Mid-April 2023
Dear Staff, Elders and friends,
Good evening. Thanks so much for many prayers and thoughts towards all. Mine have certainly gone your way.
I read Jeremiah 51:5-6 yesterday morning, when I first opened my Bible. These verses have been a source of great strength to me both yesterday and again today. There are many confirmations that God’s hand is working to help us in this experience. So we press on knowing God never has and never will forsake his people. And we all deeply desire to follow what is pure. I know you have had verses of comfort too.
We want to assure you that communication to all on how we plan to go forward safely and responsibly will be forthcoming. We desire an appropriate response, thus we need a little time to get it as right as we can and then be in touch with you again. Thanks to many of you for your helpful suggestions that are being considered. We desire to be approachable and transparent. We are committed to this process to help avoid, detect and deal with CSA as well as other abuse incidents.
With respect to all,
Your brother, Rob
Letter from Rob Newman 4/27/2023
Dear Workers, Elders and Friends
The attached is the first document we mentioned we would be sending to everyone This will give a foundation of awareness about the critical issue of child sexual abuse (CSA). We must protect our children, who are precious to God and represent the future. Education, awareness, preparation and honest conversations give the best protection against CSA, and the greatest hope of discovering it early. We need the help of ALL being aware- children parents, grandparents, workers, all. This will also help prepare our children to face the world we live in today, where CSA continues to increase.
We are very grateful for professionals among our friends who have helped with the writing and verification of this document. Without basic and thorough awareness of CSA, any Child Safe policy would not have the necessary foundation. Increased education and understanding will help alleviate fear and replace it with informed awareness. We want to avoid constant suspicion and missing fellowship in meetings which fail to address the real problem while greatly hindering healthy spiritual life.
The next document will be a Child Safe policy to explain things we will be doing going forward to help provide a safe environment among us and in our gatherings, as well as guidance for reporting concerns before they become CSA incidents.
We are deeply sorry for the pain and loss of trust that these issues have caused among us. But going forward, we are encouraged that things can and will be different. Certainly CSA among the ministry will not be tolerated- God has called His servants to be pure and trustworthy. The betrayal of this trust by some has understandably been very damaging but we who continue want to be true to His trust.
CSA happens wherever there are people- it is impossible to guarantee in any context that it won’t happen again- but we can certainly be much better prepared going forward to both minimize the likelihood and discover and stop it earlier.
Thank you again for your care and prayers as we continue onward. Elders please be sure to distribute this message and attached document by email or hard copy to everyone of responsible age in your meeting. If you need help with this please feel free to contact me.
Your brother, Rob
Attached: Child Sexual Abuse Information and Resources
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Hi Rob, as long as we’re being transparent can we get an accounting on how much money the church has and where it goes?
We’re always hearing about how evil other churches are and how they’re only after our money but at least they’re transparent about it.
We’re told to trust the workers with our money and we don’t need to know?
Sounds sus.
I wonder the same thing about the financial part. About a year ago I asked the same question and didn’t get an answer, from our overseer. Not long ago, I asked a sister worker and she replied, “Why would you ever ask that?” Guess I wasn’t supposed to question. I think of all of the big convention buildings, upkeep, taxes etc. Also, the workers flying all over the world constanly, and people leaving their estates to the workers at death. It just seems like there must be lots of money involved. I was just curious as to who handles the large anounts and how it’s all handled. Just wondering???
Can I please request that pressure be put on this ministry/fellowship to financially support victim’s of CSA and SA in their fellowship, other churches had to do so, why would this group get away with it?
👍
Rob’s letter makes me angry. It’s the same type of letter that Leslie White wrote to me in an email when I confronted him about trying to french-kiss my older sister who had always worshipped him. For those of you who are still so sheltered, a french-kiss is where the kisser sticks his or her tongue in the mouth of the one they’re trying to kiss. Leslie White should be in PRISON but yet, as far as I know, he never has been in jail or prison. I was never a victim of assault by a worker but I feel for those who were sexually assaulted, abused, etc. I don’t even like to think about it all, let alone type it or discuss it because it seems like nothing will ever change. Until Jesus returns, of course.
@amphisbaena, Leslie White’s name brings up very bad memories and emotions for MANY of us. WINGS has published several items about his behavior and related cover-ups.
