Corporate Living

[aron]

I wanted to give this question it's own thread. Others may also have insights.

Originally Posted by Melo

I appreciated you mentioning your time in corporate living. I myself could have opted for corporate living, but thankfully my parents didn't push me to. I don't think I could have handled being around that kind of environment. It's always awkward since I see the saints a lot, many of them seem perplexed that I'm not in corporate living and don't intend to be anytime soon. What was your experience with corporate living, aside from the constant bombardment of meetings? Was this during university, or later?

Melo,

Thanks for the question. Looking back, I'd say that corporate living was a key tool in the socialization into this group. (what follows is from years later, and my observations, and may no longer be applicable).

I was a twenty-something college student who clearly needed structure. Today, looking back, that makes sense, and living there may have saved me from recklessness and dissipation. (But I could say the same thing had I gone into the Mormons or the JWs or Moonies.)

Thing was, it didn't just preserve one from "religious Babylon" and "the world", but more importantly it gave multiple venues for the LSM teachings to be inculcated. We'd get up, have "morning watch" where we prayed over Holy Word for Morning Revival booklets, then off to our school/job. Then we'd be in meetings most nights: home meetings, college meetings, prayer meetings, ministry meetings, Sunday morning - of course - Lord's Table meetings. Saturday/Sunday afternoons we'd go visit new ones, or help with moving people, loading and unloading furniture and boxes from vans and pickup trucks, or go on outings, where a family or two would bring several students to the lakeside park. Other times we'd tend the meeting hall and it's grounds, as well as cleaning the Brother's House + upkeep. We were viewed as free labour, which somewhat evened out our subsidized housing (usually we paid less-than-market value [but we were squeezed in bunk beds, 4 to a room!]).

People left corporate housing by getting married. What would typically happen is that a young single person would be there, year after year, "going on with the Lord" and "going on in the church" and "going on with the brothers", and at some point Elder 'A' in Locality 'X' would contact Elder 'B' in Locality 'Y' and they'd compare notes (usually they knew prospective ones first-hand because localities would have regional conferences); then Single Brother 'B' would get introduced and married to Single Sister 'S', and that was end of corporate housing! Actually, when you think of it, they just switch Brother's House and Sister's House for Married House; it's still corporate.

I was in this "pipeline", as GG once called it, for a number of years, during university and after. Eventually I left - the whole thing about despising the poor bothered me greatly, and I argued with the FTTA 'trainer' in front of our group. And the "we are it" thing bothered me. . people should presume nothing, absolutely nothing, before they get to the Bema - Jesus had made this only too clear. The LSM/LC superiority complex, usually veiled but occasionally obvious, always struck me as opposite of what Jesus had taught. (but I just didn't think about it. . pray-read another verse. . get "back to your spirit").

In my case, upon leaving I moved into a homeless shelter - I had no other place to go. My job was in a business owned by a LC member, so I lost that. My family had become totally alienated. I still believed all the theology (ground of oneness, God's economy etc) but had no idea what to do with it all. But my LC experience was neither aligned with nor following the Jesus so plainly and repeatedly testified of in the 4 gospels. So I left, eventually having what some might call a 'street ministry'. . whether I've pleased the Lord or not, the Lord knows. . the journey isn't yet over.

Again, others' experiences or observations may be quite different, and they can add or subtract to what's been written here.

[countmeworthy]

Thank you for sharing your testimony/experience in corporate living Aron. Recently I was pondering how I own a home.. ok.. still paying on it! I never had direction as to a 'career' either from my parents or from the LC. (Interesting how in the mid 70s, Lee had a 'burden' to have LCrs go to college and also recruit college people. The reason for it was clearly to bring in money to him and his projects.

I should be homeless but for the GRACE and I do mean GRACE and MERCY of Almighty God, my Heavenly Father had other plans for me. That's not to say my spiritual journey has been easy. Surely I have experienced John 16:33
In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

My personal trib however has really brought me closer to the LORD..the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I am a happy pappy..and the forever optimist. No weapon formed against me is going to pull me down. I trust the Precious Blood of Jesus one thousand percent and more to protect me, to cover me and to constantly I have learned their a lot about their different functions even though ALMIGHTY GOD is ONE GOD.

