had shut down in 1973. The Way College opened in 1975 with 350 students. It closed and the campus was sold in 1989.
The movement reached its peak in about 1982 when Victor Paul Wierwille officially retired as president of TWI and selected L. Craig Martindale (b. 1948) as his successor. After his retirement, Wierwille’s health deteriorated rapidly. He died of ocular cancer on May 20, 1985, at age 68. Following his death, several former leaders of TWI leveled charges against Wierwille and TWI trustees that included accusations of extreme authoritarianism, plagiarism, false teaching, and even adultery. As a result, the group lost many followers.
Thus, L. Craig Martindale’s term as president was characterized by a drastic decline in TWI membership and internal allegations of moral laxity among members, including widespread homosexuality. He also made vast changes in the organization and replaced much of Wierwille’s materials with his own. Martindale’s tenure as president ended in 2000 when he himself was found guilty of sexual misconduct and placed on probation by the organization. He was replaced by Rev. Rosalie F. Rivenbark (b. 1940).
As a result of the scandals associated with Wierwille and Martindale, several splinter organizations were formed still teaching the concepts and doctrines of TWI. Those included: Christian Research and Fellowship of Destin Fla., founded by John Hendricks; Christian Educational Services of Indianapolis, Ind., led by Mark Graeser, John Lynn, and John Schoenheit; and Pacific West Fellowship led by Steve Sann. Also, some people adhered to Wierwille’s doctrines but did not associate directly with any specific organization.
In January 2017, Rivenbark stepped down from the TWI presidency but retained her position as Chair of the Board of Directors. Rev. Jean-Yves De Lisle (b. 1959) was installed as the fourth president. De Lisle has been on the staff of the Way International since 1988. He served on the board of directors for more than 14 years and has been involved with the ministry’s international work for more than 26 years. He is a native of Canada and became a U.S. citizen in 1998.
The governing board, originally called the Board of Trustees, is now called the Board of Directors and consists of three to five directors, with Rivenbark as Chairperson (see above). TWI is still headquartered in New Knoxville, Ohio. Household groups continue to meet in this and other countries. TWI claims as many as 100,000 followers worldwide, but that number is likely exaggerated.
Ministries associated with The Way International include American Christian Press (ACP), The Way of Abundance and Power Classes (formerly PFAL), and The Way Corps (TWI’s officially commissioned cadre of ministers and missionaries).
TWI’s key publications include The Way Magazine and books written by Victor Paul Wierwille (all published by ACP). His books included The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word’s Way (1971), Receiving the Holy Spirit Today (1972), Are the Dead Alive Now? (1973), Jesus Is Not God (1975), and God’s Magnified Word (1977). TWI’s official website is www.theway.org.
Beliefs and Practices
Authority and the Bible
The Bible, as God’s inspired and infallible Word, is regarded by TWI as “God-breathed” and perfect as originally given. The King James Version is usually quoted in TWI literature. However, Victor Paul Wierwille taught that most Hebrew and Greek texts used by Bible scholars have been distorted, and thus textual research is needed to clarify certain passages and doctrines. He depended heavily on the controversial biblical research and translations of the late Turkish-Armenian Aramaic scholar George Lamsa (1892-1975). Lamsa relied heavily on the Aramaic based Syraic Peshitta version of the New Testament. He argued that the New Testament was originally all written in Aramaic. This is the view of the Assyrian Church of the East, located mostly in Iraq, of which Lamsa was a member. He even produced his own English translation based on Aramaic called The Holy Bible from Ancient Eastern Manuscripts (commonly called the Lamsa Bible). His theories are not highly regarded by serious Bible scholars.
Victor Paul Wierwille’s interpretations, as stated in his writings, are authoritative for all TWI students. Wierwille taught an extreme dispensational interpretive method that regards only portions of the New Testament (Paul’s letters to the churches and the Book of Acts) as fully relevant to Christians. The Old Testament, the four Gospels, and Paul’s letters to individuals are regarded as Scripture, but not entirely applicable for the church age. This position, and some other of Wierwille’s strange biblical interpretations, is based on the writings of Englishman Ethelbert William Bullinger (1837-1913), an Anglican priest and ultradispensationalist theologian.
