Is The Local Church Movement Dying?

Nell · 06-28-2024, 05:56 PM

A friend asked me the question today: “So. Now is the Local Church just dying off? I didn’t know what to say. What to say other than “that’s a good question”. What do you think?

How many "localities", national and international? Is the number of Local Church localities increasing? Is the membership increasing?
What is the head count?
Are "meeting halls" being built and financed by the Living Stream Ministry, or financed locally by the local membership.

I haven’t been to many “meetings” in the last what…20 years. We don’t get many posts on the forum that might answer that question.

Historically when a minister dies, his ministry has died with him. When Billy Graham died, his ministry had long since ceased. That is, Graham retired, there were no more Billy Graham Crusades put on, not even by his children. Then he passed away. He left behind books and Crusades videos, but his ministry ended. His son Franklin started his own ministry which looks nothing like his father’s, but the message of the gospel is the same.

What happened when Witness Lee died? A group of men banded together and took over, calling themselves “blended” and took on the mission of carrying on the “ministry” of Witness Lee.

Is the Local Church dying, or thriving, or somewhere in between? Did these blended men accomplish the goal? Lee was supposed to have the up-to-date speaking of God. The “up-to-date” speaking that ended 25 or so years ago.

There are a number of men no longer living, who joined the LC Movement when Lee began in the US years ago. Are they being replaced with men of the same "vision" Lee possessed?

Has the Lord not spoken anything “new” in the last 25 years?

What is the status of the Local Church today…June, 2024? What’s going on? Is the Local Church thriving or is it dying under the weight of its own rhetoric?

Nell

06-28-2024, 05:56 PM	#1
Nell Admin/Moderator Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 2,100	Is The Local Church Movement Dying? A friend asked me the question today: “So. Now is the Local Church just dying off? I didn’t know what to say. What to say other than “that’s a good question”. What do you think? How many "localities", national and international? Is the number of Local Church localities increasing? Is the membership increasing? What is the head count? Are "meeting halls" being built and financed by the Living Stream Ministry, or financed locally by the local membership. I haven’t been to many “meetings” in the last what…20 years. We don’t get many posts on the forum that might answer that question. Historically when a minister dies, his ministry has died with him. When Billy Graham died, his ministry had long since ceased. That is, Graham retired, there were no more Billy Graham Crusades put on, not even by his children. Then he passed away. He left behind books and Crusades videos, but his ministry ended. His son Franklin started his own ministry which looks nothing like his father’s, but the message of the gospel is the same. What happened when Witness Lee died? A group of men banded together and took over, calling themselves “blended” and took on the mission of carrying on the “ministry” of Witness Lee. Is the Local Church dying, or thriving, or somewhere in between? Did these blended men accomplish the goal? Lee was supposed to have the up-to-date speaking of God. The “up-to-date” speaking that ended 25 or so years ago. There are a number of men no longer living, who joined the LC Movement when Lee began in the US years ago. Are they being replaced with men of the same "vision" Lee possessed? Has the Lord not spoken anything “new” in the last 25 years? What is the status of the Local Church today…June, 2024? What’s going on? Is the Local Church thriving or is it dying under the weight of its own rhetoric? Nell