Antioch Principle vs. Jerusalem Principle of Church Administration

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah

Watchman Nee and Witness Lee inferred that these designations were “boundaries” to jurisdiction. They taught that each locality was autonomous. But Witness Lee also disparaged the autonomy, teaching that the differences in the seven golden lamp stands in the New Jerusalem were negative.

Originally Posted by Ohio

And herein is what I found to be the hypocrisy in both Nee's and Lee's teachings.

In their early ministries (Nee in China, Lee in Taiwan and the USA), both emphasized city boundaries under autonomous "city" jurisdictions administrated by the elders. Both were firm on this matter, even teaching that the elders were the "highest court" in all matters. Some have referred to this as the "Antioch Principle" established under Paul's ministry.

In their later ministries (Nee in China, Lee in Taiwan and the USA), both emphasized the "oneness" of the body of Christ, with all the churches identically the same, with workers sent out from headquarters overseeing the elders, and a Minister of the Age overseeing these workers. Some have referred to this as the "Jerusalem Principle" practiced by Judaizers who were in some cases sent out by James.

During the quarantines of the Midwest churches, this ecclesiastical change was a source of great conflict and confusion. The Midwest leaders all considered the early paradigm by Nee and Lee to be still in operation, while the Blendeds were all convinced, as the legitimate successors to WL, that the second paradigm was in operation. Midwest leaders compiled reams of old Nee and Lee quotations to support their positions, and Anaheim produced their 28 "attack pack" booklets of more recent quotations to support their positions.

Thus the Midwest battles (divisions, lawsuits, infighting, etc.) during the quarantine were very much similar to the battles Paul et.al. faced with the Judaizers sent out from Jerusalem. Though the Biblical conflict apparently was centered on salvation by circumcision, and supposedly solved in the Acts 15 council, the heart of the matter was the bigger issues of power and control. Had not Titus destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70, the latter model would most certainly have won out, and altered the entire course of church history.

Dear brother Drake has just been tormented by my post above, so I brought it forward on a new thread for further discussion. My only regret is that I no longer have any of my old highlighted LSM books to refer to, since most were sovereignly damaged in a flooded basement and the rest given away.