It can't be overstated just how much peer pressure plays in the control of the Local Church. If you say that television watching is prohibited in the "Church Life" (in the past) LC defenders will gladly ask you to point out in any of the writings of "The Ministry" where such prohibitions are outlined. Of course they are not.
Peer pressure worked its magic in the Local Church and still does in the Living Stream Church. The small circle around Lee wanted to please him, and he knew how to make them feel they should. An example is when Lee asked what was going on when hope decided to leave the room.
Then, of course, the bigger circle of "The Brothers" wanted to be well pleasing to those closely connected to Lee. And almost everybody in the local meetings are always concerned with how they are viewed by “The Brothers.” Heaven forbid that word should get back to “The Brothers” that you are a little contrary to the uniform marching unit.
If you say there is control in the Local Church, again you will be eagerly pointed to where Lee said he does not exercise such control. But control was indeed exercised, and is exercised more today than ever.
When we were young, my wife and I missed a meeting one night to go grocery shopping. Because of my work and because we, well, were out of food, we ended up having to go on a Tuesday night when we were expected to be in the prayer meeting.
The next time one of the leading brothers saw me, he said, "I missed you in the meeting, brother." I told him we went grocery shopping, and he said, "Oh."
Well, during the very next meeting, I was sitting on the front row, when this brother brought up the possibility of "someone" going grocery shopping on a meeting night. I wanted to get under my chair. But...I never missed another meeting to go to the grocery store, and I'm sure almost nobody else at that meeting did either.
But I've discovered that the peer pressure only works if you let it. In one of my recent encounters with a LC brother, he tried to use some of that stuff on me. I just ignored him, and he had to change his tune.
But that’s easy for me now, since I am out of that intensive atmosphere. For those who are still there, we must sympathize with them. It’s not something easy to overcome for the average person. It’s the same power that drives most of the youth in every generation to do the things they do, no matter how wacky their parents may think they are acting.
Roger
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