Whatever the case, putting people out of the fellowship and shunning the outcasts as "lepers" and "rebels" who are to be avoided at all costs is a trademark of cult groups, and IWWB is certainly no exception.
In the most recent case (which has involved 4-5 people being expunged from the group), it apparently all centres around some individuals asserting that they are following Jesus, and not the IWWB elders. From what I understand, Father Mike and his royal jester
After all, if IWWB are THE body (emphasis on the definitive article, "the"), as Mike and his merry men assert, then of course it follows that one must submit to the elders to be in communion with Christ. How dare someone say that they can follow Jesus apart from the mechanism of IWWB? Talk about arrogance!
This underlying doctrine has been at work in the IWWB for a number of years, with Mike Vinson outing his family members live on bible studies a few years ago, declaring them "not a part of the body anymore."
Here are Mike's exact words:
My son told me: "Dad it seems like you're just looking for an excuse to kick people out?" HE'S NEVER THERE! HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON! From his point of view, yeah OK, there goes brother so and so and so and so y'know, people that he knows, they're gone. He has no idea because he's not part of the body anymore...Mike made this statement ("not part of the body...") because Mike's son refused to get in on the IWWB studies. So in Mike's mind, no IWWB = no relationship with Christ. I knew back when I heard this that this was Mike's train of thought but at that time, Mike refused to come out and state such a thing in an overtly black and white manner.
On the same note, I received an email from Mike (going back a few years now) when I had queried his use of the phrase "elders" when he (Mike) was justifying his doctrine of days, months, times and years to me. In a nutshell, his argument was "I and the elders all agree, so that settles the matter."
I inquired as to who these supposed "elders" were, and who had appointed them, and on what basis were they considered as such? Here is Mike's reply to that, which is extremely telling:
You ask about "the elders of the body of Christ?" No I have never laid hands on any one and pronounced them an elder. The holy spirit made all the apostles elders with no such recorded ceremony. So it is today.Note Mike's reply? I actually never asked about the elders "of the body of Christ," merely of the IWWB fellowship. Mike obviously thought they were one and the same! He also implies he has nothing to do with appointing titles or conferring position/rank but then almost straight away, Daddy Vinson lets slip that these "elders" are they who busy themselves with the work of Mike's IWWB fellowship group:
Those who take time for one another, and minister to the needs of the body, and are always there at the conferences, and on the Skype studies, and phone conferences, are all of one mind.Those are Mike's own words about who qualifies for an elder. Note that you've got to be seen at: "conferences," and "Skype studies."
Mike then went on to discredit those who had attempted to discuss his questionable doctrine of days:
It is those who never have time for such things who have decided that the people who are able to resist the pressures of societies decrees are "weak in the faith", have "gone back to your old World Wide Church ways" and are "not able to eat the meat of keeping holidays and birthdays with our families." Those are the phrases and reasons I have been given by the very people who are campaigning for becoming entangled again with the yoke of bondage of the weak and beggarly elements of this world.
While some of our dissident brothers have stood up to the ridicule they have received by standing firm on 1Timothy 4:10, they cannot do the same for the ridicule they get for standing firm on Galatians 4:10...Mike closed his reply to me on the matter by basically telling me that whenever he was ready to name and shame these "dissident brothers," I'd better be ready to set my holy-ghost phaser to "shun:"
You will soon be told who are those who "obey not our word..." and then you can "note that man and have no company with him" (2 Thess 3:14)This is all essentially the premise and foundation of the most recent goings on at club Vinson and IWWB. It's really nothing new.
It's also worth noting that I received an email (forwarded to me) many moons ago where Mike tried to suggest that he's NEVER made any concrete connection between being a part of IWWB and following Christ. Here are Vinson's words:
Thanks for getting back to me, but I must confess that I am very disappointed to read this: "...you [that would be me] believe that IWWB is the only ones that are the remnant of God and all the rest fall into the category of the many called."
____, you know this is not true. Show me where I have ever said such a thing. I have always decried the fact that the WWCG felt that way. I have indeed told you personally that Elijah is all of us, and that we all come to the time that we think we are the only ones, because of circumstances the Lord works in our lives, and because we "live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God".
