Does it still exist? Or has it been disbanded? Or simply displaced by the Maroons...

Who knows? We've all been gone too long. Maybe that inner group has been replaced by "Marilyn's Army of Women", which was another semi-secret clique inside TLWF.

In reference to my earlier post and the responses I want to assure everyone the decision to be sent to Az. was ours to accept or dismiss. I wrote based upon the context of the time (1982). Did the idea to go to Arizona originate with my wife and I? No, it didn't. She was a teacher the school and I was helping in sheparding the valley church and school. We gladly accepted the move and we didn't regret anything about it. Same as it was when we left San Diego to move to the valley. We initiated the contact to make the change which moved us to Van Nuys first and then the Colette House down the street from tlwc.

Accepting to have the "Whisper Writer" at our house, now that I regret! ;o) Being woken up in the middle of the night was ridiculous.

With regards to comm-west. Well you have to draw your own conclusions. I never understood the need for it, but in those days that's what was happening.

Peace and Love.

A History:

Hi John Horning ,

( Paraphrased ) On this forum you wrote about how in 1982 the cats at Comwest gave you and your wife a directive to move to Washington DC. And in a later post you wrote that you did not see a need for Comwest.

Here is what I observed and understood as being the purpose of " Communications " West - shortened to be called Comwest.

What Comwest originally was created for - was to be a branch of the ministry - that was to be used to communicate to the pastors of the churches, any guidelines or new revelation that was thought to be important and pertinent for the churches.

Gary was commissioned by John as the apostle of Kingdom Communications. And the brothers who worked with Gary were also commissioned as apostles ( an apostolic company of men who served as ministries with Gary who was delegated as the overseer - for this branch of the ministry) - which was meant to serve as a way to make sure - all the pastors of the many churches that were directly related to Church of the Living Word and Johns ministry, could be kept abreast (accurately ) of what John wanted to be communicated to the pastors of the churches.

Com west was never meant to be used, as a position to have control over the pastors of the churches or over the lives of the ministry. It was to serve as a direct line of Communication - from John Stevens to the pastors of the churches.

Gary and the brothers at Communication West - started moving out side of the scope and outside of the guidelines that had been established and set up by John for them to function and operate with in.

When John was ill and was no longer able to stay on top to oversee and supervise Gary and the brothers at Comwest, ( who all worked for John Stevens ) they started altering this ministry and how it was to operate as a branch of the ministry.

No surprise--Gary has never been shy about taking a different direction if he thought John was 'off.' I witnessed this on many occasions.

My observation and understanding - of how things were to function and did function.

These areas of the ministry were a work in progress, because they were evolving - being new to the church. Even the titles Kingdom Communications and Kingdom business counselors - were new words being added to the churches vocabulary, to describe and define these branches of the ministry .

The apostle of Kingdom Communications ( Gary ) and the apostle of Kingdom business. ( Bob McClane.) These were 2 different branches of ( a service ) that was provided for the church. Gary was the overseer of Kingdom Communications and Bob was the overseer of Kingdom Business and just as Gary had a company of brothers who helped Gary and worked with and for Gary - Bob also had a company of brothers who also worked with and for Bob, as K.B. counselors. These were two separate branches of the ministry. Both having a distinct and a different purpose .

The ministry of Kingdom Business Counselors came into existence as a branch of the ministry before the ministry of Kingdom Communications became a branch of the ministry, for the church.

How the ministry of Kingdom business Counseling - came into existence - was many of the people over a period of years, who owned their own businesses began asking Bob, who was a member and a pastor of one of the churches - began asking Bob for help as a consultant as to what they could do to improve their own business. And Bob as a friend to many - who ever came to him for help, gladly made time to share what he had learned in business with the people, encouraging them to have faith in God, knowing many of the difficulties those who had businesses were struggling with. And so what ever he had learned, Bob shared and gave freely his help in this way, to others in the church.

Bob began to be known and well spoken of, finding favor among the people, for his service and for his generosity of the unselfish giving of himself in this area - which began to be recognized as being a " help" ministry to the members of the church and because Bob did not charge or even think to charge any one for his helping them, this was also considered to be a " gift " to the church.

Definition " Commissioned " authority granted for a particular action or function.

Those who were commissioned by John Stevens , as ministries in the church and for the church - were enabled by being commissioned to the church, to work and perform a specific function, of service , for the good of the church.

Any one who was serving in a given area of the ministry, who was commissioned as a ministry - or set in the church - as a ministry, was considered by all, to be a man of excellent character.

Invisible Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Any one who was serving in a given area of the
> ministry, who was commissioned as a ministry - or
> set in the church - as a ministry, was
> considered by all, to be a man of excellent
> character.


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Kind of begs the question, how could John have been so wrong in commissioning Gary?

I seem to recall that Gary did not spend much time as a set-aside ministery. Wasn't he an associate pastor at Coniah Chapel within 6 months of coming into the church? Gary's been a boss man since almost day one.

paleface Wrote:
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> I seem to recall that Gary did not spend much time
> as a set-aside ministry.

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1978-79 does anyone recall hearing about threats against John? Gary thought John needed protection so Gary joined the police force or a security firm so he could carry a gun to protect John. This meant Gary had to be at John's side. Not surprising if the shortcuts Gary got came about from schmoozing.

Do you think some of those threats were simply drummed up? I remember after Gary too over, he used to come to the some of the feast services surrounded by security. It was quite the distraction. I began to wonder if it was done to give him a greater sense of importance.