[Friedel]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I have seen Local Church Shouters in South America called Estancia Arvore da Vida (Farm of tree of life). They very much follow point 1 of EL handbook.

Many South American churches are run by lay preachers with little education. The EAV Shouters come in and push EAV materials. They try to convert the preacher, or pull away a few of the weaker members. But first they pretend to be simply other Christians seeking fellowship, and building the Body.

I am not sure of EAV relationship with US Local Church Shouters. But they follow similar points as in EL handbook. By its fruit you know a tree.

Estancia Arvore da Vida is the large ranch not too far from Campinas in Brazil, used by the Dong faction of the Local Church of Witness Lee. Dong Yu Lan built up his own version using Witness Lee's materials and methods. He would attend a training in Anaheim, go back to Sao Paulo, mull it over and six weeks later presented his training on the Estancia. He also had a large publishing arm called Arvore da Vida (The Tree of Life). They would send buses filled with books and other materials into the country and into several countries in South America. Dong's movement had grown and had rivaled Lee's in size in the US.

He had measurable success in South America and that was more than likely the reason why Witness Lee allowed it. (They probably knew each other from before, either on the mainland or in Taiwan.)

After the death of Witness Lee the Blended's took over. Now you know what they did to those who would not submit, like Titus Chu. Dong also refused and the inevitable resulted. Dong then branched out to Portuguese-speaking countries in Europe; also in Africa where he went to countries which where formerly Portuguese colonies or where large Portuguese-speaking communities existed.

(This is quite funny because I believe David Dong is one of the Blendeds. If he indeed is, he was part of the decision to oust Dong Yu Lan.)

You state, "Many South American churches are run by lay preachers with little education." This is the danger of making generalized statements based on rumor because this is simply not true everywhere. One of those in Dong's inner circle is a noted authority on Physics and particularly on the Strength of Materials; another is an architect. We should not slander unless we know the real situation.

Since Dong had refused to be blended, he was kicked out by the Blendeds. Then there started to develop a phrase that was quite amusing (it sounds familiar but not quite): "First there was Brother Nee, then Brother Lee, then Brother Dong." Of course, the version by the Blendeds, which we know, was "First there was Brother Nee, then Brother Lee, then the Brothers We." ("We" being the Blended Brothers.)

I never witnessed anything remotely like what is described as Eastern Lighting so I cannot respond to that. If they do use their methods it must be a recent development.