Quote:
Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!
Nothing is impossible with Him - all division melts in agape love!
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The Seismic Shift in Direction
Don Rutledge, a former leader in Dallas, Texas was well-respected among church leaders, including Witness Lee, and wrote about the flourishing time in the sixties and early seventies when the churches were growing in life and numbers, and spreading. It was certainly a time of blessing on a path of receiving believers according to Christ alone.
That is, until the seismic shift in the direction of the churches occurred and wide- sweeping changes throughout “the Lord’s recovery” set the churches on another path.
[This began another 12-year period that grew till 1986 and the New Way Pledge was signed by leaders to follow Witness Lee and his son, Philip, in one accord.]
Don Rutledge:
“The turn away from the local church life began
in January 1974 at the very first special elders and co-workers conference. This is when the concept of the work began.
Few of the saints realize the magnitude of effect this meeting had on the churches. With charts and statistics, Witness Lee and Max Rapoport came forth to launch the movement. It was boldly declared that the churches would use Witness Lee as the exclusive source of teaching and Max would serve as the coordinator to bring the various churches, with their elders, into a unified movement. Two life-study messages a week were going to be given in Anaheim and ministry stations were set up in various cities to repeat the messages through designated brothers. Some smaller churches consolidated to the larger localities where there was a ministry station. The official list of twelve men who could give conferences was announced. Bi-annual trainings began that year. From that time on, the
individual churches would be called to account if they were moving “independently.” In addition to coordinating the elders to act in a single direction, Max was charged to assist the various churches to be more effective with gospel preaching and outreach.
“He began to travel and, in particular, to meet with the elders. Those who would not be good movement men were pushed aside, if possible, or moved somewhere to be out of the way. On several occasions, Max told me that he was working to bring the elders and churches into one coordination for the purpose of carrying out the burden of Witness Lee. He told me several times that only he could ‘put the whole thing together’.
“I am not attempting to call into question the motive of Witness Lee or Max. During this time, Witness Lee did some very good teaching and Max did some very good gospel work.
But what did happen was that the nature of the various local churches changed from being local in administration and spontaneous in actions to being directed from a center with clear administrative leaders and directors.
“Things were definitely not the same. Some were saying the time of blessing has passed; or we changed our vision; or the moving of the Spirit left the churches; or teaching, doctrine, and methods replaced life. The movement looked nothing like the early days of Elden Hall, Ohio, the Northwest or Texas or other places.” D. R.
“Follow the Vision” – Don Rutledge with Brother Lee – year 1975
“One evening I was walking with Brother Lee. He stopped, turned to me, then put his arm around my shoulder. I realized that he was about to tell me something very serious. He told me that he made a terrible mistake with Daystar (luxury motor home business he introduced to the churches that failed the year before). He said that if he saw Brother Nee he would not know what to say since Brother Nee had warned him not to mix the church with financial matters or business.
“He then told me that he had once told Watchman Nee that he was not following him, but rather was following the truth and vision that Brother Nee taught. Furthermore, that he would not follow Watchman Nee if Watchman Nee left the vision, but that he, Brother Lee, would continue to follow the vision. He then looked me straight in the eye and charged me,
“Brother Don, if I leave the vision, do not follow me but follow the vision.” I was a little speechless, but I did manage to return the embrace and assure Brother Lee that I would remain true to the vision and the truth.” _DFR
When Witness Lee gave his Final Message he reflected on the past and mistakes that were made. Although he would not be specific, he charged others to come together to learn from our past.
“This is a lesson for us all. The co-workers in different places need to learn; all responsible brothers in all localities need to learn. The eyes of the brothers and sisters all need to be opened. Too many things we need to learn. We have acted wrongly in the past, including me, I have to admit. I have had very painful repentance before the Lord. I am very sorry! I am sorry for the Body of Christ - not only for the brothers and sisters among us, but also for the ones in the denominations. You have to bring this message back and read it over and over again in mutual fellowship. Then you will see we were wrong before. To understand and analyze this needs a fair bit of effort. Again I say, a few of you must come together through pray-reading, studying, reciting, and prophesying. We must learn from our past mistakes to receive people according to God's Son...undeviating... not deviating a bit from the path.” (Chinese New Year Conference, 1997, W. Lee)