Biblical Response: The Bible is indeed God’s infallible and inerrant Word as given in the original autographs. The textual integrity of the Bible is well established; however, no one translation and no one interpreter is regarded as infallible. Many of Wierwille’s interpretations of particular passages are incorrect, and his extreme dispensationalist approach must be rejected. Both the Old and New Testaments are relevant to Christians when studied in context, utilizing sound principles of interpretation (see Luke 24:27, 44-45; 2 Tim. 3:15-17).
God Is One
Like other cults such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Oneness Pentecostals, the historic Christian understanding of God as Trinity is rejected by TWI. God is regarded as a unitary being who is the creator of the universe. The Trinity is deemed unbiblical and said to reflect the influence of pagan Roman emperors and the creeds of 4th and 5th century church councils.
Biblical Response: There is only one true God (see Deut. 6:4; Isa. 43:10-11). However, the doctrine of the Trinity is taught in Scripture. The church creeds affirmed the biblical teachings and did not create them. God is one in three and is revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is one God in three Persons (see Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; Eph. 1:3-14).
Jesus Christ Is Not God
TWI maintains that Jesus Christ did not actually preexist, but was only conceptually “The Word” in the foreknowledge of God. Thus, He was totally created at His miraculous physical conception. Nonetheless, He was born a perfect man whose soul was specially created by God and given “holy spirit.” Therefore, Jesus can be regarded as the “Son of God” but not “God the Son.”
TWI affirms that Jesus lived a sinless life but, in agreement with Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim He was crucified on a stake, not a cross. TWI also argues that Jesus was executed between four criminals on Wednesday, not Friday. It says he was crucified with “two thieves” on one side (see Matt. 27:38; Mark 15:27) and “two (additional) malefactors” on the other side (see Luke 23:32). They assert that Jesus was resurrected physically on Saturday (not Sunday).
Biblical Response: Jesus is the eternal, preexistent Word of God. He is the second Person of the Holy Trinity. He was, is, and always shall be God. In His earthly life, Jesus had two natures: human and divine. He lived a perfect sinless life, and was crucified on a Roman cross between two thieves (i.e. malefactors) as a substitutionary atonement for mankind’s sin. Jesus rose from the dead physically on the third day (the first day of the week: Sunday [the Lord’s Day]), and ascended to heaven (see John 1:1-18; 5:17-18; 8:56-59; 10:30-33; 17:5; Col. 1:15-17; 2:9).
Holy Spirit and “holy spirit”
The term “holy spirit” (hagios pneuma) is used in two distinct ways in Scripture according to TWI. Holy Spirit (capital letters in TWI literature) is merely a synonym for God. It is a name of God describing His nature as Spirit (see John 4:24). The other use of the term “holy spirit” (not capitalized in TWI literature) refers to the gift of God given to believers by the Holy Spirit. It is the power of God given on the inside of the believer but manifested on the outside by speaking in tongues (SIT).
Biblical Response: The New Testament indicates that the Holy Spirit is both a person and fully God. He is capable of speaking, teaching, grieving, and being lied to (but not being fooled). There is no distinction made between “Holy Spirit” and “holy spirit” as maintained by TWI (see Matt. 12:31-32; 28:19; Mark 3:29; Luke 12:12; John 14-16; Acts 5:3-10; 13:2-4; Rom. 8:4, 26-27; 1 Cor. 12:11; Eph. 2:18-19; 4:30; 5:18-21).
Mankind’s Problem: Lost “Spirit”
According to TWI, mankind consists of a three-fold nature: body, soul, and spirit. God created Adam with a body and soul (mind), to which He added spirit. This is the essence of the image of God. Adam lost “spirit” when he sought knowledge through the soul.
