Quote:
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In February 1986, co-workers and elders from around the world in the Lord’s recovery became super-charged following an urgent training in Anaheim that helped set in motion a “new move” by Witness Lee and Living Stream Ministry. This training was one of a series of trainings to galvanize a new mindset in local church elders for their “one accord” in the churches and their practice of a new way in the church life to build up the Body of Christ. Of utmost importance in the new way was the leadership. It was made clear that there was only one qualified leader in the recovery and that oneness with him and his ministry was essential for the churches to be led in the way of God’s New Testament economy. To assure this, elders were to take a much lower profile in their localities, especially if they had the propensity to minister the word in large gatherings and give conferences. There was to be one ministry, one minister, and one way. The following letter of agreement, therefore, was proposed by Benson Phillips and Ray Graver and signed by co-workers and elders alike and presented to brother Witness Lee.
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A common theme that I have noticed in WL's ministry is that he would position his ministry as being supreme, but also claim that the local churches weren't controlled by anyone, and that churches had no obligation to follow his ministry. Of course, the reality was always that there was a
my way or the highway attitude. It seems the rationalization for this was always in the form of asking members why they would want anything besides his ministry. In other words, because WL's ministry was equated with being the only thing worthwhile, even a passive rejection of his ministry was a problem.