But I also told you that the truth is, there are 7,000 people we don't even know exist who are out there serving our Lord. Everyone in this fellowship has heard me say that very statement many times. You are one of those who knows that is what I have taught and still teach. It is only those who leave our fellowship who say such things without so much as one single quote to back it up.Poor Mike has snared himself and again fallen on his own sword. He accuses others of making up things about his fellowship group, when, as demonstrated above (in the video link), it is MIKE HIMSELF who makes the connection between IWWB and a real relationship with God.
Even though these videos, and all of this information has been up for some time, the IWWB faithful are in truth, somewhat slow on the uptake. That's not meant to be a disparaging remark, it's merely my observation. I can't tell you how many foolish and vitriolic messages I have received from the IWWB plebeians accusing me of making the entire thing up, or of taking poor father Mike out of context. It's obvious many of them are in denial, and just don't have any critical thinking skills to speak of.
One of the members who was given the right foot of fellowship in the coin-slot spent many hours, weeks and months defending Mike to me on FaceBook, when I had the Vike Minson page. Here is a screen-grab from a couple of years back, where "R" implied I was mentally ill (quote: "very troubled mind") for daring to say anything about Master Mike:
R engaged in denial, denial and more denial the longer we spoke on FaceBook. Ironically he says that: "the very last thing I feel is being ruled over by other people, especially... Mike." Again, the irony; it's palpable.
Another example of a conversation (with the same brother) via FB message is as follows:
_________________________________________________________
R: You stating that money is sent to IWWB is therefore not true and makes you a liar… thats a fact.
Vike: R, where have I stated directly, that money is being sent to IWWB? I have simply pointed out your own teachings, that Mike calls charities 'carnal organisations' and that he did say, 'wages are due' and that as an elder, he wanted 'double honour.'
If you can show me explicitly where I have said, "money is even now being sent to Mike Vinson and IWWB" I will amend it. Let me know?
Mike said that he was a 'reluctant contributor' to the discussions on wages. But I have audio of him rubber stamping the whole thing, stating the following: "we've cleared ourselves with the scriptures... Does that mean there's no wages for ministers? No!... That's like saying there's nobody worthy of double-honour…"
R: Word games... that is what you are good at. You have said that money has to be sent to IWWB and not to charity… that never happened… that's all I have to say.
Vike: Funny! Mike said, very clearly, that one ought not to send their money to a 'carnal organisation.' Do tell, what on earth, apart from the IWWB fellowship, would that statement not include? Where else would one be expected to send their money, if not IWWB? Be honest, Mikes statement gives the presumption that one should send their money his way. Please clarify.
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Ironically, (yes, it is, isn't it?) this same brother ("R") was one of the unfortunates recently expunged from the IWWB group. He experienced first-hand the joys of character assassination, biblical word-play and disparaging remarks, along with seeing all of his sincere and "loving" Christian brothers and sisters drop him like a freshly baked turd.
If you click the link directly above, you can hear (or read) Mike Vinson's diatribe about the recent implosion. He refers to those who have left as "rebels" and "diseased branches." Here are a few choice quotes:
God is purging the rebels that transgress against Him who disregard and disparage His commandments. When “the rebels” have been purged from among us, then we will know the Lord, as He knows us.
I am witnessing the spiritual healing and restoring to health that has taken place within this body of believers who come through this purging process, and the removing of the unhealthy and diseased branches on the vine that is our Lord Himself.
I have recently been told, “We must be doing something wrong because so many people are leaving the fellowship.” We need to ask ourselves, “Is there any Biblical basis to think that because we have lost several people from our fellowship that we must be doing something wrong?” What do the scriptures reveal about whether we should expect to be losing brothers and sisters from the body of Christ?
The scriptures actually reveal that anyone who is squeamish about losing members of his own family, physical and spiritual, is simply not being equipped by God to be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ. Christ doesn’t hold back when He tells His disciples what they should expect if they really want to follow in His footsteps. This is what He tells us, right up front...At this point, Mike then quotes his favourite scripture, "hated of all men" the very same verse father Vinson will roll out at any and every opportunity. Predictable? Yes! It's all quite dramatic and rather ridiculous, but to be expected whenever someone stands up to Mike and his elders.