Jesus thus made a legal transaction to redeem mankind from Satan by taking the sins of the world upon Himself at His crucifixion. This made “holy spirit” available to mankind by believing in Jesus Christ (see Acts 2:38).
Biblical Response: All have sinned and are lost without Christ (see Rom. 3:23; 6:23). Jesus’ death on the cross was a substitutionary atonement to pay fully the debt of sin (see Rom. 4:25; 1 Pet. 3:18). Only by putting one’s faith in Christ alone and receiving Him as Savior and Lord can a person be saved (see Eph. 2:8-9).
No Need for Water Baptism
TWI teaches that water baptism is not needed in the church era. That was for Israel only and ended with John the Baptist and at Pentecost. The reference to baptism and the Trinity in Matthew 28:18-19, TWI claims, was probably not in the original text. Other references in the New Testament to baptism are likewise rejected.
Biblical Response: Water baptism is a symbol of the believer’s identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the act of Christian initiation into the body of Christ (see Acts 8:12, 36-39; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 12:13; Col. 2:12). All credible biblical scholars agree that the textual integrity of Matthew 28:18, 19 is fully affirmed.
The New Birth and a Renewed Mind
TWI says that the new birth initially comes by verbal confession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. A person “renews” their mind for abundant life, however, only by taking TWI’s “Way of Abundance and Power” class. The sign of the renewed mind for all believers, according to TWI, is the nine manifestations of the gifts of holy spirit as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11.
TWI states that the primary and necessary expression of holy spirit manifestation is speaking in tongues (SIT). Only by verbally speaking in tongues can one see outward, visible proof of the inward power of holy spirit. SIT is not a spontaneous experience. Students are taught a specific technique for speaking in tongues during The Way of Abundance and Power classes. All TWI students are expected to demonstrate the ability to SIT before graduating.
Biblical Response: TWI’s two-stage concept of redemption is without biblical support. One is fully born again by trusting in Jesus Christ as one’s Savior and Lord, and receiving salvation by grace through faith alone (see Eph. 2:8-9). At that moment, our sins are forgiven, we are saved from our sins, and the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us to empower us for living the Christian life. There is no indication that speaking in tongues, or any other outward sign, is necessary to confirm the Spirit’s presence. The Holy Spirit sovereignly distributes His various gifts as He wills to all members to minister to the whole body of Christ (the church) (see Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12-14; Eph. 4:11).
The Dead Are Now Asleep
TWI maintains, as do Jehovah’s Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists, that there is no conscious existence after death. When believers die, they do not go immediately to be with God or Jesus. Rather, they await the future resurrection when their bodies, souls, and spirits will be reunited to live again.
Biblical Response: At death, believers in Christ maintain a conscious relationship with Him while awaiting the resurrection (see Matt. 22:32; Luke 16:22-23; 23:43; John 11:26; 2 Cor. 5:8; 12:2-4; Phil. 1:23-24; 1 Thess. 4:14; 5:10).
Organization: The Way Tree
TWI is organized along the lines of the metaphor of a tree. A small cell-group fellowship of followers used to be termed “Twigs.” Now they are referred to simply as Household Fellowships and are led by experienced elders. The local Twig association was a “Branch,” and a state association of Branches was a “Limb.” All the Limbs in a specific country comprised a national “Trunk.” Individual members were called “leaves” but are now designated as disciples.
All policies and doctrinal positions are transmitted from the Board of Directors through the various levels of authority to local fellowships. All leaders are appointed by various levels of authority and approved by the leadership.
Biblical Response: TWI’s centralized and authoritarian system of organization contrasts to the locally led and based churches of the New Testament. No one leader or leaders since apostolic times can claim exclusive authority over local congregations of believers. The biblical model for church structure is the body of Christ. Jesus referred to Himself metaphorically as the vine, and His followers as the branches who produce good fruit (John 15:1-8).