Anyone who has ever defended him or covered for him has shown themselves to have very, very poor judgment.
https://wingsfortruth.info/2023/06/24/victims-of-leslie-white-speak-out/
https://wingsfortruth.info/2025/05/31/additional-facts-and-documentation-regarding-mishandling-of-leslie-white-allegations-by-overseers/
https://wingsfortruth.info/2025/05/16/damage-perpetuated-by-fraudulent-professing-psychiatrist-and-overseers/
https://wingsfortruth.info/2023/07/27/no-place-for-secrecy/
@amphisbaena, you and others may be interested to know that Leslie White died two days ago. Here is the funeral website with his information: https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/46331441/leslie-white
CSA/SA is not a normal behavior. It is prevalent in the Cult because of the high percentage of people who are not normal, especially the “workers”. Thus, no amount of training is going to fix the abuse.
Spartan, I don’t believe you know the meaning of a cult. No one forces anyone to join or stay and we don’t worship any person or are encouraged to worship any person other than Jesus. I understand you’ve left the way yet you still are fascinated with how the way is faring? Why is this?
It’s not a cult? No one forces you to stay or join? Yet, they ostracize you and treat you as a leper if you want to leave. Or if you have questions you’re called “bitter” or “anti”. This church “has no name”, yet you just referred to it as “the way”. There is no way. There is Jesus. It is a cult, because we worship meetings and not really Jesus. Meetings and attendance in meeting are the highest priority, not Jesus. Not God.
People are fascinated with how the way is fairing because it has destroyed and abused peoples psychological welfare. Workers who are “led by God” turned out to be evil. And don’t give us the “Judas” line. There was only one Judas.
I’ve been a part of this church for 46 years and I have to agree with Spartan and Washed. The people working hard to defend these things are the privilaged ones with status. They have this status because they do whatever the workers tell them to do as if it’s the word of God. Anyone who dares go against the workers or to ask questions will be shunned by others in a really wierd unhealthy and unloving way. Thats a fact.
If you don’t believe it test it out, try questioning some things or maybe miss some meetings and see how fast you’ll get demoted.
Many including my family have been traumatized by our time in the “truth”
We’re thankfull for healing in Jesus, the real Truth.
I’m tired of the Judas speak also. Judas at least realized he had done something wrong in the end! Not saying what he did was right. The workers want to be compared to the disciples, then live as they did. True disciples protect the flock.
I actually have left this way/church whatever you choose to call it and came back twice, yes I have professed 3 times, and I was never mistreated , it was always with open arms. I don’t know where you hail from but just because where you live you or those you went to church with didn’t prioritize Jesus over rules and traditions doesn’t mean across the board that’s how it goes.
We just did ask questions of our workers about the origin of this church/way regarding the issues going on now and they were happy to discuss and even thanked us for having a discussion.
The way has not destroyed people psych as you say. Certain evil people who have been part of this way/this church have. In the end we all face God alone no matter if you are part of this way /this church or not. And no, I don’t believe you have to be part of this way to have a place in heaven. I am part of this way because it’s the closest way to follow the Bible I have come across and I still find edification by attending.
I agree with Brian and other’s that have stated the same!
You forgot the womens appearance is one of the highest priorities also.
So… how do you connect “forcing” people to stay by ostracizing them. It would seem that by ostracizing them that would push them out. Assuming this and anything else in your post is true… ??
“Abused people’s psychological warfare”??
What??? It all sounds quite confused.
Please google “signs of a cult “. The Cult meets most all of the signs listed. I am not “fascinated” by the Cult, but want to see all evil end. I was molested early in life by a senior worker (no one did anything due to his “status”). Two individuals very close to me were molested by Cult members and/or “workers “. A middle aged male “worker” was found in the closest of our home with our young daughter. At least two male workers spent time in our home before spending time in the big house for CSA. I thank God every day for setting me free from the William Irvine started Cult – please google his name also and read the excellent and thoroughly documented book, Preserving the Truth, by Cherie Kropp-Ehrig.
Hmmm, well I wasn’t for 15 + years but the 500 sexual offenders that have been turned in is a little interesting.
“500 sexual offenders” ?? Rubbish.
Any proof of 500 offenders..??
Of course not….probably just seemed like a cute thing to say.