On another study, this one titled "How We Are To Keep The Lords House Clean..." Vinson openly comes out and says that the leaders and elders of his little group have been appointed by Jesus himself and to question that system, is to question God/Christ:
That, my brothers and sisters in Christ, is why we had this trial in this body. Your leaders were being “vigilant for the sake of your souls”. and they stopped an heretical doctrine from afflicting the Lord’s body. Anyone who thinks we just took it upon ourselves to abuse a brother is sorely misinformed. Anyone who is speaking of us, your elders, in that way is listening to an insidious and lying spirit which will rob us of our unity and single-mindedness in Christ... We had diligently listened to the voice of the Lord, and had been vigilant for your souls and not allowed heresy to afflict this body. Our sin was a procedural matter, for which we have repented publicly.The so-called "heretical doctrine" that father Mike put a stop to, was the notion that one can follow Christ apart from the IWWB group. Really, you'd think I was making this up, but no, MIke's cult-leader fantasies continue to push him and his dick-head elders into the realm of hysteria and overt control tactics. You'll also note excess use of the term "your leaders" and "your elders?" Mike just wants to make sure everyone knows he and his trained chimps are in charge.
You'll also see that Mike gives himself an out for making a mess of the Matthew 18 process he undertook with brother R, by labelling it a sin, but only so far as a: "procedural matter." Yes, how very convenient!
Further on in the study, Mike says his lady-boy elders are not perfect, but that their intentions certainly are! Here is Daddy Vinson once again:
Are any of the elders yet perfected? Of course not! But rest assured that every move they make, even their every mistake, is done because they are attempting to “hold fast the faithful word as they have been taught” by the Word of God...At the end of the study, Mike declares his IWWB group is the: "Christ of Christ" and in the video, (at the end) makes a real point about how those who have dared to leave his group will come prostrated on all fours, slobbering back to him in the millennium and seeking forgiveness where apparently, he and his choir boys (who will be endowed with supernatural spiritual bodies) will be able to milk the situation to their own ends, making the dissidents suffer, until father Mike and co. are satisfied.
Clearly, this fantasy of protracted and drawn out revenge is what drives Pope Vinson.
So much for "loving your enemies" and "father forgive them for they know not what they do."
Brother R sent out a mass email shortly after being expunged from the fellowship, a small snippet of which is reposted below. Reading the fulmination of Father Mike, you'd think the guy was caught in the act of something far more sinister, however you have to bear in mind that brother R's grievous sin was to simply state that he is not following the IWWB eldership, but Christ:
It is absolutely mindblowing to me to hear all kinds and types of accusations that there are being made towards us ... your former brothers and sisters ... people who you spent years and years of fellowship with .... by your leaders.
Just listen carefully to that sermon and then think hard for yourselves if it is true what is been said about the people that where kicked out, or left themselves, not wanting to undergo this “loving Matth 18” treatment. Over the years, many came and many went ... many of them did not leave Scripture, they did not leave Christ, and Christ did and does not leave them ... abiding in Christ is something completely different then abiding in IWWB and the ones claiming leadership .... yet .... I get the feeling many seem to think abiding in IWWB = abiding in Christ.The "accusations" R refers to are the comments made by his royal highness Mike Vinson, in the message linked to above, where Vinson arrogantly declares "God is purging the rebels..." along with lap-dog Mitch's verbal assault (see below) where he refers to R as a swine, and a dog.
R also had this to say (note - edited to remove names and clean up typo's):
Freedom in Christ is not based on the limitations of “leaders”, “overseers” or any other title they like to give themselves and then say it is God given to them and not to you. I have seen these “leaders” in dire need to be led, I have seen these “overseers” in dire need to be overseen, yet, they seem to have a very bad memory and if you dare to bring this up, then they accuse you of having an unforgiving spirit, having a spirit of bitterness, being a lepper and all else they can come up with, trying to kill you with Scripture that is completely irrelavant to the situation.
