Quote:
Originally Posted by Nell
STG,
However, the LC does promote a very needful practice - the open meeting format which encourages the participation and sharing from all.
When I began meeting with the LC, those gathered were free to stand and speak from what was revealed to them by the Holy Spirit during the meeting, or from their/our experiences of Jesus during the week.
The last meeting I attended, members were lined up at a microphone and were instructed to ONLY speak from Witness Lee's pre-recorded "ministry". If members strayed from this and began to speak from the Spirit, or spoke too long, there was a pianist who played the "gong" chord and the speaker had to sit down. What was once based on the speaking of the Holy Spirit has devolved into something other than an "open meeting format".
Your statement:
As Christians, the life in us has long yearned for true oneness in the body of Christ.
is not entirely "true". I have no such "yearning". I never heard of such until I started meeting with the LC under the ministry of Witness Lee. I have also not heard of such since I stopped meeting there. In fact, "true" oneness in the body of Christ has been accomplished, once for all.
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You are exactly right right, in my opinion, concerning your observation of current LC gatherings. I had a very similar experience the last time I went to a LC meeting about 10 years ago In Tacoma WA. While it was participatory and different ones spoke, the speaking was all around WL and his writings. It became very apparent to me that while there was freedom to stand up and speak out, the speaking itself was highly regulated. This was a HUGE contrast for me, for while we have open meetings in Scottsdale, people here are completely free to share their personal walk with Christ, and anything they were inspired by or even a trial they are going through. I was saddened by the restrictions to their freedom I saw in Tacoma that day . . .
Regarding oneness, you are again correct and those are wonderful verses you posted about our oneness in Christ. To the eye, the church may look a mess, just like to the eye individuals may look a mess. But, the fact is He has done it and is building His ekklesia, against which the gates of hades will not prevail!
And as long as we focus on Christ alone, we are in the reality of this oneness. It's only when we focus on something else, like a ministry or practice, that we depart in our thinking or practice from Him who is our true oneness.