[Ohio]

Here is a recent post from FaceBook concerning this "Open Letter" ...

“For there must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be evident” I Cor,. 11:19. Whenever trouble arises within Christian gatherings, all are put to the test. How will each one react? Will those who claim spiritual authority silence those who raise concerns? Will they kick out the “troublemakers”? Will the concerned ones who just want to talk about troubling issues be labeled as negative and opposers? Will they be shunned? Once the concerned ones are put out or leave, will their names be slandered and all sorts of evil spoken about them?

Last night I had a long conversation with a brother who was an elder in a local church. He was ill for a couple of years and unable to attend meetings, so resigned his eldership. When he was able to return, the “new way” (~1985 to ?) was in full swing. The focus was no longer life, abiding in Christ, but the work. Everyone must get on board, get trained how to door knock, go to Taiwan for training, was pressured to give all your money above your basic needs. Meetings were focused on work, work, work, no longer on Christ as life. This brother saw many saints discouraged. They just couldn’t keep up with all the demands and pressure. Leadership was shunning the members who did not get fully on board the “new way.” So in one meeting he shared that each one must listen to the Lord, follow His speaking, and participate according to the Lords leading. This word got back to the main leading brother that this brother was speaking against the “new way.”

The main leading brother gave a message that one among them was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Suddenly this brother and his wife were shunned in the meetings. No one would have anything to do with them. Brethren whom they loved, cared for, and labored with for years treated them as if they were lepers. Then this brother and wife were excommunicated from the church. To this day, twenty eight years later, their names are still vilified in the church there.

For those of us who lived thru the "New Way," stories like this were common place. I heard stories of brothers who just "loved the ministry" being attacked by those who were "absolutely one with the ministry." This kind of radical combative zeal was fostered by Lee himself thru intermediaries.