@Jim – There’s two lists that are being kept, one by the Prussacks, and one by the private investigator, Cynthia Liles. Their lists have a few crossovers, but not many. Between the two lists there’s over 1200 names (predators names, there are thousands of victims). Most people don’t know about Abbi’s list. So, you’ll often see numbers around 700 (which refers to Cynthia’s list), but it’s grown since then. With every call that comes in, many questions are asked and the work of getting each victim to the proper authorities and to ones who can help them begins.
This is no joke, and you making light of the victims and calling their pleas for help “rubbish” is disgusting. Is that what you will call it if YOUR child were to come forward? Or your grandchild? Or your sister? I don’t know you, but the way you are talking about all this makes me wonder about YOU. Those who protest the loudest and the most demeaning of ways…I would definitely tell my children to stay a very far distance from you.
The FBI took this case, because we have far more CREDIBLE allegations of child sexual assault than any other Denomination has ever had…let that sink in.
I think you need to actually read the definition of a cult and you’ve obviously never been excommunicated. Have you ever reached out to the one who was outspoken and left or “fell away?”
What is a cult?
Sounds an awful lot like “the way”.
Absolute authoritarianism without accountability
Zero tolerance for criticism or questions
Lack of meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget
Unreasonable fears about the outside world that often involve evil conspiracies and persecutions
A belief that former followers are always wrong for leaving and there is never a legitimate reason for anyone else to leave
Abuse of members
Records, books, articles, or programs documenting the abuses of the leader or group
Followers feeling they are never able to be “good enough”
A belief that the leader is right at all times
A belief that the leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or giving validation
Also when people leave the church they aren’t leaving “the way” they’re leaving the church. People leave the way when they stop following Jesus who is the way.
Calling our church the way is cultish in itself.
We do have a name, the name of our church in the USA is the Christian conventions its filed with the government. People who say we have no name are ignorant or lying.
This religion’s own members refer to it as “The Truth” “The Way” “The Meetings” “The Friends” “The Workers & Friends” “The Fellowship”
If that makes it cultish maybe they shouldn’t do that. By the way, I grew up in this and never knew it was registered under any name.
@Mystie – the most current name we are registered as, is: Christan Conventions.
So, when the civil lawsuits begin…they are going after all the convention grounds, as those grounds and all their financial funds are seen as “assets” donated for the churches sake. Won’t matter who’s name is on the title.
Mystie, I was raised in it and only heard it called “the truth.” I met members of “the way” cult at a local mall; I was sitting alone and a good-looking young man named Mauricio came up and sat by me and asked me why I looked so sad. I was sad; had just broke up with the love of my life. He was a pro. Cult members must be trained to spot sad people. But by the grace of God, I got out of it; with a bit of gentle coaxing from my beloved dad, whom I was very close to. I could’ve been sucked in to a worse cult than the truth because “the way” comes right out and demands money for “abundant life” classes, etc. And they turn you against your family by asking you about allllll the bad memories you have from childhood. It’s sickening.
That is crazy interesting amphisbaenasparkly9a09bf2d42. Your second sentence mixed me up a bit because I thought your first sentence mentioning ‘the truth’ was related to your second sentence about ‘the way’ cult you mention.
So I thought, maybe I will just ask Google to see what him/her/they says about “is there a cult called the way”.
Lo and behold – a different one with basically the same name. For one paragraph of Wikipedia’s take on it:
“Until at least the late 1980s, The Way’s organization was based on a tree with “leaves” (individual believers), “twigs” (small group fellowships of about 6 to 12 persons, usually private homes or college bible groups), “branches” (groups of two or more fellowships in a local area such as a city), “limbs” (state organizations), “regions” (groupings of several “limbs”) and the international headquarters in New Knoxville being the “trunk”.
They meet in a home.
Sooo…sounds to me like the old saying ‘what’s in a name?’…that old saying should likely be chewed on for a few minutes. Just a suggestion for everyone to chew their food well.
Because it is sounding like to me, that we took His name prior to the marriage. I remember a number of years ago one of the older workers in Ontario talking about David saying about keeping him from presumptuous sin. Why does it come back to mind now?
Now I ask the question. Is this the antecedent of what man/woman thinks of a divorce? Our kind of divorce happens when things don’t work out too glamorous, or are not meant to be, sometime after the wedding. Maybe heaven’s divorce is happening real time 2025.
But I suppose every crown needs a name, so what do I know about crowns?
