[Sons to Glory!]

Jigsaw44 - welcome to the LC Discussion board! I'll try to respond to each of your points, but may not have the knowledge to do so adequately on all of them. My responses are based upon my firsthand knowledge of the LC from the 1070s & 80s in a few different localities, and for some limited things I've learned since then.

1. Regarding the hierarchy, the elders are supposed to be the top authority in a locality. And the LCs were supposed to be autonomous. But this happens to varying degrees and since the mid-1980s, central authority from Anaheim and LSM has become prevalent. The elders and LCs that didn't come under this authority were basically shown the door. I think "co-workers" means ones who were closely associated with WL. Blendeds I have the least idea about, as this made-up term came about after I left in the late 1980s. However, Blendeds wield at least a strong influence over elders I would think . . .

2. You identified a key issue with the LC - its adherence to WL above Christ. They would never admit this, but it is apparent to most anyone who visits a LC gathering. They believe they have the one true ministry and the one true way to Christian unity. This has caused a palatable and fleshly elitism in the LC, that automatically divides them from other members of the body of Christ. They don't see this and believe, like the church in Laodecia, that they have it all.

3. Regarding the behaviors of the LC members . . . no, many do not have TVs and don't celebrate holidays. When I was in, this was a norm, and to do otherwise, well let's just say there was a sort of unwritten peer pressure regarding these things. Nothing wrong with not having these things, and personally I believe the world is completely married to the TV and Christmas. But, it is a covert kind of legalism in the LCs to not practice these things, which supplants the inner working of the Anointing.

Other behaviors when I was around including a very conservative style of clothing and things like discouraging make-up on women. Again, there was a kind of covert code, which I don't know that anybody got talked to if they stepped "over the line, " but there was just this understanding that you didn't want to appear too worldly . . . Now I see these things as legalism that just replaces the real experience of Christ in someone's life.

4.5 - I don't know that I can really address this. There has been a lot of discussion on here of late, regarding how the LC treats females (not well). As you point out, there certainly is some prudence in keeping a level of separation for obvious reasons (i.e., rampant hormones), but the LCs seem to get overly legal in this matter too. Maybe someone else could address this more.

Hope that helps and again, it's just my opinions and observations. I'm sure many others will chime in.