[Cal]

Another issue is this concept of THE ministry, (which Steve apparently still buys into since this is the way he entitled this thread).

Again, it is these basic ideas of Lee as apostle, the existence of something which can be called THE ministry and of some unique bearer of it, etc, which are the root of all the problems.

The problem isn't that Lee was once THE bearer of THE ministry and somewhere along the line he went bad. The problem is that people believe that there are such things as THE minister and THE ministry in the first place. Ministers go bad sometimes. That's an unfortunate historic reality. But if you are free from the idea than some ministers are THE ministers then these failings need only have limited collateral damage. But if you buy into these THE ideas, you are setting yourself and others up for some serious damage.

The real question is why would anyone buy into such ideas. The Bible certainly doesn't endorse them at all. One can appreciate Lee's contributions without going overboard bestowing him with non-biblical designations. But as long as you do buy into them, you are just setting yourself up for the next round of confusion, as in who is the current THE minister?

If we held ministries in their proper perspective they couldn't become the lampstand. But as soon as you start believing in something called "THE ministry" you've already made it the lampstand.