THE WAY CORPS, DISCIPLES AND THE AUTHOR OF LIFE

Dr. John Juedes

The Way Magazine reported on the Way Corps, Disciples of The Way Outreach and special events in the March-April 2009 issue. The articles serve as a recruitment tool for The Way's various programs.

The two-year in-residence program for the Thirty-eighth and Thirty-ninth Way Corps began the 2008-2009 training year by registering at the New Knoxville Headquarters. The primary training location for the Corps is the Biblical Research Center. The four year program is supposed to develop leaders to serve as ministers upon graduation.

The Corps study program included study of 1 Timothy and the church epistles. Classes included Ministry Resources, Leadership Protocol, Christian Song Service, Proofreading, Homiletics, Public Speaking and the Book of Acts. The shallowness of the program is apparent to anyone who has attended a quality seminary. Well-rounded Biblical training includes courses in all four areas of Biblical research: Doctrinal, Exegetical, Historical and Practical.

When the Corps was larger, single men and women were in the Way Corps, and married couples were in the Family Corps. Now they are combined.

Corps students all labor in the Work Program, serving in various departments of TWI. This is an advantage for TWI, because the students not only work for free, enabling TWI to hire fewer staff, but they also pay TWI to be "trained" there. In addition to normal headquarters work, Corps served at the Advanced Class Special held there November 28-30, 2008.

The Special was called "Living the Book of Acts Today." a systematic study of Acts with material on its geographic and political setting. It featured several teachers, presentations by The Way Productions, meals and "share pairs."

That fall Camp Gunnison held two camps, "Living God's Word as a Family," October 23-26, 2008, and the "Foundational Class on the Way of Abundance and Power Camp" November 15-22, 2008. The class picture shows 23 people, including teachers.

Way Disciples of Outreach

Several people in the current Way Disciples of Outreach Group XV gave glowing reviews of their lives half way through their six month tenure in an article by Matt Stiles, the coordinator of the Disciples program. The testimonies emphasize their accelerated personal growth rather than outreach. This may suggest poor results from their outreach efforts. Disciples are assigned to groups and relocate to areas chosen by TWI, which requires them to find jobs and establish new households with people who are usually strangers to them.

The Way Magazine devotes a full page ad to recruiting people to sign up for the Way Disciples of Outreach Group XVI. Registration deadline is June 1, 2009. Only graduates and candidates for the Advanced the Way of Abundance and Power (TWAP) class are eligible to apply.

The issue includes an ad for the lower level intermediate class on TWAP. The registration fee for the new English video class is $75 for adults, $40 for dependents 12-23 years of age.

The theme for this ministry year is "Serving the Lord with Gladness," which is splashed around all TWI materials and events, including all eight of the Sunday Service sermons in December and January. The sermons were given by eight different men (no women), continuing the rotation which began after President Martindale resigned after two lawsuits were filed against him and TWI for sexual misconduct.

Who is the Author of Life?

An error in the article "Claiming the More Abundant Life" by Patsy Chavoustie reveals a glaring gap in TWI's Biblical teaching. She writes this about John 10:10:

"Jesus Christ is the 'door' to the Father, the author of life. Jesus Christ is not the author of life, but he is the means, the way, to the more abundant life, which only God can provide." (TWM, March-April 2009, p. 9)

Actually, Acts 3:15 plainly calls Christ "the Author of Life." Peter said to those at the temple:

"You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murder be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead." (Acts 3:14-15) The Greek word for "author" is archegos, used also in Hebrews 12:2 and 2:10, though this is obscured by the King James Version which is inconsistent, using "author" and other English words to translate it.

The New Testament repeatedly emphasizes that Jesus Christ provides life. John begins his Gospel, "in Him was life (1:4)." Jesus himself said, "I am the resurrection and the Life," not just "I am the means to life which is found in the Father." Many more verses emphasize the life-giving power of Jesus Christ:

"As the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.... you refuse to come to me to have life" (John 5:26, 40).

"The bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (John 6:33).

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish" (John 10:28).

"When Christ, who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (Colossians 3:4).

TWI consistently misinterprets Scripture in order to devalue Jesus Christ.

Dr. John Juedes, 2009, tw_corpsDisciLife.htm