Quote:
Originally Posted by Midwest bro
Ohio,
Thanks for your questions, but it sounds to me like you know a lot more about the present situation than I do.
Years ago there used to be many "full-timers" under Titus. You've mentioned a few (NT, NM, JM, RB). What has happened to the rest of them? Are there still a large number, or have they all gone their own way?
You don't have to name names, but could you give a general description?
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There was a time, perhaps in the late 90's when huge amounts of support came to TC from some successful Asian businessmen. TC had enormous opportunity to tap into the young talent in the region and abroad, culling the best to serve full-time. New churches were popping up all around the region. Four of the most senior workers including CD, NM, and DS of Minneapolis, also returned to the area after their stint of "blending" during WL's final days. There were teams of young full-timers using the strength of all the college students during the summertime to start new churches.
As the quarantine approached circa 2005, close to 10 full-timer families favorable to TC moved out of the Chicago area into "greater Ohio." Asian funding became limited. Blended operatives were sowing seats of distrust, drawing up battle lines. As a whole, many brothers went through a period of self-examination. Much hidden information about the movement under WL was now being made known via the internet. A movement grew, partially encouraged by TC, to return to the scriptures. The light was not just shining on those nasty "Blendeds" at LSM, but also on the whole system, including TC. What started as a means to gain advantage over the Blendeds, became the source of his own undoing.
Personally I believe that years of abuse and mistreatment of the gifted brothers finally caught up with TC. One can only be caged up and treated like a dog for so long. The new century brought liberty to the captives. Brothers who worked side by side with TC for years now have nothing to do with him. Nearly all the Midwest brothers who sided with LSM during the quarantine were spiritual enough to realize that TC's ministry at the time was more mature than any of the Blendeds, yet they still sided with LSM.
For years, TC preferred a regional fund, supported by member churches, because then the workers were more loyal to him and not to their supporting church. With most of these funds now dried up, many of these workers are now forced to support themselves. Some were able to go back to their old professions, and some tried something new like realty. I don't have actual figures, but I know that available funds for workers is just a fraction of what it once was. Some of the remaining workers are now supported directly by their churches.
Today many of these brothers are also scattered to the wind. They can't go along with either Anaheim or Cleveland.