Conclusion
The Way International is a shell of what it was during the lifetime of Victor Paul Wierwille. It has shrunk in size and, as often is the case in cults when the original leader dies, splintered into various rival movements. All of the various groups claim to hold the true legacy of Wierwille’s teachings. That being said, it is possible that we may encounter people in TWI or one of its progeny. In those cases we should be ready to witness to them using the following principles.
1. Study the beliefs and practices of The Way International and Victor Paul Wierwille in order to communicate intelligently with those involved in it.
2. Determine the level of involvement of the person in TWI. Have they been through The Way of Abundance and Power class? Are they involved in a household fellowship? Are they in some position of TWI leadership?
3. Define all terms carefully. TWI members often use Christian terms but have different meanings. For example, when they talk about Jesus as “the Son of God,” they do not mean “God the Son.”
4. Seek to build personal relationships and sincere friendships with those in TWI. Remember, patience is a key ingredient.
5. Avoid arguments, and let love be your true motive for witness.
6. Share your personal testimony of God’s grace and assurance in your life. Tell what Jesus means to you personally.
7. Affirm the reliability of the biblical texts. Use a modern and reliable translation of the Bible in your discussion and check all passages for correct context.
8. Focus your discussion on the essential biblical issues including the nature of the Godhead (the Trinity), the deity and saving work of Jesus Christ, and the basics of the gospel message.
9. Pray and trust the Holy Spirit to lead in your witness encounter.
© 2018 Tal Davis
I love Dr Wierwille, you sure know how to twist things, your post tell nothing of the Miracles. Blessing, fantastic knowledge of Gods Word The Way Ministy teaches. You are the one to be looked at with disdain. The Way saved My life. Stay Bitter, Ignorant. Your Site is Truly Pathetic.
Tim:
Thank you for commenting. How exactly have we twisted things? The facts about Wierwille and the Way International are well known. It does not matter what “miracles” occurred (can you be specific?) if the teachings of Wierwille and the Way are unbiblical.
Whatever happened to “love your enemy”? All you’ve done is prove this article correct with your hauty, belittling insults. Wishing evil on others is not “doing the Word” according to 1Cor 13 “render not evil for evil”. Who taught you that it was ok to be so mean?
Mr. Kelley:
Thank you four comments. First of all, we are not trying to be mean. What we do is out of love not disdain. We do what Jesus and the Bible writers told us when they said we should be discerning. We want people
Jesus cared for all people, but that did not mean He was unconcerned about what people believed. He constantly warned His disciples to beware of counterfeit messiahs, prophets and teachers who would seek to mislead them from the truth. He even called them wolves in sheep’s clothing.
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (Matt. 7:15 NASB)
And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many..'”
“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance. So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them.” (24:4-5, 23-26 NASB; see also Mark 13:5-23; Luke 17: 23-27)
Paul warned his Roman readers not to be deceived by those proclaiming and doing things “contrary to the teaching which you learned….”
Paul commended the Roman believers for their faith in the midst of strife in that great city. Nonetheless, he warned them not to be misled by false teachers who were distorting the doctrines they had learned.
“Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” (Rom. 16:17-18 NASB)
Still today, Christians must be ever vigilant not to be deceived by the “smooth and flattering speech” of false teachers.
Paul warned the Corinthians of “another Jesus,” a “different spirit,” or “ a different gospel.” The Corinthian church had a reputation of tolerating unsound doctrines and practices which had split the fellowship. Paul warned them about following counterfeits. Some teachers were proclaiming false ideas about Jesus, about the Holy Spirit, and distorted versions about the way of salvation of grace through faith. Paul goes so far as to accuse the false teaches of being disguised agents of Satan.
“For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully. For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles. But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.” (2 Cor. 11:4-6, 13-15 NASB)
Paul warned the Galatians about following the Judaizer’s “different gospel,” even if it was preached to them by himself or an angel. Paul delivered one of his harshest rebukes against the believers in the area of Galatia. They had apparently abandoned the sound teaching he had given them concerning the free gift of salvation by grace through faith. They were now embracing the teachings of legalistic Judaizers who convinced them that to be saved they had to first be circumcised as Jews. Paul reminded them that salvation is entirely by grace. It is the overarching theme of the letter. He told them in no uncertain terms, as a true Apostle of God, that anyone teaching a false gospel (even if it was he himself or an angel) was accursed.
