Quote:
Originally Posted by OBW
It is time that leaders in some of those other places exercise a new kind of freedom. Invite TC to come speak some time. But make it clear that his part is as a welcome outsider, not an apostle over the local leadership. He is not free to assume any kind of authority. I think Nigel could eventually do this. Set in motion a movement to the kind of assemblies that started the LRC in the US — separate local assemblies that invited a respected guest speaker whose only purpose (it seemed) was to help them grow.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alwayslearning
BTW in my view it was infra dig for Bill Barker to join the quarantine. He let the ill-mannered behavior of Titus towards him cloud his judgment. He is smart enough to know better but was fuming over the mistreatment and couldn't rise above it long enough to make a clear headed objective decision. He and the other elders should have kept Chicago out of it: we will decide for ourselves when and who we will invite to minister based on the local needs. If this week we want to invite Titus that's none of Anaheim's concern. If the next week we want to invite Ron Kangas that's not the concern of Cleveland.
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The reader should not get the impression that TC "controls" the LC's by visiting them. Very little of that has ever happened. TC primarily works thru the other full-timers in the region, and secondarily thru the elders. That is why a brother like
Speakers Corner, who formerly posted here, whose church had no full-timers, can have a "different" view of the impact of TC upon the LC's. Full-timers were regularly summoned to Cleveland, at a moment's notice, for fellowship.
Perhaps these segments of conversations will help readers to understand the dynamics of GLA church life in the shadow of Cleveland. One time I was listening to my local elder/full-timer complain about Anaheim's ridiculous demands to attend their seven "annual feasts" throughout the year. As he repeated the absurdity of seven annual trips, I responded, "
what's the difference, you go to Cleveland seventy times per year." He seemed shocked, so I said "
add up all the days."
He just wasn't seeing things the way I was. He viewed Cleveland as a fellowship getaway, while I viewed it as disruptive to the church. Another time, after the serving ones' weekly meeting, while discussing the frustrations of incorporating Cleveland's latest program into our local church life, I happened to say to him, "
I'm the best supporter you have." He then looked me in the eye and said, "
I don't need you."
That was like a wet slap in the face. Later on I understood his "perspective." He was regularly with all those other full-timers in Cleveland. He had lots of fellowship and encouragement with them on a regular basis. He really didn't "need" me anymore, nor did he need any of the other brothers we were with locally. I thought that was pretty sad, but indicative of the system we were in.
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