Quote:
Originally Posted by Freedom
This is something I found to be utterly frustrating in the LCM. On the one hand, the elders would make us feel insignificant, claiming that we were all too passive. Then, when anyone tried to initiative anything, they were there waiting to shoot down the initiative.
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You are not the only one. In this regard, living with Cleveland was the same as with LSM in Anaheim. All the time we heard that we each had a ministry to build up, yet we were also told we cannot "use the church" to build it up.
What??? Let's look at this for a minute.
Firstly, how did W. Lee and Titus Chu build up their own ministries, if not on the back of the LC's?
Secondly, why can't a local church, under the guidance of her elders, and with the support of her saints, help to build up one's ministry? Does any one really think that when the Head of the body "gave gifts," (Eph 4.11-12) that these ones would be entirely self-sufficient?
Why not be helped by one's church? Because that ministry would then be a "threat" to headquarters, to the established ruling hierarchy.
At my 2nd LC in Columbus, we had a gifted minister named Philip Comfort. He was passionate, loved the word of God, and loved to teach the church. But unwittingly he became a "threat" to TC, and so TC demanded that he relocate to Cleveland where he could receive "further perfecting." In plain words, TC mercilessly beat poor Phil into submission, accusing him of a host of shortcomings and flaws, all the while shaming him in front of all the other Midwest leaders. Poor Phil returned to Columbus a broken man, and all the leaders there lost all respect for TC. 25 years later one of these elders was instrumental in successfully suing both Columbus and Mansfield for their meeting halls for LSM. TC has this way of producing more "enemies" than "perfected" brothers. The last I heard Phil's name in the LC, TC was shaming an elder brother in Hanover Park, IL for not restoring him to the "fellowship," as if it was all his fault.
Slowly Phil Comfort and his gift got "recovered" by the Lord, but not in the LC's. He went back to school, honing his writing and teachings skills, and today Dr. Philip Comfort has become a Wheaton College professor, an established author, and a well-respected Greek scholar, benefiting the entire body of Christ. To God be the glory.