Non Controlling Local Church, Really?

Subscribe to one ministry one publication, how does it not controlling? Not controlling the meeting? Really? What if I stand up and share about something of John Piper will I get Amens from LSM subscriber?

Strict separation of gender in the church. How does it not controlling who is my future spouse is? Have to fellowship with elder for marriage and how does it not controlling again? These setting limit the LSM saints to contact with other Christians from other groups, how does it not controlling your life?

Not controlling? Really? How about controlling Facebook comments? Excommunicate the one who's not agree with WL, there's no control?

Basically LSM stains live within a small circle and lived according to a certain pattern of life, I'm surprised the leading brothers say the stains are not under control. The obvious controlling factor is so clear, why would they say they don't control anyone? It's more acceptable to admit there's a control.

[UntoHim]

Thank you midea for this thoughtful and heartfelt post. Please consider registering by sending an email requesting membership to LocalChurchDiscussions@Gmail.Com Be sure to include your desired UserName. I'm pretty sure "midea" is available!

What a thoughtful and succinct list of all the ways that the saints are controlled in the Local Church of Witness Lee! I think you hit upon all the major ways that people are directed and controlled in the LC movement - all the way from the ostensibly benign "one publication" edict, up to the most recent control aspect of censoring the social media postings of brothers and sisters who have legitimate criticisms and concerns. Witness Lee was a master of "information control" - and so were the Blended Brothers until the recent Facebook postings of Jo and Greg Casteel. Now the floodgates have opened, and "the brothers" seem to be helpless and powerless against the torrent of online postings of concerned former AND current Local Church members.

May the Lord continue to encourage and enlighten all those who are seeking his hand and his face in these days.
-

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by midea

Subscribe to one ministry one publication, how does it not controlling? Not controlling the meeting? Really? What if I stand up and share about something of John Piper will I get Amens from LSM subscriber?

Strict separation of gender in the church. How does it not controlling who is my future spouse is? Have to fellowship with elder for marriage and how does it not controlling again? These setting limit the LSM saints to contact with other Christians from other groups, how does it not controlling your life?

Not controlling? Really? How about controlling Facebook comments? Excommunicate the one who's not agree with WL, there's no control?

Basically LSM stains live within a small circle and lived according to a certain pattern of life, I'm surprised the leading brothers say the stains are not under control. The obvious controlling factor is so clear, why would they say they don't control anyone? It's more acceptable to admit there's a control.

Control is relative. Meeting content definitely. Say I met with a local church and suggested we drop the ministry for sake of gaining new ones. That's not going to happen.
My experience brothers didn't care who I married. Maybe because I was not one who went through full time training.
Not contacting Christian from other groups? Maybe not for the purpose of fellowship, but to proselytize.

Originally Posted by Terry

Control is relative. Meeting content definitely. Say I met with a local church and suggested we drop the ministry for sake of gaining new ones. That's not going to happen.
My experience brothers didn't care who I married. Maybe because I was not one who went through full time training.
Not contacting Christian from other groups? Maybe not for the purpose of fellowship, but to proselytize.

There's a brother urge you not to yolk with unbeliever in the bible, that's Paul. Why would you take the risk to date unbeliever?

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by Terry

Control is relative. Meeting content definitely. Say I met with a local church and suggested we drop the ministry for sake of gaining new ones. That's not going to happen.
My experience brothers didn't care who I married. Maybe because I was not one who went through full time training.
Not contacting Christian from other groups? Maybe not for the purpose of fellowship, but to proselytize.

Gosh, it's so apparent when you put it like that! Anyway, I'm sorry to say - seems just like another centrally controlled denomination.

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by midea

Subscribe to one ministry one publication, how does it not controlling? Not controlling the meeting? Really? What if I stand up and share about something of John Piper will I get Amens from LSM subscriber?

They would absolutely be stunned someone would dare share apart from "the ministry". John Piper, Art Katz, Stephen Kaung, etc and many would probably not know how to react or respond. Others might get offended someone actually getting light from another ministry.
Yeah, I think most would be too stunned to offer an Amen.

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by Terry

They would absolutely be stunned someone would dare share apart from "the ministry". John Piper, Art Katz, Stephen Kaung, etc and many would probably not know how to react or respond. Others might get offended someone actually getting light from another ministry.
Yeah, I think most would be too stunned to offer an Amen.

The last time I participated in a LC meeting (about 10 years ago), we were traveling with our trailer near that locality. At a coffee break I shared with one brother how refreshing it was to visit various ekklesias as we traveled around the country. I had a flow when I was speaking to him, telling Him about how others loved Jesus, and that it was good to not forsake the assembling with other believers, just because we happened to be traveling through a small town somewhere. He was silent and a little stunned. I knew what he was experiencing (disbelief that there could be real enjoyment of the Lord in what I shared) and didn't share with him to shock him, but was just in the goodness of that experience. (In fact, as we traveled through this particular LC area, I was led to meet with them - just as I would with any other gathering of saints any where.)