[Ohio]

Couple comments here for the benefit of the "new guy" ...

The Great Lakes Area Local Churches are a kind of "Witness Lee Lite." In many regards, much to Titus Chu's credit, GLA LC's never saw the insidious extremes which prevailed in other parts of the country. It's kind of like a multi-car pileup on the freeway, with the first few drivers getting whiplash and face burns from airbags and the last few drivers just jamming the brakes and saying, "boy was I lucky."

The GLA LC's thus received a "sanitized" version of LSM from a distance, while other places witnessed and lived thru the extremes first hand. Thus the perceptions of LSM differ. For example, those ex-members on the forum will readily call the Recovery a "cult," while those within the GLA are reluctant to do so. There are (or were) many gifted shepherds in the GLA LC's who struggled to keep their churches in the reality of Christ, rather than to become along with their saints merely mindless ministry sycophants.

Many forum participants take a no-nonsense approach to numerous topics about Witness Lee which is a little unsettling to new posters. Personally I have many friends and family who were (or still are) in the Recovery. Many don't want to hear what really happened in Anaheim. Even those who have left don't want to hear derogatory comments about any of Lee's teachings.

I have always felt that teachings are secondary to the lives of the saints. Serious concerns relate to how people were treated. The kingdom of God is firstly righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. LC leaders felt they were above the law, and covered their unrighteousness. Consequently many were hurt. All the best teachings in the world cannot replace righteousness, honesty, and integrity in our leaders.