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Originally Posted by Ohio Hey Brad, I like the quote from WL in your signature line. Can you reference it?

One other factor is a test of a genuine local church. There may be a Christian group that has no particular name, no particular fellowship, and no particular teaching. Their fellowship is universal, not isolated, and they do not have a separate administration. Although they pass all these tests, do not be quick to say that they are a true local church. It is still possible that this group has a hidden connection with another organization. They are like a kite in the air: someone on the ground is holding the string. How high the kite flies does not depend upon the kite; it depends upon the one holding the string... One group said, “We are exactly the same as you. We have no particular name, particular teaching, or particular fellowship. Our fellowship is universal, and we do not insist upon having a separate administration.” When we heard this, we thought it was wonderful. However, we eventually learned that this group was connected to an organization in England. The kite was flying in China, but the one who held the string was in England.

The church is a pure golden lampstand, but any group that has a hidden connection with another organization is not pure. Rather, it is cloudy, opaque. The church, on the contrary, must be transparent and crystal clear. The New Jerusalem is a transparent city. Even the gold in the New Jerusalem is clear as glass (Rev. 21:18). In this city there is nothing opaque.

Whenever you meet a Christian group, you must check whether it has a particular name, a particular fellowship, a particular teaching, a fellowship that is not universal, a separate administration, or a hidden connection with another organization. If any group can pass all six tests, then the group must be all right.