As to my experience of corporate living, I somewhat enjoyed it but I felt I could not be 'friends' with the sisters I lived with after I moved to another sisters' home. While I was in that sisters household, we were 'friends' as friends can be in the LC. When I moved to a different sisters' home, I felt I could only fellowship when we were at the meeting halls or in a group setting. Rarely one on one friendship. That's my regret as I am quite a friendly and outgoing person. That's not to say I have not had my share of butting heads with people.

I was not a 'troublemaking' sister as I heard some were. I heard one sister eloped with an LC brother to Vegas.
When they returned and after a scolding of sorts, the sister went back to live with the sisters for a short time..and the brother as well.. they then got their own place.

[JB482]

That's interesting countmeworthy,about your experience living with the saints in a sisters house. When I was in the church in San Diego I lived in several different brothers houses. The one above the meeting hall, 2 times with Huston Sorells in 2 different houses. At Ocean Beach with Paul Seppo and a few other bros. And with Kim Toolys bro house. I felt like we got herded around like cattle sometimes. But for the most part it was a good expirence. It was other things that bugged me in the church,the control and having to conform to the party line and the attitude we had about christians that weren't in the church.

[countmeworthy]

I don't remember Kim Tooly. I don't remember a bro house in Ocean Beach but I do remember visiting OB a few times to share the gospel there. I was
fresh 'off the streets' newly saved when I moved in with Les and Carolyn Cites and the sisters..Melody, Colleen, and a few others. I felt like I was in BOOT CAMP! LOL.. I even told Les and Carolyn that.. in sweet jest of course. I really loved them and still do.

From there I moved in with Mike and Debbie Nolly. Very different type of 'boot camp' there too. I loved them too and still do. Paul Seppo was a trip! He cracked me up. He was a really good guitar player if I recall correctly. I thought he and Debbie who he married made a cute, good couple. Later they left and got divorced I heard. How sad.

I remember living with a sister who plucked my very last nerve. After much agony and prayer, the Lord put a love in my spirit for her. She is still in the LC.. in Anaheim now.

Living with married couples was hard!!

As a reminder, the church in San Diego in the 70s was a 'young people's church' made up of a lot of singles.

[JB482]

Oh you bring back a lot of memories,the saints were so dear! Mike and Debbie Nolly were so good,he always encouraged me. And Paul Seppo was a great guitar player and could always make you laugh with his stories, we had such good fellowship in the bros house when we were in ocean beach,singing songs and fellowshiping.Willie Samoff would always come over and see what we were up to.actually being with those young saints (I was only 22-23) at the time, informal fellowship was more enjoyable then going to meetings for me.

[countmeworthy]

Originally Posted by JB482

Oh you bring back a lot of memories,the saints were so dear! Mike and Debbie Nolly were so good,he always encouraged me. And Paul Seppo was a great guitar player and could always make you laugh with his stories, we had such good fellowship in the bros house when we were in ocean beach,singing songs and fellowshipping. Willie Samoff would always come over and see what we were up to.actually being with those young saints (I was only 22-23) at the time, informal fellowship was more enjoyable then going to meetings for me.

It's good to 'see' someone else from San Diego confirm what I have shared over the years about my experience in San Diego. When everyone has shared about quarantines, etc, I felt like a foreigner. We did not experience any of the negative experiences so many people had under W Lee! Most people here on the forum that were never in San Diego or visited the LC there had such terrible and sad experiences! We really did have a great church life for the most part especially compared to what most experienced here. I credit John Smith, Willie Samoff, Roger Beck and to a lesser extent Les Cites. I think Les was the more legalistic of the elders but I needed the discipline under his and Carolyn's leadership.

We had so many 'singings' in homes that were so much fun. Do you remember Mark Kapusta? He led me to the Lord and to the LC.

Mike and Debbie are still in the LC somewhere.

Perhaps we will have a heavenly reunion in the Holy City New Jerusalem!