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Jo S · 07-06-2019, 10:26 AM

Baptist Christian minister, Walter Martin, I believe describes the Local Churches quite well in this exerpt;

Cult expert Walter Martin was a master in understanding ‘cultspeak’, warning people to realize there is a language barrier between Christians and cultists. He stated,

“The average non-Christian cult owes its very existence to the fact that it has utilized the terminology of Christianity, has borrowed liberally from the Bible (almost always out of context), and sprinkled its format with evangelical cliches and terms wherever possible or advantageous. Up to now this has been a highly successful attempt to represent their respective systems of thought as “Christian.””

Because of stigma and the view of the term "cult" as being a slur, I personally hesitate using it to describe the Local Churches.

My definition is this: the Lord's Recovery is a group centered around a culture veiled in biblical Christianity that was given rise to by Watchman Nee and Witness Lee through their eclectic collection and implementation of eastern mystic and Pentecostal charismatic thought leading to a what I would describe as a religious movement spreading a "false gospel".

This may offend some so I apologize in advance but I'll also add that I often hear about the "glory days" within the Local Churches. While I do believe sincere and caring Christians fall into the Local Churches I don't believe the Lord's Recovery was ever a genuine move of God, not even in the beginning. I say that now knowing their effectiveness in executing mysticism or mind emptying and dissociative practices that give the individual a temporary and fleeting sense of wellbeing from their personal issues and a tight knit community centered around special "revelation" to help give reinforcement. This is where I believe the initial sense of enthusiasm stemmed from.

Harsh, I know, but in the spirit or transparency there you go...

I'll finish by saying that the Local Churches, on the surface, got so many things right like a sense of community, home meetings, strong (often times too strong) emphasis of many good Christian values but their fatal flaw was putting men and their own unique visions in the place of Jesus Christ and his revelation.

07-06-2019, 10:26 AM	#2
Jo S Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Ohio Posts: 488	Re: Definition of "The Lord´s Recovery" Baptist Christian minister, Walter Martin, I believe describes the Local Churches quite well in this exerpt; Cult expert Walter Martin was a master in understanding ‘cultspeak’, warning people to realize there is a language barrier between Christians and cultists. He stated, “The average non-Christian cult owes its very existence to the fact that it has utilized the terminology of Christianity, has borrowed liberally from the Bible (almost always out of context), and sprinkled its format with evangelical cliches and terms wherever possible or advantageous. Up to now this has been a highly successful attempt to represent their respective systems of thought as “Christian.”” Because of stigma and the view of the term "cult" as being a slur, I personally hesitate using it to describe the Local Churches. My definition is this: the Lord's Recovery is a group centered around a culture veiled in biblical Christianity that was given rise to by Watchman Nee and Witness Lee through their eclectic collection and implementation of eastern mystic and Pentecostal charismatic thought leading to a what I would describe as a religious movement spreading a "false gospel". This may offend some so I apologize in advance but I'll also add that I often hear about the "glory days" within the Local Churches. While I do believe sincere and caring Christians fall into the Local Churches I don't believe the Lord's Recovery was ever a genuine move of God, not even in the beginning. I say that now knowing their effectiveness in executing mysticism or mind emptying and dissociative practices that give the individual a temporary and fleeting sense of wellbeing from their personal issues and a tight knit community centered around special "revelation" to help give reinforcement. This is where I believe the initial sense of enthusiasm stemmed from. Harsh, I know, but in the spirit or transparency there you go... I'll finish by saying that the Local Churches, on the surface, got so many things right like a sense of community, home meetings, strong (often times too strong) emphasis of many good Christian values but their fatal flaw was putting men and their own unique visions in the place of Jesus Christ and his revelation.