[QUOTE=countmeworthy;914]I have a couple of questions...
1) What were the meetings like before the life study messages? How were the local churches organized to be on the same page, that is to share on the same subject matter coming from LA or Anaheim or were they?
2) When did the 'life study' messages end?
But for the most part, I got a lot out of the Life Study messages... that was then though...This is now. I haven't picked one up in decades..
The meetings were generally characterized with a lot of singing with the supplement songs and local compositions dominating the selections. Many testimonies were given regarding the experience of Christ in the brother and sister's daily life. Many were very enlightening regarding the experience of the indwelling Christ. There was much spontaneous speaking regarding passages of scripture someone had been reading. There was usually some Bible passage from the elders or from miscellaneous saints for pray reading. There were many testimonies and prayer regarding people the saints were caring for or had met in their daily life. There was not much ministry from the local brothers. The meetings were pretty much run by the members under the governing of the Holy Spirit.
In January 1974 Witness Lee shared his burden was to equip the churches with the truth. He wanted to fulfill WN's desire to give a commentary on the entire Bible. WL introduced the term Life Study at this elders/co-workers meeting. He referenced the training on Psalms and Ezekiel as something like what he was burdened to do. He then selected certain churches to be ministry station churches where the messages would be repeated by certain qualified brothers. Churches like Memphis and New Orleans were deemed too small and without qualified speakers to be ministry station churches.
From this beginning, WL's LSM ministry, the Friday night life study meeting, and the two annual trainings in Anaheim came to be the accepted content for ministry and church meetings and the ultra spontaneous member driven meetings were gradually put aside.
I too got a lot out of the Life Studies. I also lost all taste for them due to the abuses suffered by so many on the altar of the New Way.
In Christ Jesus there is hope for us all,
Hope, Don Rutledge
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