To Keep or not to Keep (Teachings)

[HBJ]

I remember the early 70s, with many of the wonderful bible based praise songs, the love feasts (potlucks), and people who were genuinely seeking the Lord. But it changed in 72-73 in Philadelphia when we went from "All Christians are welcome" to "Christians need to seek God our way to be overcoming Christians". We got a school bus and took it as a group to another church to perform a service to show them how church was done. Later when I had migrated to NYC, the youth group came to my college and took over the Christian student meeting to run it in the LC way! That was the start of my leaving----what arrogance! I do have an occasional contact in NYC with someone who dearly loves the Lord, and I do pray for leadership there since the bible says leaders will be judged more strictly. But getting back to the topic, I have thrown anything I own that was LC in the garbage. When I pass I don't want anyone to find LC things in my property and then be led astray. It takes decades to build a reputation and it can and has been lost in minutes by WL/LC. The thorns have choked out the good growth. Lord have mercy on me and all still in the LC.

Hi!

I am very interested in hearing what your experience of a college student meeting ran in the LC way was like.

A few students have told me the campus Bible study at NYU (probably Columbia too) is a bit different than in other localities. There aren't any full timers so it's mainly students and a few young working graduates. Everyone reads different versions, half the group is usually church kids so they usually read the recovery version. There isn't any additional LSM material, but when everyone asks questions or shares their enjoyment, some church kid will usually go to the footnotes.

I am fairly certain all of the previous elders there have passed away. Do you know who the current elders there are?

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by HBJ

I remember the early 70s, with many of the wonderful bible based praise songs, the love feasts (potlucks), and people who were genuinely seeking the Lord. But it changed in 72-73 in Philadelphia when we went from "All Christians are welcome" to "Christians need to seek God our way to be overcoming Christians". We got a school bus and took it as a group to another church to perform a service to show them how church was done. Later when I had migrated to NYC, the youth group came to my college and took over the Christian student meeting to run it in the LC way! That was the start of my leaving----what arrogance! I do have an occasional contact in NYC with someone who dearly loves the Lord, and I do pray for leadership there since the bible says leaders will be judged more strictly. But getting back to the topic, I have thrown anything I own that was LC in the garbage. When I pass I don't want anyone to find LC things in my property and then be led astray. It takes decades to build a reputation and it can and has been lost in minutes by WL/LC. The thorns have choked out the good growth. Lord have mercy on me and all still in the LC.

Only LSM publication I have left is The Fermentation of the Present Rebellion. Is this book of lies and half-truths even available anymore?
When I think of aging ones who likely purchased Life-Studies, Collected Works of Watchman Nee, and Collected Works of Witness Lee on credit, it's destined for recycling.
Don't consider it "the baby", but "the bathwater".

[PeterG]

I stand by it: Lee is the bathwater.

Nee's teachings on discipleship are still blessing thousands of people outside of LCs all over the world. What a difference to the Lee messages! And this, despite that here in particular are points which deserve to be viewed critically today, such as Nees sharp tripartition of man. I would also add the teaching that God has to break us totally.

Concerning the church doctrine, I basically always hear the same 2 arguments.
1) Nee would take the biblical pattern “one city, one church” prescriptively instead of descriptively.
2. He would overemphasize authority and submission.
For someone who does not recycle, it is not difficult to show that both arguments stand on feet of clay.

Test them all; hold on to what is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

Have you Read Lily Hsu's book on her life and witness to Nee's pattern?

[Sons to Glory!]

I kept one WL book that spoke to me quite deeply: "The Specialty, Generality & Practicality of the Church Life." In it he basically says we should hold certain core (essential) items of the faith tightly, but other things loosely, when interacting and fellowshipping with other believers and other groups. That principle is sound and Lee certainly wasn't the only one who advocated such an approach.

Unfortunately I don't think the ideas in that book were followed very well by the LC - they adopted certain LC doctrines to also be quasi-core essentials of the faith . . .

[PeterG]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Have you Read Lily Hsu's book on her life and witness to Nee's pattern?

Yes, I know the book very well.

Originally Posted by PeterG

Yes, I know the book very well.

Ok, then don't you think its funny how the SAME issues Lily points out in Watchman Nee's ministry are the SAME issues with Witness Lee's ministry? Even though Lily didn't participate in the Lord's Recovery with Witness Lee in Taiwan or the United States, she knew. That blew me away when I read the book.