“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” (Gal. 1:6-9 NASB)
Paul’s stern warning is just as valid now as in the first century. Many teachers of false gospels fill the airways, write books, and speak in vast halls around the world. They should take careful notice of Paul’s assertion that they are accursed, and Christians should avoid them like the plague.
Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians as a polemic against incipient Greek Gnostic philosophy. The pagan philosophy of Gnosticism was beginning to creep into the teachings of some churches of the first century (it later became much worse). Paul warned the Colossians not to fall into the trap of “secret knowledge” philosophy that the Gnostics proclaimed. He reminded them that Jesus had completely provided their salvation and that he was superior to all powers that may exist, spiritual or physical.
“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” (Col. 2:8-15 NASB)
Paul instructed Timothy to silence and correct those in Ephesus who were teaching “strange doctrines.”
“As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.” (1 Tim. 1:3-4 NASB)
Paul also encouraged Timothy to preach the gospel faithfully and to beware of those who would turn from the truth to follow unsound teachers and doctrines.
“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” (2 Tim. 4:1-4 NASB)
Peter wrote to believers in the churches in Asia Minor most of whom were probably converts from paganism. He warned of false prophets and teachers among them who would introduce “destructive heresies.” “Heresies” referred to doctrines that were out of line with authentic Apostolic teaching.
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment.” (2 Pet. 2:1-4 NASB)
Today, many unorthodox groups teach doctrines that deviate seriously from sound biblical theology. For example, the Oneness Pentecostal churches teach that all of the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) are contained in the one person of Jesus only.
John called apostates “liars” and “antichrist” because they denied that Christ came in the flesh. Apparently John’s readers were being influenced by a heretical teaching that Jesus only appeared to be in the flesh but was really only spirit. The historic teaching is that He was both Man and God incarnate (in flesh).
“Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.” (1 John 2:18-23 NASB)
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.” (1 John 4:1-5 NASB)
John also warned believers not to support or give aid to the false teachers mentioned above. By supporting them either financially, or even allowing them to lodge at their homes, they were participating in their evil deeds.
“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.” (2 John 7-11 NASB)
James encouraged his readers to help those who have strayed to turn back the truth.
“My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20 NASB)
Unfortunately, some Christians have been deceived intro joining cults or abandoning their faith. In those cases, we should do what we can, with God’s help, to draw them back to the true God and Christ.
Finally, Jude encouraged his readers to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered,” and warned them against those who distorted graced and denied “our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
“Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 3-4 NASB)
I hope these passages help you understand why we see our work as so important in the Kingdom of God.Now, as in biblical times, false teachers abound and need to be called to correction.
–Tal Davis
Tim, what you say may be true for you, but as a former “member,” Way Corps(e), and involved from 1974 through 1986, I must tell you there is another whole side to this coin. If you choose, go here, and see what you may have inadvertently avoided.Perhaps Providential. Your call. I would like to point out that we were ultradispensationalist, and did ignore, to our shame, the Gospels. There is much more to look at. Thanks, Tim!
https://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/
your a slanderer …a professional liar and it is difficult for me to say anything good about you..don’t you have anything better to do in your life….
William, we’re sorry you feel this way, but what are you even talking about? Your comment is pretty random and we have no idea what you are referring to. Is this about something in the article you don’t like? An insult is not an argument, and a random comment is not a discussion. Here you are calling someone a slanderer using slanderous language. Do you care to elaborate?
Thank you for telling the truth. It is not biblical. The way teaches false doctrine and is more of a cult . thank you again. I pray yhat the people that believe the untruths they’ve been taught would listen with their spirit what the HOLY SPIRIT would say.in Jesus name.