[Ohio]

The Apostle Paul's word here to Titus has more than incidental reference to the actions of Witness Lee and LSM. Let's remember Lee's constant admonitions that he and his "office" must be considered as one by all the churches. We must consider all the paid staff at LSM to be one corporate entity, whether Witness Lee, his son Philip, today's blended brothers, or DCP. Only the volunteer help is exempt.

10 For there are many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision,

Paul's word primarily addressed those whose agenda was the control and perpetuation of the Jewish traditions headquartered in Jerusalem, but was by no means limited to them. How many times did we see unruly men, vain talkers, and deceivers come from Anaheim with vain promises of new agendas to upset the local churches? Their motive was to always bring us under their domination.

11 Whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

Some did try to stop these ones. Their reputations, however, were destroyed and they were ousted from the fellowship. Many households were overthrown by the divisions forced upon them. All were required to choose sides, and some households had 2 or 3 sides to choose from.

History tells us that Daystar debts "forced" Lee to begin charging for his ministry at the recommendation of Philip. Training "donations" and standing orders became quite "lucre-tive" for LSM. One might legitimately ask, especially since Philip Lee was at the helm, if the sole purpose for the Life-Study trainings was filthy lucre. Daystar collapse exactly corresponded with absolving of The Stream Publishers and the initiation of LSM and the Life-Study trainings.

12 One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons.

From all accounts of Philip Lee, this verse best describes him.

13 This testimony is true. For which cause reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

When Max Rapoport attempted in 1977 to reprove Philip Lee for molesting a sister at the LSM offices, Philip exploded at a public restaurant. Witness Lee responded by fabricating a "sisters' rebellion" and publicly shamed Sandee Rapoport in retaliation. This was a Chinese tradition when dealing with one's opponents. Even rotten American politics refrains from this method of response.

Max attempted to restore workplace ethics at LSM, that this Christian ministry might be sound in the faith. Obviously, the leadership at LSM had "higher" priorities. Ten years later, it was John Ingalls who attempted this again, with similar results. We should note that both Witness Lee and his son Philip, together with today's upper management at LSM, were all like-minded and complicit to silence Max, John, and many others by any means available.

14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

One of the ways LSM used to spin their "storm" stories to the rest of the Recovery, was to fabricate a fable about Witness Lee being the minister of the age (MOTA,) the acting god, and the commander in chief of God's army. He was elevated as the consummate finale in the genealogy of MOTAs commencing with Martin Luther. All of these claims robbed the Head of the body of His rightful place. Numerous traditions of Watchman Nee were used to develop new commandments of men to turn the saints from the truth in God's word to the teachings of Lee.

15 To the pure all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

It is tragic to have watched many endeavor to be absolutely "one with the ministry" at the expense of their own conscience. Many dear brothers discarded brotherly love in the process, and still more back-stabbed their brothers, all with the goal of being "one" with Witness Lee and his ministry. The Bible states that our oneness is of Christ alone, but evil teachings were disseminated to the contrary. The thinking of many dear believers became defiled. Their relationship with the Savior himself took second place to their loyalty to Lee.

16 They profess that they know God; but by their works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

LSM loves to boast in their riches and how they know God, but sadly the Christian public has seen little of this. Instead they know how often LSM was willing to file lawsuits against other Christians. There's hardly a Christian on earth who would not consider LSM's $136 million lawsuit against Heritage House as filthy lucre. Since I Cor. 6 specifically addresses lawsuits, the Local Churches have a reputation for being blatantly disobedient to God's word. Claiming to be "god," even with their caveat of "not in the Godhead," is abominable to most genuine believers. And where are their "good works?" Instead what they do and teach appears to deny Him.