Accusing you of not being of one mind when you do not bow to their mind, accusing you of not being easy to entreat, while they forget to apply that Scripture upon themselves, telling you that you are “Korah” and they are “Moses,” or that you are a carnal “Corinthian babe” and they are “Paul,” and if you do nut subdue to those accusations, then you have “leprosy” and need to be removed.As if that were not enough, R adds yet more:
It is made manifest that those the Lord gives the Spirit of Freedom to are hated by those who are brought back in bondage into yet another church-like system, with “Pope’s” and “Cardinals” where these Pope’s and Cardinals rule over you, with a rod of iron as I understand one of your teachers has explained to you, and also, they implement spiritual inquisitions upon those who do not bow to them, using the Korah argument as a favourite but tell me; did any of the ones that left or were kicked out, did they ever approach you in a way that even remotely justifies using the Korah argument on them? Are you following fact, or fiction? Are you being told Truth, or lies?Despite putting himself on the same level as God, and labelling his actions the actions of God, ("God is purging the rebels...") Vinson will simultaneously and arrogantly declare that he has "no dominion" over anyone's faith. The hypocrisy and double-speak is truly mind boggling!!!
None of which is really any different to his assertion many years back that the "elders" I asked about were the "elders of the body of Christ."
Clearly, in Mike's mind, IWWB = body of Christ and IWWB elder = body of Christ elder. I guess that's Vinson logic at play.
Here is a talk Mitch Kuhn delivered where he referred to the recent implosion. You'll note that brother Bitch uses extremely derogatory terms such as "leper," "dogs" and "swine" to paint those who have left in a negative light. You have to wonder what Mitch does with biblical passages where Jesus heals the leper, and converses with him?
Bizarrely, Mitch just comes out (ah, no pun intended) and states that to speak with a disfellowshipped person is akin to having sex with a pig and shooting your load into said animal. No really, I'm not making this up, it's in the study above. Here is a quote from Mitch's sad and vitriolic "sermon" above:
From approx. 22:30 onwards
We can’t break bread with them… We can’t have someone in our midst that’s going to doubtfully dispute and argue against the discernments and try to spread leaven…
I did a study a while back called lust and we went through the spiritual applications of it… Sexual immorality is a spiritual thing, we’re supposed to only have relations with our husband Christ, our bride the body…
But when you’ve got false doctrine coming in… going out into the world and sowing your seed into swine… That lust study shows how despicable and how evil those things are, and how much god hates them. We all know how repulsive bestiality, incest and homosexuality are… Hatred and disgust, that’s what god thinks about the spiritual version…
So when you have a brother who is not repenting of those things, there’s nothing else to do. You have to put them out!
So take that physical example… and apply it spiritually. And that is why those that are mature the leaders, teachers, elders… get so zealous. They can see how it is just as abominable to commit sexual immorality spiritually (with false doctrines) as it is to do it physically. That’s a really important point, that will help you to understand why the zeal is so strong and why we take these things so seriously.It's incredible to observe this kind of bloviated and defamatory rhetoric that puts speaking with a person who holds a differing view on the same level as bestiality but hey, what would I know? These are the elect of God after all, and according to them, this is "loving." Amen?
Anyone with half a shred of human decency can see this kind of fear-mongering and sad vitriol for what it is.
In conclusion to this whole matter, R now admits that he wasn't as clued in as he first believed he was, when trying to defend Mike online. Hmm, funny that.
In all seriousness though, it amazes me that some people believe I have put all of this information up as some kind of hateful, anger-driven get-back scheme. On the contrary, the information is here as a community service for people, in order to forewarn them of the dangers of this fellowship. Nothing is made up and be assured that father Mike Vinson isn't being taken out of context; those are rather the desperate clutching at straw remarks that Mike's disciples like to imagine and project.
Lastly, here is a video from a 2012 IWWB conference. The video shows people now branded as "diseased branches" and "swine" but remember, the dreadful sin that earned some of these folks a one-way ticket out of IWWB was their admission that they are following Christ, and not the "leaders" of club Vinson.
Yes, these folks earned their place on the father Vinson "no-fly" list! Embraced and "loved" (I use that word sarcastically, they don't know what love is!) as god's elect one moment, and then ear-marked as heretics, dogs, swine, lepers, rebels and dissidents the next.
Okay, hopefully from here on in, it really is "over and out."
Bon Voyage!
