No Intermediate Class!

Early PFAL classes, live under Dr. Wierwille, had no intermediate class to teach more on the manifestations of tongues, interpretation, and prophecy. The class finished with all students manifesting, followed by a break and sharings. Dr. encouraged students to get into "excellors" sessions in their home fellowships to practice until confident. We hadn't heard of the idea of a class to teach such things so this "hole" in the classes wasn't noticed.

Since I took PFAL in summer school, there was no home fellowship to go back to so we summer school students would meet under the trees west of the Wierwille home after all other activities were over for the day. There we would practice 'til midnight.

Sometimes, Dr. Wierwille would join us. He would lead the session. He would call on some one to manifest and stare intently at them while they did. Sometimes he would say "right there". He would say that at the point where you should stop speaking in tongues and start interpretation. If you went over, he would say "right there" again. There was no polite critique afterward, he would stop you right then and there and tell you that you missed the "close out sign"of the holy spirit. Then he would upbraid you on how you'll never be any good at the other manifestations if you can't listen to God on this. Then that person would have to start again... if they had the nerve.

We did this night after for weeks following PFAL. (not easy during family camp) Typically practicing up to an hour a night. Sometimes we would go for walks around the farm to explore how many languages were available to us and practice every one of them. Then the next excellors session you would show the others your versatility in excelling in other tongues by switching languages each time it was your turn. The best I can remember my "excel" was five languages.

And so I learned not only how to do manifestations without benefit of intermediate class but I learned how accurate you must be. I also saw Dr. Wierwille's determination that we students should do it right, every time.

I also saw how God worked with him in those sessions to tell him what was happening spiritually. I wanted that kind of relationship with God. Eventually I was able to do as he had. Dr. Wierwille called me at my apartment in N.Y. once to ask me to run an intermediate class. That's when I knew I was ready to lead that way, but that's another essay...

See "Spiritual Coaches"