The Way International is a religious organization founded by Victor Paul Wierwille in 1942. 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 does not believe the Christian entities of Jesus Christ and God are the same. While The Way describes itself as a Christian group, critics charge that the beliefs of the group are not consistent with traditional Christian beliefs, and some accuse the group of being a cult.

According to the official :

"The Way is a fellowship of the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ for the manifestation of the more abundant life. A follower of The Way is filled with and manifests power from on high, holy spirit, and freely avails himself of fellowship meetings for spiritual nurture and growth. The Way fellowship is cemented together by the Spirit of God with each individual believer being transformed by the renewing of his mind according to the Word of God."

The Way does consider itself to be a church, and the organization does ordain clergy and perform weddings.

History

Wierwille was ordained by the Evangelical and Reformed Church and took his first assignment in Payne, Ohio. He later founded the Way in 1942 with the first broadcast of the Vesper Chimes radio show. Victor Paul Wierwille remained president until 1982, when he chose L. Craig Martindale as his replacement. When Wierwille died in 1985, a period of disagreement between organization leaders and followers as well as a decline in followership developed and lasted until the early 1990s. Craig Martindale remained president during this period.

A yearly gathering of Way followers in New Knoxville, Ohio, known as "The Rock of Ages Festival," was a popular Way event 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 . The following year, the one-year "WOW" missionary program was replaced by the four-month "Way Disciples" outreach program. Way Disciple outreach group 1 left after

In 2000, Martindale's term as president was ended following allegations of sexual misconduct 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.

Structure

Organization

The Way International's division of duties and regions is based on the physical structure of a tree. However, this structure is no longer commonplace. The headquarters at New Knoxville is considered the "root", while each country is considered a "trunk". Each region of the country is called a "limb", and each "limb" features a number of subdivisions, or "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 the term was dropped during the 1990s.

The Way focuses on the fellowships. These meetings are run by followers who have completed the four Biblical Studies classes taught by the Way and have worked spreading the doctrine of the group at some point in their life. These men and women are called "Fellowship Coordinators". However, anyone may participate in a household fellowship.

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."

After completing the Advanced class, a follower can enroll in the Way Corps Leadership Program, a full-time work/study program structured to produce leaders for the organization. The students travel to Camp Gunnison, Colorado and learn to minister and teach. Upon completion of the four year course, they receive an non-accredited degree in theology. The graduating Way Corps are then sent out to different states or countries to start fellowships.

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"

Beliefs

Wierwille believed that Jesus Christ had no preincarnate existence except in the mind of God the Father. He taught that Jesus was a perfect sinless man but he was 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 .' 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 also teaches that Jesus was raised on Saturday and that there were four people crucified with Him, not two. Additionally, only believers who lived after Pentecost will be gathered together with Jesus Christ upon his return - everyone who died in the Old Testament, before the day of Pentecost, will be raised in the "Resurrection of the Just" or the "Resurrection of the Unjust". 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". Speaking in tongues is taught as a free-will choice and as a beneficial part of a believer's daily walk.

Also, the Way teaches that once a person is saved, he cannot sin in his spirit. His body and soul can sin, but not his spirit. A principle called "renewing your mind" is taught as a way for a person to keep his thoughts and actions in alignment with God's Word.

Wierwille taught that God instituted unchangeable principles to be appropriated and obeyed by Christians. God's law 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. Failure to follow this law 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).

Splinter groups

By 1988, 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:

• The American Fellowship Services
• Pacific West Fellowship
• Christian Biblical Council
• Great Lakes Fellowship

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 concepts and beliefs, while other followers point to turmoil between Chris Geer and Martindale.

Cult allegations

The Way has been alleged to be a cult, in part due to allegations of thought control starting in the 1970s. Although there are religious learning centers based at the Way International headquarters, there have never been any proven cases of brainwashing. The Way has also been accused of racism and anti-Semitism in times past, however these ideas do not officially appear in any of their doctrine or beliefs.

The Way recommends that all members pay at least ten percent of their net income to the Way International as a tithe. L. Craig Martindale addressed this concern multiple times throughout his leadership term . Donna Martindale has also been recorded addressing a plane crash that killed the daughter of a Way member who had left the organization several years prior .

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

Trustees and Directors

Founder and First President

• Victor Paul Wierwille (1942 - 1982)

Subsequent Presidents

• L. Craig Martindale (1982 - 2001)
• Rosalie F. Rivenbark (2001 - present)

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

• Harry Ernst Wierwille (?? - 1977)
• Howard R. Allen (1977 - 1997)
• John R. Reynolds (1997 - 2002)
• Jean-Yves De Lisle (2002 - present)

References