[Ohio]

Originally Posted by UntoHim

All the posts related to the conference at the church in Cleveland and matters relating to Nigel and the church in Toronto have been moved to this thread.

Lets continue this important subject here.

Thanks UntoHim. Here's some information.

Back in Sept. of 1977, I was part of the team of saints which migrated to Columbus, Ohio to "take the ground of the church." I have posted on many occasions how our primary minister Philip Comfort was so harshly abused by TC, and how that was devastating to the whole church there. Though I left Cols years ago, I have always had an affection for the church there, and have been sorely grieved to see further damages inflicted by LC headquarters located in Cleveland and Anaheim. When it comes to small assemblies such as Columbus, neither of these work centers has ever placed the church above their own selfish interests.

Here are some related events from Ohio ...

1. The LSM sponsored group which sued the original church in Columbus, now has possession of their church property, and definitely still claims exclusive rights to the ground of locality.

2. The remaining saints, a clear majority in number, began to meet in a rented school and call themselves Columbus Christian Assembly. After they willingly handed over all their church property and assets, they seemed to flourish for awhile. Their website, however, is now down.

3. After the conflicts surrounding the quarantine and the lawsuits settled down, Titus Chu once again demanded that John Myer bring all the young people to his Cleveland college conferences. John eventually decided that the ministry of TC was no longer beneficial to these young people, because he often found himself explaining to them why TC continually shamed and belittled him in front of them.

4. By this time, John and others had begun a new church closer to the OSU campus, and were meeting as Upper Arlington Christian Assembly. They regularly cared for college students who also had their own group on campus called Oasis Christian Community at OSU. When they lost their rented hall in Upper Arlington, they moved even closer to Campus becoming Grandview Christian Assembly.

5. TC demanded that the other elders at Cols Christian Assy side with him, and together they terminated all financial and housing support for John and his family. John's "Epilog" speaks of some of the details here. TC demanded that the other young people leaders also choose sides. Never was it asked by TC or his cadre of supporters what would be best for the needs of the young people on and around the campus.

6. After John Myer and Titus parted ways over spurious questions concerning the local ground, Keith Miller (if you remember, he was the original missionary to Uganda, which also was divided when Anaheim and Cleveland began to fight over their colonial rights to those African saints) and the Church in Cincinnati similarly decided that the entanglements with Cleveland were not beneficial to their spiritual health and well-being. They subsequently changed their name to Cincinnati Community Church.

7. Norm Minahan, a long time GLA worker, who had been with the church in Detroit for many years, has relocated back to Mansfield where he once lived,in order to strengthen the saints there who lost their meeting home during the LSM sponsored lawsuit that devastated their tiny church life. I was told that they don't invite Norm to Cleveland anymore. May the Lord bless him and Mansfield, which is the original LC in the GLA dating back to the 60's.

8. In a move surely to upset the proverbial apple cart, Keith Miller and the Cincinnati Community Church has recently merged with a non-LC assembly nearby them called Impact Church for strengthening and fellowship. Their website has more information. May the Lord grant them a fresh beginning in Cincinnati.

9. One of the remaining Columbus elders MP, mentioned in Myer's Epilog,who accompanied him to Cleveland to face Titus for their last time together, had been pursuing many "Pentecostal-style" teachings and practices since the soul-searching days surrounding the quarantine. He, and a number of saints I know, have been greatly impacted by Steve Gray's ministry at the World Revival Church in Kansas. He has just recently decided to leave the Columbus Christian Assembly to pursue the Lord on his own. May the Lord bless him and his family.