Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohio
In their last meeting, TC questioned Myer concerning the LC foundational teaching of "one church one city." When Myer voiced his concerns over its validity, TC decided to end their relationship. Since Myer was supported by the regional workers' fund controlled by TC, he was, in effect, fired from his job. It was not a perfectly peaceful relationship prior to that however. TC was prone to be abusive to other leaders, especially the gifted ones, as a mechanism to maintain his authority. (This was also characteristic of WL, with TC perhaps his most gifted protege.). Since Myer was required to bring his new members to TC's regional conferences, he constantly needed to explain afterwards why TC would publicly berate the very youth minister who was so instrumental to their faith.
In WL's and TC's thinking, all fruit belonged to them, and this thought alone produced much conflict over the years. If you can understand these things, then you will know why exclusive systems, while endlessly promoting oneness, will always produce the exact opposite effect.
Looking back over my decades in the LC, Myer was just another in a long trail of gifted brothers who left the system. TC had unfortunately learned from WL how to run the church like the military, with public "dress downs," producing a hierarchical ecclesiastical system, with only one on top. Sadly TC's abusive style created many enemies out of formerly beloved brothers. Those who remained were forced to learn how to be subservient and endure much abuse.
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To me this kind of thing exposes how other things were added as prerequisites of "the faith." That is, certain doctrines, such as one church one city, were held to be a central essential of the faith. Also added was this silly matter of their concept of central authority over the supposedly autonomous local gatherings. These things should not be so, and is a
legalistic addition to Christ.
Have they not read Paul's letter to the Galatians?
Christ plus anything else nullifies Christ and grace - a sure prescription for a fleshly division.