Vol. 7, No. 8, 1990

Articles on Cults and New Religions

Following splits and disagreement among top officials of the Way, International, its President, Rev. L. Craig Martindale, announced that the group is, "really on the rebound now" according to a Religious News Service story.

The announcement came shortly before the 20th annual Rock of Ages Festival held at New Knoxville, Ohio on the groups 147-acre headquarters which was once the family farm of Way founder, Victor Paul Wierwille (The Christian Informer, 8/31/90, p. 5).

Wierwille, a former Christian minister, formed the Way after rejecting the Deity of Christ and the orthodox Christian doctrine of the Trinity.

The Way, International has corporate structure designed like a tree with the "roots" being the president and board, the "trunk" is the international operation, the national organizations are called "limbs," etc. with the local expression consisting of small home fellowship gatherings called "twigs."

The efficient corporate structure coupled with the study course, Power for Abundant Living, which doubles as the organization's main recruiting tool led to tremendous growth throughout the 1970's and early 80's.

However, when Wierwille died in 1985 and the full responsibility of leadership fell on Martindale, the group experienced a number of significant problems which were reported by the Christian Research Institute, a California based counter-cult ministry, in their Winter/Spring 1988 Journal.

Included in the organization's dilemmas were:

• The formation of several rival or splinter groups by former Way leaders including Pacific West Fellowship co-founded by Steve Sann, American Fellowship Services founded by John Lynn, and Great Lake Fellowship, co-founded by Paul Rawlins and Paul Till.
• Reduced enrollment at Way owned colleges. The Way College in Emporia, Kansas dropped from 350 to 90.
• Charges of moral and financial failure leveled at the President and Board of Directors by respected Way leaders.

Martindale, 41, a former Southern Baptist youth minister, believes that his organization has overcome most of their opposition.

He projected a robust 5,000 to 6,000 people at this years Rock of Ages which was down by several thousand in recent years.

Despite the group's use of Christian vocabulary and its quoting of the Bible, the Way International denies practically every essential doctrine of the Christian faith.

Christians should be aware of a possible increase in Way activities and beware of unusual home "Bible Studies" which may actually be "twig" meetings or invitations to enroll in the Power for Abundant Living course.