Did prophecy not say for His people to come out of something at a certain time, because things that resided in that house…things that were good prior…would be taken away?
Remember that old saying, ‘honesty is the best politics?’ Whooooaaaa Billy Joe Jim Bob!
And oh, marriages sometimes are not well thought out in the way, generally because we think the truth will always fix everything. Nevertheless, He makes the best of it and delivers some amazing children anyway. Both parents could be good/somewhat good/very good/extremely good/not very good…but sometimes subtle indicators in the courtship we overlook because we have this brainy idea that God will fix the other person up after the Wedding Cake is gone. Then we start playing house and we start playing God…and well….oh well.
First, I am so tired of the long novels posted. I was replying to Mystie. This is why I hesitate before posting. My only anger is why the workers, like Leslie White STILL roam free from being imprisoned.
True enough amphisbaenasparkly9a09bf2d42. I am not fully familiar as much as others are on social media – I do not understand when it is specifically a private conversation on an open platform like this.
I apologize amphisbaenasparkly9a09bf2d42. I will try to do better and not reply to you unless to ask me a question.
“Our”…”we” ??
Based on the content of your post it appears you are trying to decieve the reader into thinking you are actually a part of this true way and fellowship…. Try honesty instead. Please.
For those of you who are “stuck”. There are plenty, plenty, PLENTY of people currently in the fellowship who are faking it and want nothing to do with this “religion” anymore. However, they can’t leave and can’t stop coming to meetings because this is what being raised in a cult will do to you. You’re in the “amish farm” and can’t leave because they’re socially, mentally and psychologically trapped. There are workers who are stuck in the work because they can’t leave, who want to leave, but can’t. No marketable valuable skills to cut it in the real world. Workers don’t take a salary? Think again. They have plenty of money and access to money. Plenty.
If you’re in it and stuck. You’re not alone. Plenty of people are in the same boat. All those happy families you see running around at convention…a lot of them are mentally DONE.
If we “quit” we face the backlash of family, and being labeled as “mentally off”, “the devil got to them”, “bitter”, “they know what’s right they just aren’t willing for it”. Just stop. You can’t do that or say that to people who are thinking logically. This is a cult. I’m not saying that in harsh tones. There is no way to say something is a cult without sound bitter. There is no euphemism for the word cult. It is what it is.
We aren’t “sad and depressed” because we don’t have “God in our life”. We’re sad and depressed because our little bubble has popped that we thought was truth. We’re “sad” and “depressed” because that’s what happens when you make a hard choice to leave the farm.
In 51 years of observation. I haven’t seen anyone truly stuck. People have all different kinds of feelings no matter where they are at.
That is just life. I have never felt stuck. God give people power to not be stuck…anywhere.
I would like to bring the church’s attention to what a worker mentioned a few years ago. About 2-1/2 yrs or so ago I think. And I really do think it is something good to think on. I thought it was quite novel.
I think it was the overseer of California, and I am wondering now if the church headquarters are in California…I don’t know for sure though. Maybe the headquarters are in the ether somewhere, but that is also hard for me to grasp. Hard to grasp things I do not know. Funny word that word headquarters when you dissect it.
Anyway, the worker mentioned for us to look at Isaiah 51:5-6. Isaiah talked about ‘looking up’ in those verses. So it must have meant not to be looking down. Actually Isaiah said to lift our eyes. And can only assume that the inference was to lift our eyelids at the same time.
So, I do wonder, since this seemed to be somewhat of a campaign promise to the church during Dean Bruer’s eulogy Version 2.0, I do wonder if someone has come for the words of that campaign promise.
And something else I was thinking about was a tendency in the church’s insiders to turn away from my nuance. I find this somewhat odd, since I see now there has been a steady diet of nuance in the church for about 130 years. But is my nuance too slimming to the people, and conversely the organization’s nuance more fattening to the people’s souls? Is there nuance in the message now from the forerunners of the group for the people to run the race with patience? And for the people to be sure to get some good well deserved rest between each step of the race? Why is it the clergy are the only ones that can eat the power bars of nuance? The jury is still out on them eating those Cliff’s power bars though. But I hand it to them they had the gift of nuance to take people to the edge. And now the people are looking to them to understand which way to go.
And there is nuance on this page that in my estimation has all the ability to speak volumes. The nuance when our friend spoke the words of “👍”.