Quote:
Originally Posted by Shawn
I believe from my start in the LC in the late 80’s, that I have attempted to live seeking the oneness of all believers as a practice, carried out by my faithfulness in following my Lord as led by the Holy Spirit. No, my walk has not been “idol free,” but I believe I have been led in the process of being stripped of the idols as I grow in the grace of our Lord and savior, Jesus! Yes, even though I am still in the “idolatry wrecked LC!”
A more practical presentation of idolatry would be in the recognizing of the two paths that have developed among the LC believers as shown by our brother Hope, in following the “ministry” as opposed to following the Lord.
Shawn
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Shawn,
As for the parallel with the BB, I get what you are saying. Here is the only
real big difference I see. I'm not out to sway a group of people under my wings and I don't have control over their lives by means of saying
This thread is God's Oracle on the Earth Today.
I'm just speaking as truthfully as I know how for those who are willing to listen. I believe you can take it or leave it as the Lord leads.
As for any current idolatry in the LC... Please consider the following:
In 1986
almost all the elder's in the LC signed a written document that gave allegiance to the indispensable nature of Witness Lee to the Christian faith. This is an oath. This is specifically called out in the law of God as a NO, NO. This has a binding effect. It binds both the elders and the commoners who submit to the elder's authority into a very serious form of idolatry.
So, I am not just trying to say, "Idolatry is everywhere in the LC, idolatry is everywhere in the LC". I'm really not. The fact is that what is in the LC has hit a very high threshold of very serious idolatry. Through repentance of oath's like this one, I believe light will start to shine in. Light is needed.
I am reposting the letter here for your reconsideration in light of the recent discussions on idolatry and to give you a sense that I am not just crying "wolf" on this issue. There is something very substantively large here on this issue of idolatry and the LC.
I consider the following letter to simply be
objective evidence of an underlying and pre-existing condition that was already fully in place. This oath further steeped the LC deeper into an idolatrous condition.
Quote:
February 21, 1986
Anaheim, California
Dear Brother Lee,
After hearing your fellowship in this elders’ training, we all agree to have a new start in the Lord’s recovery. For this, we all agree to be in one accord and to carry out this new move of the Lord solely through prayer, the Spirit, and the Word. We further agree to practice the recovery one in: teaching, practice, thinking, speaking, essence, appearance, and expression.
We repudiate all differences among the churches, and all indifference toward the ministry, the ministry office, and the other churches. We agree that the church in our place be identical with all the local churches throughout the earth.
We also agree to follow your leading as the one who has brought us God’s New Testament economy and has led us into its practice. We agree that this leading is indispensable to our oneness and acknowledge the one trumpet in the Lord’s ministry and the one wise master builder among us.
We further agree to practice the church life in our locality absolutely in a new way: to build the church in, through, and based upon home meetings; to lead every member to get used to functioning without any idea to depend on any giant speakers; to teach all the saints to know the basic truths in an educational way that they may teach others for the spreading of the truth; to build up the saints in the growth in life that they may minister life to others, shepherd each other, and take care of the backsliding ones; to lead all the saints to preach the gospel in every possible way; to avoid leadership as much as possible; and to have home gatherings for nurturing the saints in life and big meetings for educating the saints in truths.
We agree that all the preceding points are the clear and definite teaching of the Bible according to God’s New Testament economy.
Finally, we agree that the success of this new move is our responsibility and will rise up to labor and endeavor with our whole being, looking to the Lord for His mercy and grace that we would be faithful to the end.
Your brothers for the Lord's recovery
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Matt (little drummer boy with just one drum for now)