Quote:
Originally Posted by UntoHim
Can anybody give us one, just one concrete example where a group of Local Churchers (those associated with Nee/Lee) moved to a place that already had a group of Christians meeting in oneness (as the church in...) and joined with them, submitting to their established elders and taking the one ministry of their one apostle? Just one?...is there just one example?.... Watchman Nee clearly taught that when a group of Christians moves to a city they should join with "the church in so-and-so" that is already there. Did Lee and his followers EVER do this...even ONE TIME?
Silence...or sounds of crickets....
I rest my case.
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There are examples. Denton Texas, Yorba Linda Ca, Albuquerque N. M. Pittsburg Pa., Phoenix Ari.,Odessa Tx., and St. John Kansas are a few that come to mind. In the early days, most migrations were to places where saints were discovered who had some understanding of the oneness of the Body of Christ and desired to practice a practical church life on the lines of the church in a city. When I initially began to move to Dallas, the thought was that we would join with a handful of saints already there. We had visited them and they had visited us in Houston. Originally, we thought we would come together. I spoke of this at another time in another place.
When we in Dallas in 1975, began to have fellowship with some saints in O K City the thought was that they would continue on and be the church in O K City. Some of us began to visit them regularly and they to visit us in Dallas. On one occassion we had a special week-end in Dallas to come together with those from O K City. A substantial group showed up of around 25-30. We had a great time together. They then invited the church in Dallas to visit them in O K City for a similar time. They planned to rent a hotel meeting room in order to accomodate a good number from Dallas.
There was no thought that some from Dallas would move there and take them over or push them aside. We in Dallas exercised great care not to impose and whenever any went there to visit we admonished them to have no agenda but to honor what the Lord was doing and to submit to the brothers and sisters there. Their history was not strongly established as they had only recently begun to consider the church and to meet in the Lord's name only and open to all the believers.
Suddenly a few days before the special time, I received a phone call from Max Rapoport. He told me that he had heard of what was happening and that he and WL had fellowshiped about it. They were concerned that we in Dallas were too inexperienced and would "mess things up." Therefore they felt that Max and some from Anaheim should take care of the trip and there was not a need for any of the leading ones from Dallas to go or coordinate with those from O K City as he and others from Anaheim would take care of it. He had already spoken to Benson, who was in Anaheim working on the hall, WL's home etc. and Benson would go with him.
Within a short time people were moving there and the church in OK City as it is known today was established. Elders were moved in. I cannot ever recall being in a meeting there. I did visit Norman for a time before James Barber moved to Ok City. By then OK City and Norman were official Local Churches in fellowship with Anaheim.
Hope, Don Rutledge
A believer in Christ Jesus who is seeking to become a true disciple